Google Vault vs Microsoft Defender for Office 365 comparison

Why PeerSpot?

Google and Microsoft are both solutions in the Email Archiving category. Google is ranked #4 with an average rating of 8.5, while Microsoft is ranked #2 with an average rating of 8.5. Google holds a 11.9% mindshare in EA, compared to Microsoft’s 8.8% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of Google users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 96% of Microsoft users who would recommend it.

Google Vault

Read 13 Google Vault reviews

3,444 Views
1,756 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Microsoft Defender for Offi...

Read 61 Microsoft Defender for Office 365 reviews

18,434 Views
1,843 Comparison Views

96% willing to recommend

Google Vault

Microsoft Defender for Offi...

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Jun 29, 2025

Google Vault and Microsoft Defender for Office 365 are solutions in the realm of corporate security and compliance. Microsoft Defender for Office 365 often holds an edge due to its advanced threat protection capabilities, which are highly valued by many enterprises.

Features: Google Vault provides robust data retention, effective e-discovery, and compliance support, aiding in efficient data storage and retrieval. On the other hand, Microsoft Defender for Office 365 offers comprehensive threat intelligence, automated threat response, and enhanced email security, addressing a broader range of threat management needs.

Room for Improvement: Google Vault could strengthen its threat detection features and broaden its automated security options. Microsoft Defender for Office 365 could improve its cost efficiency, offer more straightforward integration options, and enhance user interfaces for easier navigation and management.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Google Vault integrates effortlessly within Google Workspace, simplifying deployment. Microsoft Defender for Office 365, integrated into the Microsoft ecosystem, also offers a seamless setup but exceeds in customer support options, providing more comprehensive assistance for security issues.

Pricing and ROI: Google Vault offers a cost-effective pricing structure, appealing to budget-conscious organizations with excellent ROI focused on essential features. Microsoft Defender for Office 365, while more expensive, is justified by its extensive security measures and functionalities, offering substantial value over time despite higher initial costs.

To learn more, read our detailed Google Vault vs. Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Report (Updated: September 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Google Vault vs. Microsoft Defender for Office 365

September 2026

Download the complete report

Helped 915,325 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

4th

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

2nd

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 October 2026, in the Email Archiving category, the mindshare of Google Vault is 11.9%, up from 3.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft Defender for Office 365 is 8.8%, down from 32.1% 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	8.8%
Google Vault	11.9%
Other	79.3%

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.

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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

"My impression is that the initial setup process is not that difficult."

"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."

"Overall, I would rate Google Vault a ten out of ten."

"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."

"Data retention is very valuable to us."

"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."

"The audit part of the tool is the most useful for me."

More Google Vault pros

"Defender for 365 is a comprehensive cloud-based solution. The value of the cloud is that you aren't alone. Threat intelligence and analytics are shared in the cloud. We don't have to find the solution alone. If you face an unknown threat with traditional solutions like Trend Micro and Symantec, you need to open a case and send your information to them to analyze forensically and identify the source of the attack."

"Defender has reduced the time our security team spends on tasks by 10 to 15 percent, allowing us to focus on other areas."

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

"Safe attachments, safe links, policies, and the ability to protect from zero-day threats are the most valuable features."

"The feature of Microsoft Defender for Office 365 that I like the most is probably the email features specifically, because those are the ones that a typical end user will accidentally click on a link not knowing what it is, and it'll catch it, and then it'll feed it over to Defender and stop the attack from happening before it actually can."

"The basic features are okay and I'm satisfied with the Defender."

"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."

"The initial setup was easy."

More Microsoft Defender for Office 365 pros

Cons

"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."

"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."

"Compared to Microsoft, they have more features in terms of compliance and retention policies."

"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."

"EDiscovery could be improved. It's used for searching, holding, and exporting data for Vault and I believe it should be updated."

"Searching could be improved. There's a lot of limitations when searching with Google Vault."

More Google Vault cons

"We still see many false positives from time to time with Microsoft Defender for Office 365, so it would be good if we can reduce those false positives and provide better workflows for our end users, as sometimes they may not know what to do when they encounter a false positive."

"To improve Microsoft Defender for Office 365, it would be nice to have more accessibility for users to see on their end what they are doing that could cause a threat."

"Too many false positives and lacks an accurate capability to detect malicious SharePoint sites."

"We noticed that from time to time, Microsoft's stability does have problems. Sometimes the service goes up and down. Sometimes they change without prior notice."

"Configuration at the mid-level could be improved for the support team."

"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."

"The inbuilt analysis of false positives can be faster. It's not slow, but it can be faster."

"There is room for improvement in terms of reporting."

More Microsoft Defender for Office 365 cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"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."

"The pricing is fairly cheap."

"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 solution is expensive."

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

"It's a user-base subscription."

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

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

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

"The license is expensive because the cost is based on the number of users."

"The pricing has become expensive."

"The product is very expensive."

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

More Microsoft Defender for Office 365 pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Educational Organization

11%

Comms Service Provider

11%

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

Computer Software Company

11%

Manufacturing Company

10%

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.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Google Vault?

See all answers

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...

See all answers

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...

See all answers

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...

See all answers

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.

See all answers

Comparisons

Veritas Enterprise Vault vs Google Vault

Compared 20% 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 10% of the time

Proofpoint Intelligent Compliance Platform vs Google Vault

Compared 4% of the time

More Google Vault Competitors

Proofpoint Email Protection vs Microsoft Defender for Office 365

Compared 5% 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 3% 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

Buyer's Guide

Google Vault

September 2026

Download Google Vault product report

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Defender for Office 365

September 2026

Microsoft Defender for Office 365 report

Download Microsoft Defender for Office 365 product 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.

Buyer's Guide

Google Vault vs. Microsoft Defender for Office 365

September 2026

Free Report: Google Vault vs. Microsoft Defender for Office 365

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