shouldiuse.io

VERDICT

Should I use Unraid?

Unraid OS turns your hardware into a powerful home server. Combine NAS storage, Docker containers, and VMs on one system — no matching drives required. Start your free trial today. - unraid.net

Depends. Buy if you're a hobbyist building a home server around mixed drives, Docker apps, and VMs. Skip it for business-critical or internet-exposed storage, or if you want free open-source — TrueNAS and Proxmox fit better.

Confidence

Medium. Based on ~40 public sources: Reddit and forum threads, CVE databases, pricing news, and official pages. Many snippets truncated; tier prices are public list-price estimates.

Ratings

  • Value for money
  • Ease of use
  • Feature depth
  • Support quality
  • Security posture

Pricing

Guess: ~$49 one-time

Starter

ModelNot disclosed
Monthly feesNot disclosed
HardwareNot disclosed
Free tierNo
UnleashedGuess: ~$109 one-time
LifetimeGuess: ~$249 one-time

Best for

  • Homelab tinkerers
  • Mixed-drive NAS builds
  • Media server + Docker hobbyists
  • Photographers archiving big libraries

Not for

  • Businesses needing vendor-supported storage
  • Anyone wanting free open-source
  • Set-and-forget appliance buyers
  • People who won't patch promptly

Gotchas - check before you buy

high

Never expose the web UI to the internet; servers get hacked

medium

2025 upgrade pricing means older licenses pay more to update

medium

Proprietary OS: leaving means rebuilding the array on TrueNAS/Proxmox

low

Free trial only; no free tier once the trial ends

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Mixes drives of any size — no matching disks required
  • One box runs NAS, Docker containers, and VMs
  • Thousands of vetted community Docker apps
  • Beginner-friendly setup, per first-time builders
  • Active community forums for troubleshooting

Cons

  • Proprietary and paid while top rivals are free
  • Multiple CVEs; internet-exposed servers have been hacked
  • 2025 license price increases angered existing owners
  • Array parity isn't a backup; ransomware still hurts
  • Some longtime users no longer trust it

Sources & method

Analyzed 9/20/2026 - 12 sources - Real CVE history including a 2026 web server RCE; safe if patched and never exposed directly to the internet.

official x1review x5security x3news x3
  • CVE-2026-9773 — web server RCE, Command injection in the Unraid web server allowing remote code execution; addressed in recent 7.2.5/7.2.6 patch releases.
  • CVE-2020-5849 — auth bypass, Attackers exploiting this auth bypass could gain remote code execution.
  • Internet-exposed servers actively hacked, Unraid's own forums warned that servers exposed directly to the internet were being compromised.

Key stats

  • Value for money: 3/5

    Rating

  • Guess: ~$49 one-time

    Starting price

  • 12

    Sources

  • Analyzed

  • Value for money: 3/5. Lifetime licenses, but 2025 upgrade price hikes stung
  • Ease of use: 4/5. Beginners report easy setup; big community helps
  • Feature depth: 5/5. NAS plus Docker plus VMs plus community apps
  • Support quality: 3/5. Active forums; no formal enterprise support
  • Security posture: 2/5. Six CVEs including RCE; exposed servers hacked
  • 2005 Founded As Lime Technology
  • Yes Free trial No free tier afterward
  • 150+ countries Reach 5x growth since 2019
  • Guess: ~$49 Starter license 6 drives; 20% promos appear

Pricing

Starter

Guess: ~$49 one-time

  • 6 storage devices
  • 1 year of OS updates

Unleashed

Guess: ~$109 one-time

  • Unlimited devices
  • 1 year of OS updates

Lifetime

Guess: ~$249 one-time

  • Unlimited devices
  • Lifetime OS updates

Security

Real CVE history including a 2026 web server RCE; safe if patched and never exposed directly to the internet.

  • CVE-2026-9773 — web server RCECommand injection in the Unraid web server allowing remote code execution; addressed in recent 7.2.5/7.2.6 patch releases.⁶
  • CVE-2020-5849 — auth bypassAttackers exploiting this auth bypass could gain remote code execution.⁷
  • Internet-exposed servers actively hackedUnraid's own forums warned that servers exposed directly to the internet were being compromised.⁸

What users say

Users praise the flexibility, mixed-drive storage, and community, but criticise 2025 price hikes and security handling.

“I can't see myself relying on Unraid anymore and here's why”
XDA Developers, review title
“unRAID is worth all the money.”
Reddit, r/homelab
“Unraid Servers exposed to the Internet are being hacked”
Unraid forums, warning thread
Full analysis

Based on ~40 public sources: Reddit and forum threads, CVE databases, pricing news, and official pages. Many snippets truncated; tier prices are public list-price estimates.

Hobbyist gold: NAS + Docker + VMs on mixed drives. Paid, proprietary, real CVE history. Homelab yes, business no.

Methodology

Based on ~40 public sources: Reddit and forum threads, CVE databases, pricing news, and official pages. Many snippets truncated; tier prices are public list-price estimates.

Sources

  1. Flexible NAS, Docker & VM Platform for Home Serversunraid.net
    official
  2. Pros and Cons of UnRAID NAS OSnascompares.com
    review
  3. I can't see myself relying on Unraid anymorexda-developers.com
    review
  4. Opinions on UnRaid? — r/homelabreddit.com
    review
  5. Just finished my first unraid server — r/unRAIDreddit.com
    review
  6. CVE-2026-9773: Unraid Web Server RCEsentinelone.com
    security
  7. CVE-2020-5849: Unraid Auth Bypasssentinelone.com
    security
  8. Warning: Unraid Servers exposed to the Internet are being hackedforums.unraid.net
    security
  9. Unraid Increases Upgrade Prices for Old Licenseslinustechtips.com
    news
  10. Unraid Licenses Are 20% Off Right Nowhowtogeek.com
    news
  11. Unraid — Crunchbase Company Profilecrunchbase.com
    news
  12. Compare TrueNAS vs. Unraidslashdot.org
    review

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