Comparison

DS cloud vs DSFile Station

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

DS cloud

Access and sync selected folders from your Synology NAS to your mobile device. Enjoy offline viewing of your files anywhere, with customizable sync settings for file size and type.

Highlights
  • Folder synchronization
  • Offline file viewing
  • Customizable sync settings
  • File size limits
  • File type filtering
Features
Read full description

*You must own a Synology NAS to run this app. To get the full features of DS cloud, the version of the Cloud Station running on your DiskStation should be 4.0 and above. Versions starting from 2.10.4 would only support iOS 8 and onward* DS cloud is the mobile counterpart of Cloud Station on iOS devices. You can select the folders on your DiskStation that you wish to sync to your mobile devices, and make them available for offline viewing anywhere you go. DS cloud also allows you to decide how you'd like to sync: you can set the maximum file size as well as the types of file you wish to sync for each folder. Find out more features about the app on our website: www.synology.com > Solutions > File Syncing https://www.synology.com/dsm/6.1/software_spec/mobile#DScloud

About

DSFile Station

Manage and access your Synology NAS files from your iPhone and iPad. Browse, preview, and transfer files, with offline access and robust security features.

Highlights
  • Browse and manage NAS files
  • Offline file access
  • Background file transfers
  • File preview and sharing
  • Secure and private data handling
  • Flexible connectivity options
Features
Read full description

Browse, manage and access all your files on your Synology NAS, right from your iPhone and iPad. DSFile Station is the complete file manager for your DiskStation: navigate your folders, preview anything, and take your files everywhere — even offline. BROWSE & MANAGE YOUR NAS • Navigate your personal and shared folders on your Synology NAS • List and grid views with sorting and instant search • Create, rename, move, copy and delete files and folders • Multi-selection and batch operations • Detailed file info: size, type, path, EXIF & GPS metadata ACCESS YOUR FILES ANYWHERE, EVEN OFFLINE • Keep any file available offline on your device • Favorites and recent files gathered on the Home tab • Instant access, even without a connection • Home Screen & Lock Screen widgets for favorites, offline files and recents POWERFUL TRANSFERS • Upload any file from your device to your NAS • Download files from your NAS to your iPhone • Background transfer queue that keeps going • Notifications and Live Activities to track every transfer • Save photos and videos straight to your Photos library PREVIEW & SHARE • Preview photos, videos, documents and audio • Compress to ZIP and extract archives, password-protected ones included • Open files in any other app • Share to DSFile Station from any app to upload instantly • Share files and folders with a link: expiration, password and QR code • Siri and Shortcuts support SECURE & PRIVATE • Credentials encrypted and stored in your keychain • Your data never leaves your device • No tracking, no ads, complete privacy guaranteed • Works on local network & remotely via QuickConnect • SSL/TLS encryption & 2FA authentication support FLEXIBLE CONNECTIVITY • QuickConnect: connect from anywhere • Direct IP/Host connection • Custom DDNS support • Automatic reconnection after network issues EASY TO USE • Quick setup in minutes – no technical knowledge required • Dark mode support for comfortable viewing • Clean, intuitive interface for all your files Perfect companion for your Synology NAS or DiskStation. Access, organize and share your files anywhere, keep the ones you need offline, and stay in full control of your data. Works seamlessly alongside DS File, Synology Photos, and other Synology mobile apps. Made by the Synology community for Synology users. Need help? Any suggestion or feature request for the app? Email me at contact@dsfile.app! --- Some features require Pro: a monthly or yearly subscription, or a one-time lifetime purchase. Free trial available. DSFile Station is not affiliated with Synology Inc. Terms: https://dsfile.app/resources/terms.html

Screenshots

DS cloud4 screens
DSFile Station4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: DSFile Station at 3.7 against DS cloud's 2.5. DSFile Station also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 2 months) and review sentiment (50% vs 23%). DS cloud's advantage is ratings volume (72 vs 3) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 26.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

DSFile Station holds the better App Store score, 3.7 against 2.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: DS cloud has 72 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 23% of DS cloud's written reviews are positive against 50% of DSFile Station's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

DS cloud ships an update every 2 months, DSFile Station weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
DS cloud versus DSFile Station: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDS cloudDSFile Station
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.5 (72 ratings)3.7 (3 ratings) — better
Positive reviews23.3% of reviews50.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings72 — better3
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS8.0 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size77 MB51 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSynology Inc.Thomas Le gravier

Customer experience

DS cloud

All ratings72 ratings
Positive36.1%
Neutral8.3%
Negative55.6%
Written reviews343 reviews
Positive23.3%
Neutral13.1%
Negative63.6%

DSFile Station

All ratings3 ratings
Positive66.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative33.3%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%

Bugs and requests

DS cloud

Reported bugs

14 issues
  • App crashes on launch with iOS 14.2+
  • Face ID causes app to crash immediately
  • Touch ID crashes app on iPhone X/XS
  • Version not up-to-date error despite fresh installation
  • PDF files crash app when opened (2+ pages)
Show 9 more
  • Subfolder synchronization not working
  • Files appear as 0 bytes and cannot be opened
  • Sync stops working after initial setup
  • Connection errors on local network
  • App freezes during file operations
  • Share button functionality broken
  • Unable to update credentials after password change
  • Incompatibility with newer iOS versions
  • Annotation function crashes app

Requested features

16 requests
  • Update app for iOS 14+ compatibility
  • DSM 7.0 support
  • Background synchronization capability
  • On-demand file download (like Dropbox)
  • Face ID and Touch ID support
Show 11 more
  • PDF editing and annotation tools
  • Automatic photo backup from camera roll
  • Integration with iOS Files app
  • Split-screen support for iPad
  • Password protection for app access
  • Ability to change password without unlinking account
  • Create folders from within the app
  • Recursive subfolder synchronization
  • Search functionality across subfolders
  • Thumbnail view for images
  • Selective file synchronization

DSFile Station

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

DS cloud

No in-app purchases

None

DSFile Station

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is DS cloud free?
DS cloud is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is DSFile Station free?
DSFile Station is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, DS cloud or DSFile Station?
DSFile Station is rated higher. DS cloud averages 2.5 out of 5 from 72 ratings, while DSFile Station averages 3.7 from 3 ratings.
Do DS cloud or DSFile Station have ads?
Neither DS cloud nor DSFile Station shows ads.
Which is updated more often, DS cloud or DSFile Station?
DS cloud ships an update every 2 months, and DSFile Station weekly. Most recently, DS cloud was updated on October 18, 2026 and DSFile Station on October 14, 2026.

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