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 1.8% mindshare in BRS, compared to Synology’s 1.3% 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 359 HPE Zerto Software reviews

24,233 Views
13,813 Comparison Views

98% willing to recommend

Synology DSM

Read 10 Synology DSM reviews

4,495 Views
4,450 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: August 2026).

Buyer's Guide

HPE Zerto Software vs. Synology DSM

August 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

7.1

Number of Reviews

359

Ranking in other categories

Cloud Migration (1st), Cloud Backup (2nd), Disaster Recovery (DR) Software (1st), Autonomous Operational Resilience (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 August 2026, in the Backup and Recovery category, the mindshare of HPE Zerto Software is 1.8%, down from 3.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Synology DSM is 1.3%, down from 1.9% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Backup and Recovery Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
HPE Zerto Software	1.8%
Synology DSM	1.3%
Other	96.9%

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

"The most valuable feature is the ease of upgrades."

"It saves us about eight to 10 hours a month in staff time, and another benefit is just the peace of mind that everything is backed up."

"During a failover to a DR site, Zerto can automatically change the IP address of servers."

"While I cannot provide a specific example where these features helped my organization since we haven't had a real recovery scenario, it provides peace of mind knowing our data is protected and we can always return to previous checkpoints."

"It does what it's purported to do, which is to provide continuous data protection. We have a five-second RPO. It's definitely doing its job."

"The most valuable features in Zerto are ease of use number one and the support that has come from the Zerto team."

"What I like most about Zerto is that it makes my job much easier."

"It is pretty easy to use. The interface is intuitive and easy to use. Once you set it up, it just works. So, it is great."

More HPE Zerto Software pros

"The most valuable feature of the solution is that it serves as a backup for our company's virtual machine."

"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."

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

"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."

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

"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."

More Synology DSM pros

Cons

"They just came out with improvements for ransomware protection last week. I haven't used them yet but, overall, security and preventing ransomware is really a hot topic these days. I would like to see it detect when the ransomware occurs and provide more information on it."

"Some of the cloud instructions around VNets and peering of networks could be clearer with some best-case examples."

"Overall, Zerto is doing a very good job. We have experienced a few downtimes on networking. Most of the time, they come up with a solution immediately to sort out any challenge that may affect data flow or data migration. It does not happen frequently. We might experience it once in two months, but when we face any downtime, it does not impact the data."

"In general, the solution is pretty good, but because it is geared toward simplicity, sometimes, when things go wrong, the answer is not very detailed so that things can be solved quickly. If things do go wrong, it does require a little bit deeper troubleshooting to resolve the issues. That's the only area where improvement could occur. There should be a little bit more details about if things go wrong, how to remedy them."

"The only thing we've noticed that needs improvement is the backend cleanup within VMware. There are some little issues there. I would like to see tighter integration with Vmware... orphan data is an issue within VMware. It doesn't clean up properly when you're moving stuff around."

"I would like to see different reporting options than what is currently available. I would like to be able to grab different data points that do not currently exist in the reporting system."

"The full site recovery is not up to SRM standards."

"The alerting has room for improvement as it is the biggest pain point with the software. It is so bad. It is just general alerting on or off. There are so many emails all the time. You have no control over it, which is terrible. It is the worst part of the entire application. I have voiced this to Zerto hundreds of times for things like feature changes. Apparently, it's coming, but there is nothing concrete as to when you can do it."

More HPE Zerto Software cons

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

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

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

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

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

"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."

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

More Synology DSM cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Zerto is expensive but offers many features that make it competitive."

"Licensing Zerto was very simple. They had a product that fit our size and scale. It made it really easy to choose."

"It is very expensive. It is overpriced. No doubt. What held us up for many years from committing to buying it was always the cost. That's also why we only have 10 licenses."

"In general, it's pretty fair because it is software. In our case, we built our own colo. So, the cost of the colo was very expensive, and that's where a lot of the equipment is. The same thing is there if we were going to spin up in the cloud, but as a solution, in general, it's pretty fair for what you get out of it and how it works. It's not cheap, but at the same time, you get what you pay for, and it's definitely worth the cost. You just have to understand that the cost of the software alone is not the total cost of the project of doing ransomware protection or disaster recovery. It's a piece of the pie, not the entire pie."

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

"Everyone knows Zerto is a little on the expensive side, but what else is there on the market that does the same thing?"

"If it were easier to license, and to scale it out a little bit more economically, that'd be a godsend. At the end of the day, my druthers would be to have all 200 of our servers protected by this platform. But for a company our size, that stretches our IT budget and it just doesn't make economic sense."

"Zerto is priced high."

More HPE Zerto Software pricing and cost advice

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

"The price of the solution is very good."

"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 free tool."

"It is quite an affordable solution."

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

"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

Manufacturing Company

10%

Financial Services Firm

Construction Company

Healthcare Company

Manufacturing Company

Comms Service Provider

Computer Software Company

Government

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	94
Midsize Enterprise	93
Large Enterprise	206

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...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Zerto?

My experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing is good.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Zerto?

HPE Zerto Software's GUI needs modernization to match the flexibility and user experience of other HPE software solutions, as there is still room for improvement in software-level flexibility and t...

See all answers

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Compared 3% of the time

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Compared 5% of the time

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HPE StoreEver Tape vs Synology DSM

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Datto Endpoint Backup vs Synology DSM

Compared 3% of the time

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

HPE Zerto Software

August 2026

Download HPE Zerto Software product report

Buyer's Guide

Synology DSM

July 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 offers a comprehensive disk management and virtualization backup solution, known for its seamless connectivity across Mac, Windows, and Linux systems, enabling both novice and expert users to efficiently organize and secure their digital data.

Synology DSM integrates intuitive features like the Btrfs file system, built-in backups, and Active Backup for Business, streamlining application installations such as Plex Media Server and Docker. It provides robust security and versatility, supporting VPNs, web servers, and virtualization. Synology DSM is utilized for data backup in virtual machines, local user management, file-sharing networks, and remote file accessibility. It assists organizations in centralized data replication and protection, managing multiple terabytes across locations while serving as a firewall and file management system.

What features does Synology DSM offer?

Disk Management: Efficiently manages storage across multiple platforms.
Seamless Connectivity: Supports Mac, Windows, and Linux for a unified experience.
Btrfs File System: Offers advanced data protection and recovery options.
Active Backup for Business: Provides comprehensive backup solutions for critical data.
Versatility: Supports VPN, web servers, and virtualization for expanded utility.

What benefits should users consider?

Security: Maintains data integrity and protection across networks.
Stability: Ensures consistent operation for essential applications.
Ease of Use: Facilitates straightforward installation and management of applications.
Scalability: Handles large-scale data replication and protection efficiently.

In industries like IT and media, Synology DSM is an effective tool for centralized data management and security. Businesses rely on its extensive backup capabilities to manage and protect large datasets, enabling effective collaboration and remote access solutions across locations. Users incorporate its add-ons to enhance network deployment and connectivity, optimizing data flow and operational efficiency.

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

August 2026

Free Report: HPE Zerto Software vs. Synology DSM

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