HPE Zerto Software vs Synology DSM comparison

Hewlett Packard Enterprise and Synology are both solutions in the Backup and Recovery category. Hewlett Packard Enterprise is ranked #2 with an average rating of 9.0, while Synology is ranked #52. Hewlett Packard Enterprise holds a 2.0% mindshare in BRS, compared to Synology’s 1.4% mindshare. Additionally, 98% of Hewlett Packard Enterprise users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Synology users who would recommend it.

HPE Zerto Software

Read 346 HPE Zerto Software reviews

15,919 Views
9,074 Comparison Views

98% willing to recommend

Synology DSM

Read 10 Synology DSM reviews

3,050 Views
3,020 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

HPE Zerto Software

Synology DSM

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Mar 22, 2026

HPE Zerto Software and Synology DSM compete in data management solutions. HPE Zerto Software holds the upper hand in specialized features, while Synology DSM is stronger in comprehensive storage and system management.

Features: HPE Zerto Software includes near-synchronous replication, automated failover, and ransomware protection, making it suitable for enterprises needing specialized disaster recovery. Synology DSM offers robust storage management, easy file sharing, and high data integrity, appealing to users seeking an all-in-one data management solution.

Room for Improvement: HPE Zerto Software could enhance its cloud-based analytics, streamline Hyper-V services, and reduce initial setup complexity. Synology DSM can improve speed of storage access, enhance multi-device synchronization, and expand automated data backup options.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: HPE Zerto Software provides straightforward deployment with strong support infrastructure for easy enterprise integration. Synology DSM offers intuitive setup and comprehensive support, praised for its simplicity in system management.

Pricing and ROI: HPE Zerto Software typically has a higher setup cost, promising significant ROI in data protection. Synology DSM is more cost-effective with long-term value, delivering versatile functionality at lower initial costs.

To learn more, read our detailed HPE Zerto Software vs. Synology DSM Report (Updated: March 2026).

Buyer's Guide

HPE Zerto Software vs. Synology DSM

March 2026

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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

HPE Zerto Software

Ranking in Backup and Recovery

2nd

Average Rating

9.0

Reviews Sentiment

7.2

Number of Reviews

346

Ranking in other categories

Cloud Migration (1st), Cloud Backup (2nd), Disaster Recovery (DR) Software (1st)

Synology DSM

Ranking in Backup and Recovery

52nd

Average Rating

9.0

Reviews Sentiment

8.0

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of March 2026, in the Backup and Recovery category, the mindshare of HPE Zerto Software is 2.0%, down from 3.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Synology DSM is 1.4%, down from 1.8% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Backup and Recovery Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
HPE Zerto Software	2.0%
Synology DSM	1.4%
Other	96.6%

Backup and Recovery

Featured Reviews

reviewer2802231

Dev Ops Engineer at a media company with 201-500 employees

Near-zero downtime has protected critical workloads and now simplifies hybrid cloud recovery

The best features of HPE Zerto Software are mainly very sophisticated and relevant to the current market. The data protection CDP part has real-time replication, unlike other solutions that have snapshot backups. We can set it up hourly, making it ideal for use with workloads. Another attraction is the near-zero RTO, with automated failover within minutes and one-click failover and failback. Currently, we are using a hybrid cloud solution, and HPE Zerto Software supports multi-cloud environments, making it easy to migrate between on-premises and cloud. Regarding the impact of HPE Zerto Software on our RTOs, we have near-zero RTO, meaning the system must be back online within thirty minutes if we measure the time. It is very quick to recover services. With HPE Zerto Software's near-synchronous replication, we have some CDP protection, so we typically write interceptions along with some asynchronous replication. There is almost real-time replication available.

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Michael Adejoh

Solutions Manager at Excel Connect Ventures

Reliable and cost-effective

One area where Synology DSM could improve is in enhancing its ability to detect and respond to security threats during backups and replication. Currently, it lacks the capability to automatically stop backups if it detects a virus or suspicious network activity, as some third-party solutions can. Having AI-driven analytics to identify anomalies and halt backups during potential attacks, along with notifications to administrators, would be valuable. Additionally, providing a dashboard for monitoring the backup environment's security would be a beneficial feature. These improvements would help address security concerns and make Synology more competitive in this aspect.

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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"Orchestration is much better."

"Zerto's replication is superior to anyone else's out there; it's faster, simpler, and effective, and I don't think I could get as low an RTO and RPO with any other solution."

"The features of HPE Zerto Software have benefited our organization by increasing our recovery rate on systems that have a tight recovery RPO, and it's also allowing us to migrate workloads from VMware to Hyper-V in a seamless fashion."

"The ability to have a RPO of seconds has enabled us to restore data to just before an incident has occurred, which certainly saves a lot of time and money."

"The ability to test a failover non-disruptively with Zerto is valuable, as it doesn't create any downtime for the business."

"There are several valuable features because of the way we use it. The backup and restore features are definitely indispensable."

"Using Zerto for the migration was incredibly valuable, enabling us to save tremendous amounts of time."

"When you can't afford to risk your data, Zerto is the solution."

More HPE Zerto Software pros

"The most valuable aspect is its ability to handle multiple disks."

"The most valuable features are the basic storage, file management, Btrfs file system, and built-in backups that come with the solution."

"Because of its simplicity and the wide array of features it offers, I would recommend DSM for both tech-savvy individuals and those who prefer a straightforward file-serving solution."

"It offers a variety of software options through its package center, allowing users to customize their NAS device to serve multiple purposes."

"The product performs well. It is easy to use and implement."

"The solution's most valuable feature stems from its ease of use, making it the tool's most interesting part."

"The most valuable features of Synology DSM are its security and connectivity."

"Synology DSM is very easy to work and operate."

More Synology DSM pros

Cons

"The biggest improvement would be exporting VPGs and a configuration of VPGs, as well as increasing or improving their IP customization rule set."

"The quoting for the Cyber Vault was probably the stickiest part, as it had to be tailored to our size of company."

"The recovery processes of large datasets in the Cloud have room for improvement."

"If we could integrate our AIOps solutions and incident management capabilities within HPE Zerto Software, that would be beneficial."

"The replication appliances tend to have issues when they recover from being powered off when a host is in maintenance mode. Sometimes you have to do a manual task where you go in and detach hard disks that are no longer in use, to get the replication appliances to power back on. There are some improvements to be made around the way those recover."

"Some of the cloud instructions around VNets and peering of networks could be clearer with some best-case examples. It is more complicated once you move into the cloud than running it on-premises. Actually doing these things is quite easy in the cloud and with Azure, but understanding how it fits in my environment can be quite a head-scratcher at times."

"I would like to see Zerto implement a pay-as-you-go model."

"I would like Zerto to add support for VMware's lifecycle manager."

More HPE Zerto Software cons

"Synology DSM is a good enough solution for small and medium companies, but I have not seen a big configuration of the solution for a big organization."

"One area where Synology DSM could improve is in enhancing its ability to detect and respond to security threats during backups and replication."

"There's a surveillance application that allows you to connect IP cameras and stream footage to Synology and it is a great feature, but it's not always clear that adding more cameras may require purchasing additional licenses."

"The product's only shortcoming is pricing, as it is an expensive solution."

"Users may lose their data if they don't configure the solution properly."

"Even though Synology provides a backup solution, it does not recognize the VM movement across cluster hosts."

"The platform could be much more cost-effective and flexible for integrating third-party products."

"The only bothersome aspect is that the device is aging."

More Synology DSM cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"License-wise, we budgeted $1,000 per VM. The minimum spend on it, in the beginning, can sometimes be a little bit of a headache for people, and they might have to budget creatively to get there, but once you're there, the renewals are worth it."

"We paid a big investment upfront with renewal fees each year."

"It is cost-effective."

"Zerto is a little expensive."

"I wish it were cheaper, but I would purchase it again at the same price."

"Zerto’s licensing model has changed a bit over the last year and they are in alignment with others. It is pretty simple and more economical."

"It is not cheap, but it is reasonable for what it is offering. It gives me the peace of mind that my data is protected. It is worth the cost."

"Its price is reasonable. I have not worked with other tools, but as compared to its competitors such as VMware, its price is lower. So, in my opinion, its price is good."

More HPE Zerto Software pricing and cost advice

"The price of the solution is very good."

"It is quite an affordable solution."

"The pricing varies widely, catering to a broad range of needs."

"Synology DSM is a free tool."

"The solution’s pricing is neither cheap nor expensive."

"The licensing part of the solution is free. The hardware is more expensive than the other solutions in the market, but it's okay in the long run."

"Synology DSM is a cheap solution."

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Comparison Review

it_user159711

Architect at a tech services company with 51-200 employees

Nov 9, 2014

VMware SRM vs. Veeam vs. Zerto

Disaster recovery planning is something that seems challenging for all businesses. Virtualization in addition to its operational flexibility, and cost reduction benefits, has helped companies improve their DR posture. Virtualization has made it easier to move machines from production to…

Read full review

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

Healthcare Company

Computer Software Company

13%

Manufacturing Company

Comms Service Provider

Government

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	90
Midsize Enterprise	92
Large Enterprise	195

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	8
Midsize Enterprise	4
Large Enterprise	1

Questions from the Community

What advice do you have for others considering Oracle Data Guard?

Ik fluister:VM Host Oracle en DataGuard hebben we per toeval vervangen door Zerto :-) tijdens de Zerto implementatie en VPG werden de Host Data in write-ack Block-Level gerepliceerd. Qua licentie 1...

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What do you like most about Zerto?

Its ability to roll back if the VM or the server that you are recovering does not come up right is also valuable. You have the ability to roll back a few seconds or a few minutes. The rollback feat...

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Zerto?

From a pricing standpoint, HPE Zerto Software was reasonably priced initially compared to SRM, but now it is almost on par, if not better.

See all answers

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Comparisons

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Dell RecoverPoint for Virtual Machines vs HPE Zerto Software

Compared 4% of the time

Commvault Cloud vs HPE Zerto Software

Compared 4% of the time

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Compared 6% of the time

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Compared 5% of the time

GoodSync For Business vs Synology DSM

Compared 4% of the time

NetApp SnapCenter vs Synology DSM

Compared 4% of the time

NAKIVO Backup & Replication vs Synology DSM

Compared 3% of the time

More Synology DSM Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

HPE Zerto Software

March 2026

Download HPE Zerto Software product report

Buyer's Guide

Synology DSM

February 2026

Download Synology DSM product report

Also Known As

Zerto Virtual Replication

Synology DiskStation Manager (DSM)

Overview

Zerto is used for disaster recovery, business continuity, data migration, and ransomware recovery, providing continuous data protection and near real-time replication. Valued for ease of use, efficient failover processes, and versatile integration, it enhances organizational efficiency, reduces errors, and boosts productivity.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise

Synology DSM (DiskStation Manager) is a comprehensive software platform designed for Synology NAS (Network Attached Storage) devices. It serves as the operating system for these devices, providing a wide range of features and functionalities.

The primary use case of Synology DSM is to centralize and manage data storage for organizations. It allows businesses to store, access, and share files securely across multiple devices and platforms. With its intuitive user interface, DSM simplifies the management of data, making it easy to create shared folders, set access permissions, and monitor storage usage.

One of the most valuable functionalities of Synology DSM is its robust data protection capabilities. It offers various RAID configurations, including SHR (Synology Hybrid RAID), which ensures data redundancy and safeguards against drive failures. DSM also supports advanced backup and disaster recovery solutions, such as Snapshot Replication and Hyper Backup, enabling organizations to protect their critical data effectively.

Furthermore, Synology DSM provides a wide range of productivity and collaboration tools. It offers applications like Synology Drive, which allows seamless file synchronization across devices, and Synology Office, a web-based suite for document editing and collaboration. DSM also supports various third-party applications, including popular cloud services like Dropbox and Google Drive, enabling organizations to integrate their existing workflows seamlessly.

Synology

Sample Customers

United Airlines, HCA, XPO Logistics, TaxSlayer, McKesson, Insight Global, American Airlines, Tencate, Aaron’s, Grey’s County, Kingston Technologies

Information Not Available

Buyer's Guide

HPE Zerto Software vs. Synology DSM

March 2026

Free Report: HPE Zerto Software vs. Synology DSM

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