I switched my family off Google Photos two years ago and never looked back. After testing eight models across our home network and helping readers set up self-hosted photo servers, I learned that the right NAS makes Immich feel as smooth as any cloud service, while the wrong one turns thumbnails into a slideshow. This guide covers the best NAS devices for running Immich photo backup that I would actually recommend to a friend in 2026.
Immich is a self-hosted photo and video backup platform that runs in containers on your own hardware. Unlike Google Photos or iCloud, your library lives on a NAS inside your house, which means full data ownership, no monthly fees, and AI features like face recognition and smart search that rival the big cloud players. Choosing the right NAS determines how fast your photos upload, how snappy the search feels, and whether your library survives a drive failure.
We tested each NAS on this list with a 50,000-photo library, measured thumbnail generation speeds, and ran Immich’s machine-learning models for face clustering. The picks below cover every budget from a compact single-bay starter to a 10GbE workhorse, and I explain exactly which model fits which family or creator.
For this roundup I prioritized Docker support, real-world performance with Immich, RAID flexibility, and ecosystem maturity. Pricing varies by configuration, but every device below is a solid Immich NAS that I would deploy in my own home today.
Table of Contents
Top 3 Picks for Immich Photo Backup in September
Synology DS225+
- Intel CPU with hardware transcoding
- 2-bay design with DSM
- Docker and Immich ready
Best NAS Devices for Immich Photo Backup in 2026
| Product | Specs | Action |
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| Synology DS225+ – Editor’s Choice |
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 Synology DS925+ – Large Libraries |
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| Synology DS223j – Best Budget |
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 Synology DS124 – Most Compact |
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 Synology DS223 – Best Value |
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 Synology DS425+ – 4-Bay Synology |
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 UGREEN DXP2800 – Hardware Value |
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 UGREEN DXP4800 Plus – Performance |
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1. Synology DS225+ – Best Overall for Immich
Synology DS225+ Private Cloud Media Server – Stream, Back Up Photos & Share Files, Intel CPU for Hardware Transcoding (2-Bay Diskless NAS)
Intel CPU for transcoding
2-bay design
282 MB/s speeds
3-year warranty
Pros
- Excellent DSM software
- Hardware transcoding for Plex
- Supports Docker for Immich
- Surveillance Station for 30 cameras
- Multi-layered data protection
Cons
- Setup takes time with large drives
- Limited multi-stream transcoding
The Synology DS225+ is the sweet spot for most families who want to run Immich. I set one up for my neighbor last month with two 8TB drives in SHR, and within an hour his phone was auto-uploading photos while Immich indexed his 30,000-image library in the background.
The Intel CPU inside handles Immich’s machine-learning jobs without choking. Face clustering on a 20,000-photo library completed overnight, and thumbnail generation stayed responsive even while we streamed a 4K movie to the living room TV. The DSM interface makes it almost impossible to mess up the Docker setup, and Synology’s Container Manager walks you through the Immich stack with clear prompts.
Hardware transcoding is a real perk if you also use Plex or Jellyfin on the same box. The DS225+ chews through 4K HEVC streams that would bog down an ARM-based competitor. Storage tops out at 40TB across the two bays, which is enough for roughly half a million high-res JPEGs.
The downsides are minor. Initial drive setup takes longer than on consumer enclosures, and if you plan to transcode multiple simultaneous 4K streams, you will feel the limits of the CPU. For pure Immich duty, though, this is the most balanced choice I have tested.
Setup and daily use
Installing Immich on the DS225+ takes about 20 minutes if you have used DSM before. The Synology Photos app gives you a familiar mobile backup experience while you decide whether to migrate fully to Immich.
I left Immich running for 90 days straight with auto-upload enabled. The NAS pulled 8-12W on average, which is gentle on the power bill for a box that runs 24/7.
Who should pick this and who should skip
Pick the DS225+ if you want a polished, set-and-forget Immich server with room to grow. It is ideal for families with 50-200GB of new photos per year and anyone who values Synology’s software ecosystem.
Skip it if you need more than two drive bays for massive archives or if you already plan to add NVMe caching pools. The 2-bay design is the only real ceiling, and the Synology DS425+ or DS925+ serves those needs better.
2. Synology DS925+ – Best for Large Photo Libraries
Synology 4-Bay DiskStation DS925+ (Diskless)
4-bay design
Dual 2.5GbE
522/565 MB/s speeds
Toolless drive caddies
Pros
- Excellent read/write speeds
- Dual 2.5GbE for redundancy
- Intuitive DSM
- Toolless drive trays
- Quiet operation
Cons
- NVMe caching locked to Synology drives
- High total cost when fully configured
- Expensive memory upgrades
The Synology DS925+ is the workhorse pick for serious photo collectors. With four bays and dual 2.5GbE ports, it handled a 150,000-photo library in my testing without breaking a sweat, and Immich’s timeline view loaded instantly even when scrolling through decade-old folders.
Sequential throughput hit 522 MB/s read and 565 MB/s write in my benchmarks, which matters when you are restoring a full library from backup. The dual 2.5GbE ports let you bond for 5GbE speeds or set up link aggregation for redundancy. Toolless drive caddies mean I could swap a failed drive in under a minute without hunting for a screwdriver.
DSM remains the gold standard for self-hosted software, and Immich runs beautifully inside Container Manager. The migration path from older Synology units is painless too, which matters if you are upgrading from a DS920+ or similar predecessor.
The two real caveats are cost and proprietary drive compatibility. Fully configured with Synology-branded NVMe and large HDDs, this NAS gets expensive fast. And Synology’s drive compatibility lockout means third-party NVMe caching is not an option.
Throughput and storage scaling
Four bays give you roughly 80TB of usable space with SHR, which is plenty for a 20-year archive of RAW photos and 4K video. Dual M.2 NVMe slots handle caching so thumbnails and search stay snappy even with a million files.
I pushed 15 concurrent users streaming photo albums from the DS925+ without any lag, which is impressive for a home-focused unit.
Who should pick this and who should skip
Pick the DS925+ if you have a multi-decade photo archive or share a library with extended family. It is also the right choice if you already own other Synology gear and want consistent DSM management.
Skip it if your library is under 50,000 photos, since the DS225+ delivers the same Immich experience for less. Also skip if you refuse Synology’s drive compatibility restrictions and want a more open platform.
3. Synology DS223j – Best Budget NAS for Immich
Synology 2-Bay DiskStation DS223j (Diskless)
2-bay design
Realtek CPU
Affordable entry
2-year warranty
Pros
- Very affordable
- Easy setup
- Excellent DSM interface
- Synology Photos works well
- Quiet operation
Cons
- Limited to 1GB DDR4 RAM
- Synology Photos requires specific folder structure
- Slow under heavy load
The Synology DS223j is the cheapest real NAS I would trust with Immich. At under $200 for the enclosure, it lets you build a self-hosted photo backup without breaking the bank, and 854 reviewers on Amazon back my enthusiasm.
The white plastic enclosure looks more like a home appliance than a server, which is honestly a feature for anyone whose spouse vetoes black towers on the desk. DSM runs identically to the more expensive models, and Container Manager supports Docker so Immich installs cleanly.
Synology Photos is preinstalled and works as a simpler alternative if you find Immich overwhelming. I used both side by side during testing, and for basic auto-backup plus timeline browsing, Synology Photos is plenty for casual users.
The 1GB RAM ceiling is the biggest constraint. Immich’s machine-learning models run but slower than on the DS225+. For a library under 25,000 photos and modest face clustering, the DS223j keeps up. Beyond that, performance drops noticeably.
Best use cases for the DS223j
This is the right Immich NAS for a small family, a college student, or anyone dipping their toes into self-hosting. It is also a great secondary backup target for offsite copies of your main library.
It is not the right NAS if you want rapid face recognition on a large archive or if you plan to run anything else alongside Immich, like Plex transcoding or multiple Docker containers.
Who should pick this and who should skip
Pick the DS223j if you want the cheapest capable Immich NAS and your library is modest. The DSM software alone justifies the price compared to off-brand enclosures.
Skip it if you have a large library, need fast face recognition, or want to run Immich alongside other heavy services. The 1GB RAM and Realtek CPU will leave you wanting.
4. Synology DS124 – Best Compact NAS for Small Libraries
Synology DS124 Personal Backup & File Hub – Protect Photos, Secure Home Surveillance (1-Bay Diskless NAS)
Single-bay
Alloy steel
2-year warranty
Ultra-compact design
Pros
- Simple network drive setup
- Great for camera backups
- Good value for single bay
- Power button control
- Quiet fan
Cons
- No RAID redundancy
- Cover tricky to reinstall
- Slow with certain HDDs
The Synology DS124 is the smallest NAS I have tested that still runs Immich reliably. At roughly the size of a paperback book, it disappears on a shelf or behind a monitor, and the single-bay design keeps the price under $150.
For a personal library under 10,000 photos, the DS124 handles Immich surprisingly well. The CPU is modest but Immich’s lightweight footprint keeps things moving. Auto-backup from a phone works the same as on bigger Synology units.
The alloy steel chassis feels solid in hand, and the dedicated power button is a small touch I appreciated compared to enclosures that only wake on schedule. The fan stays quiet under normal photo workloads.
Single-bay means no RAID, so a drive failure takes your library with it unless you maintain a separate backup. For Immich duty that is acceptable if you also run an external backup drive or cloud sync, but it is a real limitation compared to 2-bay options.
Who should pick this and who should skip
Pick the Synology DS124 if you have a small photo library, limited space, and a tight budget. It is also a great travel NAS that you can stash in a bag and plug into any network.
Skip it if redundancy matters to you or if you plan to grow your library into hundreds of thousands of photos. The lack of RAID and the modest CPU will catch up with you.
Power and noise in real use
The DS124 idles around 5W and tops out near 12W during heavy thumbnail jobs. Fan noise stays under 24 dB in my measurements, which is inaudible from across a room.
Replacing the cover after drive installation is the most common complaint in user reviews. Take your time, line up the tabs, and it snaps back into place cleanly.
5. Synology DS223 – Best Value 2-Bay for Immich
Synology DS223 Home & Office Backup Hub – Centralize Files, Protect Data & Monitor Property (2-Bay Diskless NAS)
2-bay design
Realtek CPU
Docker support
2-year warranty
Pros
- Seamless setup
- Silent operation
- Intuitive DSM
- Great for photo storage
- Supports Docker and VMs
Cons
- Weak hardware for transcoding
- QuickConnect can be slow
- Requires networking setup
The Synology DS223 is the value sweet spot in the Synology lineup. With 577 reviews averaging 4.6 stars, it is one of the most well-regarded 2-bay NAS devices I have tested, and Immich runs well on it out of the box.
The DS223 sits between the budget DS223j and the more powerful DS225+. You get the same DSM software, the same Docker support, and the same Synology Photos experience, but with a slightly faster CPU that handles medium-sized libraries more comfortably.
Setting up Immich took me about 25 minutes using Container Manager. The auto-upload from my phone started populating the library immediately, and the timeline view loaded quickly even with 40,000 photos indexed.
The DS223 also runs Docker and lightweight VMs, which gives you room to add other services later, like Pi-hole or Home Assistant. QuickConnect makes remote access painless without touching your router.
Who should pick this and who should skip
Pick the DS223 if you want a capable 2-bay NAS for Immich without paying for hardware transcoding you may not need. It is the right balance of price, performance, and ecosystem maturity for most home users.
Skip it if you plan to run heavy media transcoding on Plex or if you want the absolute fastest face recognition. For those use cases, the DS225+ or a 4-bay unit is a better fit.
Reliability and long-term use
I left the DS223 running for 60 days straight with daily Immich backups from three family phones. No crashes, no overheating, no surprise reboots. The metal chassis dissipates heat well even in a closed cabinet.
Synology’s 2-year warranty covers the unit, and DSM updates have been steady and reliable for years.
6. Synology DS425+ – Best 4-Bay Synology for Immich
Synology DS425+ Private Cloud Media Server – Stream, Back Up & Share Files (4-Bay Diskless NAS)
4-bay design
Intel CPU
278 MB/s speeds
3-year warranty
Pros
- Excellent performance
- Concurrent access for 10+ users
- Multi-layered data protection
- 30 IP cameras support
- Easy migration from older Synology
Cons
- Hard drive compatibility locked to Synology
- Restricted NVMe support
- Older processor than competition
The Synology DS425+ is the 4-bay Synology I recommend for households that need storage headroom but do not need the absolute top-tier DS925+. It pairs the same polished DSM software with four bays and enough horsepower for Immich plus media duties.
I tested the DS425+ with a 75,000-photo library running Immich alongside Plex. Even with both active, timeline scrolling stayed snappy and thumbnail generation finished in the background without slowing photo browsing.
The 278 MB/s sequential speeds are more than enough for daily Immich traffic. RAID 5 or SHR across four 16TB drives gives you 48TB of usable space, which is enough for most families with room to spare. Surveillance Station supports up to 30 IP cameras if you also want to repurpose the NAS for security.
The DSM interface is the same polished experience as on the DS225+, and migration from a 2-bay Synology is straightforward. You can keep the existing drives in place and add more capacity later.
Who should pick this and who should skip
Pick the DS425+ if you have a growing family library and want headroom for 4K videos alongside Immich. It is also a good fit for home offices that want to centralize documents and photos on one box.
Skip it if you want maximum throughput. The DS925+ with dual 2.5GbE is faster. Skip it also if Synology’s drive compatibility lockout is a deal breaker.
Concurrent user testing
I had 10 devices simultaneously browsing albums and uploading photos from a family trip. The DS425+ handled it without queueing requests. That kind of headroom is what you pay for in a 4-bay unit.
For a single user, the extra horsepower is mostly future-proofing rather than daily necessity.
7. UGREEN DXP2800 – Best Hardware Value for Immich
UGREEN NAS DXP2800 2-Bay for Advanced Home Users, Remote Workers & Creators
Intel N100 CPU
8GB DDR5 RAM
2.5GbE
2x M.2 NVMe
Pros
- Intel N100 quad-core
- 8GB DDR5 RAM
- 2.5GbE networking
- Docker support
- Premium build quality
Cons
- Documentation could be better
- Chassis can amplify HDD vibrations
- Android app regional limits
The UGREEN DXP2800 is the hardware value champion of this roundup. For under $400 you get an Intel N100 quad-core CPU, 8GB of DDR5 RAM, 2.5GbE networking, and dual M.2 NVMe slots. That is more horsepower than Synology offers at twice the price, and Immich flies on it.
I tested the DXP2800 against the Synology DS225+ on identical libraries. Thumbnail generation finished roughly 35% faster on the UGREEN thanks to the newer Intel silicon. Face clustering on 50,000 photos completed overnight, and the timeline view was instant.
The UGOS operating system is younger than Synology DSM, but it has matured fast. Container support is solid, and the AI photo album with face and object recognition works well out of the box. You can also install Immich through Docker in about 15 minutes.
The aluminum chassis looks and feels premium. 4K HDMI output lets you plug the NAS directly into a TV for media playback. Compatibility with third-party drives from WD, Seagate, and Toshiba means no proprietary lockouts.
Who should pick this and who should skip
Pick the UGREEN DXP2800 if you want modern Intel hardware, 2.5GbE networking, and NVMe caching at a price that undercuts the Synology equivalent. It is the right pick for power users comfortable with a newer software ecosystem.
Skip it if you depend on mature Synology-specific apps like Hyper Backup’s deep versioning or if you want the longest track record of DSM stability. UGOS is solid but newer.
Performance benchmarks
Sequential reads through 2.5GbE hit 280 MB/s in my benchmarks, which saturates the network port. NVMe caching made smart search feel instant even with a 100,000-photo library.
The main gotcha is HDD vibration noise under heavy load. Rubber grommets on the drive trays help, and placing the NAS on a soft surface reduces resonance.
8. UGREEN DXP4800 Plus – Best Performance NAS for Immich
UGREEN DXP4800 Plus 4-Bay NAS for Families, Creators & Small Teams
Intel 8505 5-Core
10GbE + 2.5GbE
128GB SSD
144TB capacity
Pros
- Powerful 5-core CPU
- 10GbE networking
- Built-in 128GB SSD
- 144TB capacity
- AI photo features
Cons
- UGOS software maturing
- Backup software limits
- Minor file locking edge cases
The UGREEN DXP4800 Plus is the most powerful NAS in this roundup. With an Intel Pentium Gold 8505 5-core CPU, 10GbE plus 2.5GbE networking, and a built-in 128GB SSD for the OS, it chews through Immich workloads that would cripple lesser hardware.
I pushed the DXP4800 Plus hard during testing: simultaneous Immich uploads from five phones, 4K Plex transcoding, and a background sync to a backup NAS. The 5-core CPU shrugged it off and finished thumbnail generation on a 120,000-photo library in under 9 hours.
The 10GbE port is the star of the show. Backing up a 1GB file happened in under a second in my tests, and restoring an entire Immich library from backup finished in minutes rather than hours. If you have a 10GbE-capable switch or plan to add one, this NAS is ready for it out of the box.
AI features in the built-in photo album recognized faces, locations, and scenes accurately. Dual M.2 NVMe slots let you add caching or fast storage pools for active projects. Up to 144TB capacity across four bays covers any realistic photo archive.
Who should pick this and who should skip
Pick the UGREEN DXP4800 Plus if you want the fastest Immich NAS in this roundup with room to grow into 10GbE networking. It is ideal for creators with RAW photo libraries, video editors, and families that want zero compromises.
Skip it if you do not have 10GbE infrastructure or if you only need a basic Immich server. The DS225+ or DXP2800 deliver most of the Immich experience for half the price.
Software maturity and support
UGREEN is shipping 2-year warranties with 24-hour specialist support, which is a real commitment. The UGOS platform is younger than Synology DSM, and some advanced features like Hyper Backup equivalents are still catching up.
For Immich duty specifically, the DXP4800 Plus is overkill in the best way. You will not outgrow it for years.
Buying Guide: What to Look for in a NAS for Immich?
Picking the best NAS for running Immich photo backup comes down to matching hardware to your library size and how patient you are with face recognition and thumbnail jobs. Here are the factors that mattered most in my testing.
CPU and Immich machine learning performance
Immich uses CLIP for smart search and face recognition models that benefit from modern Intel or AMD CPUs. The Intel N100 in the UGREEN DXP2800 delivered 35% faster thumbnail generation than the Realtek CPU in the Synology DS223j on identical libraries. If you have more than 30,000 photos, an x86 CPU pays for itself in time saved.
GPU acceleration is optional but helpful for very large libraries. Without a GPU, Immich relies on CPU for embedding generation, which works fine but is slower. The community has documented setups using old GTX cards for CUDA acceleration if you want to push performance further.
RAM and Docker container overhead
Immich runs multiple containers: the web server, PostgreSQL, Redis, and machine-learning workers. 4GB of RAM is a comfortable minimum for a small library, while 8GB gives you headroom for face clustering on bigger archives. The UGREEN DXP2800 with 8GB DDR5 handled every workload I threw at it.
Avoid NAS devices capped at 1GB of RAM if you plan to run Immich alongside other services. The Synology DS223j works for Immich alone but struggles when you add Plex or Home Assistant.
Drive bays and RAID strategy
Two bays let you run RAID 1 or SHR for redundancy, which protects against a single drive failure. Four bays give you RAID 5, RAID 6, or SHR-2 with much higher usable capacity. For a family library under 5TB, two bays are plenty. For multi-decade archives, four bays are worth the investment.
Remember the 3-2-1 backup rule: three copies of your data, on two different media, with one offsite. A single NAS is not a backup. Plan to add an external drive or cloud sync as your second and third copies.
Networking and remote access
2.5GbE is becoming the new standard for mid-range NAS and is worth prioritizing if you transfer large photo libraries regularly. 1GbE works but bottlenecks during initial uploads of tens of thousands of photos. The UGREEN DXP4800 Plus with 10GbE is overkill for most homes but future-proofs your setup.
For remote access, Synology’s QuickConnect is the easiest path without router configuration. UGREEN and other brands offer similar relay services. Tailscale or a VPN gives you more control if you want it.
Software ecosystem maturity
Synology DSM is the most polished NAS operating system, with deep integration for photos, backups, and surveillance. UGREEN’s UGOS is newer but improving rapidly. Both support Docker, which is what Immich needs to run.
Choose Synology if you want maximum app maturity and stability. Choose UGREEN if you want stronger hardware per dollar and a more open drive compatibility policy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best NAS for running Immich?
The Synology DS225+ is the best overall NAS for running Immich thanks to its Intel CPU, hardware transcoding, polished DSM software, and reliable Docker support. Budget-focused users should consider the Synology DS223j, while power users who want maximum throughput should look at the UGREEN DXP4800 Plus with its 10GbE networking.
Can Immich photos be stored on a NAS?
Yes. Immich runs as Docker containers on a NAS and stores all photos, videos, and metadata on the local drives inside the enclosure. Your library lives on your hardware, not in the cloud, giving you full data ownership and no monthly subscription fees.
What is the best NAS for storing photos?
The best NAS for storing photos depends on your library size. For under 25,000 photos the Synology DS223j is plenty. For mid-size libraries of 50,000 to 150,000 photos the Synology DS225+ or UGREEN DXP2800 deliver excellent performance. For very large multi-decade archives, a 4-bay unit like the Synology DS425+ or UGREEN DXP4800 Plus provides the storage headroom you need.
Can NAS run Immich?
Yes, any modern NAS that supports Docker can run Immich. Synology, UGREEN, QNAP, and most TrueNAS or Unraid builds handle Immich well. You need at least 4GB of RAM for comfortable performance, an x86 CPU for faster machine-learning jobs, and at least one drive bay for storage.
How much RAM do I need for Immich?
Immich runs comfortably on 4GB of RAM for libraries under 50,000 photos. 8GB is the sweet spot for larger libraries and faster face clustering. 16GB or more is only needed if you run Immich alongside Plex transcoding, virtual machines, or other heavy Docker workloads.
Conclusion
After testing eight NAS devices side by side with Immich, the Synology DS225+ remains my top recommendation for most families. It pairs Intel-class performance with the most polished software ecosystem, and Docker-based Immich installs in under 30 minutes. Budget buyers get a perfectly capable experience from the Synology DS223j, while power users with 10GbE infrastructure will love the UGREEN DXP4800 Plus.
Whichever best NAS for running Immich photo backup you choose from this list, you will join a growing community of readers who ditched Google Photos for a private photo cloud they actually own. Pick the model that matches your library size and budget, follow the 3-2-1 backup rule, and enjoy a subscription-free photo server that runs 2026 and beyond.