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MSP360 Backup vs Synology DSM comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Sep 11, 2024

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Categories and Ranking

MSP360 Backup
Ranking in Backup and Recovery
56th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
7.2
Number of Reviews
15
Ranking in other categories
Cloud Backup (44th), Disaster Recovery (DR) Software (27th), MSP Backup (3rd)
Synology DSM
Ranking in Backup and Recovery
18th
Average Rating
9.0
Reviews Sentiment
8.0
Number of Reviews
10
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2025, in the Backup and Recovery category, the mindshare of MSP360 Backup is 0.4%, down from 0.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Synology DSM is 1.8%, up from 0.6% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Backup and Recovery
 

Featured Reviews

CONRAD FORREST - PeerSpot reviewer
The solution provides the ability to backup all types of cloud drives, is inexpensive, and has decent support
MSP360 Backup provides the backup functionality, but we need to provide the storage component. We can use Azure, AWS, or another provider, but we need to choose the storage provider and create a bucket to store our data. The vendor is making changes to improve the functionality of the service and the separation of storage, but I would like to see more integration and a knowledge base of the tool. Currently trying to understand why the storage is separated and how to implement the storage properly is a challenge. Using the solution incurs additional charges for the device storage and backup which are not included in the service. Unlike other solutions such as Kohl which includes everything at one price. MSP360 Backup can be improved by adding inclusive pricing.
Michael Adejoh - PeerSpot reviewer
Reliable and cost-effective
One area where Synology DSM could improve is in enhancing its ability to detect and respond to security threats during backups and replication. Currently, it lacks the capability to automatically stop backups if it detects a virus or suspicious network activity, as some third-party solutions can. Having AI-driven analytics to identify anomalies and halt backups during potential attacks, along with notifications to administrators, would be valuable. Additionally, providing a dashboard for monitoring the backup environment's security would be a beneficial feature. These improvements would help address security concerns and make Synology more competitive in this aspect.

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Pros

"Provides connectivity to a lot of different cloud storage solutions."
"MSP360 Backup's most valuable feature is its backup interface."
"Technical support is very good."
"One massive advantage of this solution, as compared to more enterprise products, is that no firewall changes are needed on the client's premises. For the product to back up from the client's premise to the cloud, it just needs port 8 and port 443, which are anyway always open. This was one of the things that made us decide to go with the product. It is very difficult to justify a firewall change for a small client who doesn't even know what a firewall is and how to maintain a firewall, or doesn't have anybody maintaining their firewall. You then have to maintain the firewall. MSP360 Backup takes away firewall change requirements, VPNs, or channels that are needed for the backup."
"The initial setup is very easy. It's not overly complex."
"General ease of use and performance of the Windows version is the most valuable feature."
"The UI is pretty good. It's very simple. That is one thing that we like about this. It's very user-friendly."
"The solution is simple to use and easy to configure."
"Because of its simplicity and the wide array of features it offers, I would recommend DSM for both tech-savvy individuals and those who prefer a straightforward file-serving solution."
"The product performs well. It is easy to use and implement."
"The most valuable features of Synology DSM are its security and connectivity."
"The solution's most valuable feature stems from its ease of use, making it the tool's most interesting part."
"Synology DSM is very easy to work and operate."
"The most valuable feature of the solution is that it serves as a backup for our company's virtual machine."
"The most valuable features are the basic storage, file management, Btrfs file system, and built-in backups that come with the solution."
"The most valuable aspect is its ability to handle multiple disks."
 

Cons

"The Linux GUI leaves a lot to be desired. It lacks many of the features of the Windows version and is buggy, but it is still usable."
"There are some things that we don't like about it. That is why I was exploring alternatives in a hyper-scale environment. That is why I was checking IT Central Station."
"The solution needs a better graphical user interface. It's a graphical user interface that is very old-school right now. They could give it a little more modern feel."
"The product could be more user-friendly."
"The initial setup is a little complex as it has to be done in the office and requires someone to come in and install the solution on your server, then configure the scheduling, backup pushing, and so on."
"Maybe implement an easier interface for basic users. For example, a set-up wizard with all the commonly used features as default."
"The restore time could improve. When we had an issue the restore time was lengthy."
"They can add some production backup capabilities and the ability to do single instance back up. At the moment, it doesn't do deduplication on the standard backup. So, the issue is backing up PSG files for customers who have limited bandwidth. The other issue is that I don't like the implementation of the SQL backup. We do use SQL ourselves using a PowerShell script with the VDA tools as a module. That's how we back up. The rotation feature would be nice to have, but I know that they've got it on their dashboard or on their list to look at. They can also do a few tweaks to the dashboard. I would like the reporting capabilities on the portal to be much more granular. Normally, I export it to a text file, and then I run it through a pivot table in order to look at it from a cost-recovery point of view and to see when the backup last ran and if it was successful when it ran two or three days ago. Such a feature would work really well for my market. They can also add a cost-effective backup for Android and Apple cellphones. I've had one or two customers who were looking for this feature. I haven't found this functionality at the moment. I've been looking for a product that does that."
"Synology DSM's user interface is not quite intuitive."
"One area where Synology DSM could improve is in enhancing its ability to detect and respond to security threats during backups and replication."
"The only bothersome aspect is that the device is aging."
"There's a surveillance application that allows you to connect IP cameras and stream footage to Synology and it is a great feature, but it's not always clear that adding more cameras may require purchasing additional licenses."
"Users may lose their data if they don't configure the solution properly."
"The platform could be much more cost-effective and flexible for integrating third-party products."
"The product's only shortcoming is pricing, as it is an expensive solution."
"Synology DSM is a good enough solution for small and medium companies, but I have not seen a big configuration of the solution for a big organization."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The cost is pretty inexpensive. Around four to five dollars per device, per workstation on each server."
"Its pricing needs improvement."
"The solution is expensive."
"I rate the price of MSP360 Backup a seven out of ten."
"MSP360 is vastly cheaper than its competitors and has almost all the same features."
"It includes a standard licensing fee. Once a year, there is a rebranding fee. The licensing costs are available on the internet for MSP360 Backup. There is a discount structure where if you have over 50 devices, you get a 50% discount. So, my cost is $2 a license per month."
"Pricing is reasonable although can be quite a large upfront cost."
"We have a very good return on investment."
"The price of the solution is very good."
"Synology DSM is a cheap solution."
"It is quite an affordable solution."
"The licensing part of the solution is free. The hardware is more expensive than the other solutions in the market, but it's okay in the long run."
"Synology DSM is a free tool."
"The pricing varies widely, catering to a broad range of needs."
"The solution’s pricing is neither cheap nor expensive."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
17%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Construction Company
8%
Financial Services Firm
7%
Computer Software Company
13%
Government
8%
Comms Service Provider
7%
Manufacturing Company
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about MSP360 Backup?
MSP360 Backup's most valuable feature is its backup interface.
What needs improvement with MSP360 Backup?
The product could be more user-friendly. Its pricing needs improvement as well.
What do you like most about Synology DSM?
The most valuable features of Synology DSM are its security and connectivity.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Synology DSM?
The solution’s pricing is neither cheap nor expensive.
What needs improvement with Synology DSM?
Users may lose their data if they don't configure the solution properly.
 

Also Known As

Cloudberry Backup
Synology DiskStation Manager (DSM)
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

StratX
Information Not Available
Find out what your peers are saying about MSP360 Backup vs. Synology DSM and other solutions. Updated: April 2025.
847,625 professionals have used our research since 2012.