UniFi Drive 4.0 vs Synology: What Changed and Why It Matters

What Is UniFi Drive 4.0?

UniFi Drive 4.0 is a storage software update for Ubiquiti's UNAS hardware that adds Microsoft 365 backup, local iOS photo archiving, and drive health monitoring. Released in February 2026 (version 4.0.12), it requires UniFi OS 4.4.11 or higher.

In just 18 months, Ubiquiti has gone from zero storage products to a platform that backs up Microsoft 365, encrypts data at rest, and integrates with your existing network console. The UNAS Pro 8 ($799) now handles file sharing, cloud backup, and remote access in one device. But for businesses that depend on SharePoint, immutable snapshots, or Docker—is Drive 4.0 enough to replace Synology?

Can UniFi Drive Back Up Microsoft 365 Data?

UniFi Drive 4.0 backs up OneDrive for Business accounts with multi-version support for point-in-time recovery. The software protects data from work and school accounts managed via Microsoft Entra ID, creating a local, versioned copy of your tenant's OneDrive data on hardware you physically control.

The use case is straightforward: ransomware encrypts your tenant, an employee permanently deletes a critical folder, or a departing admin removes accounts. UniFi Drive gives you a versioned backup on local hardware, providing protection without the complexity of tape-based air gapping.

That said, the scope is narrower than what Synology provides. Synology Active Backup for Microsoft 365 covers OneDrive, SharePoint, Exchange, and Microsoft Teams with granular single-file recovery, auto-discovery of new accounts, and a self-service portal where end users restore their own files without involving IT. Ubiquiti reached OneDrive parity in 18 months—but for organizations that depend on SharePoint or Exchange, Synology remains the more complete option today.

What Else Ships in Drive 4.0 for Business?

Expanded Backup & Encryption Support

Drive 4.0 now supports comprehensive backup destinations, including remote UNAS units, standard CIFS/SMB servers, and major cloud providers (Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, Amazon S3, Backblaze B2, Wasabi). Critically for business compliance, it also includes File Encryption support for securing sensitive data at rest.

Drive Health Monitoring

Drive 4.0 adds a Health Monitor panel that surfaces HDD and SSD health data, including S.M.A.R.T. diagnostics and manual test capabilities. Drive errors are flagged before failure, giving administrators time to replace drives using the supported Hot Spare feature (on UNAS Pro and Pro 8).

Storage alerts appear directly in the UniFi Site Manager timeline, alongside switch and AP logs—no separate dashboard required.

Remote File Access via Identity Endpoint

The update includes Identity Endpoint, which provides one-click remote SMB drive mapping from mobile or desktop. It uses Ubiquiti's integrated VPN (WireGuard-based), eliminating traditional OpenVPN or WireGuard client configuration for end users.

For small businesses that already have a UniFi gateway, this is a seamless addition. For those evaluating UniFi storage as a standalone device, factor in the gateway requirement when comparing total cost.

Time Machine & Snapshot Support

Drive 4.0 officially supports Apple Time Machine for Mac backups over SMB. It also includes Snapshot support for file versioning, allowing users and admins to recover previous versions of files or folders—a critical defense against accidental overwrites.

Does UniFi Drive 4.0 Support Mobile Photo Backup?

UniFi Drive 4.0 supports automatic, local photo and video backup for iPhones and iPads via the license-free UniFi Endpoint app. Photos are stored directly on your UNAS device, eliminating reliance on iCloud or Google Photos subscriptions.

What works well: Setup requires only installing the Endpoint app—no additional configuration. Data stays physically on-premises, which addresses privacy and data residency concerns without recurring cloud storage costs.

Current limitations: Apple's background process restrictions mean you may need to open the Endpoint app occasionally for backups to resume. Android support is currently rolling out (v10.28.3+), though iOS offers the most seamless experience at launch.

Photo management comparison: Synology Photos handles both iOS and Android, and includes on-device AI facial recognition and object detection for automatic album organization. UniFi Drive does not offer AI-powered photo organization—Ubiquiti's AI features (face detection, object classification) are limited to UniFi Protect for surveillance footage, not personal photo management.

How Does UniFi Drive 4.0 Compare to Synology?

Where Does UniFi Drive Have an Advantage Over Synology?

The feature comparison shows Synology ahead on completeness. However, three factors explain why UniFi Drive is gaining traction despite the gap.

Unified Ecosystem Integration

Synology builds excellent storage but does not manufacture switches, access points, security gateways, or access control hardware. Ubiquiti does, and its install base across those categories is substantial.

When a network administrator manages dozens of UniFi switches, access points, and cameras from a single interface, adding a UNAS Pro 8 to that same console is a natural next step. No new vendor relationship, no separate credentials, and no additional management platform.

Synology has expanded beyond pure storage—its BC500 and TC500 surveillance cameras work with Surveillance Station, giving it a foothold in physical security. But Synology's hardware reach ends at storage and surveillance. Ubiquiti controls the network layer itself (gateways, switches, access points), which provides a broader integration surface.

Development Cadence

In 16 months, Ubiquiti moved from basic file storage to a platform with cloud backup and remote identity management. Synology built comparable functionality over a decade. Whether Synology's maturity represents reliability or slower iteration depends on your own timeline—but the pace of UniFi Drive development has been consistent.

Hardware Pricing

The UNAS Pro 8 ($799) delivers eight bays with triple 10GbE connectivity. A Synology with comparable bay count and networking costs more:

Both platforms offer M365 backup at zero licensing cost. Ubiquiti's additional advantage is that NAS management integrates into a console many customers already use for their network infrastructure, reducing the operational overhead of managing a separate device.

What Can Synology Still Do That UniFi Cannot?

UniFi Drive 4.0 covers meaningful ground for a 16-month-old platform, but the gaps relative to Synology DSM are real and affect specific use cases.

Application Ecosystem

Synology's Package Center offers over 100 applications. You can run Plex, host virtual machines, deploy Docker containers, operate a mail server, and run Surveillance Station—all on the same hardware. UniFi Drive supports none of these. If your NAS doubles as an application server, Synology is the clear choice.

Immutable Snapshots and Compliance

Synology supports immutable snapshots (WORM—Write Once, Read Many), which prevent backup data from being modified or deleted for a defined retention period. This is a requirement for businesses in regulated industries (healthcare, finance, legal) and a critical layer of ransomware protection. In Compliance Mode, Synology prevents even administrators from deleting protected backups—an "admin-proof" layer that UniFi currently lacks.

UniFi Drive offers snapshot-based versioning, which provides recovery from accidental deletion or encryption. However, these snapshots are not true immutable/WORM snapshots—an administrator can still modify or delete them. For compliance-driven environments, this is a significant differentiator in Synology's favor.

Hardware Architecture & File System Integrity

Current UNAS hardware uses ARM processors without ECC RAM. For file sharing and backup, this is adequate. For business-critical environments where bit-rot protection matters, the absence of ECC is worth noting. Synology's higher-end models offer x86 processors with ECC support and PCIe expansion slots for adding 10GbE or NVMe cache.

Synology also uses BTRFS, a file system with built-in checksumming and self-healing capabilities that detect and repair silent data corruption automatically. UniFi Drive's underlying file system does not currently offer comparable self-healing. For long-term archival storage where data integrity over years is critical, this is another area where Synology has an advantage.

Software Maturity

Synology has shipped NAS software for over two decades. Their codebase has been tested across millions of deployments. UniFi Drive is 16 months old, and the 4.0 release is still classified as a release candidate with staged rollouts.

For businesses where uptime and reliability are the top priority, this maturity difference matters. A backup tool needs to work during the worst possible moments—and that confidence comes from years of production use.

M365 Backup Coverage

UniFi's M365 backup covers only OneDrive today. SharePoint and Exchange—where many organizations store their most critical collaboration data—are planned but not yet available. Synology Active Backup for Microsoft 365 handles all four M365 services with granular recovery, auto-discovery, and a self-service restore portal.

If you need a complete M365 backup solution today, Synology is production-ready. UniFi covers the most common use case (OneDrive) and will likely expand coverage in future releases.

What Comes Next for UniFi Storage?

Ubiquiti's product trajectory follows a clear pattern. Phase one (2024) was hardware—getting UNAS devices into racks. Phase two (2025–2026) is software—adding backup, identity, and monitoring features. Based on announced plans, the next priorities are SharePoint and Exchange backup support, along with potential self-service restore options.

The UNAS 4 and UNAS Pro 4 models add NVMe caching and desktop form factors, addressing the current limitation of rack-mount-only hardware. If Ubiquiti delivers on its M365 roadmap and adds immutable snapshot support, the platform will cover the majority of small business backup requirements without a separate vendor.

The Bottom Line

UniFi Drive 4.0 is not as feature-rich as Synology DSM. But for businesses already using UniFi for networking, cameras, and access control, Drive 4.0 provides a credible storage and backup option within the same management console—and the pace of development suggests the feature gap will continue to narrow.

The practical question is which platform fits your actual needs and existing infrastructure:

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Need help deciding between UniFi NAS and Synology for your business? Contact iFeelTech for a complimentary assessment. We deploy both platforms across South Florida and can recommend the right fit based on your workload and infrastructure.