Synology Surveillance Station

Not yet benchmarked

Vendor: Synology
License: Licences par appareil (2 gratuites) ; matériel Synology requis
Platforms: Synology NAS/NVR/DVA (DSM 7.2), client Windows/macOS, mobile DS cam

Polished, perpetually-licensed VMS that turns a Synology NAS into a capable NVR, with broad multi-brand camera support and (on DVA models) strong on-device AI. Not yet benchmarked on our test bench.

Strengths

Recordings can be stored in an AES-256 encrypted DSM shared folder — genuine encryption at rest, confirmed by Synology.
Broad camera support (8,300+ models plus generic ONVIF/RTSP); perpetual per-device licences, no subscription.
Local-first: runs on the LAN without a Synology account (QuickConnect relay optional).

Limitations

Vendor hardware lock-in — the software only runs on Synology NAS/NVR/DVA appliances.
Per-camera paid licensing beyond the 2 free slots.
Face recognition and the best deep video analytics are gated to the more expensive DVA appliances.

Criteria

Self-hosted (runs on your hardware)	✓
Works without a mandatory vendor account	✓
Works with any ONVIF/RTSP camera (no hardware lock-in)	✓
Built-in facial recognition	✓
Encrypts stored footage at rest	✓
Remote access without a vendor cloud	✓
Web + desktop + mobile apps	✓

Sources

https://www.synology.com/en-global/surveillance/feature/secure — officiel (chiffrement au repos) (2026-07-21)
https://www.synology.com/en-global/vms/solution/surveillance_face_recognition — officiel (reco faciale sur DVA) (2026-07-21)
https://www.synology.com/en-us/compatibility/camera — officiel (support caméras) (2026-07-21)

This product has not yet been tested on our bench. The information above comes from dated documentary sources; no comparative verdict is published until a real test has taken place.