Synology Drive review (2026): is it any good?
Private-cloud file sync and sharing that runs on a Synology NAS
Synology Drive report card
Fair · out of 4.0 · graded Nov 12, 2026
Best for private file sync on your own Synology NAS
Synology Drive is private-cloud file sync with no license fee, installed on a Synology NAS. It needs that hardware, storage and user limits follow the model you buy, and there is no hosted option.
Who Synology Drive is for
- Fits if you already own a Synology NAS and want your own sync
- Works for a home or office that wants files kept on its own hardware
Who Synology Drive is not for
- Skip it if you don't own a Synology NAS, as there is no hosted option
- Tight if you want unlimited users: maximum and concurrent users vary by NAS model
- Watch out: desktop clients cover Windows, macOS and Ubuntu only
- Watch out: storage is whatever your NAS holds, so capacity is a hardware cost
Why Synology Drive gets a 2.2
Five grades, each with its reason. The GPA is their average: an A is 4 points, an F is none.
- CValue for moneyNo license fee, but it runs only on a NAS you buy, which counts as self-hosting.
- CFree plan and trialFree to install, but you need the NAS first, and storage and users depend on the model.
- CFeaturesSync, sharing and team folders, but only on a Synology NAS, and user limits vary by model.
- DEase of useYou set up a NAS and install the package yourself. No store rating on record.
- APlatforms and integrationsWeb, Windows, Mac, Ubuntu, iPhone, iPad and Android clients, with 3 integrations.
What these grades rest on. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Synology Drive's own pages on 12 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. How we review and grade.
Make Synology Drive? Put this grade on your site
Paste this where you want the badge. It links here and follows the grade if it changes. About badges
<a href="https://toolgpa.com/tools/synology-drive#review"><img src="https://toolgpa.com/badge/synology-drive.svg" alt="Synology Drive: 2.2 GPA on ToolGPA" width="196" height="56"></a>Where Synology Drive stands among file storage and sync services
Synology Drive's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 13 of the 45 other file storage and sync services we grade, and level with 4.
It stands best on platforms and integrations (A, above 28 of 45) and worst on ease of use (D, above 0).
Synology Drive has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4, and no tool on the category's chart scores higher without costing more.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 46 file storage and sync services we grade, cut by the letter each got. Synology Drive’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 9 of 45, level with 23
- CFree plan and trialAbove 4 of 45, level with 29
- CFeaturesAbove 1 of 45, level with 33
- DEase of useAbove 0 of 45, level with 8
- APlatforms and integrationsAbove 28 of 45, level with 17
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 40 file storage and sync services. Further left costs less, and higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Point at a dot to see which tool it is.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Keep Synology Drive, or make your own?
Keep it
Synology Drive is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces. That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 28 of the 45 other file storage and sync services grade higher.
What you could not
- Files kept in step across devices without losing one.
- Storing and serving files for other people.
- Apps for macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android that stay in step with each other.
- Several people working in it at the same moment.
- What a company asks for before it lets staff use something: audit logs and roles and permissions.
What this rests on. Synology Drive’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
What is Synology Drive?
Synology Drive is file storage, sync and sharing software that runs on a Synology NAS rather than in a vendor's cloud. Desktop and mobile clients sync and back up files, share links carry permissions, and Synology Office supports co-editing. The software has no license fee, but you need a compatible Synology device.
Worth knowing
- It needs a Synology NAS; storage capacity and user counts follow the model you buy.
- There is no hosted option on the page: Drive installs through the NAS Package Center.
- Desktop clients cover Windows, macOS and Ubuntu; mobile covers iOS, iPadOS and Android.
- Maximum users and concurrent users vary by NAS model.
Key features
- Sync on demand
- Files can stream to a device only when requested, or be pinned for a permanent local copy. On-demand sync needs Windows 10 1809 or later.
- Version history
- Previous file and folder versions are restored from the client, and the Intelliversioning algorithm keeps the most significant changes.
- Share links and requests
- Links carry role-based permissions, and request links let outside people upload files straight to your NAS.
- Backup and ShareSync
- Real-time or scheduled backup of chosen folders, and ShareSync keeps folders in step between Synology systems.
- Admin console and auditing
- A dashboard tracks clients and activity, and audit logs cover up to 40 action types. Watermarks and remote wipe are available.
- Co-editing in Synology Office
- Microsoft or OpenDocument files can be converted and edited together in Synology Office, with file locking against conflicts.
Synology Drive pricing
As of Nov 12, 2026, Synology Drive is free to use.
- Starts at
- Free
- Free plan
- No license fee; installed from the DSM Package Center on a Synology NAS. Storage and user limits depend on the NAS model.
- Free trial
- None listed
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Synology Drive | $0 | License-free software; storage comes from the Synology NAS you choose. |
Read from synology.com on Nov 12, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with Synology Drive before you buy.
Works with
- Synology Office
- Windows Active Directory
- Hybrid Share
Synology Drive alternatives
- Synology Drive vs Nextcloud
Free plan · from €71.29/yr
- Synology Drive vs ownCloud
Free plan
- Synology Drive vs Seafile
Free plan · from $8/mo
Common questions
Is Synology Drive open source?
Synology Drive is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 12, 2026.
Sources for this page
The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Nov 12, 2026.