Google Vault vs Microsoft Purview eDiscovery comparison

Google and Microsoft are both solutions in the eDiscovery category. Google is ranked #3 with an average rating of 8.5, while Microsoft is ranked #1 with an average rating of 7.8. Google holds a 4.4% mindshare in eD, compared to Microsoft’s 5.1% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of Google users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 87% of Microsoft users who would recommend it.

Google Vault

Read 13 Google Vault reviews

2,740 Views
1,973 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Microsoft Purview eDiscovery

Read 8 Microsoft Purview eDiscovery reviews

3,306 Views
2,182 Comparison Views

87% willing to recommend

Google Vault

Microsoft Purview eDiscovery

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 6, 2024

Google Vault and Microsoft Purview eDiscovery compete in enterprise information governance. Microsoft Purview eDiscovery often has the upper hand due to its advanced features, making it a valuable investment.

Features: Google Vault integrates seamlessly with Google's ecosystem and offers basic archiving capabilities. While Microsoft Purview eDiscovery provides comprehensive legal hold functionality, advanced search options and analytics for in-depth data management.

Room for Improvement: Google Vault users note limitations in complex search functionalities, reporting capabilities, and features offered. Microsoft Purview eDiscovery is often criticized for the complexity of navigating its extensive features, which may overwhelm new users, potential usability enhancements and simplified interface needs.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Google Vault is known for easy setup, swift deployment in the Google workspace, and straightforward customer service. Microsoft Purview eDiscovery, although requiring a steeper learning curve initially, benefits from strong technical support and provides long-term value once integrated.

Pricing and ROI: Google Vault often has a lower initial setup cost, appealing for basic functionalities. Microsoft Purview eDiscovery is more expensive yet known for better ROI due to its advanced capabilities and suitability for robust enterprise-grade needs.

To learn more, read our detailed Google Vault vs. Microsoft Purview eDiscovery Report (Updated: June 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Google Vault vs. Microsoft Purview eDiscovery

June 2026

Download the complete report

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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 eDiscovery

3rd

Average Rating

8.8

Reviews Sentiment

6.6

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Email Archiving (5th)

Microsoft Purview eDiscovery

Ranking in eDiscovery

1st

Average Rating

7.6

Reviews Sentiment

7.5

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Microsoft Security Suite (22nd)

Mindshare comparison

As of June 2026, in the eDiscovery category, the mindshare of Google Vault is 4.4%, down from 15.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft Purview eDiscovery is 5.1%, down from 26.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

eDiscovery Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Microsoft Purview eDiscovery	5.1%
Google Vault	4.4%
Other	90.5%

eDiscovery

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

Frank Radeck

Director, IT Infrastructure & Cloud Technology at a legal firm with 501-1,000 employees

Tasks that took an entire day before we implemented the solution now take just 30 minutes.

The most valuable feature of Microsoft Purview eDiscovery is its ability to search across various platforms, including Exchange, SharePoint, Teams, and OneDrive. It enables a streamlined, unified process for searching across these platforms. It is critical for Purview to be able to connect to iOS, Mac, and Android devices and data in other SaaS apps. From a support perspective, I can do things while I'm eating lunch or something else. It's more dynamic and responsive. I think everybody appreciates it. We're not tied to one device. Purview's multi-cloud capabilities are also essential for the same reasons. Keeping everything under one umbrella further increases the time savings. Purview accounts for critical regulations from around the world. This is crucial because we hold ourselves accountable to standards and need to align with them. Working at a law firm, we have clients who dictate to us what standards they expect. The visibility is excellent. As we move more things into the cloud, more opportunities exist to put everything under one umbrella.

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

"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."

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

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

"What I appreciate about Google Vault is that one of the best features is the ability to use retention policies; it covers mail, chat groups, calendars, sites, Drive, and Google Voice, and the data will remain in Google Vault even if it gets deleted by the user accidentally or intentionally."

"It is a very stable solution...It is a very scalable solution."

"Google Vault acts as a great method for retrieving files from Google Drive and Gmail."

"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."

More Google Vault pros

"I think eDiscovery Premium has made dealing with data from Teams much more accessible than any other platform."

"The return on investment is saving the equivalent of one or two full-time IT department employees and a few hours per week for legal staff."

"The speed of it is valuable. I am able to search even 10,000 mailboxes for specific content. It helps search and accommodate the often limited information provided by users regarding what they need."

"The tool has been beneficial. Some of our previous users left the organization without sharing the information they had at a personal level. This information was related to the organization, and they didn't disclose it. Thanks to the product, it's easy for me to search and find out what communication a specific user has done, whether it's from SharePoint or any other platform. With Microsoft Purview eDiscovery, we can easily retrieve and restore this data."

"The ability to query everything that's in Microsoft and send links or add people, like managers, to review the documents is valuable. It's easy as I don't have to download and email anything. I just add them as a reviewer, and they can access it from there."

"Tasks that took an entire day before we implemented Purview now take just 30 minutes."

"Microsoft Purview eDiscovery has saved me personally a lot of time because I can query it, and it touches everything we have as a full Microsoft shop."

"The most valuable features are automatic content logging tagging. Performing these tasks manually would be impossible. Since most of our data is already in Microsoft, it's convenient to run it through this tool."

More Microsoft Purview eDiscovery pros

Cons

"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."

"Google Vault needs to improve its data export timing because sometimes, it takes a very long time to export the data."

"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."

"The price of the solution could improve and the search could be easier."

"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."

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

More Google Vault cons

"We find that many critical functions are available only to E5 license holders."

"I would suggest adding more platforms."

"Purview eDiscovery works, but it's not entirely perfect. There were times when search results would get hung up or error codes would be presented and we'd have to contact Microsoft to get that sorted out."

"I see two significant challenges with many of my clients. One is that there are some functionality gaps compared to specialized tools in the legal industry, like a legal hold tool or a document review tool. They have features that Purview eDiscovery lacks. Those gaps create a situation where I almost have to do things twice. I need to collect all my data in eDiscovery and ship it to another platform to complete the review."

"The query language can be time-consuming to figure out if you don't know it initially. While there are options with dropdowns to select criteria, having a natural language feature would be beneficial. Copilot is expected to add such functionality in the future."

"The sorting and filtering of the result data need improvement, and the interface for writing queries is not user-friendly for business users. We still need all the backend stuff. We have to use Graph API to interface with everything and create custom interfaces on the front end to make it easier for the end users, which is costly. The reporting, sorting, and filtering capabilities that other products have aren't available natively in Purview."

"I would suggest adding more platforms. Currently, it's compatible with OneDrive, Teams, SharePoint, and Exchange. Adding more features, as Microsoft continues to expand their cloud offerings, would be beneficial. Exploring options like Azure Files might be an avenue for improvement."

"We find that many critical functions are available only to E5 license holders. It would be beneficial to have more options available for E3 customers. Enhanced Teams functionalities and better capture of text message data, both SMS and MMS, would also be improvements."

More Microsoft Purview eDiscovery cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The solution is expensive."

"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."

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

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

"The costs associated with E5 licensing are currently expensive for us, so we use the E3 license, which comes with fewer features and functionalities."

"With the full bundle, pricing is not a significant concern. As an M3, I find the Purview pricing of 1250 per user worthwhile."

"In the positions that I've had through contracting over the years, I've heard talk of it being overpriced and underperforming compared to its competitors."

"Microsoft Purview eDiscovery comes as part of Microsoft 365 licenses."

"The pricing and licensing with Microsoft can be complex, and licensing is known to be a challenge because it changes frequently. While the licensing for Purview is not as tricky as other Microsoft products, navigating licenses since the shift to E3 and E5 plans has been a task, as individual licenses must now be purchased separately."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Manufacturing Company

10%

Educational Organization

Financial Services Firm

Government

13%

Financial Services Firm

12%

Manufacturing Company

Computer Software Company

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	3
Midsize Enterprise	2
Large Enterprise	3

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 Purview eDiscovery?

The setup process was very straightforward. We acquired pricing through our reseller in NASDAQ, eliminating the need to search for prices ourselves.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Microsoft Purview eDiscovery?

The query language can be time-consuming to figure out if you don't know it initially. While there are options with dropdowns to select criteria, having a natural language feature would be benefici...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Microsoft Purview eDiscovery?

I sometimes use it for legal holds or to find lost items, and to determine what is going on. However, most of the time, my use case is legal-related.

See all answers

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Google Vault

June 2026

Download Google Vault product report

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Purview eDiscovery

June 2026

Download Microsoft Purview eDiscovery product report

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 Purview eDiscovery offers rapid search capabilities across multiple Microsoft platforms, supporting compliance with global regulations and improving data management efficiency for organizations.

Microsoft Purview eDiscovery empowers organizations to perform rapid content searches across Exchange, SharePoint, Teams, OneDrive, and mobile devices. It enables keyword-based searches and automates content logging and tagging, ensuring privacy law adherence. This tool is designed to enhance visibility and legal compliance, featuring extensive data protection, native integration with Microsoft's ecosystem, and ensuring efficiency for collecting electronically stored information.

What are the key features of Microsoft Purview eDiscovery?

Rapid Content Search: Enables efficient keyword-based searches across multiple Microsoft platforms.
Data Connectivity: Ensures seamless integration within the Microsoft ecosystem.
Compliance Support: Provides features vital for adhering to global privacy regulations.
Automated Content Logging: Streamlines tagging processes to adhere to privacy laws.
Extensive Data Protection: Offers robust protection for sensitive information.

What benefits should users expect from Microsoft Purview eDiscovery?

Increased Efficiency: Speeds up data retrieval and legal processing tasks.
Enhanced Compliance: Supports adherence to international regulations.
Improved Data Management: Streamlines the management of electronically stored information.
Time Savings: Reduces time spent on manual data searches and tagging.
Cost-effectiveness: Potential to lower overall compliance and data management costs.

Industries like legal services employ Microsoft Purview eDiscovery extensively for handling litigation requests and managing legal holds. This tool facilitates the retrieval and management of historical data, particularly during workforce transformations or information governance challenges, making it crucial for efficient eDiscovery workflows.

Microsoft

Sample Customers

Broadcom, Dr. Agarwal’s Eye Hospital, Globeflight, Maven Wave, McClatchy, NII Holdings, Safetec, Sheboygan County

Information Not Available

Buyer's Guide

Google Vault vs. Microsoft Purview eDiscovery

June 2026

Free Report: Google Vault vs. Microsoft Purview eDiscovery

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