TerraMaster vs Synology NAS in 2026

TerraMaster and Synology sell fundamentally different value propositions. TerraMaster puts more compute and memory into the enclosure. Synology puts more product value into the operating system, backup tools, support lifecycle, and recovery experience.

The current four-bay comparison is the TerraMaster F4-424 Pro versus the Synology DS925+. Older comparisons centered on the DS923+ should now treat it as discontinued equipment.

Quick verdict

Buy the DS925+ when the NAS is primarily responsible for important storage, backups, family accounts, permissions, alerts, and low-maintenance operation.

Buy the F4-424 Pro when Docker, local applications, hardware media processing, or CPU-heavy services are central and you are comfortable managing a younger software platform.

Hardware

The TerraMaster’s Intel Core i3-N305 and 32GB of installed DDR5 give it a substantial compute advantage. It has more room for containers, databases, indexing, and application workloads without an immediate memory upgrade.

The Synology uses an AMD Ryzen V1500B with four cores and eight threads. It ships with 4GB of ECC memory and supports expansion to 32GB. ECC is valuable for a storage appliance, but the installed capacity is modest for a container-heavy build.

Winner: TerraMaster for compute; Synology for ECC.

Networking and expansion

Both models provide dual 2.5GbE and two M.2 slots. Neither offers a general PCIe slot, so neither has a supported 10GbE upgrade path.

Do not carry the DS923+‘s PCIe specification into the DS925+. The newer model removed that slot. If 10GbE is mandatory, compare a different current NAS or a DIY system.

Winner: Tie.

Software and recovery

DSM is Synology’s strongest advantage. User management, snapshots, notifications, remote administration, Active Backup, Hyper Backup, Synology Drive, and package maintenance form a cohesive system.

TerraMaster’s TOS supports the core NAS and container tasks, but it has a smaller ecosystem and less accumulated operational documentation. That does not make it unusable; it makes the owner more responsible for validating upgrades, exports, and recovery procedures.

Winner: Synology.

Docker and applications

The F4-424 Pro’s CPU and memory make it the stronger application host. The DS925+ can run containers, but its base configuration is better suited to a moderate service set than a dense homelab workload.

Keep irreplaceable storage and experimental services conceptually separate even when they share one appliance. Back up container configuration, databases, and secrets independently from the primary storage pool.

Winner: TerraMaster.

Bottom line

The DS925+ is the better appliance. The F4-424 Pro is the better compact server.

For important household storage with minimal administration, choose Synology. For a builder who wants maximum container and application capacity in a four-bay enclosure, choose TerraMaster and invest time in backup and recovery testing.