$250–$350 diskless + drives not included. Full DSM OS, RAID, desktop sync, mobile apps, Docker. QuickConnect remote access routes through Synology's servers.
$100 one-time licence per device, first year free, then $30/year. Runs on any old laptop or Raspberry Pi. No new hardware purchase required. Works behind CGNAT.
What Synology Actually Is
Synology makes dedicated NAS hardware — small boxes with drive bays running their own Linux-based OS called DSM (DiskStation Manager). Hardware is designed to run 24/7 at low power, and DSM is a polished web interface managing everything from file sharing to photo organisation.
It's popular for good reasons. DSM's app ecosystem is rich: Synology Photos (an iCloud Photos alternative), Synology Drive (a Dropbox replacement with desktop sync), Surveillance Station (camera management), and dozens of packages including Plex, Docker containers, and download managers. It's beginner-friendly and has a large support community.
Power users who want a full ecosystem — desktop sync, mobile apps, photo management with AI facial recognition, RAID redundancy, Docker — all on always-on dedicated hardware. If that's you, Synology is worth the investment and there's no compelling reason to look for alternatives.
Where Synology Gets Complicated for Home Users
The drives are not included — and compatibility matters
Every Synology NAS is sold diskless. Synology maintains a compatibility list of tested drives — using drives outside the list limits warranty support. The true cost of a real 2-bay setup:
- DS223j (2-bay, entry-level): ~$250–$300
- 2× Seagate IronWolf 4TB (NAS-certified): ~$70–$90 each
- Total: $390–$480 before a single file is stored
QuickConnect remote access has a catch
Synology includes QuickConnect, which provides remote access without port forwarding. This is a genuine advantage. However:
When you access your NAS via QuickConnect, your files travel from your NAS → Synology's relay servers → your browser. This can be slow for large transfers and means your data passes through Synology's infrastructure — which is the opposite of the “my data never leaves my hardware” pitch. For full-speed direct access, you still need port forwarding. Gavety uses an outbound tunnel — connection metadata passes through our servers, file data does not. See our data protection page for the full technical breakdown.
Power consumption adds up
A Synology DS223j draws approximately 10–17W running 24/7. At average US electricity rates (~$0.13/kWh), that's roughly $11–$19/year in electricity — an ongoing cost rarely mentioned in buying guides. A Raspberry Pi 4 by comparison draws 3–5W, costing ~$3–$6/year.
What Your Old Laptop Can Actually Do
A laptop from 2015 or later running Ubuntu or Debian Linux covers every common home storage use case:
- Access files from your phone when you're away from home ✓
- Share a folder or file link with family members ✓
- Watch videos stored at home, in a browser ✓
- Keep files off Google's and Apple's servers ✓
- Multiple people accessing the same storage ✓
Every item on that list is handled by Gavety on a 2015-era laptop. The install is a single command on any Debian/Ubuntu system — see the full setup guide for details. And because Gavety uses an outbound tunnel, it works even behind CGNAT — which blocks most approaches to home self-hosting. Read more in our self hosting without port forwarding guide.
Where the old laptop loses to Synology
- Drive redundancy: Synology supports RAID 1. One drive fails, your data is on the other. A single-drive setup has no redundancy.
- Power efficiency: A laptop draws 15–45W vs Synology's 10W for 24/7 use.
- App ecosystem: Synology Photos, Drive, and Surveillance Station have no direct equivalent in Gavety. If you specifically want those apps, Synology is the right choice.
- Desktop sync: Synology Drive gives you Dropbox-style sync folders. Gavety is browser-based only — no desktop sync currently.
Feature Comparison: Synology vs Gavety on Existing Hardware
| Feature | Synology DS223j | Gavety on old laptop / Pi |
|---|---|---|
| Hardware needed | Buy new ($250–$300) | ✓ Use what you own |
| Drives included | ✗ Sold diskless | ✓ Any USB / internal drive |
| Licence cost | ✓ DSM included free | $100 one-time (yr 1 free) then $30/yr |
| 3-year total cost | $430–$610+ | $160 (hardware you own) |
| Remote access (no port forwarding) | ~ QuickConnect (via Synology servers) | ✓ Direct outbound tunnel |
| Works behind CGNAT | ~ QuickConnect yes, direct no | ✓ Always |
| Browser file manager | ✓ DSM File Station | ✓ Built in |
| Media streaming (browser) | ✓ Video Station + transcoding | ✓ HTTP Range (browser decodes) |
| Shareable links | ✓ Built in | ✓ Token-secured, expiring |
| Multi-user access control | ✓ Per-user permissions | ✓ Read/write per user |
| RAID / drive redundancy | ✓ RAID 0, 1, SHR | ✗ Not supported |
| Desktop sync client | ✓ Synology Drive | ✗ Browser only |
| Mobile apps | ✓ DS File, DS Photo, DS Video | ~ Mobile browser |
| Photo management | ✓ Synology Photos (AI tagging) | ✗ Not currently supported |
| Docker / app packages | ✓ Package Center + Docker | ✗ File access only |
| Setup time | 30–60 min (hardware + DSM) | ✓ Under 5 minutes |
| Data privacy (remote access) | ~ QuickConnect uses Synology relay | ✓ Tunnel is connection-only |
✓ supported · ~ partial or conditional · ✗ not available · as of April 2026
5-Year Cost Calculator: Synology vs Your Existing Hardware
Calculate your actual savings
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Synology Alternatives for Home: Which Fits Your Situation?
Choose Synology if…
- You want a full ecosystem: Photos, Drive, Surveillance, Docker
- RAID redundancy matters to you (two-drive mirror)
- Desktop sync folders are a must-have
- Budget allows $400–$600 upfront
- You want native mobile apps for photo backup
- You're happy with dedicated always-on NAS hardware
Choose Gavety on existing hardware if…
- You already own a Raspberry Pi, laptop, or spare PC
- Remote file access and sharing is what you actually need
- You're behind CGNAT (Jio, BSNL, most home broadband)
- Browser-based access from any device is sufficient
- You want to start today, not after a hardware delivery
- $30/year beats $500+ upfront
The Bottom Line
Synology and Gavety solve different problems. Synology is a full NAS operating system with a rich ecosystem — the right choice when desktop sync, photo management with AI tagging, RAID, or Docker containers are genuine requirements. The premium is justified for those users.
Gavety is a remote access layer — designed for the specific case where you want your files from anywhere, on hardware you already own, without spending $500 upfront on new equipment. If your actual use case is “access my files remotely, share things with family, watch videos from my drive” — Synology's architecture adds cost and complexity you don't need.
Before buying any NAS, write down the three things you'll actually use it for. If none of them require RAID, Docker, or Synology Photos — you're paying for capability you won't use. For a broader view of your options, see our beginner's guide to self-hosted cloud storage, and our comparison of OpenMediaVault vs Gavety for the local NAS angle.
Try Gavety on your Raspberry Pi or old laptop
Works behind CGNAT. Remote access in under 5 minutes. No new hardware, no port forwarding — just your files, accessible from anywhere. $100 one-time licence, first year included.
Get started — $100 →Synology feature details sourced from synology.com. All prices approximate as of April 2026. Part of Gavety's Self-hosting made simple series.
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