TrueNAS vs OpenMediaVault
Think of a self-run storage box and the two split on who stands behind it. TrueNAS comes from iXsystems of Campbell, California, rests on OpenZFS with checksums and self-healing, and is sold on turnkey appliances with up to 24x7 enterprise support, though nobody can read a price off the site. OpenMediaVault is a free Debian-based file server for homes and small offices, with a GPL-3.0 repository and no company, support tier or country named on the pages we read. One buys an accountable vendor behind a quote, the other buys a licence-free download and a weekend of maintenance.
Sebastiaan SmitsFounderVendors can pay for more visibility on this website, for example a higher place in a ranking or more room on a page. Commercial relationships can also affect which products we feature and how prominently. Every vendor link is marked the same, whatever the arrangement behind it. How that works.
Choose TrueNAS ifyou need file, block and object storage on one platform, want checksums that detect and correct corruption, and are willing to ask a sales team for a quote. You also want a named company with round-the-clock support behind the hardware.
Choose OpenMediaVault ifyou are running a home server or a small office file share on a Debian machine you already know how to look after. You want web administration, no licence fee and updates through ordinary Debian packages, and you can live without a support contract.
TrueNAS and OpenMediaVault side by side
| TrueNAS | OpenMediaVault | |
|---|---|---|
| Our NAS operating system rank | #3 of 14 | #2 of 14 |
| Established in | United States | Not stated by the vendor |
| List price, 7 November 2026 | Quote only through a Get A Quote form for Enterprise appliances; Community Edition is a free download with no trial period named | No fee: the project page calls it free software and shows no paid tier or plan structure |
| Free tier | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Self-hostable | — | — |
| Built for | Teams wanting OpenZFS integrity checks and appliance-maker support behind file, block and object storage. | Small offices wanting a Debian-based file server with web administration and no licence fee. |
| Not for | Hobbyists who expect published prices on the first visit. | Organisations that need a named vendor and a signed contract. |
Both are reviewed in full in our NAS operating system ranking: TrueNAS and OpenMediaVault.
Where they differ
TrueNAS 3 · OpenMediaVault 1 · open 2- 01
Reading a price off the website
TrueNAS shows no prices on its home page. The only call to action is Get A Quote, and the /pricing/ page we tried returned an HTTP 404, so a budget starts with a sales conversation. OpenMediaVault calls itself free, and its project page lists no paid tier or plan structure at all. For someone who wants to know the cost before lunch, the second answer is plainly easier, and that is the whole round.
Edge: OpenMediaVault
- 02
What sits under the filesystem
TrueNAS is built on OpenZFS, whose integrated checksums and self-healing detect and correct corruption, and it claims a range from 20TB to 40PB and beyond. OpenMediaVault is based on Debian Linux and lists volume management, S.M.A.R.T. monitoring and snapshot support for shared folders. Both are credible for keeping files safe, but only TrueNAS states end-to-end corruption repair as a headline feature on its own page.
Edge: TrueNAS
- 03
Whether a phone number exists
TrueNAS Enterprise is marketed with 24x7 enterprise support, and Community Edition support runs through forums, documentation, release notes, bug ticketing and an AI bot, with paid support tied to Enterprise. OpenMediaVault names no commercial support on the home or about pages we read, only a Donate page. If an outage at night must reach a human employed by a vendor, TrueNAS is the one that says so.
Edge: TrueNAS
- 04
Download it, or buy a box
TrueNAS arrives as turnkey appliances in V, M, F, R, H and Mini series hardware, with TrueCommand Cloud and TrueNAS Connect for management, and Community Edition is a free download for your own hardware with no trial period named. OpenMediaVault runs only on hardware you control and is managed from a web interface, not a cloud service. TrueNAS therefore covers both routes, while OpenMediaVault covers the do-it-yourself route alone.
Edge: TrueNAS
- 05
Licence clarity and who is behind it
OpenMediaVault's official repository carries GPL-3.0, and its site links a licensing page, yet the pages we read name no organisation or country. TrueNAS describes an open core model with code visible and continuously tested and links its GitHub account, but names no licence, though the company is stated as iXsystems, Inc. dba TrueNAS in the United States. Each gives you one half of the picture. We call it even.
Depends on the buyer
- 06
Breadth of the feature list
OpenMediaVault reads like a classic file server: web administration, link aggregation, Wake On LAN, IPv6, email notifications, file sharing and plugins, with separate plugin and app catalogues linked from the site. TrueNAS adds block and object services next to files, HDD, flash or hybrid layouts and an open API. The Debian route suits modest needs and TrueNAS the larger ones, but the plugin catalogue is a real point for small offices.
Depends on the buyer
When neither fits
If you want a polished home product with an app store rather than a storage-first system, neither is the obvious fit. Unraid is a more consumer-oriented option in this category, and XigmaNAS is another self-hosted route if you prefer a different base than Debian or a vendor appliance.
TrueNAS or OpenMediaVault: questions
3 answersCan I try TrueNAS without talking to sales?
Yes, the Community Edition is listed as a free software download you can run on your own hardware. The page names no trial period, and the quote form is only needed for Enterprise. Community Edition support is through forums, documentation, release notes and bug tickets.
Which licence does OpenMediaVault run under?
The official repository on GitHub lists GPL-3.0, and the project website links a licensing page that describes it as GPLv3. The home page itself says only open-source. We could not read who the legal organisation behind it is.
Does either one ask you to buy hardware?
TrueNAS sells turnkey appliances in V, M, F, R, H and Mini series, but its software can also be tested on hardware you own.
OpenMediaVault is software only, kept on hardware you control, with no appliance line on the pages we read. A home builder can start with either one without buying a box.
Sources
Checked 7 November 2026- TrueNAS home page: quote-only call to action, OpenZFS checksums and self-healing, 20TB to 40PB range, appliance series, open core wording, iXsystems address.
- TrueNAS Community Edition page: free download for your own hardware and the forum, documentation, ticket and AI bot support route.
- OpenMediaVault home page: free Debian-based NAS, feature list, web administration, plugins, hardware you control, homes and small offices.
- OpenMediaVault repository on GitHub: GPL-3.0 licence stated for the source code.
- OpenMediaVault about page: absence of a named company, country or commercial support, and the Donate link.