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Google Vault vs Microsoft Defender for Office 365 comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Jun 29, 2025

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Categories and Ranking

Google Vault
Ranking in Email Archiving
4th
Average Rating
9.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.6
Number of Reviews
12
Ranking in other categories
eDiscovery (1st)
Microsoft Defender for Offi...
Ranking in Email Archiving
1st
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
53
Ranking in other categories
Email Security (1st), Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) (2nd), Microsoft Security Suite (10th), Secure Email Gateway (SEG) (1st)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of October 2025, in the Email Archiving category, the mindshare of Google Vault is 5.6%, down from 9.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft Defender for Office 365 is 26.8%, up from 18.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Email Archiving Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Microsoft Defender for Office 36526.8%
Google Vault5.6%
Other67.6%
Email Archiving
 

Featured Reviews

Swapnil Dassi - PeerSpot reviewer
Capabilities in data management, eDiscovery, backup solutions, and ensuring data security and accessibility for admins
One thing I've noticed is that it splits the data files into multiple parts, like the PFT files. For example, when there is a large data size of any account, the backup process splits it into many files. This can be confusing and not very efficient when trying to manage the backups. It would be better if the backup process creates one or two files instead of numerous smaller ones. It should be easier for the admin to manage the data and perform imports or uploads to other accounts. So the backup solution should be more streamlined and provide options for easier data management and import/export processes. There is room for improvement in this aspect. It would be great to see enhancements in this area to make the backup process more user-friendly and efficient. Another area of improvement is support. Earlier, Google support used to be very attentive and responsible, but in the past few months, I've noticed delays in their responses, not only related to Google Vault but also to other products.
Tolu Omolaja - PeerSpot reviewer
Great URL scanning and attachment scanning, but I would like more proactive threat analysis
The two main features that prove most beneficial for us are URL scanning and attachment scanning. URL scanning involves an automatic scan of links and emails. When a user clicks on a link within an email, the system promptly checks the link's safety. If the link is deemed safe, access is granted automatically. However, if it is flagged as unsafe, we receive feedback and notification to caution us about the potentially harmful link. At this point, we are presented with the option to proceed or return. I have personally witnessed the system identify a few unsafe links, making this the primary advantage of using the solution. The second crucial aspect is the scanning of attachments. When an email containing an attachment arrives, we receive a notification of the new email, along with information that the attachment is being scanned for threats. This additional layer of security provides peace of mind for our organization. While Microsoft Defender for Office 365 offers numerous features, these two stand out as particularly impressive and valuable to us.

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Pros

"The most valuable features are automatic document and email retention."
"You can retrieve any type of data; for example, if a user accidentally deletes data, as an admin with access to Google Vault, you can easily restore the deleted data."
"It is a very stable solution...It is a very scalable solution."
"One of the noteworthy aspects is that nothing ever gets deleted, which is convenient."
"In my opinion, the search functionality is the best feature. With Google Vault, we can quickly search for any email within Gmail accounts. And then we can get further information, such as if you want the full header or want to know any extra details about the emails."
"Data retention is very valuable to us."
"Search feature is valuable for our customers."
"Google Vault is a solution we can use for the data export of end-users."
"Microsoft Defender for Office 365 helps people to work remotely. It is a secure solution. We don't need to use our company's computers or get VPN connections to the networks. I can control how they share screens and what they send to the devices. It keeps our organizations confidential and sensitive information safe."
"It’s easy to handle integrations, and we don't need a lot of people in our IT team."
"The initial setup was easy."
"The deployment capability is a great feature."
"Microsoft Defender for Office 365 has improved my organization's security. It makes it easier to manage the infrastructure without the help of third-party applications."
"Microsoft Defender for Office 365's most valuable features are safe attachments and safe links."
"The stability of Microsoft Defender for Office 365 is fantastic."
"The most valuable feature of Microsoft Defender for Office 365 is the ease of use."
 

Cons

"The knowledge base is not as in-depth as it should be."
"So, when doing a search, perhaps in some instances when you use terms, the information is not very precise in the sense that I'm not getting what I'm looking for. And in some instances, the information, not all the time, but in some instances, it might not be accurate. For example, when doing a search, if you use too many terms, it might not return any results."
"The price of the solution could improve and the search could be easier."
"Google Vault lacks speed."
"Searching could be improved. There's a lot of limitations when searching with Google Vault."
"One thing I've noticed is that it splits the data files into multiple parts, like the PFT files. For example, when there is a large data size of any account, the backup process splits it into many files. This can be confusing and not very efficient when trying to manage the backups."
"It would be nice if Google would let us download the data in different formats."
"eDiscovery could be improved with additional information and an easier way to retain it."
"Configuring the default strategies and policies in Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps generates a lot of noise and false positives."
"The GUI is sometimes slow to fetch the device report and could be improved."
"Microsoft Defender for Office 365 should be more proactive."
"I'd like some additional features any product can give me to protect our environment in a better way."
"Microsoft needs to broaden its global support presence by establishing teams of subject-matter experts in all regions."
"Microsoft Defender for Office 365 must improve the overall management style, including the GUI. It also needs to change the filters so that it is easy to whitelist and blacklist data."
"This product's effectiveness could be improved, in terms of detecting unwanted spam or even malware between the emails, compared to other products."
"There is room for improvement in terms of reporting."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The solution is expensive."
"If you have Google Enterprise, then Google Vault is free to use."
"Google Vault comes as part of a package deal for us."
"Google Vault is a cheaply priced product. Monthly payments are to be made towards the licensing costs attached to the solution. There are no extra costs apart from the licensing costs attached to the solution."
"The pricing is fairly cheap."
"Last year, the price was randomly increased and our customers were really facing a challenge around this. Google launched new pricing under different plans, where formerly there were only three plans, and now there are four, each with their own separate usage allowances. I think it's good, though. The basic plan is now the Business Starter plan, and many customers find this plan very convenient and minimal in price. Overall, the pricing for all the plans is good."
"I was working in the government and it was too expensive for us to use our Microsoft products."
"From the pricing point of view, like any other product in the market, there is scope for negotiation."
"The pricing is normal. Considering its popularity, it's not overpriced."
"For large enterprise organizations, they can definitely afford it, but for small and medium organizations, they might struggle to cover the expenses."
"The pricing has become expensive."
"Microsoft Defender for Office 365 is an add-on to the Office license. Many customers are purchasing this solution."
"Microsoft Defender for Office 365 comes with Microsoft Windows. It is free with the operating system."
"Defender for 365 comes in various plans and licenses, along with other Microsoft security solutions. Purchasing this kind of package or security bundle gives good value for money, and that's what I recommend."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
10%
Comms Service Provider
7%
University
7%
Manufacturing Company
7%
Computer Software Company
15%
Financial Services Firm
8%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Comms Service Provider
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business5
Midsize Enterprise4
Large Enterprise3
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business23
Midsize Enterprise8
Large Enterprise27
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Google Vault?
It is a very stable solution...It is a very scalable solution.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Google Vault?
Pricing for Google Vault is very reasonable. We have a package, so I'm not sure of the exact cost. That said, it is considered reasonable.
What needs improvement with Google Vault?
For us, Google Vault does what we need it to do. I haven't had really any complaints about it, so I can't pinpoint areas for improvement.
What do you like most about Microsoft Defender for Office 365?
Threat Explorer is an invaluable tool for me, and it plays a crucial role in helping me discern the origins of various email campaigns, pinpointing where they emanate from, and identifying the indi...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft Defender for Office 365?
Microsoft is quite affordable with a lot of features available for any size organization.
What needs improvement with Microsoft Defender for Office 365?
I think that Microsoft Defender for Office 365 could be improved if it could use VirusTotal to compare the programs or anything that I download. VirusTotal helps to identify viruses, malware, troja...
 

Also Known As

No data available
MS Defender for Office 365
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Broadcom, Dr. Agarwal’s Eye Hospital, Globeflight, Maven Wave, McClatchy, NII Holdings, Safetec, Sheboygan County
Microsoft Defender for Office 365 is trusted by companies such as Ithaca College.
Find out what your peers are saying about Google Vault vs. Microsoft Defender for Office 365 and other solutions. Updated: September 2025.
869,202 professionals have used our research since 2012.