The best Raspberry Pi NAS software depends entirely on what you need: OpenMediaVault for local network file sharing, Nextcloud for a full collaboration suite, Gavety for remote file access on hardware you own without port forwarding, Jellyfin for media streaming, and TrueNAS SCALE for advanced storage management with Docker and VMs. Most beginners need Gavety or OMV — not all of the above.
Before Picking Raspberry Pi NAS Software: One Question
Most people approach this wrong. They compare feature lists and install instructions before asking the only thing that actually matters: what job are you hiring this software to do?
There are really only four jobs people want from a home NAS:
- Local file sharing — access files on your home network from any device (Windows, Mac, phone)
- Remote file access — access your files from anywhere, even when you're away from home
- Media streaming — watch movies and listen to music stored on your Pi, on any screen
- Full collaboration suite — files + calendar + contacts + video calls, all self-hosted
Every software below is genuinely good at one of these. Most fail badly when asked to do all four. Pick the one that matches your actual job — not the one with the longest feature list. For a broader introduction to self-hosting on Raspberry Pi, see our full Raspberry Pi cloud storage setup guide.
The self-hosting community often recommends installing multiple tools on a single Pi. This leads to dependency conflicts, port clashes, and 3am debugging sessions. Unless you have a Pi 5 (4GB) or better, pick one primary tool and do it well. You can always add more later.
1. OpenMediaVault — Best for Local Network File Sharing
OpenMediaVault (OMV) is a dedicated NAS operating system built on Debian. It installs directly on your Pi, gives you a polished web dashboard, and makes it genuinely easy to set up Samba (Windows file sharing), NFS (Linux/Mac), FTP, and RAID. If what you want is "plug in a drive and everyone in the house can access it," OMV is the answer.
OMV also has a plugin system (OMV-extras) that lets you add Docker, Portainer, Plex, and other services on top. The community is active and the documentation is solid. For the full breakdown of OMV vs Gavety and when OMV wins, see our OpenMediaVault alternative comparison.
- Excellent Samba/NFS setup — local sharing just works
- RAID management built in
- Plugin ecosystem for Docker, Plex, etc.
- Free and open-source
- Active community, good docs
- No built-in remote access — needs port forwarding or VPN
- CGNAT on Jio/BSNL blocks remote access entirely
- Separate OS install — can't easily add to existing Ubuntu
- Pi 3/4 can feel sluggish under load
2. Nextcloud — Best for Full Collaboration Suite
Nextcloud is the most feature-complete self-hosted platform available. Files, calendar (CalDAV), contacts (CardDAV), video calls, real-time document editing (OnlyOffice or Collabora), AI assistant, and 300+ apps in its ecosystem. If you genuinely need all of that on your own hardware — Nextcloud is the right choice and nothing else comes close.
The honest caveat: Nextcloud on a Raspberry Pi requires configuring a full web server stack (NGINX, PHP 8.x with ~10 extensions, MariaDB, Let's Encrypt SSL), and remote access requires port forwarding — which is impossible on CGNAT. Read our Nextcloud setup problems guide and Nextcloud alternatives roundup before committing. Also see our full Nextcloud vs Gavety comparison.
- Most complete feature set available
- Desktop sync client (Dropbox-style)
- Native iOS + Android apps
- Open-source, fully auditable
- 300+ community apps
- 2–8 hour setup, ongoing PHP maintenance
- Fails completely on CGNAT without Cloudflare Tunnel
- Memory-heavy on Pi 4 (1.5GB+ RAM at rest)
- Major upgrades frequently break apps
3. Gavety — Best for Remote Access Without Port Forwarding
Gavety takes a different approach to every other option on this list. Instead of requiring a web server, database, and open ports — you install Ubuntu, download the .deb package from gavety.com after purchase, double-click to install via App Center, and plug in your drives. That's it. Gavety auto-detects your drives and creates an outbound encrypted tunnel that works even behind CGNAT.
The tunnel is the key architectural difference. Every other tool on this list requires inbound connections from the internet — which CGNAT blocks. Gavety connects outward, so CGNAT is irrelevant. Works on Jio Fiber, BSNL, and any residential ISP. See the full technical explanation on our global access page and our self-hosting without port forwarding guide.
- Works behind CGNAT — no port forwarding needed
- Install Ubuntu → download .deb → done (~10 min)
- Auto-detects all USB drives instantly
- $100 one-time, first year free, $30/yr after
- Optimised for ARM64 (Pi 3/4/5)
- No desktop sync client (roadmap)
- No calendar, contacts, or video calls
- Proprietary agent (not open-source)
- Remote access requires internet connection
4. TrueNAS SCALE — Best for Advanced Storage Management
TrueNAS SCALE is the most powerful option on this list — and the least appropriate for most Raspberry Pi users. Built on Linux with ZFS, it offers Docker containers, VMs, SMB/NFS/iSCSI sharing, and professional-grade RAID. Companies use this for petabytes of storage.
On a Raspberry Pi: TrueNAS SCALE doesn't officially support ARM64 in its standard builds. Most users running TrueNAS on Pi-like hardware are on x86_64 mini-PCs (N100, N305 chips). If you have an old x86 machine you want to turn into a proper NAS, TrueNAS is worth considering. If you have a Raspberry Pi — it's the wrong tool.
- ZFS: the gold standard for data integrity
- Docker + VMs on the same system
- Enterprise RAID, replication, snapshots
- Free open-source (iX Systems backed)
- No official ARM64/Pi support
- Steep learning curve — not beginner-friendly
- No built-in remote access (same CGNAT problem)
- Minimum 8GB RAM recommended
5. Jellyfin — Best for Media Streaming
Jellyfin is an open-source, free alternative to Plex and Emby. It organises your media library (movies, TV, music, photos), provides a polished web and native app interface, and handles transcoding so your content plays on any device regardless of format. It's genuinely excellent at its specific job.
Important: Jellyfin is not a file manager or a NAS OS. It's a media server that sits on top of your storage. You still need a way to get files onto your Pi (OMV, Gavety, or plain Samba), and Jellyfin just handles the playback layer. For most Pi 4 users, hardware transcoding works reasonably well but struggles with 4K HDR content.
- Free — no Plex Pass required
- Native apps for iOS, Android, Smart TVs
- Hardware transcoding on Pi 4/5
- Beautiful media library organisation
- Not a NAS OS — doesn't handle file management
- Still requires port forwarding for remote access
- 4K HDR transcoding strains Pi 4
- Pairs with another tool, not standalone
6. Bare Samba — Best for Power Users Who Want Full Control
If you're comfortable in the Linux terminal and want the most lightweight possible file sharing setup, bare Samba is just sudo apt install samba and a config file. No GUI, no web dashboard, no database — just your drives accessible as network shares. Uses maybe 30MB RAM. The Pi barely notices it's running.
The tradeoff: no management UI, no remote access built in, no RAID, no media serving. Pure Samba is for someone who knows exactly what SMB is and just wants it running cleanly without a layer of software on top.
- Extremely lightweight (~30MB RAM)
- Maximum control over configuration
- Free and standard on every Linux
- No extra dependencies or cruft
- No GUI — command line only
- Local network only by default
- No RAID, no monitoring, no plugins
- Not for beginners
Full Comparison Table
| Software | Setup difficulty | Remote access | CGNAT friendly | Local sharing | Media streaming | Collaboration | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenMediaVault | Medium (1–2 hr) | ~ Needs port fwd | ✗ | ✓ Excellent | ~ Via plugin | ✗ | Free |
| Nextcloud | Hard (2–8 hr) | ~ Needs port fwd | ~ Via CF Tunnel | ✓ Good | ✓ Gallery app | ✓ Full suite | Free (infra cost) |
| Gavety | Easy (~10 min) | ✓ Built in | ✓ Always | ✗ | ✓ HTTP Range | ✗ | $100 + $30/yr |
| TrueNAS SCALE | Hard (4+ hr) | ~ Needs port fwd | ✗ | ✓ Enterprise | ~ Via plugin | ~ Via app | Free (x86 only) |
| Jellyfin | Medium (1–2 hr) | ~ Needs port fwd | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ Excellent | ✗ | Free |
| Bare Samba | Easy (terminal) | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ Lightweight | ✗ | ✗ | Free |
✓ = supported · ~ = partial/requires extra setup · ✗ = not available · as of May 2026
Which Raspberry Pi NAS Software Should You Actually Use?
Stop reading feature lists. Answer this one question: what will you be frustrated by in 3 months if you pick the wrong one?
Pick OpenMediaVault if…
- Your main use is sharing files between devices at home
- You want RAID redundancy across multiple drives
- You're happy with local network only (no remote access)
- You want a full NAS OS with plugin ecosystem
- You have a real public IP (not CGNAT)
Pick Nextcloud if…
- You need calendar, contacts, and video calls self-hosted
- You want a full Google Workspace replacement
- You can invest a weekend in setup and maintenance
- You have a real public IP or are willing to configure Cloudflare Tunnel
- You need open-source, fully auditable software
Pick Gavety if…
- You want your files accessible from anywhere, today
- You're on Jio Fiber, BSNL, or any CGNAT connection
- You tried Nextcloud or OMV and got stuck on networking
- File access + sharing + media streaming is sufficient
- You want minimal setup and zero ongoing maintenance
Pick Jellyfin if…
- Your primary goal is streaming movies and music at home
- You already have file access sorted (OMV or Gavety)
- You want Plex features without the Plex Pass cost
- You want native apps for Smart TVs and phones
- You're running Jellyfin alongside another NAS tool
For 80% of home users: Gavety + Jellyfin on a Pi 4 (4GB) or Pi 5. Gavety handles file access and remote access. Jellyfin handles media streaming. Both are manageable on the same Pi. No port forwarding for either. Total setup: under an hour. Start with Gavety first — see our Raspberry Pi cloud storage guide and check the storage page for drive compatibility.
Skip the decision paralysis — try Gavety on your Pi today
Install Ubuntu, download the .deb from your dashboard, plug in your drives. Files accessible from anywhere in under 15 minutes. $100 one-time licence, first year of service included free.
Get started — $100 →Post 9 in Gavety's Self-hosting made simple series. Questions? Contact us. · External references: openmediavault.org · nextcloud.com · jellyfin.org
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