iCloud replacement

[Enquiries]

Can you advise on the best solution for an iCloud replacement?
I am still using DS414, planning to upgrade and to reduce iCloud to contacts, reminders, calendars, etc. sync only, replacing the data heavy services like iCloud Drive and Photos with "local cloud".
I started testing Synology Photos and Drive, and they both work, but the hardware limitations of Ds414 make it impossible to migrate completely.

DS414 is now used for backups, file storage, music storage/DLNA and some video storage for editing (editing local copies, so copying back and forth).

I've watched multiple videos on 4-bay Synology and QNAP NASes and I am still hesitating (DS425+, DS925+ when they are released, and TS-464 or TS-453)
I am familiar with DSM but Synology seems not to be interested so much in home users anymore (H.265?).
I am tempted by QNAP but not sure about security and reliability.

Can you advise?

P.S. YouTube guide to replacing iCloud with a NAS would be great.

[ed]

Thanks for reaching out! I totally get where you're coming from—lots of people are looking to move away from iCloud, especially for the heavy stuff like Drive and Photos, while still keeping things like contacts, calendars, and reminders synced up. It's great that you've already started playing around with Synology Drive and Photos. They work well, but yeah, the DS414 is really starting to show its age.

If you're already comfortable with DSM and want to keep things simple and familiar, the DS423+ is a great upgrade. It’ll run everything you’re used to with way better performance, and it’s still super user-friendly. The only thing to be aware of is it doesn’t support hardware-accelerated H.265, which may or may not matter depending on your needs.

Now, if you're open to trying something new, the QNAP TS-464 is a very tempting option. It’s got better hardware overall—2.5GbE ports, HDMI output, and it does support H.265 hardware transcoding, which is handy if you plan to do more with video or media streaming. QNAP is definitely more flexible, but it does take a bit more effort to set up securely. As long as you keep things updated and disable anything you don’t use, you should be fine.

As for the DS925+, it might look like an upgrade on paper with a stronger CPU, but early rumors suggest it won’t have a 10GbE upgrade slot and still sticks to just 4 bays with no expansion. So, it feels like more of a sidegrade than a future-proof step up.

With your €1000 budget, you could go for either NAS plus four 4TB drives (WD Red Plus or Seagate IronWolf would be solid choices), set them up in SHR or RAID 5, and you’re good to go for a strong "local cloud" setup. You can access everything from your phone or laptop easily with the Synology or QNAP apps, and ditch the iCloud storage fees.