Simple, honest pricing
All features included in every tier. Only the number of disks differs. One-time payment, no subscription.
Beta — Purchasing Not Yet Available
Brain NAS is currently in early access beta. License purchasing will open soon. In the meantime, the free tier (2 disks) is fully functional with all features.
Free
Try Brain NAS with no time limit.
- All features included
- Lifetime license
- Free updates
Starter
Data + cache + parity together.
- All features included
- Lifetime license
- Free updates
Plus
For growing media libraries.
- All features included
- Lifetime license
- Free updates
Pro
No limits. Ever.
- All features included
- Lifetime license
- Free updates
Frequently asked questions
Is this a one-time payment or a subscription?
One-time payment. You buy a lifetime license. No recurring charges, ever. Free updates included.
What counts as a "disk"?
All disks in your NAS count toward the tier limit: data disks, cache/pool SSDs, and parity disks. The USB boot stick does NOT count.
Can I upgrade my tier later?
Yes. Purchase a higher tier for the same HWID and paste the new key in Settings → License. Note: you pay the full price of the new tier — there is no credit or discount for your previous purchase.
What if I change my USB stick or server?
You can transfer your license to new hardware once per year via the Account page. The old hardware falls back to free tier.
How do I get my Hardware ID (HWID)?
Install Brain NAS first using the free ISO — it works with up to 2 disks at no cost. Once running, go to Settings → License to find your HWID. Use that HWID when purchasing. The same ISO works for all tiers — no reinstall needed.
Do I need internet for the license to work?
Your license is validated locally using Ed25519 signatures — no internet required to use your NAS. If your NAS has internet access, it performs a routine check once every 24 hours to detect revoked licenses. Once your license has been verified online at least once, it stays valid permanently regardless of connectivity — server outages or going offline will never downgrade your license. Only new licenses that have never been verified have a 30-day window to connect for initial validation.
What happens if Brain NAS / Wallin Solutions shuts down?
Your license survives. If the company is dissolved, all issued licenses automatically convert to permanent, irrevocable licenses that work entirely offline — no server check needed, ever. Your license is signed with Ed25519 cryptography and validated locally, so it keeps working regardless of whether our servers exist. This is guaranteed in our EULA (Section 12.8).
What features are included in the free tier?
ALL features. Every single one — Docker apps, GPU passthrough, VPN, encryption, parity, everything. The only limit is 2 disks.