OpenNAS vs Synology Active Backup for SaaS

OpenNAS is a free NAS operating system for managing files, storage, containers, and virtual machines through a browser-based desktop on your own hardware. It is based on Alpine Linux, targets x86_64, and is licensed GPL-3.0-or-later. File Station handles uploads and downloads, previews for common media and document formats, ZIP operations, recycle-bin restoration, and expiring password-protected public links. Storage tools show S.M.A.R.T. health, RAID status, and per-volume usage, and support disk initialization and configurable storage for virtual machines and containers. Container Manager handles Docker containers and images, logs, resource statistics, and docker-compose stacks. KVM/QEMU virtual machines support ISO booting, qcow2 disks, and an in-browser noVNC console. Package Center offers one-click self-hosted services such as Jellyfin, Nextcloud, Pi-hole, Vaultwarden, Gitea, Home Assistant, Portainer, and Immich. File sharing supports SMB/CIFS, NFS, and AFP, with Time Machine targets. The Free plan is free. The current installer is version 0.9.0-beta.1 for x86_64 and supports UEFI and BIOS boot; it requires compatible 64-bit x86_64 hardware, at least 2 GB RAM, and an 8 GB or larger USB stick.

Synology Active Backup for SaaS backs up Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace data to Synology NAS servers for recovery after data loss or service downtime. Microsoft 365 coverage includes OneDrive for Business, SharePoint Online, Exchange Online, and Teams. Google Workspace coverage includes Drive, Gmail, Contacts, and Calendar, including shared drives, labels, and attachments. Microsoft 365 backups can run continuously, manually, or on a schedule; continuous intervals adjust from one to ten minutes based on detected API request rates. Both services support file versioning, and Google Workspace versions can be retained for a chosen period or kept in full. The Microsoft 365 Recovery Portal lets administrators and employees restore or export backed-up data, with self-service access dependent on configuration. The product is a free add-on for a compatible Synology NAS, with unlimited accounts subject to NAS storage capacity. Active Backup for Microsoft 365 requires DSM 6.1-15217 or later. Deduplication requires an x64 NAS using Btrfs, and neither service supports secondary backups. Google Workspace setup requires configuring the Drive SDK API and creating a service key.