TrueNAS
ZFS-based storage operating system for building a NAS on your own hardware or buying an appliance.
- Verified facts
- 5 of 5
- Alternatives ranked
- 2
- Approved reviews
- 0
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About TrueNAS
TrueNAS is a storage operating system from iXsystems built on the OpenZFS file system. The free Community Edition installs on almost any x86 PC or server and turns it into a NAS, managed from a web interface, with SMB and NFS file shares, iSCSI block storage and S3-compatible object storage. ZFS gives it snapshots, replication, RAID-Z and self-healing checksums, which is why it's popular with people who care about data integrity. It also runs Docker-based apps and virtual machines, so one box can host Plex, Nextcloud or a backup target. The company describes the Community Edition as open core: the paid Enterprise tier, sold with TrueNAS hardware, adds high availability, Fibre Channel and 24/7 support. It suits home labs and businesses that want a robust file server, but ZFS has a learning curve and works best with plenty of RAM and matching drives.
Best for: Home labs and businesses that want a ZFS file server with snapshots and replication.
Pros and cons
What works
- Free Community Edition runs on any x86 hardware
- OpenZFS snapshots, replication and self-healing checksums
- File, block and S3-style object storage from one web UI
- Runs Docker apps and virtual machines on the same box
Why people leave
- ZFS pools are less flexible than Unraid for mixing drive sizes
- High availability and Fibre Channel need paid Enterprise hardware
- Steeper learning curve than simpler NAS systems
Top TrueNAS alternatives
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Why people left TrueNAS
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TrueNAS: common questions
Is TrueNAS free?
Yes. TrueNAS is free, open-source software that you can host yourself.
Is TrueNAS open source?
Yes. You can also run it on your own server.
What platforms does TrueNAS run on?
TrueNAS is available for Self-hosted.
What are the best alternatives to TrueNAS?
The highest-ranked TrueNAS alternatives right now are Unraid and Debian. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.