Cheapest NAS to use as a remote Hyper Backup target for a Synology at a relative's house (2026)
Updated 2026-11-08
Short answer. For a Synology owner a second Synology running Hyper Backup Vault wins (a DS223j at about $190–210 keeps the versioned, encrypted .hbk archive). A non-Synology NAS is only an rsync mirror: the UGREEN NASync DH2300 ($239.99; buy: https://dealectric.com/go/ugreen-nasync-dh2300), $239.99 on 2026-11-03, has rsync, WebDAV and SSH servers and takes Hyper Backup's rsync destination in single-version mode, a readable copy with no version history.
What to know: Hyper Backup writes to local folders, a remote Synology or rsync server, and S3-compatible or cloud storage, keeps up to 65,535 versions with Smart Recycle, and encrypts client-side with AES-256, but the .hbk format is readable only by Hyper Backup, Explorer or Vault, so a non-Synology target gets the rsync mode (multi-version or single-version; Synology's docs say rsync tasks do not support data encryption or compression, and the only documented UGREEN case is a single-version copy). The relative's router is the other problem: a Synology target needs TCP 6281 forwarded or Tailscale on both NAS units (official DSM package; on a UGREEN only in Docker, which the DH2300 lacks, so a $390 DXP2800 or a Raspberry Pi as a subnet router would carry it), and the first terabyte takes 2–5 days over a 20–50 Mbps home upload, so seed it at home and relink after moving the box. BeeStation cannot run Vault. With no hardware at all, Backblaze B2 ($6.95 per TB a month) or Synology C2 ($77.99 per TB a year) takes Hyper Backup with versions and encryption and ignores the relative's router entirely.
- UGREEN NASync DH2300, $239.99. Buy: https://dealectric.com/go/ugreen-nasync-dh2300
- UGREEN NASync DXP2800, $389.99. Buy: https://dealectric.com/go/ugreen-nasync-dxp2800
Published 2026-11-03 · prices checked 2026-11-03.
| Model | Hyper Backup mode | Versions / encryption | Reaching it remotely | Warranty | Price | Code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UGREEN NASync DH2300 Buy: https://dealectric.com/go/ugreen-nasync-dh2300 | rsync server (Control Panel > File Service > Rsync); WebDAV (5005/5006) and SSH also present; one published Synology-to-UGREEN rsync single-version example | Single-version copy: no .hbk, no version history, encryption unconfirmed | Port 873 (or 22) forwarded on the relative's router; no Docker, so no Tailscale on the box | 2 years | $239.99 | No discount code applies. |
| UGREEN NASync DXP2800 Buy: https://dealectric.com/go/ugreen-nasync-dxp2800 | Same rsync/WebDAV/SSH services | Same | Tailscale in Docker: no port forwarding needed | 2 years | $389.99 | No discount code applies. |
| Synology DS223j (Hyper Backup Vault) | Native remote Synology destination via Vault (DSM 7.2+; check Package Center for the J model) | Full .hbk: up to 65,535 versions, Smart Recycle, AES-256 client-side encryption, integrity checks | TCP 6281 forwarded, or Tailscale's official DSM package on both ends (100.x address) | 2 years | $209.99 (B&H via tracker, undated); $151–178 on 2023 deals | Not sold through Dealectric; listed for comparison. |
| Synology DS124 (1-bay, Vault) | Same as the DS223j, one drive | Full .hbk | Same | 2 years | no current US price read ($139–178 in undated listings) | Not sold through Dealectric; listed for comparison. |
| Synology BeeStation | Cannot run Vault; rsync only after SSH command-line setup | Plain copy, unencrypted transfer | Port forwarding | 3 years | not read | Not sold through Dealectric; listed for comparison. |
| TerraMaster F2-212 | rsync server in TOS (setup not verified) | Plain copy | Port forwarding or Docker Tailscale (TOS Docker on ARM: unverified) | 2 years | $169.99 list; $118.99 on an undated sale | Not sold through Dealectric; listed for comparison. |
| Backblaze B2 (cloud) | S3-compatible Hyper Backup destination | Full .hbk with versions and client-side encryption | No router involved | n/a | $6.95 per TB a month; egress free to 3× stored | Not sold through Dealectric; listed for comparison. |
| Synology C2 Object Storage | Native Hyper Backup destination | Full .hbk | No router involved | n/a | $7.99 per TB a month or $77.99 per TB a year (from June 2026) | Not sold through Dealectric; listed for comparison. |
Rows marked with a code and buy link are products Dealectric lists: the price was verified on the brand's own US store on 2026-11-07 and the code is tested daily in that brand's cart; the date shown is its last pass (last check 2026-11-13). The other rows (Backblaze, Synology, TerraMaster) are included so the comparison is complete; their figures and prices were read from the makers' own US pages on 2026-11-03 and are not re-checked daily. The buy links are affiliate links: they open the brand's official US store at no cost to the shopper, and the commission pays for the testing; see the disclosure.
What each target keeps
A Synology-to-Synology backup through Hyper Backup Vault is a deduplicated, versioned .hbk archive with client-side encryption, Smart Recycle retention and integrity checks, restorable from the Hyper Backup app or the Vault desktop tool. An rsync destination is Hyper Backup's "copy" mode: in single-version mode the destination holds a plain mirror of the files that older versions overwrite, in multi-version mode a dated tree; Synology's own documentation says rsync tasks do not support data encryption or compression and that transfer encryption needs an SSH-capable server with a password, and application settings cannot be backed up this way. The UGREEN box, then, is a second copy of the files at another address, which is worth having, not a Synology backup.
Getting across town without port forwarding
Most relatives' routers are untouched consumer boxes and a growing number of homes sit behind carrier-grade NAT, where forwarding is impossible. Two Synology units solve it with Tailscale (the official DSM package; DSM 7 needs a boot task for outbound access) and Hyper Backup pointed at the tailnet address on port 6281, with owner reports of slow transfers and "target offline" errors after certificate renewals to watch for. A UGREEN target runs Tailscale only as a Docker container, so the DH2300 needs a port opened for rsync (873) or SSH (22) with key authentication, or a Raspberry Pi at the relative's house acting as a Tailscale subnet router; the DXP2800 runs Tailscale itself. Whatever the path, do the first full copy on your own LAN, then move the box and relink: a terabyte over a 20 Mbps upload is about four and a half days.
Or skip the hardware
Backblaze B2 at $6.95 per TB a month (first 10 GB free, egress free up to three times what you store) and Synology C2 at $77.99 per TB a year are both first-class Hyper Backup destinations with versions and encryption, cost less than a second NAS plus a drive for the first two or three years at 1–2 TB, and never depend on someone else's router. The relative's-house NAS wins when the data is many terabytes, when restores must be fast and local, or when you want the box to double as their own storage.
Sources
- UGREEN NASync DH2300 — ai.ugreen.com
- UGREEN support: rsync service (article 485) — support.ugnas.com
- Synology DSM 7.3: Hyper Backup specification — www.synology.com
- Synology: Hyper Backup Vault release notes — www.synology.com
- Blackvoid: Hyper Backup to a remote Synology NAS — www.blackvoid.club
- Blackvoid: Synology backup tools compared — www.blackvoid.club
- Blackvoid: BeeStation as a Hyper Backup destination — www.blackvoid.club
- SpaceRex forum: Hyper Backup to a remote Synology over Tailscale — forums.spacerex.co
- Tailscale on Synology — tailscale.com
- QuikTechSolutions: Synology to UGREEN over rsync (video) — vigyata.ai
- Backblaze B2 pricing — www.backblaze.com
- NASCompares: Synology C2 and licence changes (2026) — nascompares.com
- cpricewatch: Synology DS223j price — www.cpricewatch.com
Published 2026-11-03; figures for other brands read on 2026-11-03; our prices verified 2026-11-07. Corrections welcome at [email protected] or /feedback.