The best NAS operating systems for home in 2026
Keep your photos, files and AI at home instead of paying for the cloud. We compared six NAS systems built for normal people, not data centres, on price, ease of use, photo apps and local AI. Every fact links to its source.
- 6 systems
- 4 free for home use
- 4 with local AI apps
- 2 with a photo library
Our picks by what you need
Each pick meets the rule on its card; we avoid picking the same system twice when another one qualifies, so you can see exactly why each is there.
NAS systems ranked by Google searches
Share of Google searches over the last 30 days, worldwide, with the leader at 100. This measures interest, not quality. NAS systems have their own ranking, separate from the Linux distro ranking.
The first Google Trends data for NAS systems hasn’t been added yet, so the systems are listed A–Z for now. Positions will appear after the first weekly update.
Feature comparison
What each system can do out of the box. Tap a name for the full profile and sources.
| Feature | HexOS | openmediavault | TrueNAS | umbrelOS | Unraid | ZimaOS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free to useUsable with no licence fee for a normal home setup. | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | YesUp to 4 drives |
| One-click app storeInstall apps such as Plex, Jellyfin or Nextcloud from a catalog in the web interface. | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Built-in photo libraryA photo app made by the NAS maker, not just a third-party app you install. | No | No | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| Local AI apps in the storeOllama or another local AI runtime can be installed from the official catalog or a built-in feature. | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Mix drive sizes freelyAdd drives of different sizes over time and use their full capacity. | No | No | No | No | Yes | No |
| ZFS file systemZFS checks data for silent corruption and supports snapshots. It works best with matching drives and more RAM. | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| Runs on a Raspberry PiAn official or documented way to run it on a Raspberry Pi. | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | No |
| PriceOne-time prices in US dollars. | From $199 | Free | Free | Free | From $49 | Free · Plus $29 |
| Minimum RAMAs stated by the maker. | — | 1 GB | 8 GB | 4 GB | — | — |
What each one costs
Every paid option here is a one-time licence, not a subscription. The hardware is yours, so there’s no monthly cloud bill.
What can your NAS do with AI?
Running AI at home keeps your photos and questions private, but the hardware sets the limit. Pick the box closest to yours.
A model’s whole file has to fit in memory, with room left for the system and your other apps. We leave a quarter of the RAM free on boxes without a graphics card.
Works well
- Photo search with faces and objects (Immich, ZimaOS Photos, umbrelOS Photos)
- Small assistants such as Gemma 3 4B (3.4 GB)
- Gemma 3 12B (8.2 GB) fits in memory, but runs slowly on the processor
Out of reach
- Fast replies from mid-size models
- Large models such as Gemma 3 27B (17 GB)
Sizes are Ollama’s downloads for Google’s Gemma 3 models; other models of the same size need about the same memory. Sources: Ollama: Gemma 3 model sizes, Ollama FAQ: CPU and GPU memory, Immich hardware requirements.
How to choose a NAS OS
- Start with your hardware. A Raspberry Pi limits you to umbrelOS or openmediavault. A 64-bit Intel or AMD mini PC or old desktop runs all six. TrueNAS asks the most: 8 GB of RAM and a separate 16 GB boot SSD.
- Look at your drives. If you have several drives of different sizes, Unraid uses all of their space. ZFS systems (TrueNAS and HexOS) want drives of the same size, starting with two.
- Decide how hands-on you want to be. ZimaOS, umbrelOS and HexOS hide the technical parts. TrueNAS and Unraid show more settings. openmediavault expects some command-line work to add apps.
- Think about photos and AI. ZimaOS and umbrelOS have their own photo libraries, and ZimaOS can search photos in plain language using on-device AI. For chat models, plan for 16 GB of RAM or more.
- Check the real cost. TrueNAS, openmediavault and umbrelOS are free for home use. ZimaOS is free up to 4 drives and 3 users. Unraid and HexOS are one-time purchases.
- Try before you commit. Unraid has a 30-day trial, and the free systems cost nothing to try. Test on spare drives before moving your only copy of anything.
Home NAS: common questions
What is the best NAS OS for beginners?
ZimaOS and umbrelOS are the easiest: both are free for home use, have a phone-like app store and a built-in photo library. umbrelOS also runs on a Raspberry Pi 5. If you want ZFS data protection with a guided setup, HexOS adds a simple interface to TrueNAS for a one-time fee ($199 during Early Access).
Is TrueNAS free?
Yes. TrueNAS Community Edition is free, with no drive or user limits. iXsystems sells an Enterprise edition with its own hardware for businesses. Community Edition needs a 64-bit Intel or AMD processor, 8 GB of RAM and a 16 GB boot SSD.
Is Unraid free?
No. Unraid has a 30-day free trial, then costs $49 (Starter, up to 6 drives), $109 (Unleashed) or $249 (Lifetime). Licences are perpetual; Starter and Unleashed include one year of updates.
TrueNAS or Unraid: which should I choose?
TrueNAS is free and built on ZFS, which is excellent at protecting data but works best with drives of the same size. Unraid is paid, but lets you mix drives of any size and add them one at a time. Pick TrueNAS for data safety on a budget, Unraid if you are reusing a mix of old drives.
Can I run a NAS on a Raspberry Pi?
Yes. umbrelOS has official images for the Raspberry Pi 5 (recommended) and Pi 4. openmediavault also runs on Raspberry Pi boards: you install Raspberry Pi OS Lite or Debian first, then install openmediavault on top. TrueNAS, Unraid, ZimaOS and HexOS need a 64-bit Intel or AMD PC.
Can a home NAS run AI models locally?
Yes, within the limits of its memory. A model’s whole file has to fit in RAM (or in a graphics card’s memory): Gemma 3 4B is a 3.4 GB download and runs on a 16 GB NAS, while Gemma 3 27B is 17 GB and needs 32 GB of RAM or a 24 GB graphics card to be practical. AI photo search in Immich needs at least 6 GB of RAM.
Can I turn an old PC into a NAS?
Usually, yes, if it has a 64-bit processor. openmediavault runs with as little as 1 GB of RAM, umbrelOS needs 4 GB and TrueNAS needs 8 GB plus two drives of the same size. Old desktops can use more electricity than a modern mini PC, so check power use if it will run all day.
All NAS profiles
Facts were checked against each project’s own documentation, pricing pages and release notes on October 19, 2026; each profile lists its sources. Levels (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced) are our judgment of how much a first-time NAS builder has to learn. Looking for a general server OS instead? See the best Linux distros for servers.