TrueNAS
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TrueNAS (formerly FreeNAS) is an operating system that can be installed on virtually any hardware platform to share data over a network. TrueNAS is the simplest way to create a centralized and easily accessible place for your data.
Cost / License
- Free
- Open Source (LGPL-3.0)
Application type
Platforms
- Linux
- BSD
- Self-Hosted
Features
Highlights All activities
TrueNAS News & Activities
Recent News
- Fla published news article about TrueNAS
- Mauricio B. Holguin published news article about TrueNAS
- Mauricio B. Holguin published news article about TrueNAS
Recent activities
Operating Systems for your home server
A list with 15 apps by NinjaHow without a description.
Runtime & OS
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Xenmaster's 2026 Distro Hopper Guide
I have noticed in general that the recommendation list for alternatives on this site is broken when it comes to Linux Distros. Often times when looking for a server distro or gaming distros, I will get generic recommendations for any Linux distribution and I will have to guess if the use-case is right. This list seeks to provide true alternatives based on use-cases for the most popular Linux and BSD distributions out there! Note this is a 2026 update to my original list posted several years ago. https://alternativeto.net/lists/23956/xenmaster-s-linux-distro-master-list/ Rather than re-write history, I'm adding a new post with the below link to my original. A lot has changed in the OS world so adding some details regarding what I use and how.
Unlike my old list, this one will include both Linux and BSD related systems, similar in their unix-like behavior, but each with different utilities and mechanisms for performing operations. Note that as of the posting of this list, only OpenBSD supports Full Disk Encryption on installation without manual configuration steps, a major drawback if this is a critical component to your use as a desktop setup.
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iXsystems Licensing
Open Source (LGPL-3.0) and Free product.Written in
Rating
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Comments and Reviews
TrueNAS core, and TrueNAS Scale are great choices for home NAS or even business.
TrueNAS core is BSD based while TrueNAS Scale is Debian based OS which gives you more flexibility and ability to create VMs in no time.
TrueNAS only problem is that it requires separate disks to install rather than installation on same disk as storage, similar how you would install Proxmox, but TrueNAS requires separate drives which is kinda bad in my opinion.
This is not a problem if you have loads of drives but if you have 4 bay NAS or even less then I would not recommend TrueNAS.
Other than that it runs great, web GUI configuring is not that simple so it takes a bit to find where everything is.
Both version (BSD and Debian) allow you to host VM. For Scale, you could easily install it on a partition (while not recommended by the purist) by editing the script installer
True, Core aka Debian based version does it pretty easy and simple while BSD version opens a Jail that emulates Artix to run docker in it, a workaround...
At this point id rather run Linux based TrueNAS without extra step needed for running docker :P
@Dino C Core is FreeBSD. Debian is Scale.
Let me be completely honest: this comment is even more heavily biased than normal comments because i have a seething, passionate hatred for TrueNAS. My fists clench a little bit when i see this logo.
This hatred was forged when i spent two months trying to build a NAS and ultimately gave up.
I know exacly what i want, i want to combine these drives into VDEVs and then mirror those VDEVs for redundancy; but after two hours of trawling every corner of the interface and several tutorials, i have made no progress. Nobody wants to read a complete list of all the issues i've had, suffice it to say that it's things like this, rince and repeat thousands of times. I've persevered way past the point where a reasonable person would have given up. I'm an educated consumer, i've spent time learning the fundamental concepts of network storage, but the actual software is so unusable that i can't implement any of my choices.
The problem is not complexity - complexity is good, complexity means power and flexibility. For example Blender is complicated but it ouldn't be simplified much without compromising its potential. The problem is genuinely incompetent design. The TrueNAS interface is designed with zero thought or consideration. People who are used to it may not realize how disastrous it is.
And honestly, i have a lot of hostility towards the people (mostly youtubers) who sold TrueNAS as being "easy" and "doable for a non-expert".
I'm going to try the alternatives, and if this ends with me just buying HexOS like a chump then so be it
BSD based network storage OS. very stable.
It's an extremely powerful software that is also easy to use.