Synology or QNAP? This is the question most Belgian SMEs ask themselves when they want to secure their data locally. Both are excellent — but they are not aimed at exactly the same profile. Here is our field analysis after deploying both at our clients.
A NAS — Network Attached Storage — is your local file server. This is where you store your business data, your backups, your file shares. It is the backbone of your data infrastructure.
And the choice between Synology and QNAP has real consequences on your daily operations.
Synology vs QNAP — the profiles
Synology
- DSM interface — the most intuitive on the market
- Synology Drive — local OneDrive alternative
- Active Backup — PC/server/M365 backup
- Surveillance Station — built-in IP cameras
- Regular updates and long-term support
- Very complete application ecosystem
- Less powerful hardware at equivalent price
- Less flexible for advanced use
QNAP
- More powerful hardware at equivalent price
- Built-in virtualization (VMs on the NAS)
- Native Docker containers
- 10GbE ports available on more models
- HDMI and advanced multimedia features
- QTS interface less intuitive than DSM
- History of security vulnerabilities
- Steeper learning curve
The security point — important for an SME
⚠️ QNAP and security vulnerabilities
QNAP has experienced several ransomware attack waves in recent years — DeadBolt in 2022, eCh0raix and others. This is not a reason to avoid QNAP, but a reason to deploy it correctly: never exposed directly to the internet, mandatory VPN for remote access, automatic updates enabled. Synology has also had vulnerabilities, but its security record is overall better in the recent period.
Full comparison
| Criterion | Synology | QNAP |
|---|---|---|
| Ease of use | Excellent — DSM very intuitive | Good — learning curve |
| Hardware at equal budget | Correct | More powerful |
| Historical security | Better | Correct if well configured |
| M365/GSuite backup | Active Backup — free | Hybrid Backup — paid |
| Virtualization | Limited | Full — VMs + Docker |
| Long-term support | Excellent | Good |
| Ideal for | SME 5-50 workstations | SME with advanced technical needs |
Which configuration do we recommend?
✅ Synology DS923+ or DS1522+ — our SME recommendation
For an SME of 5 to 20 workstations, the Synology DS923+ (4 bays, ~€500) with 2 WD Red Plus drives in RAID 1 (~€200) gives a reliable NAS, easy to manage, with Microsoft 365 backup included. Total budget: €700 to €900 for a solution that protects your data for 5 to 8 years.
✅ QNAP TS-464 — for SMEs with advanced needs
If you need to run Docker containers, lightweight VMs, or if you have significant network flows (video surveillance, video editing), the QNAP TS-464 offers more power at equivalent budget. But its deployment requires more rigor — we recommend it with a professional configuration.
The 3-2-1 rule — what many forget
A NAS alone is not enough for a real backup strategy. At NexK IT, we always apply the 3-2-1 :
- 3 copies of your data
- 2 different media (local NAS + cloud or external drive)
- 1 off-site copy (encrypted cloud, secondary site)
With Synology Active Backup, we configure this automatically — PC, server, Microsoft 365 backup — all centralized on the NAS, with optional cloud replication.
🖥️ Looking for a NAS for your SME?
NexK IT selects, installs and configures your NAS — with 3-2-1 backup strategy included. Quote within 24h.