What is Synology Drive used for?

Synology Drive is a file sync, backup and sharing app that runs on Synology NAS devices, giving organizations a private cloud with desktop and mobile clients. It is a good fit for running a private file sync service at an office and collecting files from outside users onto a NAS.

Is Synology Drive open source?

No. Synology Drive is proprietary (closed-source) software. Open-source alternatives to Synology Drive include Syncthing, Nextcloud All-in-One and ownCloud.

Can I self-host Synology Drive?

Yes. Although Synology Drive is closed source, it can be self-hosted on your own servers.

What are some alternatives to Synology Drive?

Synology Drive competes with Dropbox, Google Drive and Microsoft OneDrive. For open-source options, see Enlisted's ranked list of open-source Synology Drive alternatives.

Synology Drive: features, pricing and alternatives

About Synology Drive

Synology Drive is a private cloud file management and sharing application that runs on Synology NAS devices, so files stay on hardware the owner controls rather than in a public cloud. It is delivered as part of Synology's DSM software.

A desktop client integrates with Windows File Explorer and macOS Finder for syncing and backing up files, while a mobile app lets users browse documents and images, stream music and video and sync data. Files can be shared inside and outside an organization through links with role-based permissions and privacy settings, and request links let outside users upload files straight to the NAS. Microsoft or OpenDocument files can be converted and co-edited in Synology Office, and admin tools track how files are accessed and shared.

Because it runs on the customer's own NAS, Synology Drive is a self-hosted route to file sync and sharing, though it does require Synology hardware.

Key features

File sync and backup with desktop client
Mobile app for documents, photos and media
Share links with role-based permissions
File request links that upload to the NAS
Co-edit documents in Synology Office
Admin tools for access tracking

Good fit for

→Running a private file sync service at an office
→Collecting files from outside users onto a NAS

Tags: file-sync; file-sharing; nas; private-cloud; self-hosted; synology; backup

Synology Drive: questions and answers

What is Synology Drive used for?: Synology Drive is a file sync, backup and sharing app that runs on Synology NAS devices, giving organizations a private cloud with desktop and mobile clients. It is a good fit for running a private file sync service at an office and collecting files from outside users onto a NAS.
Is Synology Drive open source?: No. Synology Drive is proprietary (closed-source) software. Open-source alternatives to Synology Drive include Syncthing, Nextcloud All-in-One and ownCloud.
Can I self-host Synology Drive?: Yes. Although Synology Drive is closed source, it can be self-hosted on your own servers.
What are some alternatives to Synology Drive?: Synology Drive competes with Dropbox, Google Drive and Microsoft OneDrive. For open-source options, see Enlisted's ranked list of open-source Synology Drive alternatives.