Google Vault vs Microsoft Defender for Office 365 comparison

Google Vault vs. Microsoft Defender for Office 365

Download the complete report

Helped 909,725 peers since 2012

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

5th

Average Rating

8.8

Reviews Sentiment

6.6

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

eDiscovery (3rd)

Microsoft Defender for Offi...

Ranking in Email Archiving

1st

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

6.8

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Email Security (2nd), Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) (3rd), Microsoft Security Suite (9th), Secure Email Gateway (SEG) (2nd)

Mindshare comparison

As of August 2026, in the Email Archiving category, the mindshare of Google Vault is 10.9%, up from 3.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft Defender for Office 365 is 10.7%, down from 35.9% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Email Archiving Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Microsoft Defender for Office 365	10.7%
Google Vault	10.9%
Other	78.4%

Email Archiving

Featured Reviews

Rahul Gill

GWS/M365 Consultant at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees

Has supported data retention and export tasks while leaving room for greater automation and feature expansion

If we can have more APIs open for Google Vault, that would be great, and instead of doing it manually, it would be better to do it programmatically. I think there is an API available with Google Vault, though I'm not certain about it. I have never used Vault programmatically, but if APIs exist, then it's beneficial, and if there aren't any, we should have the capability for programmers to create some sort of scripting so they can fetch the data. I assess the export feature in Google Vault in terms of ease and efficiency as quite efficient because most of the data we want to see is available in MBOX and PST formats. If possible, I would want to see Google Vault support additional formats such as iCal, iCad, or CardDAV, which are for iPhone users.

Read full review

Emeka Ndulu

Cloud Solutions Architect at a tech services company with 201-500 employees

Improves threat visibility and response while reducing manual tasks and training users against phishing

I appreciate the attack simulation feature whereby I get to train users and educate them on how to identify phishing emails and spam emails, as well as the anti-spam protection. It gives me visibility into my threat environment and threat landscape to ensure that I am one step ahead of any likelihood of threats within my environment. I get to detect it and respond, so the threat intelligence is very effective. Microsoft security solutions save my time. It saves money because once I protect my environment, I don't lose money. It has decreased my detection time and my time to respond.

Read full review

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 feature of Google Vault is its reliability."

"I think the most valuable features are Gmail and Drive, and the solution is also very helpful with Google Chat messages because sometimes you might be missing some information and you can search for it in Google Vault, a very helpful feature for our customers."

"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."

"The most valuable features are automatic document and email retention."

"Overall, it's a very good product, and I recommend it with some consideration for future improvements."

"Google Vault retains all deleted data from the previous four years, acting as backup security so this vital information can be made available to anyone who needs it."

"Search feature is valuable for our customers."

More Google Vault pros

"It definitely is a must for email protection and O365 app DLP, and combined with Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, Microsoft Defender for Identity, and MCAS, it provides a holistic solution for threat protection, email protection, O365 apps protection, and DLP for both internal and external risks."

"The technical support is good and quick to resolve issues."

"Scalability-wise, I do not think there are any issues so far."

"The feature I like the most about Microsoft Defender for Office 365 is that it typically runs in the background—you do not know it is there until you need to access it."

"The benefit that stands out to me is the ability for multiple individuals to collaborate simultaneously within the same document. Additionally, there is the option to save the document directly in the integrated OneDrive or SharePoint."

"Technical support is very good. They are knowledgeable and respond quickly."

"The deployment capability is a great feature."

"The deployment capability is a great feature, and we're able to activate this feature throughout France with a click."

More Microsoft Defender for Office 365 pros

Cons

"My personal opinion is that Google Vault could improve if they could have a similar version to Microsoft 365 where you can have an eDiscovery manager account. With this, you can separate a regular person from an organization and just transfer the specific files."

"It would be nice if Google would let us download the data in different formats."

"Many of our customers are facing problems related to backup and data splitting, and when they ask Google technical support about the reason for the data splitting, they haven't received a proper answer."

"The knowledge base is not as in-depth as it should be."

"Although it does a good job of searching through data and exporting it, I feel that Google Vault should have more export options available to the user. As a reseller, our customers demand a lot from their Google products, and exporting is one area where there's a lot of improvement needed."

"For us, customer service has been a bit lacking, probably with a rating of a five out of ten."

"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."

"Google Vault lacks speed."

More Google Vault cons

"Microsoft Defender for Office 365 should improve the troubleshooting tools. It's unclear whether the device is blocked at the firewall level or at the device itself. The granularity needed for troubleshooting is currently lacking. From my perspective, Microsoft should address this issue to benefit many users who likely share the same sentiment."

"I assess the stability and reliability of the solution as seven out of ten."

"Microsoft Defender for Office 365 is not up to the mark in comparison with Wiz or Palo Alto."

"The custom alerts have to improve a lot."

"Microsoft Defender for Office 365's Mac functionality requires improvement to deliver the same level of protection found on Windows devices."

"Microsoft needs to broaden its global support presence by establishing teams of subject-matter experts in all regions."

"Several simulation options are available within 365, and the phishing simulation could be better."

"About eight months ago, we started to measure the quantity of phishing and spam that we have been receiving, and it has been increasing a lot. That means that protection for our email is not as good as we were expecting."

More Microsoft Defender for Office 365 cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"If you have Google Enterprise, then Google Vault is free to use."

"The solution is expensive."

"The pricing is fairly cheap."

"Google Vault comes as part of a package deal for us."

"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."

"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."

"Compared to other brands, Microsoft Defender for Office 365's pricing is competitive."

"Defender is a little bit more expensive as compared to others. We are in the manufacturing environment. So, we don't have a high budget for all of our endpoint devices. Its cost is a major concern for us."

"It is much more expensive than using another solution because we have had to include some options and upgrade our license."

"The pricing is normal. Considering its popularity, it's not overpriced."

"The product is very expensive."

"I was working in the government and it was too expensive for us to use our Microsoft products."

"While Microsoft Defender for Office 365 necessitates pricier E3 or E5 subscriptions, the extensive functionality offered by these licenses across various Microsoft products justifies the investment."

"Microsoft Defender is expensive. I typically recommend it only if clients have the budget. Otherwise, I would suggest an alternative."

More Microsoft Defender for Office 365 pricing and cost advice

See which vendors are best for you

Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Email Archiving solutions are best for your needs.

See recommendations

909,725 professionals have used our research since 2012.

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Educational Organization

10%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Comms Service Provider

Financial Services Firm

Computer Software Company

11%

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

Comms Service Provider

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	6
Midsize Enterprise	4
Large Enterprise	3

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	24
Midsize Enterprise	11
Large Enterprise	32

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Google Vault?

There is no setup cost; it's only the pricing which one needs to pay upon subscribing to Google Vault services.

What needs improvement with Google Vault?

What is your primary use case for Google Vault?

A few use cases for Google Vault involve using it for custodian purposes where we have to store their mails, calendars, and mostly the mails, which we have done as a custodian process in order to s...

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft Defender for Office 365?

My experience with pricing, setup, and licensing is that it's actually quite reasonable even on the licensing side as a standalone product. It's very competitive compared to what competitors are ch...

What needs improvement with Microsoft Defender for Office 365?

I think Microsoft Defender for Office 365 can be improved by creating more educational pieces about not just looking for malware. We are seeing a lot more malware-less emails that Defender for Offi...

What is your primary use case for Microsoft Defender for Office 365?

My main use cases for Microsoft Defender for Office 365 include email hygiene.

Veritas Enterprise Vault vs Google Vault

Comparisons

Compared 19% of the time

Veritas Enterprise Vault.cloud vs Google Vault

Compared 19% of the time

Veritas eDiscovery Platform vs Google Vault

Compared 17% of the time

Microsoft Purview eDiscovery vs Google Vault

Compared 11% of the time

Commvault Cloud vs Google Vault

Compared 5% of the time

More Google Vault Competitors

Proofpoint Email Protection vs Microsoft Defender for Office 365

Compared 6% of the time

Check Point Email Security (formerly Harmony Email & Collaboration) vs Microsoft Defender for Office 365

Compared 4% of the time

Mimecast Advanced Email Security vs Microsoft Defender for Office 365

Compared 4% of the time

Cisco Secure Email vs Microsoft Defender for Office 365

Compared 3% of the time

Barracuda Email Protection vs Microsoft Defender for Office 365

Compared 3% of the time

More Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Competitors

Product Reports

Google Vault

Download Google Vault product report

Microsoft Defender for Office 365

Download Microsoft Defender for Office 365 product report

Microsoft Defender for Office 365 report

Also Known As

No data available

MS Defender for Office 365

Overview

Google Vault integrates with Gmail and Drive, offering data retention and fast email searching. Known for reliability and user-friendliness, it manages data export and aids in legal processes, storing emails indefinitely.

Google Vault supports organizations in retaining email, chat, and calendar data efficiently. With its search capabilities and security compliance, it ensures stored data is useful without relying on users. While areas for improvement include enhanced eDiscovery and more export options, it remains a tool for managing email storage and preserving information. Companies utilize Vault for data integrity, making it vital for businesses in legal proceedings and audits.

What Are the Key Features of Google Vault?

Gmail and Drive Integration: Seamlessly works with Google's core services.
Data Retention: Ensures indefinite storage of crucial data across communications.
Fast Email Searching: Allows swift retrieval without user dependency.
Legal Process Support: Assists in storing unaltered data for legal needs.

What Benefits Should Users Look for in Reviews?

Reliability: Trustworthy data protection and retention strategies.
User-Friendliness: Ease of navigation even for non-technical users.
Security Compliance: Adheres to standards for data protection and legal requirements.

Organizations across industries find Google Vault essential for handling data retention within Gmail, Drive, and Chat for protection and compliance. They emphasize its role in legal processes and troubleshooting, ensuring data integrity in legal audits and forensic investigations.

Google

Microsoft Defender for Office 365 offers real-time email security, enhancing threat detection through integration within the Microsoft ecosystem. Its user-friendly interface and central management streamline operations, providing robust protection against phishing, ransomware, and malware.

Defender for Office 365 is focused on efficiently securing email communication by safeguarding against phishing, malware, and spam threats. With its strong integration with other Microsoft services, it is tailored to improve endpoint security and identity protection. Its centralized management tools simplify threat prioritization, while the automated threat response capabilities ensure swift actions against potential risks. Organizations leverage its capabilities to efficiently manage their cybersecurity efforts, particularly in remote work environments, while maintaining a secure system across Office 365 applications and Azure-hosted services.

What are the key features?

Real-time Email Protection: Continuously monitors and protects email communications.
Safe Attachments and Links: Scans attachments and links for potential threats.
Anti-Phishing Measures: Provides tools to detect and block phishing attempts.
Integration with Microsoft Services: Seamlessly connects with other Microsoft applications for enhanced security.
Automated Threat Responses: Activates immediate responses to detected threats.

What benefits should users expect from reviews?

Time Savings: Automates processes to reduce manual threat management efforts.
Improved Cybersecurity: Strengthens organizational defenses against various cyber threats.
Efficient Remote Work: Enhances protection for remote teams and virtual collaborations.
Comprehensive Coverage: Extends protection across Office 365 and Azure services.

Implementations of Defender for Office 365 vary across industries, optimizing email security for sectors such as finance, healthcare, and education. In finance, it aids in protecting sensitive financial data from phishing and fraud. Healthcare benefits from secure communications, ensuring patient data privacy. Educational institutions use it to maintain secure virtual learning environments against cyber threats.

Microsoft

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.

Google Vault vs. Microsoft Defender for Office 365