There is no free lunch. Not a clean one.
Every Synology NAS comes with a set number of pre-installed, permanent camera licenses out of the box.
Synology Surveillance Station is a fantastic piece of software—robust, reliable, and feature-rich. However, by default, you are usually limited to (sometimes 0 on older/refurbished J-series units). Once you add that third camera, you hit a paywall that surprises many users.
When you purchase a Synology NAS, you do not start at zero. Synology includes default licenses to get you started immediately:
Monitor the two primary entryways of a residential home.
You can add an unlimited number of RTSP streams to a or Home Assistant dashboard. Those streams won’t record, alert, or show in DS cam timeline—but they give you live viewing for free.
Almost all modern Synology NAS models (including the popular DiskStation Plus series like the DS224+, DS423+, and DS923+) include two free camera licenses .
Do not waste your precious free Synology licenses on low-priority areas. For secondary zones (like watching a pet bowl or a garage interior), use the camera manufacturer's native smartphone app (e.g., Reolink, Tapo, or Amcrest apps) or cloud storage tiers. Reserve your two Synology free licenses for high-risk zones like the front door and driveway where central NVR recording and advanced detection are mandatory. 3. Use Synology LiveCam (Turn Old Phones into Cameras)
You can easily verify your available licenses directly inside the DSM (DiskStation Manager) interface. Log into your Synology DSM. Open . Click on the Main Menu (top left application launcher). Select License .
These licenses are , meaning they never expire, and you do not pay a monthly fee for them. Key Rules for "Free" Licenses
Compressing hours of footage into short, easily digestible clips.
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You either:
If you are a home user or small business, you can maintain a fully functional, professional-grade surveillance system without ever paying for additional licenses. 1. Optimize Your Camera Count
: "Patching" Surveillance Station on my official Synology NAS will give me unlimited licenses.