Why Developers Are Ditching Synology for DIY and Alternative NAS Solutions

When setting up a home lab, network-attached storage (NAS) is a critical component for developers, but the go-to choice is no longer as clear-cut as it once was. While Synology has been a dominant player, a growing number of tech-savvy users are looking elsewhere, citing concerns about subpar hardware options for the price and increasingly restrictive company policies, such as requiring the use of expensive, vendor-branded hard drives. This has sparked a move towards more open, powerful, and cost-effective solutions.

The Rise of the DIY NAS

The most popular alternative is building a custom NAS. This approach provides ultimate control over hardware, software, and cost.

The Repurposed PC Method: A common strategy is to acquire a cheap, used PC, install a Linux distribution like Ubuntu, and configure it as a file and media server. This setup is highly customizable. For example, you can easily run a Plex server with an HDHomeRun TV tuner to create a powerful media center that serves content to various devices. Software like TrueNAS is also a popular choice for these builds.
The Low-Power Raspberry Pi Build: For those conscious of power consumption and cost, a Raspberry Pi 5 has emerged as a surprisingly viable option. By pairing it with a Radxa SSD expansion hat (which can hold multiple NVMe drives) and running software like OpenMediaVault, you can create a highly efficient NAS. With 16GB of RAM, it's capable of hosting various services while using a fraction of the power of older, commercial NAS devices.

New Players and Market Trends

Beyond complete DIY, the market is seeing new contenders challenge the incumbents.

Emerging Pre-Built Alternatives: Brands like Ugreen are entering the NAS space with devices like the NASync series, which offer superior hardware specifications compared to similarly priced Synology models. These provide a middle ground for users who want a modern, powerful box without building it from scratch.
The NVMe-Only Future: A notable trend is the rise of small, NVMe-only NAS computers. These compact and silent devices offer incredible speed for network storage and are becoming more accessible.

When Does a Synology Still Make Sense?

Despite the push towards alternatives, Synology still holds a place for users who prioritize simplicity and ease of maintenance above all else. For those who want a NAS that "just works" out of the box with minimal tinkering, Synology's polished software and straightforward management can be worth the premium price. Some users adopt a hybrid approach, using a simple Synology NAS as a reliable data layer (via NFS mounts) while running applications and services on a separate, more powerful server running a system like UnRaid.