TrueNAS Scale vs Proxmox vs Unraid: Best Home Server OS (2026)

Choosing the right operating system for your home server is one of the most important decisions you'll make. In 2026, three platforms dominate the conversation: TrueNAS Scale, Proxmox VE, and Unraid. Each has passionate supporters and distinct strengths.

This comprehensive comparison will help you choose the best home server OS based on your specific needs—whether you prioritize storage, virtualization, power efficiency, or ease of use.

Quick Comparison Table

What's New in 2026?

All three platforms have received significant updates that change the competitive landscape:

TrueNAS Scale 24.10 "Electric Eel"

• Docker Migration: Moved from Kubernetes to Docker Compose, dramatically simplifying app deployment
• 70% Performance Improvement: Optimized SMB and NFS performance
• Sandboxed Apps: Better security isolation for applications
• Improved Web UI: More intuitive interface for beginners

Proxmox VE 8.4

• vGPU Live Migration: Move GPU-accelerated VMs between hosts without downtime
• Virtiofs Support: Faster file sharing between host and VMs
• Backup API Improvements: Better integration with backup solutions
• Enhanced SDN: Software-defined networking improvements

Unraid 7.2

• Native ZFS Support: Finally added ZFS as an optional filesystem
• WiFi Support: Connect Unraid servers wirelessly
• TrueNAS Import Tool: Easy migration from TrueNAS to Unraid
• Single Sign-On (SSO): Unified authentication across services

TrueNAS Scale: The Storage Champion

TrueNAS Scale is the Linux-based successor to FreeNAS, built specifically for enterprise-grade storage with the rock-solid ZFS filesystem.

Pros

• Enterprise-Grade ZFS: Best-in-class data protection with checksums, snapshots, and self-healing
• Free and Open Source: No licensing fees, even for commercial use
• Excellent Documentation: iXsystems provides comprehensive guides
• Native SMB/NFS/iSCSI: First-class support for all major protocols
• Built-in Replication: Easy off-site backups with ZFS send/receive
• Active Directory Integration: Seamless Windows network integration

Cons

• ZFS RAM Requirements: Recommend 1GB RAM per TB of storage (though 8-16GB works fine for home use)
• No Drive Spin-down: ZFS keeps drives spinning, increasing idle power consumption
• Steeper Learning Curve: ZFS concepts like vdevs and pools take time to understand
• Inflexible Storage Expansion: Adding capacity requires adding complete vdevs

Best For

TrueNAS Scale excels when data integrity is your top priority:

• Primary NAS duties: File storage, media libraries, backups
• Business/SOHO environments: Where data loss is unacceptable
• Users familiar with ZFS: Or willing to learn
• High-bandwidth environments: 10GbE and beyond

Power Consumption

Typical idle power consumption for TrueNAS Scale systems:

• 4-bay NAS with HDDs: 30-50W (drives always spinning)
• All-SSD configuration: 15-25W
• Enterprise hardware: 80-150W

Proxmox VE: The Virtualization Powerhouse

Proxmox VE (Virtual Environment) is a Type 1 hypervisor that turns your hardware into a virtualization platform capable of running multiple operating systems simultaneously.

Pros

• True Hypervisor: Bare-metal virtualization with near-native performance
• KVM + LXC: Run both full VMs and lightweight containers
• Clustering: Easy multi-node cluster setup for high availability
• Web Interface: Complete management from your browser
• Flexible Storage: Support for ZFS, Ceph, local, NFS, and more
• GPU Passthrough: Dedicate GPUs to VMs for transcoding or gaming
• Active Community: Extensive forums and third-party resources

Cons

• Subscription Nag: Free version shows repository warnings (easily disabled)
• Learning Curve: Requires Linux knowledge for advanced configurations
• Not NAS-First: Needs additional configuration for NAS duties
• Overkill for Simple Use: If you just need file storage, Proxmox is too much

Best For

Proxmox VE shines in these scenarios:

• Running multiple services: Home Assistant, Plex, Pi-hole in isolated environments
• Testing and development: Spin up and destroy VMs easily
• GPU passthrough needs: Gaming VMs, Plex transcoding
• Learning enterprise skills: Proxmox skills transfer to VMware/Hyper-V

Power Consumption

Proxmox itself adds minimal overhead. Your power consumption depends on what you run:

• Intel N100 mini PC: 7-12W idle
• Mid-range server: 30-50W idle
• Enterprise hardware: 100W+ idle

Popular Configuration: Proxmox + TrueNAS VM

Many users run TrueNAS as a VM inside Proxmox, combining the best of both worlds:

1. Install Proxmox on the host
2. Pass through HBA card to TrueNAS VM
3. Run other services in separate VMs/containers
4. Get ZFS data protection + Proxmox flexibility

Unraid: The Flexible All-Rounder

Unraid takes a unique approach to storage and virtualization, prioritizing flexibility and ease of use over raw performance.

Pros

• Mixed Drive Sizes: Use any combination of drives you have
• Drive Spin-down: Significant power savings when drives aren't in use
• Incredible Ease of Use: Best web UI of the three
• Community Applications: One-click Docker app installation
• Parity Protection: Protect against drive failures without RAID complexity
• Share-Level Settings: Different protection levels for different data
• VMs + Docker: Both virtualization options built-in

Cons

• One-Time License Fee: $59 (Basic), $89 (Plus), $129 (Pro)
• Write Performance: Single-drive writes (no striping like RAID)
• Boot from USB: Requires USB drive for OS (by design)
• Not Open Source: Proprietary, though based on Linux

Best For

Unraid is ideal for:

• Media servers: Plex, Jellyfin, and similar workloads
• Beginners: Easiest platform to get started
• Hodgepodge hardware: Use whatever drives you have
• Power-conscious users: Drive spin-down saves significant watts
• Docker enthusiasts: Best Docker management interface

Power Consumption

Unraid's drive spin-down feature makes it the most power-efficient option:

• With spin-down enabled: 21-23W idle (drives sleeping)
• Active usage: 35-50W (depends on number of drives)
• All-SSD configuration: 15-20W constant

Power Consumption Deep Dive

For low-power home server enthusiasts, power consumption is a critical factor. Here's how the platforms compare:

Why ZFS Systems Use More Power

ZFS (used by TrueNAS and optionally Proxmox) keeps drives spinning because:

• Constant checksumming: ZFS periodically verifies data integrity
• Write caching: ZIL and SLOG operations require drive access
• Scrubbing: Regular data verification processes

Unraid's Advantage

Unraid can spin down individual drives because:

• Simple parity system: Doesn't require constant drive access
• Per-share settings: Frequently accessed data on SSDs, cold data on HDDs
• Intelligent caching: Mover script handles data placement

Real-World Measurements

From community reports on Reddit and forums:

*With drive spin-down enabled

Which OS Should You Choose?

Choose TrueNAS Scale If...

• ✅ Data integrity is your absolute top priority
• ✅ You're building a dedicated NAS (not running VMs)
• ✅ You have matching drives for ZFS pools
• ✅ You want enterprise features for free
• ✅ You're comfortable with ZFS concepts
• ✅ Power consumption isn't a major concern

Choose Proxmox If...

• ✅ You want to run multiple isolated services
• ✅ You need GPU passthrough for transcoding or gaming
• ✅ You're building a homelab for learning
• ✅ You want the flexibility of VMs and containers
• ✅ You're comfortable with Linux administration
• ✅ You might want to expand to a cluster later

Choose Unraid If...

• ✅ You're new to home servers
• ✅ You have mismatched drives to use
• ✅ Power efficiency is important
• ✅ You primarily want a media server
• ✅ You prefer a polished, user-friendly interface
• ✅ You value the strong community app ecosystem

Hardware Recommendations by Platform

For TrueNAS Scale

• Minimum RAM: 8GB (16GB+ recommended)
• CPU: Any modern x86_64 processor
• Storage: Identical drives for RAID-Z pools
• HBA Card: LSI 9211-8i or similar (IT mode)
• Best Mini PC: Topton N100 with 6 SATA ports

For Proxmox

• Minimum RAM: 4GB (8GB+ recommended)
• CPU: Intel with VT-x/VT-d, AMD with AMD-V
• Storage: SSD for OS, any for VM storage
• Network: Intel NICs preferred for driver support
• Best Mini PC: Beelink EQ12 or MS-01 for GPU passthrough

For Unraid

• Minimum RAM: 4GB (8GB+ recommended)
• CPU: Any 64-bit processor
• Storage: USB drive for OS, any drives for array
• Cache Drive: NVMe SSD recommended
• Best Mini PC: Jonsbo N2/N3 cases with hot-swap bays

Migration Considerations

Moving from Synology

All three platforms can import data from Synology NAS devices:

• TrueNAS: Use rsync or SMB transfer
• Proxmox: Same as above, or create VM from backup
• Unraid: New TrueNAS import tool in 7.2 makes migration easy

Moving Between Platforms

• Unraid ↔ TrueNAS: Unraid 7.2 added bidirectional migration tools
• Proxmox → Others: Export VMs as OVA, import elsewhere
• Data Migration: Always use network transfer (rsync, robocopy) for safety

FAQ

Do I need ECC RAM for ZFS?

No, but it's recommended for critical data. For home use, non-ECC RAM works fine. The ZFS team has stated that ZFS benefits from ECC no more than any other filesystem. The real risk is cosmic ray bit flips affecting any data in RAM, not ZFS-specific issues.

Can I run Docker on all three?

Yes, but implementation differs:

• TrueNAS Scale: Native Docker Compose (as of 24.10)
• Proxmox: Run Docker in LXC containers or VMs
• Unraid: Native Docker with excellent management UI

Which is best for beginners?

Unraid is consistently rated the most beginner-friendly due to:

• Intuitive web interface
• One-click app installation
• Extensive video tutorials
• Forgiving storage configuration

Can I try before committing?

Yes! All three can be tested:

• TrueNAS: Completely free, install and test
• Proxmox: Free tier fully functional
• Unraid: 30-day free trial

What about updates and support?

• TrueNAS: Regular updates from iXsystems, community support free
• Proxmox: Free updates, paid subscription for enterprise repo
• Unraid: Updates included with license, active forum support

Conclusion

There's no single "best" home server OS—the right choice depends on your priorities:

• Choose TrueNAS Scale for bulletproof data storage with enterprise features
• Choose Proxmox for maximum flexibility and virtualization capabilities
• Choose Unraid for ease of use and power efficiency

Many experienced users end up running multiple platforms: Proxmox as the hypervisor with TrueNAS handling storage, or Unraid for media with a Proxmox cluster for services.

The good news? All three platforms are mature, well-supported, and capable of running a fantastic home server. You can't really go wrong—just pick the one that matches your priorities and start building!

Related Articles

• 20W Idle Home Server Build Guide
• TrueNAS Setup Guide
• Proxmox Homelab Guide
• Best Mini PCs for Home Servers (2025)