Resources
NAS hardware, cloud backup services and self-hosted software referenced across our guides, with a note on what each is best for.
asustor.com
ASUSTOR
Intel-based NAS units, often good for media and transcoding.
qnap.com
QNAP
Feature-packed NAS hardware for power users. Keep firmware updated.
seagate.com
Seagate IronWolf
IronWolf/IronWolf Pro CMR NAS drives with health management.
synology.com
Synology
The most polished NAS software (DSM). Check CPU + drive rules before buying.
ugreen.com
UGreen NAS
Modern Intel x86 NAS with Quick Sync transcoding and strong value.
westerndigital.com
WD Red (NAS drives)
WD Red Plus/Pro CMR drives built for 24/7 NAS use.
backblaze.com
Backblaze B2
S3-compatible object storage (~$6/TB/mo). Best all-round offsite backup for a NAS.
idrive.com
IDrive
Cheap first-year pricing and native Synology/QNAP apps for easy NAS backup.
pcloud.com
pCloud
Consumer cloud storage with lifetime plans; handy secondary copy.
wasabi.com
Wasabi
Flat per-TB pricing with no egress fees (90-day minimum retention).
home-assistant.io
Home Assistant
Powerful open-source smart-home hub you fully control.
immich.app
Immich
Self-hosted Google Photos alternative with automatic phone backup.
jellyfin.org
Jellyfin
Free, open-source media server — no paywalled hardware transcoding.
nextcloud.com
Nextcloud
Your own private cloud: files, calendar, contacts and an app ecosystem.
docs.paperless-ngx.com
Paperless-ngx
Self-hosted document management — scan, OCR and organise your paperwork.
pi-hole.net
Pi-hole
Network-wide ad and tracker blocking via DNS.
proxmox.com
Proxmox VE
Free hypervisor for running VMs and containers as a homelab base.
tailscale.com
Tailscale
Zero-config mesh VPN for secure remote access to your NAS.
truenas.com
TrueNAS
ZFS-based NAS OS for DIY builds; SCALE also runs apps and VMs.
github.com
Vaultwarden
Lightweight self-hosted Bitwarden-compatible password server.