Pick a NAS for Time Machine Backups
What Synology, QNAP, UGREEN, TerraMaster and Asustor each tell you to do
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Synology, QNAP, UGREEN, TerraMaster and Asustor each publish their own instructions for using a NAS as a Time Machine destination, so the choice between them is about how each one does it. Synology, UGREEN and Asustor point Time Machine at a shared folder over SMB. QNAP sets it up inside its HBS 3 app, and TerraMaster has a Time Machine screen under Backup that is switched off on a new unit. Four of the five document a way to cap the space backups can take; Asustor's guide does not mention one.
What each maker's guide says
| Maker | Where it is set up | Protocol the guide names | Space limit | Versions it states |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Synology | Control Panel > Shared Folder, then File Services > SMB | SMB. It recommends deactivating AFP | A quota, set on a user account created for Time Machine | DSM 7.0 and above use the SMB tab; DSM 6.2 and below use the SMB/AFP/NFS tab |
| QNAP | HBS 3 > Services > Time Machine | Not named in the guide topic | A Capacity setting: Unlimited or Maximum | The topic sits in the QTS 4.5.x user guide |
| UGREEN | Control Panel > File Service > SMB, then Advanced Settings | SMB | A capacity quota on the shared folder, which UGREEN recommends | UGOS Pro 1.9.0.0035 or later; macOS Monterey 12 or later |
| TerraMaster | TOS Desktop > Backup > Time Machine > Settings | Not named in the article | A storage limit field, where 0 means no limit | None stated |
| Asustor | Access Control > Shared Folders, then Services > SMB | SMB recommended; AFP is also described | Not mentioned | Course NAS 108, dated December 13, 2024 |
Accounts, discovery and other advice
| Maker | Who signs in | How the Mac finds it | Other advice in the guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Synology | A DSM user created for Time Machine, with read and write permission on the folder | Bonjour Time Machine broadcast via SMB, or a manual smb:// connection from Finder | Do not use an encrypted shared folder or the recycle bin for the destination; encrypt in Time Machine on the Mac |
| QNAP | A shared Time Machine account, or local NAS accounts | Not covered in the topic | The shared account's display name and username cannot be changed |
| UGREEN | Your NAS username and password | Enable Bonjour Service, choose "Set time machine folder", then connect to smb://NAS_IP | Create a new shared folder for the backups |
| TerraMaster | Users on the Authorised User list; others cannot use the feature | Select the TNAS as the backup disk and connect as a registered user | The Backup List shows each backup's size and date and can delete it |
| Asustor | A local user created under Access Control | Go > Connect to Server with an SMB address, then add the folder in Time Machine | If you encrypt the backup and forget the password, the data cannot be recovered |
SMB, not AFP
Synology's guide states that Time Machine uses SMB by default from macOS Sierra 10.12 and that Apple removed AFP support with macOS Big Sur 11.0, and it recommends deactivating AFP and using only SMB. Asustor's course says AFP is being phased out in later versions of macOS and recommends SMB where it is available.
TerraMaster's article and the QNAP guide topic read here name neither protocol, so nothing is stated for them on this page.
When a backup fails for lack of space
UGREEN's guide is the only one of the five with a section on this. It says the first backup is a full one and later backups are incremental, and that Time Machine reports a failed backup when the space runs out.
Its fixes, in the order it gives them: empty the NAS Recycle Bin for the backup folder, delete old backups from inside Time Machine, remove local snapshots on the Mac, raise the folder's capacity quota, add storage to the NAS, or delete the backup set and start a new one.
What the guides do not settle
None of the five guides lists the models it applies to. Synology's tells you to make sure your system supports Time Machine backups before you start, and gives no list.
None of them gives a figure for how large the space limit should be. That is why the listings on this page are a price list of every NAS from the five makers: the guides give no ground for ranking one model above another for this job.
Where this comes from
Each maker's own guide, read on October 12, 2026. The TerraMaster article carries two dates, October 9, 2025 and September 1, 2020.
Checked on October 12, 2026. Sources: Synology Knowledge Center: How do I back up files from my Mac to Synology system using Time Machine?; QNAP QTS user guide: Configuring Time Machine; UGREEN Knowledge Center: Backup Mac Files to UGREEN NAS Using Time Machine; TerraMaster: How to configure TNAS as a Time Machine server?; ASUSTOR College NAS 108: Using NAS with Apple macOS.
NAS from the five makers on Amazon.com, by price
Every new NAS listing tracked from Synology, QNAP, UGREEN, TerraMaster and Asustor, cheapest first. The guides name no models, so this is a price list and not a ranking.
Frequently asked questions
Does a Synology NAS use SMB or AFP for Time Machine?
SMB. Synology's guide enables the SMB service for the backup folder and recommends deactivating AFP, noting that Apple removed AFP support with macOS Big Sur 11.0.
Can I limit how much space Time Machine takes on a NAS?
On four of the five makers, by their own guides: a user quota on Synology, a Capacity setting on QNAP, a shared folder quota on UGREEN and a storage limit field on TerraMaster. Asustor's guide does not mention a limit.
Is Time Machine switched on by default on a TerraMaster NAS?
No. TerraMaster's article says factory settings have Time Machine disabled, and that you enable it under Backup > Time Machine > Settings.
Which UGOS Pro version does UGREEN's Time Machine guide cover?
UGOS Pro firmware 1.9.0.0035 or later, with macOS Monterey 12 or later on the Mac.