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Google Vault vs Microsoft Defender for Office 365 comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive Summary

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
7.0
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
7.1
Number of Reviews
52
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 June 2025, in the Email Archiving category, the mindshare of Google Vault is 4.7%, down from 10.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft Defender for Office 365 is 31.3%, up from 15.5% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
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

"My impression is that the initial setup process is not that difficult."
"Google Vault is a solution we can use for the data export of end-users."
"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."
"One of the noteworthy aspects is that nothing ever gets deleted, which is convenient."
"The audit part of the tool is the most useful for me."
"Search feature is valuable for our customers."
"Google Vault acts as a great method for retrieving files from Google Drive and Gmail."
"Overall, I would rate Google Vault a ten out of ten."
"I would say that 90% of the spam and phishing attack emails get blocked right off the bat."
"Microsoft Defender for Office 365 facilitates efficient management and updates through the cloud. We do not have to worry about incompatibilities. It just works."
"The most valuable feature of Microsoft Defender for Office 365 is the ease of use."
"The stability of Microsoft Defender for Office 365 is fantastic."
"The most valuable feature is the integration. It's a single console, so we don't have to switch around between multiple products. Another valuable feature is the ease of operations and maintenance."
"At the moment we are satisfied with this product. It's a stable, scalable, and resilient solution for us."
"The basic features are okay and I'm satisfied with the Defender."
"Safe attachments, safe links, policies, and the ability to protect from zero-day threats are the most valuable features."
 

Cons

"Google Vault lacks speed."
"Google Vault needs to improve its data export timing because sometimes, it takes a very long time to export the data."
"eDiscovery could be improved with additional information and an easier way to retain it."
"The price of the solution could improve and the search could be easier."
"Customer service has been a bit lacking."
"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."
"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."
"For us, customer service has been a bit lacking, probably with a rating of a five out of ten."
"The certification training for Defender for 365 needs to be deeper and incorporate Sentinel. I took all the security courses except one, and Sentinel isn't included."
"The pre-sales cost calculations could be more transparent."
"Microsoft needs to broaden its global support presence by establishing teams of subject-matter experts in all regions."
"In one of the reports I can get the exact place where a vulnerable file resides. But for that, I need to explicitly go into the device and check. If they could include that file part in the report, without my having to go to the device itself, that would help."
"The changes to customer service, specifically the new model for support agreements, are not favorable."
"There's room for improvement regarding the time frame for retrieving emails."
"The UI needs to be more user-friendly."
"Configuration at the mid-level could be improved for the support team."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"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."
"If you have Google Enterprise, then Google Vault is free to use."
"Google Vault comes as part of a package deal for us."
"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."
"The solution is expensive."
"The solution could be better by simplifying the business model of their licensing. It was hard to figure out how to get the licensing done for the environment, initially."
"Compared to other brands, Microsoft Defender for Office 365's pricing is competitive."
"Microsoft Defender for Office 365 is an add-on to the Office license. Many customers are purchasing this solution."
"From the pricing point of view, like any other product in the market, there is scope for negotiation."
"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."
"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."
"It's a user-base subscription."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Educational Organization
23%
Computer Software Company
11%
Comms Service Provider
6%
University
5%
Computer Software Company
16%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Government
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

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?
Microsoft could improve by offering recommendations for domain spoofing attacks, especially scenarios where DNS records like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are not properly published. It's essential to enhan...
 

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: May 2025.
857,028 professionals have used our research since 2012.