NovaNAS vs ZimaOS
NovaNAS
novanas.orgZimaOS
zimaspace.comSide by side
| Figure | NovaNAS | ZimaOS |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | — | Yes |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | — | Yes |
| Android | — | Yes |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 2 |
| Spec score · NAS Software | 8.5 (#3) | 8.6 (#1) |
| Apps | The community app store offers one-click deployment of Docker apps, including Plex, Nextcloud, and Pi-hole. | The App Store advertises more than 800 apps, with one-click installation and third-party Docker support. |
| Audience | The site describes NovaNAS as a free, open-source option for DIY hardware and serious home or small-business storage. | The maker recommends the free plan for individuals, hobbyists, or casual users and ZimaOS+ for families, small teams, or creative studios. |
| Backup | The README describes automated backups to external drives or cloud storage and NovaNAS-to-NovaNAS backups using API key authentication. | Its backup workflow is based on a 3-2-1 strategy and supports cloud, local and LAN destinations. |
| Backups | The project README describes automated backup to external drives or cloud storage and NovaNAS-to-NovaNAS network backup using API key authentication. | Its backup system is based on the 3-2-1 strategy and can manage backup and sync across cloud, local, and LAN storage. |
| File management | Its web file manager supports browsing, uploading, downloading, and previewing files. | It lets users manage, preview, and share files from phones, cloud storage, and external drives. |
| Monitoring | The site describes real-time CPU, memory, disk, and network monitoring; historical monitoring and alerting are marked coming soon. | The built-in Btop tool displays real-time CPU, memory, disk and network usage. |
| Purpose | NovaNAS is an open-source NAS operating system managed through a desktop-like web interface. | ZimaOS is a NAS operating system that the maker says supports x86-64 hardware. |
| Storage | NovaNAS supports ZFS and EXT4 pools, RAID management, and SMB/CIFS and NFS shared folders. | Supported storage configurations include JBOD and RAID 0, 1, 5, and 6. |
| Support | The README points users to documentation and GitHub Issues for support and bug reports. | The maker directs users with driver or compatibility issues to the ZimaOS Discord community. |
Plans
In their own words
NovaNAS
NovaNAS is a free, open-source NAS operating system managed through a desktop-like web interface. Its browser file manager supports browsing, uploading, downloading, and previewing files. Storage features include ZFS and EXT4, RAID management, and SMB/CIFS and NFS shared folders with access controls. A community app store offers one-click deployment of Docker applications such as Plex, Nextcloud, and Pi-hole. The project describes automated backups to external drives or cloud storage, and network backups between NovaNAS systems using API key authentication. Security and network tools include UFW firewall management, DynDNS, automatic Let's Encrypt certificates, and WebAuthn/FIDO2 passkey login. The interface monitors CPU, memory, disk, and network activity in real time. NovaNAS currently supports Debian 13 only, and its installer is intended for a fresh system, not an existing one. Minimum requirements are 2 GB RAM, a 1-core CPU, and a 20 GB system drive, plus data drives. Virtualization, historical monitoring, and scheduled tasks are listed as coming soon.
ZimaOS
ZimaOS is a NAS operating system for x86-64 hardware that combines file management, storage, backups, and apps. Users can manage, preview, and share files from phones, cloud storage, and external drives. Supported configurations include JBOD and RAID 0, 1, 5, and 6, while the backup system manages backup and sync across cloud, local, and LAN storage using a 3-2-1 strategy. Its App Store advertises more than 800 apps, with one-click installation and third-party Docker support; examples include Immich, Emby, Jellyfin, Plex, Home Assistant, and Nextcloud. It connects over LAN or WAN from PC and Mac and can connect with Synology and QNAP NAS devices. The maker says remote access uses encrypted peer-to-peer connections without internet ports open by default, and that local accounts collect no telemetry or user data. The free plan allows up to 4 disks and 3 members. ZimaOS+ costs 29.00 USD once for a lifetime license and allows unlimited disks and users. The license is bound to one device and may be transferred after at least one year of activation.