Overview

Synology Photos is a photo and video manager built into DSM for people who want to keep their library on a Synology NAS. It suits households and individual photographers who value local storage, mobile backup and controlled sharing; it is not a standalone cloud photo service.

Its strongest case is straightforward: back up from a phone, organize and browse the collection, then share selected items without moving the library to a separate storage service. The trade-off is that both the NAS and, for some formats and recognition features, compatible supporting software or hardware are part of the setup.

Key features

Backup and organization

The mobile app can automatically back up photos and videos to a Synology NAS, giving phone users a continuing backup path into their own storage. Albums can be custom or conditional, and automatic grouping helps organize a collection. Face and object recognition, along with face search, can make a large library easier to navigate, but recognition works only on certain NAS models. Check model support if those tools are central to your choice.

Sharing and collaboration

Users can share individual photos, videos or albums through links protected by a password or an expiration date. Shared Space lets selected users collaborate, with access and editing rights managed at folder level. These controls work well for a household or small group with someone willing to administer shared folders; they are less appealing if you want sharing without NAS-based account and folder management.

Formats and upload limits

Original-quality storage and RAW files are supported. HEIC and HEVC previews, as well as compressed video playback, require Synology Image Assistant, an extra dependency for libraries that rely on those formats. Drag-and-drop uploads top out at 5,000 files per upload, a practical constraint for very large initial imports.

Pricing

Synology Photos is free, with no paid premium tiers or free trial. Two free entries describe the same basic proposition: the Free plan is free, and Synology Photos is free. Both require a Synology NAS, so the software price is zero but access depends on owning the required hardware. There are no paid tiers to choose between, and no seat, quota, trial or renewal terms are stated for these plans.

The free offer includes original-quality storage, face search, shared albums, family sharing, a desktop app and video backup. It fits existing Synology NAS owners who want photo management and backup without a software subscription. It is not a cheaper substitute for a cloud photo plan if you do not already have a NAS, because the NAS requirement remains.

Platforms

Synology Photos is listed for Android, iOS, macOS, web, Windows and extension use. The mobile app requires iOS 16 or later or Android 11 or later. TV apps support Apple TV and Android TV, while Chrome and Safari are the recommended browsers. The range covers phones, computers and televisions, though mobile users on older operating systems fall outside the stated requirements.

A moderate-severity security advisory has been published for Photos, with fixed releases identified for DSM 7.2 and DSM 7.1. NAS owners should keep DSM on a fixed release rather than treating a free app as maintenance-free.

Who it's for

Choose Synology Photos if you already own a Synology NAS, want original-quality files kept there, and need phone backup, albums and link-based sharing in one workflow. It is particularly suited to families or small groups that can use Shared Space and folder-level permissions. Look elsewhere if you need a standalone service, do not want to maintain NAS hardware, rely on recognition without checking model compatibility, or want HEIC and HEVC previews without installing Synology Image Assistant.

Pros and cons

Pros

No software charge: the listed plans are free and there are no paid premium tiers.
NAS-centered backup: the mobile app can automatically back up both photos and videos to a Synology NAS.
Useful sharing controls: link passwords and expiration dates provide options for limiting access, while Shared Space adds folder-level collaboration rights.
Broad library support: RAW and original-quality storage are supported, alongside custom and conditional albums and face search.

Cons

Hardware prerequisite: a Synology NAS is required, so the free software is not a turnkey cloud destination.
Model-dependent recognition: face and object recognition are limited to certain NAS models.
Format caveat: HEIC and HEVC previews and compressed video playback require Synology Image Assistant.
Import ceiling: drag-and-drop uploads are limited to 5,000 files at a time.
Version floor for phones: mobile support requires iOS 16 or Android 11 at minimum.

Alternatives

For users who want a different backup product, IDrive has a free 10 GB Basic plan, a free trial and broad support across Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, web and Windows; choose it when those platforms or a non-NAS backup route matter more than Synology Photos' NAS-based photo library. Acronis Cyber Disaster Recovery Cloud is a paid service with a free trial and coverage spanning desktop, mobile, web and self-hosted platforms, making it the alternative to consider for disaster recovery rather than a NAS photo manager. MSP360 Backup offers a free personal workstation backup plan with file and image-based backup for Linux, macOS and Windows; choose it when workstation backup is the priority instead of photo organization and sharing.

GWS Backup is another free option. CubeBackup is a paid alternative with a trial and an Education / Non-profit plan priced at 2.00 USD per year. Spanning Backup is a paid, trial-offering option with one all-inclusive plan. Kernel Google Workspace Backup and Restore has a Windows plan for Google Workspace backup to PST priced at 49.00 USD per once. SysCloud Backup is a paid web-based alternative with a listed 18.00 USD per year plan for Slack/Salesforce at 500–999 users. These alternatives are worth considering when their backup focus or platform fit is a better match than a NAS-based photo library.

For broader category browsing, see Google Workspace Backup Software, Storage Replication Software, Storage Migration Software, NAS Backup Software, Photo Management Software and Photo Storage Services.

Verdict

Synology Photos is a strong choice for Synology NAS owners who want a free way to back up, organize and share a photo and video library while keeping the files on their own NAS. The NAS requirement is the decisive reason to choose it—and the decisive reason to look elsewhere if you want a standalone cloud service or do not already have that hardware.

	ArkCentral	Synology Photos
Free plan	No	Yes
Free trial	Yes	No
Paid from		Free
Platforms	iOS, macOS, self-hosted	Android, extension, iOS, macOS, Web, Windows
Free plan	No	Yes
Original-quality storage	Yes	Yes
Shared albums	Yes	Yes
Family sharing	Yes	Yes
Desktop app	Yes	Yes
Video backup	Yes	Yes
Face search		Yes

ArkCentral vs Synology Photos

ArkCentral

Synology Photos