SoftNAS vs TrueNAS
SoftNAS
softnas.com
TrueNAS
truenas.comSide by side
| Figure | SoftNAS | TrueNAS |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $0.13/mo | Free |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | — |
| Open source | — | Yes |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | — | Yes |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | — | Yes |
| Android | — | Yes |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 10 | 2 |
| Spec score · NAS Software | 8.3 (#7) | 8.4 (#4) |
| API | The SoftNAS REST API exposes functions used by the StorageCenter administration GUI, and the maker documents a command-line utility for API access. | Current releases use a versioned JSON-RPC 2.0 API over WebSocket; the former REST API was deprecated in 25.04 and removed in 26. |
| Directory integration | SoftNAS integrates with Active Directory for authentication and granular permissions for users and groups. | Supported identity services include Active Directory, LDAP, Kerberos, local users and groups, and two-factor authentication. |
| Integrations | SoftNAS integrates with Active Directory for centralized user authentication and access control. | The platform lists TrueNAS Connect, TrueCommand, CloudSync, Veeam, vCenter, OpenStack Cinder, Syncthing, Rsync and Fibre Channel integrations. |
| Intended users | The maker describes SoftNAS as an enterprise solution for hybrid and multi-cloud deployments that need shared file storage across environments. | The maker describes TrueNAS as serving home labs, individuals, and enterprise data centers, including data-intensive workloads such as AI, virtualization, surveillance, and backup. |
| Management | StorageCenter is a web-based GUI for configuring, monitoring, and maintaining a NAS environment in a browser. | The platform provides a web UI, CLI, SNMP, syslog, reporting, and a TrueNAS API. |
| Product | SoftNAS is software-defined network attached storage for enterprise cloud storage workloads. | TrueNAS Community Edition is a free, open storage platform offering file, block, and object storage through one interface. |
| Security | The maker’s security documentation says SoftNAS supports AES-256 full-disk encryption at the storage-pool level. | The feature table lists self-encrypted drives, dataset encryption, encrypted replication, WireGuard, OpenVPN, ACLs, and IP filtering. |
Plans
SoftNAS
- OSN-1$0.13 a month
- 200$0.25 a month
- OSN-2$0.66 a month
- 400$1.32 a month
- OSN-4$1.58 a month
- OSN-8$2.78 a month
- 800$3.16 a month
- 1600$8.22 a month
- 3200$12.10 a month
- 6400$18.15 a month
In their own words
SoftNAS
SoftNAS is software-defined network attached storage for enterprise cloud workloads that need shared file storage across environments. It supports AWS, Microsoft Azure, Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, and VMware, with NFS, SMB/CIFS, and iSCSI protocols. StorageCenter provides a browser-based interface for configuring, monitoring, and maintaining a NAS environment; a REST API and documented command-line utility provide another route to its functions. Active-passive configurations use automated failover, while DeltaSync replication can resume an interrupted session from the last known good snapshot. SoftNAS supports storage pools, snapshots, user management, and cloud sync, and integrates with Active Directory for authentication and access control. The maker says compression and deduplication can help reduce cloud storage costs. Security documentation describes AES-256 full-disk encryption at the storage-pool level. The product is paid, has no free plan, and offers a trial without a stated duration on the pricing page. Listed hourly plans include Oracle Cloud options from $0.13 a month and throughput-oriented options from $0.25 a month; AWS Marketplace lists free self-service support and paid Buurst Gold Support with 24x7x365 availability.
TrueNAS
TrueNAS Community Edition is free storage software that provides file, block, and object storage through one interface. It uses ZFS capabilities including snapshots, replication, RAID-Z, and self-healing checksums. Listed services include SMB, NFS, iSCSI, S3 API compatibility, apps, Docker containers, and virtual machines. Administrators can manage it through a web UI or CLI and use SNMP, syslog, reporting, and the TrueNAS API. Security options include self-encrypted drives, dataset encryption, encrypted replication, WireGuard, OpenVPN, ACLs, and IP filtering. The maker lists integrations or certifications involving Kubernetes CSI, Proxmox, VMware, Veeam, Red Hat OpenShift, and others. The Community Edition is a free software download for x86 hardware, with support through forums, documentation, release notes, and bug ticketing. Professional support is described for Enterprise customers. TrueNAS publishes security advisories and recommends configuring systems according to its security best practices. Moving from TrueNAS CORE to Community Edition is a one-way upgrade.