Cloud Storage Is Getting Expensive — Here’s Why I Switched to Synology NAS
These days, everything lives in the cloud — photos, videos, documents, backups. And for a while, it felt like cloud storage was the perfect solution: easy to access, always backed up, and simple to share with others.
But if you’re like me and deal with a lot of files — especially big ones like videos or high-res photos — you’ve probably hit the same wall I did: cloud storage gets really expensive, really fast.
Here’s what made me rethink everything — and why I ended up moving my storage to a Synology NAS at home.
Why I Loved the Cloud (At First)
To be fair, cloud storage has some real advantages:
- I could access my files from anywhere
- Everything was backed up automatically
- It was easy to share folders with friends or collaborators
I used Google Drive and Dropbox for years without much trouble. But once my photo and video collection started hitting the terabyte range, things changed.
What Went Wrong: The Cost of Convenience
Cloud storage isn’t that bad when you’re using a few dozen gigabytes. But once I passed the 1 TB mark, my monthly bills started to look like a streaming subscription plus a storage tax. Here’s what really started to bother me:
-
It Gets Expensive — Fast I was paying for extra tiers just to keep up with growing file sizes. High-res video? Drone footage? RAW photo backups? They eat up space fast.
-
It Can Be Slow and Unreliable Uploading or downloading large files often felt like watching paint dry. Syncing big projects between multiple people didn’t always work smoothly — sometimes it was fast, other times files failed to update or went missing entirely.
-
I Didn’t Feel Comfortable Handing Over My Data With data breaches in the news and some big tech companies playing fast and loose with privacy, I started to feel uneasy storing sensitive files in the cloud. It’s one thing to back up vacation photos — it’s another to trust personal documents or work files to platforms I don’t fully control.
So I Bought a Synology NAS
I’d heard about NAS (Network Attached Storage) before — basically, your own private cloud in a box. I finally picked up a Synology DS224+ and installed a couple of big hard drives.
And honestly? I wish I had done this sooner.
What Is Synology NAS (And Why It’s Awesome)
A Synology NAS is like having your own mini data center at home. It plugs into your router and gives you massive, shared storage over your network. Here’s why I’m loving it:
-
✅ Tons of Space: I’m storing terabytes of photos, videos, and project files with no monthly fees. Once you buy the hardware, you’re set.
-
✅ Fast Local Access No waiting for uploads or downloads. Everything loads instantly over my home network. Perfect for editing videos or managing large libraries.
-
✅ Easy to Access Remotely I can still access my stuff from anywhere using Synology’s apps or QuickConnect. It’s like having Google Drive — but it lives in my living room.
-
✅ Total Control No subscriptions, no surprise price hikes, no one scanning my files. Just me and my data.
The Best Part? It Works Like a Cloud (But You Own It)
Synology makes it super easy to set up:
- I created user accounts for family members
- Set up automatic photo backups from phones
- Shared folders with friends on projects
- Streamed movies from my NAS to my TV
And if I want to use cloud storage too, I can. Synology has features to sync specific folders to Dropbox, Google Drive, or even use cloud backup for off-site redundancy.
Is It Worth It?
If you’re storing more than 1 TB of data, and especially if you work with large files or care about performance and privacy — yes, absolutely.
Here’s the simple math:
- One-time cost for NAS and drives: a few hundred bucks
- Monthly cloud storage: $10–$20+ forever
- Having all your files at your fingertips without limits: priceless
Final Thoughts
Cloud storage is great — until it’s not. When your data starts to outgrow the cloud, or when you just want more control over your files, a Synology NAS is an awesome solution.
For me, it’s faster, cheaper, and honestly more fun to use.
If you’re drowning in cloud bills or tired of slow syncs and limited space, I highly recommend checking out Synology. It’s like having your own personal cloud — without the monthly fees.
Happy engineering!