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Houston UI vs Synology DiskStation Manager: catalog facts
Houston UI	Synology DiskStation Manager
Free Free and open source.	Freemium Included with Synology NAS hardware; a few services require separate licenses.
Linux, Web, Self-hosted	Linux, Self-hosted
Built on the widely used Cockpit framework rather than a proprietary UI stack Open source, so the management layer can be inspected or extended	Polished, consistent web interface across the entire Synology hardware lineup Large package center covering backup, media, sync, and surveillance apps
Primarily developed and tested around 45Drives' own hardware lineup Smaller plugin ecosystem than mainstream NAS OSes like OpenMediaVault	Only runs on Synology's own hardware, unlike open NAS operating systems Some advanced features are gated behind specific higher-end models
Self-hosted, Web application	Self-hosted
Open source	Closed source
License not stated	License not stated
Not stated if an account is needed	Not stated if an account is needed
Not stated if it works offline	Not stated if it works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 22, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 22, 2026

Catalog facts only. Anything “not stated” is unconfirmed. Check full listings for details.