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Under $400

Complete NAS Build for Under $400 (2025)

DIY home NAS with 8TB storage for backups, file sharing, and media streaming using Raspberry Pi—everything included.

💰 Actual Cost: $366.93Save $1033 vs PremiumUpdated December 20, 2025

Building a NAS on a $400 budget seems challenging when premium Synology or QNAP units cost over $1,000, but it's absolutely doable with smart choices. This guide delivers a complete, functional DIY NAS using reliable components that work seamlessly together. You'll get 8TB of storage capacity right away, capable of handling 1Gbps network speeds for a small household.

With this setup, you can store photos/videos, back up your computers/phones, share files securely, and even run Plex for streaming movies to TVs or phones. It's powered by Raspberry Pi 5 for low power (under 15W idle) and quiet operation. However, set expectations: this isn't enterprise-grade with RAID redundancy or 10Gbe speeds—it's for home use, max 4 drives via USB3, and software RAID via OpenMediaVault (OMV). Data loss risk exists without backups elsewhere.

Budget Philosophy

For a $400 NAS, I allocated 22% ($80) to compute (Raspberry Pi 5 + SD card) because modern SBCs deliver ample performance for home NAS tasks without needing expensive CPUs. Storage gets the lion's share at 45% ($166 for two 4TB drives) since capacity and drive reliability define NAS value—skimping here limits usability. Enclosure/case/PSU take 30% (~$105) for compatibility and protection, but budget options suffice as USB3 bottlenecks are acceptable at this price.

This prioritizes 'must-haves' like storage and compute over nice-to-haves like premium cases or SSD caching. Trade-offs: USB-attached storage caps speeds at ~250MB/s vs native SATA's 500MB/s, but it's fine for Gigabit Ethernet. We save on non-critical accessories, leaving a $33 buffer for taxes/shipping. Result: Complete 2-drive NAS (expandable to 4) vs premium hardware costing $1,400+.

Where to Splurge

  • Storage Drives: Invest in reputable 5400RPM CMR drives like BarraCuda for consistent performance and lower failure rates in 24/7 use. Cheaping out on SMR or unknown brands risks slow rebuilds, data corruption, or early failure in RAID.
  • Compute Platform: Raspberry Pi 5's faster CPU/RAM handles multiple users/Plex transcoding. Older Pi 4 lags under load, causing buffering or slow shares.

Where to Save

  • HDD Enclosure: Budget USB3 docks like Mediasonic work reliably for home NAS without fancy cooling. You're not sacrificing drive protection or connectivity.
  • Case and Accessories: Basic Pi cases provide adequate airflow/heat dissipation. No need for machined aluminum unless in dusty/hot environments.

Recommended Products (7)

#1essentialSingle Board Computer

Raspberry Pi 5 (8GB RAM)

Core processor and RAM handling NAS OS, network shares, and apps like Plex.

$79.99
22% of budget
Raspberry Pi 5 (8GB RAM)

The Raspberry Pi 5 is a powerful ARM-based SBC with quad-core 2.4GHz CPU, 8GB LPDDR4X RAM, PCIe 2.0, and dual HDMI. At $80, it's the heart of this budget NAS, running OpenMediaVault or TrueNAS Scale flawlessly for 5-10 users.

It outperforms Pi 4 by 2-3x in transcoding/multitasking, idles at 5-7W. Compared to $200+ Intel N100 minis, it's cheaper with similar NAS perf via USB storage. Exceptional value for entry-level servers.

Running total: $79.99 (Remaining: $320.01)

Pros

  • +Excellent multi-user performance for Plex/shares
  • +Low power (under 15W loaded)
  • +PCIe for future NVMe upgrades
  • +Huge community support for NAS software
  • +Quiet and compact

Cons

  • -USB3 speeds capped at ~300MB/s aggregate
  • -No native SATA (uses USB)
  • -ARM limits some x86 Docker apps
  • -Requires heatsink/fan for 24/7

Upgrade Option: Intel NUC 11 with i3 ($350) - Native SATA, 2.5Gbe, better transcoding

Budget Alternative: Raspberry Pi 4 4GB ($45) - Slower CPU, struggles with 4K transcodes

Check Single Board Computer compatibility and pricing
#2essentialBoot Drive

SanDisk 128GB Extreme microSDXC UHS-I Card

Stores the NAS OS (OMV/TrueNAS) and config for quick boots.

$14.99
4% of budget
SanDisk 128GB Extreme microSDXC UHS-I Card

High-endurance A2-rated microSD with 160MB/s reads, perfect for Raspberry Pi OS installs. $15 gets 128GB—ample for OMV + apps.

Vs $30 256GB, it's half price with no NAS bottleneck. Reliable for 24/7 writes (logs/apps). Great value over cheap no-name cards that corrupt.

Running total: $94.98 (Remaining: $305.02)

Pros

  • +Fast random I/O for OS
  • +Waterproof/shockproof
  • +Lifetime warranty
  • +A2 app performance

Cons

  • -Not for heavy caching
  • -Limited capacity vs SSD
  • -microSD slot finicky

Upgrade Option: WD Black SN850X 500GB NVMe ($49 via PCIe hat) - SSD speeds for apps/cache

Budget Alternative: SanDisk 64GB ($8) - Less space for Docker/images

Check Boot Drive compatibility and pricing
#3essentialPower Supply

Raspberry Pi 27W USB-C Power Supply

Provides stable 5.1V/5A power for Pi + peripherals under load.

$11.99
3% of budget
Raspberry Pi 27W USB-C Power Supply

Official 27W PD-compatible PSU prevents undervoltage crashes during HDD spins/Plex. $12 official vs $30 third-party.

Reliable for 24/7 NAS. Vs cheaper 15W, no brownouts with enclosure.

Running total: $106.97 (Remaining: $293.03)

Pros

  • +Official quality, no voltage drops
  • +PD fast-charge compatible
  • +Short cable for desk use

Cons

  • -Overkill for idle Pi
  • -USB-C only

Upgrade Option: UPS like APC BE425M ($49) - Battery backup vs outages

Budget Alternative: 15W USB-C charger ($6) - Risk of instability with HDDs

Check Power Supply compatibility and pricing
#4essentialDrive Enclosure

Mediasonic ProBox H82-SU313C 4-Bay USB 3.0 HDD Enclosure

Houses up to 4x 3.5" HDDs with individual power, connected via USB3 to Pi.

$79.99
22% of budget
Mediasonic ProBox H82-SU313C 4-Bay USB 3.0 HDD Enclosure

Fan-cooled dock for 4x SATA 3.5" drives, USB3 hub-like (5Gbps port). $80 for 4 bays vs $150+ native SATA hats.

Proven for Pi NAS (OMV RAID). ~250MB/s reads fine for 1Gbe. Vs $200 Orico, similar perf cheaper.

Running total: $186.96 (Remaining: $213.04)

Pros

  • +Supports 4 drives (expandable)
  • +Individual drive power switches
  • +Hot-swap capable
  • +Good cooling fans

Cons

  • -USB3 bottleneck vs SATA
  • -No RAID hardware
  • -Power brick bulky

Upgrade Option: Geekworm PCIe SATA hat ($120) - Native SATA speeds

Budget Alternative: 2-bay ORICO ($40) - Half expansion

Check Drive Enclosure compatibility and pricing
#5essentialStorage Drive

Seagate BarraCuda 4TB 3.5" HDD (ST4000DM004)

Primary data storage; two drives enable RAID1 mirror or RAID0 stripe.

$82.99
23% of budget
Seagate BarraCuda 4TB 3.5" HDD (ST4000DM004)

CMR 5400RPM drive with 256MB cache, reliable for NAS (MTBF 1M hrs). $83/4TB = $20/TB value.

Home NAS sweet spot vs IronWolf $110 (NAS-specific). Good for Plex large libraries.

Running total: $269.95 (Remaining: $130.05)

Pros

  • +High capacity per dollar
  • +Quiet operation
  • +3-year warranty
  • +256MB cache boosts seq reads

Cons

  • -5400RPM slower seeks
  • -Not NAS-optimized (vibration)
  • -Power hungry vs SSD

Upgrade Option: Seagate IronWolf 4TB ($110) - NAS vibration protection, longer warranty

Budget Alternative: 2TB WD Blue ($45) - Half capacity

Check Storage Drive compatibility and pricing
#6essentialStorage Drive

Seagate BarraCuda 4TB 3.5" HDD (ST4000DM004)

Second drive for redundancy (RAID1) or more capacity.

$82.99
23% of budget
Seagate BarraCuda 4TB 3.5" HDD (ST4000DM004)

Identical to first for matching RAID sets. Total 8TB raw.

Final running total: $352.94 (Plus case below: $365.93. Buffer $34 for tax/ship).

Pros

  • +Matches first drive perfectly
  • +Expands to 8TB immediately
  • +Budget-friendly capacity

Cons

  • -Same limitations as above
  • -Desktop class, light NAS use only

Upgrade Option: Seagate IronWolf Pro 8TB ($210) - More capacity/reliability

Budget Alternative: None—start with one if tighter budget

Check Storage Drive compatibility and pricing
#7recommendedCase

GeeekPi Acrylic Case for Raspberry Pi 5

Protects Pi with ventilation for 24/7 cooling.

$12.99
4% of budget
GeeekPi Acrylic Case for Raspberry Pi 5

Grand total: $365.93

Transparent case with GPIO access, passive cooling slots. $13 vs $30 aluminum. Adequate for NAS.

Pros

  • +Easy access
  • +Good airflow
  • +Cheap protection

Cons

  • -Acrylic scratches
  • -No active fan

Upgrade Option: Argon ONE V3 ($35) - Active cooling, better thermals

Budget Alternative: Official case ($10) - Similar

See current Case pricing

  1. Flash OMV (OpenMediaVault) ISO to microSD using Raspberry Pi Imager tool (free download). Insert SD into Pi5, connect PSU, HDMI/keyboard for initial setup (headless later).

  2. Assemble enclosure: Power off, insert two HDDs into bays 1-2, secure, connect SATA/power cables, USB to Pi USB3 port, enclosure PSU. Boot Pi, access web UI (find IP via router).

  3. In OMV dashboard: Wipe/format HDDs as ext4, create RAID1 (mirror) or mergerfs pool. Set up SMB/NFS shares, Plex plugin. Tools needed: Screwdriver (for case/enclosure). Time: 1-2 hours. Tips: Update Pi firmware first, test drives individually with smartctl, enable Pi's PCIe for future upgrades. Run stress test (dd writes) before production data.

Budget Tips

  • Start with one HDD ($83 total savings), add second later for RAID.
  • Shop Amazon Warehouse deals or Newegg sales for 10-20% off drives.
  • Use refurbished enterprise HDDs from ServerPartDeals (test with badblocks).
  • Skip case initially—Pi naked ok on desk.
  • Free software: OMV over paid Unraid.
  • Buy during Black Friday for Pi/enclosure drops.
  • Monitor HDD health with OMV plugins to avoid failures.

Common Mistakes

  • Overbuying compute (e.g., $200 N100)—Pi handles home NAS fine.
  • Using SMR drives in RAID—slow rebuilds/parity issues.
  • Skipping backups—NAS isn't backup, use 3-2-1 rule.
  • Ignoring power stability—no UPS risks corruption on outages.
  • Buying too many small drives vs fewer large ones for $/TB.

Upgrade Roadmap

First upgrade: Add 2 more 4TB HDDs ($166) for 16TB RAID5/6—expands capacity immediately without replacing core. Next: NAS-rated IronWolf drives ($40 extra each) for better reliability/vibration handling as usage grows. Then, PCIe SATA card/hat ($100) for native speeds bypassing USB.

10Gbe adapter ($30) if network upgraded. Full refresh: N100 mini PC ($250 swap) for x86 Docker. These matter for performance/redundancy; case/PSU can wait years.

Related Topics

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