umbrelOS
The prettiest home cloud, AI-ready
umbrelOS is a home-server system from Umbrel, also sold preinstalled on the Umbrel Home and Umbrel Pro. It installs free on a Raspberry Pi 5 or 4, any 64-bit PC or a virtual machine. Its app store has more than 300 one-click apps, including a Local AI section with Ollama. Version 2.0 added Photos, multiple users, a redesigned interface and an MCP server so AI agents can manage it.
umbrelOS specs and requirements
What umbrelOS can do
Strengths
- Beautiful, app-first interface
- Runs on a Raspberry Pi 5 as well as PCs
- Local AI and photos built into the app store
Trade-offs
- Not open source: free for personal use only
- Storage features are simpler than TrueNAS or Unraid
- Raspberry Pi images start at 1.7.4 and update to 2.0 afterwards
Local AI on umbrelOS
Local AI apps (Ollama and agents) in the app store; an MCP server lets AI agents install apps and manage files. How far you get depends on your memory: see what each kind of hardware can run.
umbrelOS vs other NAS systems
Anyone who wants a beautiful home cloud with local AI and doesn’t need advanced storage.
| Feature | umbrelOS | TrueNAS | Unraid | openmediavault | ZimaOS | HexOS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free to useUsable with no licence fee for a normal home setup. | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | YesUp to 4 drives | No |
| One-click app storeInstall apps such as Plex, Jellyfin or Nextcloud from a catalog in the web interface. | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Built-in photo libraryA photo app made by the NAS maker, not just a third-party app you install. | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | No |
| Local AI apps in the storeOllama or another local AI runtime can be installed from the official catalog or a built-in feature. | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| Mix drive sizes freelyAdd drives of different sizes over time and use their full capacity. | No | No | Yes | No | No | No |
| ZFS file systemZFS checks data for silent corruption and supports snapshots. It works best with matching drives and more RAM. | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Runs on a Raspberry PiAn official or documented way to run it on a Raspberry Pi. | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | No |
| PriceOne-time prices in US dollars. | Free | Free | From $49 | Free | Free · Plus $29 | From $199 |
| Minimum RAMAs stated by the maker. | 4 GB | 8 GB | — | 1 GB | — | — |
Compare umbrelOS with
umbrelOS: common questions
Is umbrelOS free?
Yes. umbrelOS is free for personal use. Licence: Source-available (PolyForm Noncommercial 1.0.0).
What hardware does umbrelOS need?
Processor: Dual-core 64-bit Intel or AMD, or Raspberry Pi 5/4. RAM: 4 GB minimum, 8 GB+ recommended. System drive: 32 GB drive. Supported architectures: x86-64, ARM64 (Raspberry Pi).
Can umbrelOS run AI locally?
Local AI apps (Ollama and agents) in the app store; an MCP server lets AI agents install apps and manage files.
What is umbrelOS based on?
umbrelOS is based on Its own system (Umbrel doesn’t name a base distro). Storage: FailSafe mirrors drives (RAID), with drive health shown in the interface.
Who is umbrelOS best for?
Anyone who wants a beautiful home cloud with local AI and doesn’t need advanced storage.
Other NAS systems
Sources, checked October 19, 2026: umbrelOS README · umbrelOS downloads · What’s new in umbrelOS 2.0 · umbrelOS product page. The level is our judgment of how much a first-time NAS builder has to learn.