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Synology DiskStation Manager vs Houston UI: catalog facts
Synology DiskStation Manager	Houston UI
Freemium Included with Synology NAS hardware; a few services require separate licenses.	Free Free and open source.
Linux, Self-hosted	Linux, Web, Self-hosted
Polished, consistent web interface across the entire Synology hardware lineup Large package center covering backup, media, sync, and surveillance apps	Built on the widely used Cockpit framework rather than a proprietary UI stack Open source, so the management layer can be inspected or extended
Only runs on Synology's own hardware, unlike open NAS operating systems Some advanced features are gated behind specific higher-end models	Primarily developed and tested around 45Drives' own hardware lineup Smaller plugin ecosystem than mainstream NAS OSes like OpenMediaVault
Self-hosted	Self-hosted, Web application
Closed source	Open 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.