Synology Hyper Backup — What Is Actually Free in the DSM 7.3 Era
Hyper Backup is Synology's native snapshot + replication + cloud backup tool. What 2026's 30-day free trial, 7-day license, and 'free on 3-bay+' hardware really mean, and when to buy a license.
What it does
Hyper Backup ships with DSM. You create a job: source (this NAS, a share, a VM), destination (another NAS, an external USB drive, or a cloud provider), and schedule. Each run keeps a versioned snapshot; the remote-replication variant copies to another Synology NAS in one job (the 'hot' copy in a 3-2-1 plan). The cloud copy pushes to Drive/OneDrive/S3/Azure (the off-site copy).
Pricing
The 2026 licensing: a 30-day trial, then a 7-day license for free on Synology hardware with 3 or more bays (a perpetual free tier on 3-bay+). 1–2 bay Synology hardware is trial-only unless you buy a paid license, which runs ~$40–$600/yr depending on the edition and bay count (2026 list). If you are on a 2-bay DS124+ and want a perpetual free license, the hardware upgrade to 3-bay is the cheaper path in most cases.
Good at
- Synology owners who want a built-in snapshot tool (no third-party install)
- Snapshot + remote replication to another NAS
- Cloud copy to Drive, OneDrive, or S3 in one job
Not for
- 1–2 bay Synology users who refuse to buy a license (trial-only on those)
- Non-Synology NAS (QNAP/Asustor/TerraMaster/UGREEN/UniFi/fnOS)
Key features
- Built-in to DSM — no install
- Snapshot + versioned remote replication to another Synology NAS
- Cloud copy to Drive, OneDrive, S3, Azure, and more
- License model: free trial, 7-day on 3-bay+, paid after
Frequently asked questions
Is Hyper Backup free forever?
On 3-bay+ Synology hardware, the 7-day license tier is perpetual and free. 1–2 bay hardware is trial-only unless you buy a license. The 30-day trial is free on all hardware.
Can Hyper Backup back up to a QNAP or TerraMaster?
No. Hyper Backup is Synology-only; remote-replication targets must be another Synology NAS. For cross-vendor, use Duplicati or a third-party tool.
Does Hyper Backup replace a 3-2-1 plan?
It is the '1' (snapshot + one remote copy). 3-2-1 still needs you to designate the 3 copies, 2 media types, and 1 off-site — Hyper Backup can fill two of those three slots.
This page is part of the NAS security encyclopedia: 12-step hardening checklist, 3-2-1 backup rule, "Am I affected?" 60-second check.
Last updated: November 2026 · prices are US list prices at the time of writing. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.