Run Home Assistant on a NAS: Container or VM
19 of 27 NAS models checked state both container and virtual machine support
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Home Assistant's documentation gives two installation types, and both can run on a NAS. Home Assistant Container runs in Docker and has no apps, its name for the extra software packages that install on Home Assistant OS, so Home Assistant says Thread and Z-Wave have no out-of-the-box support there. Home Assistant Operating System runs in a virtual machine with at least 2GB of memory and two virtual processors, and it is the type Home Assistant recommends. Which route a NAS can take depends on what its maker states: of the 27 models checked here, 19 state both containers and virtual machines, 3 state one of the two, 4 have pages that say nothing either way, and one, the UGREEN DH2300, is stated to support neither.
The two installation types, from Home Assistant's own table
| Feature | Home Assistant Operating System | Home Assistant Container |
|---|---|---|
| Automations | Yes | Yes |
| Dashboards | Yes | Yes |
| Integrations | Yes | Yes |
| Apps | Yes | No |
| Blueprints | Yes | Yes |
| One-click updates | Yes | No |
| Backups | Yes | Yes |
What each route needs, as Home Assistant states it
| Container | Virtual machine | |
|---|---|---|
| What runs | Home Assistant Container, in any OCI compatible runtime; the documentation focuses on Docker | Home Assistant Operating System, from a disk image |
| Stated minimum | Docker Engine 23.0.0 or later. Docker Desktop will not work | 2GB of memory and 2 virtual processors |
| Firmware or network | Its example command uses host networking and privileged mode | UEFI boot is required; the network adapter is bridged |
| Images offered | ghcr.io/home-assistant/home-assistant:stable | VirtualBox (.vdi), KVM and Proxmox (.qcow2), VMware ESXi and vSphere (.ova) |
| Updates | Handled by hand: pull the new image and recreate the container | One-click, inside Home Assistant |
| Step-by-step guides in the docs | Synology Container Manager and QNAP Container Station | VirtualBox, Unraid, KVM and VMware ESXi or vSphere |
NAS models by what their maker states
| Model | Containers | Virtual machines | Memory fitted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Synology DS224+ | Container Manager | Virtual Machine Manager; 2 recommended instances | 2GB |
| Synology DS225+ | Container Manager | Virtual Machine Manager; 2 recommended instances | 2GB |
| Synology DS425+ | Container Manager | Virtual Machine Manager; 2 recommended instances | 2GB |
| Synology DS725+ | Container Manager | Virtual Machine Manager; 4 recommended instances | 4GB |
| Synology DS925+ | Container Manager | Virtual Machine Manager; 8 recommended instances | 4GB |
| Synology DS1525+ | Container Manager | Virtual Machine Manager; 8 recommended instances | 8GB |
| Synology DS1825+ | Container Manager | Virtual Machine Manager; 8 recommended instances | 8GB |
| Synology DS723+ | Container Manager | Virtual Machine Manager, in its datasheet | 2GB |
| Synology DS923+ | Container Manager | Virtual Machine Manager, in its datasheet | 4GB |
| Synology DS423+ | Container Manager | Not stated in its datasheet | 2GB |
| QNAP TS-262A | Container Station: LXC/LXD and Docker | Virtualization Station; 4 suggested instances | 4GB |
| QNAP TS-462A | Container Station: LXC/LXD and Docker | Virtualization Station; 4 suggested instances | 4GB |
| QNAP TS-473A | Container Station: LXC/LXD and Docker | Virtualization Station; 8 suggested instances | 8GB |
| TerraMaster F2-425 | Docker Compose and Portainer | VirtualBox | 4GB |
| TerraMaster F4-425 | Docker Compose and Portainer | VirtualBox | 4GB |
| TerraMaster F4-425 Plus | Docker Compose and Portainer | VirtualBox | 16GB (N150 unit) or 8GB (N95 unit) |
| TerraMaster F4-425 Pro | Docker and containers | Ubuntu and Debian virtual machines | 8GB or 16GB |
| UGREEN DXP2800 | Docker | Virtual machines | 8GB |
| UGREEN DXP4800 Plus | Docker | Virtual machines | 8GB |
| UGREEN DXP4800 GT | Docker | Virtual machines | 8GB |
| UGREEN DXP6800 Pro | Not stated on its product page | Not stated on its product page | 8GB |
| UGREEN DXP8800 Plus | Not stated on its product page | Not stated on its product page | 8GB |
| UGREEN DXP480T Plus | Not stated on its product page | Not stated on its product page | 8GB |
| UGREEN DH2300 | No: UGREEN says it has no official Docker support | No: UGREEN says it does not support them | 4GB |
| Asustor AS5402T | Not listed on its specification page | VirtualBox | 4GB |
| Asustor Lockerstor 4 Gen2+ | Not listed on its specification page | VirtualBox | 4GB |
| Asustor Flashstor 6 Gen2 | Not listed on its specification page | Not listed on its specification page | 8GB |
How to read that table
Each cell is what the maker's own page says about that model, not a test. For Synology the container column comes from the applied models list on its Container Manager page and the virtual machine column from each model's specification sheet or datasheet. For QNAP both come from each model's software specification page. For TerraMaster, UGREEN and Asustor they come from each model's product or specification page.
A blank on the maker's page is not a no. UGREEN's operating-system page lists Docker and a virtual machine app without naming models, and the product pages for the DXP6800 Pro, DXP8800 Plus and DXP480T Plus mention neither. Only the DH2300 is stated not to support them.
Memory is the first thing to check for the virtual machine route. Home Assistant's minimum for the virtual machine is 2GB, and the DS224+, DS225+, DS425+ and DS723+ ship with 2GB in total, so that minimum is all the memory they have before the NAS's own system is counted.
USB radios: Zigbee, Z-Wave and Bluetooth
Home Assistant's documentation says some integrations, such as Thread and Z-Wave, are controlled by apps, and that Container installations have no out-of-the-box support for them.
For a Z-Wave USB stick on a Synology container it says the container needs extra configuration that can only be done from the Terminal, and it notes that its Synology steps do not configure access to a USB Bluetooth adapter or Z-Wave stick. In its virtual machine steps the USB device is passed through to the machine when it is created.
Where this comes from
Home Assistant's installation pages and each NAS maker's own pages, read on October 12, 2026. Synology's Container Manager page listed version 24.0.2-1706 on that date.
Checked on October 12, 2026. Sources: Home Assistant: Installation; Home Assistant: Install Home Assistant on Linux; Home Assistant: Install Home Assistant on other systems; Synology: Container Manager, applied models; Synology DS225+ specifications; Synology DS925+ specifications; QNAP TS-462A software specifications; QNAP TS-473A software specifications; TerraMaster F4-425 Plus product page; UGREEN DXP4800 Plus product page; UGREEN DH2300 product page; Asustor AS5402T specifications.
NAS on Amazon.com, by price
Every new NAS listing tracked, cheapest first. Only the models in the table above have had their maker's pages read for container and virtual machine support.
Frequently asked questions
Should Home Assistant on a NAS run in a container or a virtual machine?
Home Assistant recommends its Operating System type, which on a NAS means a virtual machine. The Container type has no apps and no one-click updates, by Home Assistant's own comparison table.
How much memory does the Home Assistant virtual machine need?
Home Assistant states a minimum of 2GB of memory and 2 virtual processors, and says you can raise both later if your workload grows.
Can the UGREEN DH2300 run Home Assistant?
Not by either route in Home Assistant's documentation: UGREEN's product page says the DH2300 has no official Docker support and does not support virtual machines.
Which Docker version does Home Assistant Container need?
Docker Engine 23.0.0 or later. Home Assistant's documentation adds that Docker Desktop will not work.