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Cloud & Infrastructure · head to head

Hetzner Cloud vs TrueNAS

Hetzner Cloud logo

Hetzner Cloud

Cloud & Infrastructure

Affordable cloud servers in Europe

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
TrueNAS logo

TrueNAS

File Storage & Backup

Open-source ZFS storage operating system for network-attached storage

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Hetzner Cloud cost-Optimized plans are shown as currently unavailable; TrueNAS requires self-hosting on x86 hardware, no managed cloud offering; organisations must provision, configure, and maintain their own infrastructure

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Hetzner Cloud and TrueNAS actually diverge.

Attributes where Hetzner Cloud and TrueNAS differ
AttributeHetzner CloudTrueNAS
Pricing modelusage-basedopen-source
PlatformsWeb, Api, CliSelf-hosted, Linux, Web, API
CategoryCloud & InfrastructureFile Storage & Backup
Founded1997Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Hetzner Cloud

  • Cloud servers
  • Block storage
  • Object storage
  • Load balancers
  • Networks
  • Firewalls
  • Floating IPs
  • Backups

Only in TrueNAS

Nothing recorded that Hetzner Cloud does not also cover.

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Hetzner Cloud

  • Low-cost virtual servers for development and testingnot TrueNAS
  • European hosting with data held in Germany or Finlandnot TrueNAS
  • Workloads with heavy egress, where included traffic mattersnot TrueNAS
  • Self-hosting applications away from the hyperscalersnot TrueNAS

TrueNAS

  • On-premises backup and archival storage for enterprisesnot Hetzner Cloud
  • Home lab and small business network-attached storagenot Hetzner Cloud
  • Media server storage for video, photo, and document librariesnot Hetzner Cloud
  • Disaster recovery and business continuity replicationnot Hetzner Cloud
  • S3-compatible object storage for cloud-native applicationsnot Hetzner Cloud
  • High-availability storage clusters for datacentresnot Hetzner Cloud

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Hetzner Cloud

  • Cost-Optimized plans are shown as currently unavailable
  • The shared-resource tiers are positioned for variable usage and development rather than sustained production workloads
  • Regions are limited to Germany, Finland, the United States and Singapore, so latency to other markets is a real constraint
  • The uptime guarantee is 99.9 percent, below what the large hyperscalers offer on comparable services
  • Support is 24/7 by email, without a phone channel

TrueNAS

  • Requires self-hosting on x86 hardware, no managed cloud offering; organisations must provision, configure, and maintain their own infrastructure
  • ZFS filesystem entails high memory requirements (1 GB RAM per 1 TB of storage recommended), increasing costs for large deployments
  • Limited ARM/embedded support; Community Edition is primarily x86-64, reducing deployment options for edge installations
  • Clustering and replication setup requires operational expertise; misconfiguration can lead to data loss
  • Enterprise support and SLA guarantees require paid subscriptions; Community Edition relies on peer-based forums

Pricing, plan by plan

Hetzner Cloud

Free
  • CX11$3.29/month
    • 1 vCPU
    • 1GB RAM
    • 25GB SSD
  • CX21$6.59/month
    • 2 vCPU
    • 4GB RAM
    • 40GB SSD

TrueNAS

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the TrueNAS review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Hetzner Cloud if

  • You need cloud servers.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api, Cli.
  • You also want block storage.
Hetzner Cloud review

Choose TrueNAS if

  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Self-hosted, Linux, Web, API.
TrueNAS review

Questions people ask

Is Hetzner Cloud or TrueNAS better?
Neither clearly leads. Hetzner Cloud starts at Free and TrueNAS at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Hetzner Cloud or TrueNAS?
Hetzner Cloud starts at Free and TrueNAS at Free.
Does Hetzner Cloud or TrueNAS run on more platforms?
Hetzner Cloud runs on Web, Api, Cli. TrueNAS runs on Self-hosted, Linux, Web, API.
Can I use Hetzner Cloud for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Hetzner Cloud best used for?
Hetzner Cloud is most often used for low-cost virtual servers for development and testing, european hosting with data held in germany or finland, workloads with heavy egress, where included traffic matters, self-hosting applications away from the hyperscalers. Of those, low-cost virtual servers for development and testing and european hosting with data held in germany or finland are not what TrueNAS is typically brought in for.
What can Hetzner Cloud do that TrueNAS cannot?
Hetzner Cloud covers Cloud servers, Block storage, Object storage, Load balancers.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

TrueNAS: What is the cost of TrueNAS Community Edition?

TrueNAS Community Edition is free and open-source. There are no licensing fees, but organisations must purchase and maintain their own x86 hardware. Enterprise Edition requires paid support contracts for production environments.

Source
TrueNAS: Can I replicate TrueNAS data between sites?

Yes. TrueNAS supports snapshot-based replication over network links, enabling disaster recovery and business continuity. Replication can occur between Community Edition systems or between Enterprise Appliances.

Source
TrueNAS: What storage protocols does TrueNAS support?

TrueNAS simultaneously supports NFS (network file system), SMB (Windows file sharing), iSCSI (block storage), and S3-compatible object storage, all from the same storage pool.

Source
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Related pages

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