Synology NAS devices and, increasingly, competitors like UGREEN have emerged as true powerhouses for self-hosting thanks to robust built-in support for Docker via Container Manager. Running containers on these devices is remarkably straightforward, allowing you to deploy a wide array of services with minimal effort. However, as your ecosystem expands with dozens of services, the native Container Manager interface can start to feel restrictive. It lacks advanced capabilities such as intuitive Docker Compose stack management, detailed monitoring, or easy portability across different platforms. This is where meta-containers shine: specialized Docker containers designed to manage and orchestrate other containers. These tools deliver user-friendly web interfaces, superior resource oversight, simplified deployments through Compose stack files, automated updates, and powerful troubleshooting features. In this article we’ll highlight the leading options tailored for Synology users (with notes on compatibility for other NAS brands), empowering you to optimize your setup, minimize upkeep, and unlock the full potential of your device. From newcomers exploring Docker basics to experienced homelab enthusiasts juggling complex stacks, these management containers will revolutionize your workflow. Let’s dive in!
Portainer is a lightweight management UI which allows you to easily manage your Docker host or Swarm cluster. Portainer is meant to be as simple to deploy as it is to use. It consists of a single container that can run on any Docker engine (Docker for Linux, Docker for Synology DSM and Docker for Windows are all supported). Portainer allows you to manage your Docker stacks, containers, images, volumes, networks and more! It is compatible with the standalone Docker engine and with Docker Swarm. Note: Install Portainer on Your Synology NAS.
Dockhand is a modern, self-hosted Docker management platform with an intuitive web interface for homelabs, small businesses, and enterprises. It simplifies container operations, stack deployments, and observability through real-time management (start/stop/restart containers, web terminals, file transfers), a visual Compose editor, GitOps auto-sync, metrics, logs, OIDC/SSO, MFA, vulnerability scans, and multi-host support via the open-source Hawser agent. You can deploy it quickly as a Docker container with no cloud dependencies or telemetry. It’s forever free for personal use. Note: Install Dockhand on Your Synology NAS.
Dockman is a free Docker management tool for users who want unfiltered access to their Docker Compose files. It aims for a straightforward, non-distracting user experience by staying close to the underlying Docker Compose files and the file system. Practically you can use it in the same way that you use the Portainer stack function. Note: Install Dockman on Your Synology NAS.
Dockge is a fancy, easy-to-use and reactive self-hosted docker compose.yaml stack-oriented manager alternative to Portainer. With Dockge you can easily manage your compose.yaml files, providing a central point for all your Docker configuration needs. Includes options to create, edit, start, stop, restart, and delete Docker configurations, offering full lifecycle management of your Docker environments. Note: Install Dockge on Your Synology NAS.
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This post was updated on Tuesday / December 23rd, 2025 at 2:22 AM