TrueNAS is a free, open-source data storage software solution designed for businesses of all sizes. It allows you to securely store, manage, and protect your company's data in a centralized system. TrueNAS is known for its reliability and performance, making it suitable for demanding tasks like backups and virtualization. It works with a range of hardware, giving you flexibility in how you set up your storage system.
Who is TrueNAS best for
TrueNAS is an open-source data storage solution known for its reliability, performance, and flexibility. Users appreciate its rich feature set, including ZFS integration and a user-friendly web interface. However, some find the dashboard navigation tedious and desire more intuitive app management. TrueNAS is ideal for businesses of all sizes needing a robust and cost-effective storage solution.
Ideal for businesses of all sizes seeking reliable open-source data storage.
Particularly well-suited for the IT and telecommunications industry.
TrueNAS features
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TrueNAS provides a centralized system for secure data storage.
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TrueNAS offers data management capabilities for efficient organization.
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TrueNAS ensures data protection and security.
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TrueNAS is designed for high performance and demanding workloads like backups and virtualization.
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TrueNAS offers wide hardware compatibility for flexible setup.
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TrueNAS is a free and open-source data storage solution.
Qualities
We evaluate the sentiment that users express about non-functional aspects of the
software
Value and Pricing Transparency
Strongly positive
+1
Customer Service
Strongly positive
+0.75
Ease of Use
Strongly positive
+0.75
Reliability and Performance
Strongly positive
+1
Ease of Implementation
Rather positive
+0.33
Scalability
Rather negative
-0.33
TrueNAS reviews
We've summarised 164 TrueNAS reviews (TrueNAS G2 reviews) and
summarised the main points below.
Pros of TrueNAS
Reliable and performant NAS solution.
Flexible hardware compatibility.
Simple setup and management.
Standard UNIX terminal console.
Rich feature set (snapshots, Active Directory integration, file permissions).
Intuitive web interface.
ZFS integration, self-healing, and data integrity.
Extensive app catalog (TrueCharts).
Great community support.
Cost-effective, especially for home use.
SMB, iSCSI, AFP, NFS, and cloud sync support.
Cons of TrueNAS
Difficult to connect to other Kubernetes servers.
Limited ability to add small storage chunks to the pool.
Resilvering process is slow.
Lacks customer support.
Dashboard can be tedious to navigate.
No Docker Compose feature in the UI.
Permissions issues and mounting difficulties within app containers.
Web GUI limitations for ZFS pool administration.
S3 requires running Minio.
No hybrid storage tiers.
Quality of life and UI tweaks needed.
Limited commodity network hardware support.
No practical ZFS deduplication.
Quirks with X series appliances (false PSU failure alarms, difficult shutdown).
Limited language support in some apps.
Occasional bugs and slow bug fixes.
Apps management system needs improvement (backup/restore, bulk upgrades).
Mobile UI is difficult to use.
TrueNAS pricing
The commentary is based on 12 reviews from TrueNAS G2 reviews.
TrueNAS is praised for its free, open-source nature, offering a cost-effective network-attached storage solution. Users highlight its value, especially for home use, small businesses, and hobbyists seeking affordable, reliable storage, backups, and file sharing. While some mention a learning curve, the overall cost-benefit is considered excellent.
Users sentiment
Strongly positive
+1
TrueNAS alternatives
Google Cloud Storage
Better for cloud-based storage and scalability. More suitable for large datasets and analytics. Offers stronger integrations with other cloud services. Easier to use, but potentially more expensive.
Better for disaster recovery and ransomware protection. A better fit for medium to large businesses focused on backup and recovery, particularly in finance and IT. More user-friendly for basic backup tasks but can be complex for advanced features. Less reliable and performant for storage compared to the TrueNAS alternative.
More focused on backup and recovery, particularly for large and complex IT environments. Has slower momentum. Known for strong security and cost-effectiveness but the interface is considered difficult.
Better for enterprise file sharing and cloud storage, especially for remote work and collaboration. Has more momentum currently. Easier to use with better customer service.
TrueNAS is an open-source, unified file and block storage operating system. It provides secure data storage, management, and protection with features like snapshots, replication, and self-healing using ZFS. TrueNAS is known for its reliability, performance, and hardware flexibility, making it suitable for diverse workloads.
How does TrueNAS integrate with other tools?
How does TrueNAS integrate with other tools?
TrueNAS integrates with various services and protocols, including Active Directory, SMB, iSCSI, AFP, NFS, and cloud sync. It also boasts an extensive app catalog (TrueCharts) for expanded functionality. However, users have reported difficulties connecting to Kubernetes and limitations with S3 integration requiring Minio.
What the main competitors of TrueNAS?
What the main competitors of TrueNAS?
Top TrueNAS alternatives include OpenMediaVault, FreeNAS (the original project), Unraid, XigmaNAS, and Starwinds SAN & NAS. These solutions offer similar data storage and management capabilities, often with varying feature sets and ease of use.
Is TrueNAS legit?
Is TrueNAS legit?
Yes, TrueNAS is a legitimate and safe open-source data storage solution. It's known for its reliability, performance, and robust features like ZFS integration and data protection. Users appreciate its flexible hardware compatibility and cost-effectiveness.
How much does TrueNAS cost?
How much does TrueNAS cost?
TrueNAS is open-source and free to use. There are no pricing plans or add-ons listed for the core product. However, commercial support is available from iXsystems at an undisclosed price.
Is TrueNAS customer service good?
Is TrueNAS customer service good?
TrueNAS receives mixed reviews regarding customer service. While some users mention excellent support and responsiveness, others note a lack of official customer support and reliance on community forums. For support, helpful community forums are available.
Reviewed by
MK
Michal Kaczor
CEO at Gralio
Michal has worked at startups for many years and writes about topics relating to software selection and IT
management. As a former consultant for Bain, a business advisory company, he also knows how to understand needs
of any business and find solutions to its problems.
TT
Tymon Terlikiewicz
CTO at Gralio
Tymon is a seasoned CTO who loves finding the perfect tools for any task. He recently headed up the tech
department at Batmaid, a well-known Swiss company, where he managed about 60 software purchases, including CX,
HR, Payroll, Marketing automation and various developer tools.