Unraid vs TrueNAS: which should you run?
By Ryan Fournier · Reviewed by Claire Bergeron · Updated Choose Unraid if you want to mix drive sizes and grow one drive at a time, and you value a gentle learning curve — it costs a one-time licence (from roughly CA$65 to CA$170 depending on tier). Choose TrueNAS (free) if you want ZFS's checksums, snapshots and self-healing on matched drives, and you do not mind a steeper start. Both run well on the same N100 or Ryzen hardware.
Unraid vs TrueNAS, at a glance
| Unraid | TrueNAS | |
|---|---|---|
| Mixed drive sizes | no waste — full capacity | sizes a vdev to the smallest |
| Data integrity | ZFS pools optional | ZFS checksums, scrubs, snapshots |
| Grow one drive | anytime, single drive | add a whole vdev |
| Array speed | ~one drive (reads a file) | striped array speed |
| Cost | one-time licence ~CA$65–170 | free, open-source |
| Ease of use | friendly UI, easy Docker/VM | steeper, more technical |
| Best for | mismatched drives, gradual growth | matched drives, integrity, replication |
The verdict: which should you buy?
The core difference: how they use drives
TrueNAS runs ZFS, which stripes across matched drives and sizes a RAID-Z vdev to the smallest member — mixed sizes waste capacity. In return you get end-to-end checksums, scrubs that repair silent corruption, and instant snapshots. It is the choice when data integrity is the priority.
Unraid does not stripe: each data drive holds whole files on its own filesystem, protected by one or two parity drives. Mixed drive sizes cost nothing, and you add a single larger drive whenever you like. The trade is speed — reads come from one drive, not the array — and no ZFS-style checksumming on the array by default (though Unraid now offers ZFS pools too).
Cost, in Canadian dollars
TrueNAS is free and open-source. Unraid is a one-time purchase — tiers by drive count, roughly CA$65 to CA$170 in CAD at current pricing — with no subscription for the base licence. For a build you will grow drive by drive, many Canadians find the Unraid licence pays for itself in the drives it lets them reuse.
Which builder each suits
- Pick Unraid if you have a pile of mismatched drives, plan to grow gradually, want easy Docker/VM management, and prefer a friendly UI.
- Pick TrueNAS if you are buying matched drives, want ZFS integrity and snapshots, run replication to another ZFS box, and are comfortable with a more technical setup.
Both are excellent; there is no wrong answer, only a better fit. Size either with the RAID-Z or Unraid calculator.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Unraid or TrueNAS better for mixed drive sizes?
Unraid, decisively. It gives each data drive its own filesystem, so a stack of different-size drives all contribute their full capacity. TrueNAS/ZFS sizes to the smallest drive in a vdev, wasting the surplus.
Is TrueNAS free and Unraid paid?
Yes. TrueNAS is free and open-source. Unraid is a one-time licence (roughly CA$65–170 in CAD by tier), no subscription for the base licence.
Which is easier for a first NAS?
Unraid, generally — a friendlier UI and simpler drive management. TrueNAS rewards a bit more learning with ZFS's integrity features.
Ryan Fournier covers home-server hardware and efficiency at nasdrives.ca: the right power supply, the UPS, and what a NAS actually draws running around the clock, priced against Canadian hydro rates.
Reviewed by Claire Bergeron, Editor-in-chief