Top Microsoft 365 Backup Tools Worth Considering in 2026

Microsoft keeps your Microsoft 365 environment running. It does not, though, keep a deep backup of your actual data sitting around in case something goes wrong. That part is on you, or on whoever manages your IT.

An employee deletes a folder they shouldn't have. Ransomware gets into a mailbox. A SharePoint library disappears because someone fat-fingered a permissions change.

Microsoft's shared responsibility model covers uptime, not your content. If it's gone, it's gone, unless you've got a real backup solution sitting behind it.

This article runs through ten Microsoft 365 backup tools on the market right now. Coverage, recovery options, and what each one is built for.

Why a Dedicated Backup Tool Matters Here

Microsoft offers some native retention settings. Those settings may not cover every retention or compliance need your business has.

A dedicated backup tool can fill that gap. Granular recovery, custom retention windows, and an extra layer of ransomware protection.

What to Actually Look For

A few things separate a decent tool from a weak one. Coverage across the full M365 stack matters most. Exchange, SharePoint, OneDrive, Teams, ideally Groups and OneNote too. A tool that only backs up email leaves gaps in your protection.

Granular recovery counts for a lot as well. Being able to pull back one email or one file version, instead of restoring an entire mailbox just to recover a single attachment, saves real time during an actual crisis.

Flexible retention rules matter if you're in a regulated industry. HIPAA, GDPR, SOC 2, whatever applies to your business, the backup tool needs to bend to that requirement, not the other way around.

Automation helps too. Scheduled backups, alerts when something fails, automatic protection for new users added to the system.

And if you're an MSP managing several clients, multi-tenant management isn't optional. Jumping between separate dashboards for every client gets old fast.

Best Microsoft 365 Backup Solutions to Know

Features and plans change often, so confirm current details with each vendor before you buy.

Quick Comparison Table

Cove Data Protection for Microsoft 365

Built by N-Able, Cove handles Exchange, OneDrive, SharePoint, and Teams backups, running up to four times a day. It folds Microsoft 365 backup into the same dashboard used for server and workstation backups, which a lot of MSPs appreciate.

Fits well for: MSPs juggling limited bandwidth who want one dashboard for everything instead of separate tools.

Where it's strong:

• One dashboard covers both M365 and endpoint backups
• Incremental backup architecture keeps bandwidth use down

Druva inSync

Druva covers endpoint and SaaS backup together, which includes Microsoft 365 alongside laptops and desktops. It uses source-side deduplication, meaning data gets trimmed down before it even leaves the device, which keeps storage costs lower over time. Compliance monitoring and ransomware protection run through immutable cloud storage.

Fits well for: Enterprises that want endpoint and M365 backup managed from one place.

Where it's strong:

• Handles Windows, macOS, and Linux endpoints alongside M365 data
• Source-side deduplication reduces the data sent for backup.

AvePoint Cloud Backup

AvePoint sticks close to the Microsoft ecosystem, covering Teams, SharePoint, Exchange, OneDrive, Power Platform, and Viva Engage. Its Elements Portal gives MSPs a way to manage several client environments from one screen.

Fits well for: MSPs and enterprises already deep into Microsoft's tools.

Where it's strong:

• Item-level restore down to individual files or email versions
• Centralized multi-tenant monitoring

Afi Backup

Afi covers the usual M365 workloads, Exchange, OneDrive, SharePoint, Teams, and adds backup for Microsoft Copilot conversations, which is a newer addition most competitors don't offer yet.

Fits well for: Small and mid-sized businesses, especially ones already using Microsoft's AI tools heavily.

Where it's strong:

• Self-service restore portal, so users can pull back their own files without opening a ticket
• Full-text search across backup data
• Copilot conversation backup

Rubrik

Rubrik started as a cybersecurity and data protection platform, and that shows in how it approaches M365 backup. Immutable, air-gapped storage protects Exchange, OneDrive, SharePoint, and Teams data, and the platform uses automated threat detection to flag which users or data matter most during a cyberattack.

Fits well for: Larger organizations that want heavier security built into the backup process itself.

Where it's strong:

• Policy-driven automation across backup workflows
• Full control over what gets restored, down to individual emails or shared mailboxes

Veeam Data Cloud for Microsoft 365

Veeam offers flexible deployment, unlimited storage, and tight integration with Microsoft's own backup storage layer for fast bulk recovery, claiming recovery speeds of 3 to 5 terabytes an hour. Role-based access and 256-bit encryption lock things down.

Fits well for: Enterprise IT teams running large Microsoft 365 environments.

Where it's strong:

• Scheduled backups for entire workloads or specific objects
• Remote monitoring with automated alerts
• Immutable backups

Cohesity

Cohesity positions itself as an enterprise data management and cyber resilience platform, offering M365 backup as either a managed service or something your own team runs. It covers Exchange, OneDrive, SharePoint, Teams, Groups, and Entra ID, with immutable backups and built-in threat scanning.

Fits well for: Large enterprises running hybrid or multi-cloud setups with serious security requirements.

Where it's strong:

• Zero trust framework paired with immutable storage
• Restore from any point in time, any location

Barracuda Cloud-to-Cloud

Barracuda’s cloud-to-cloud backup covers Exchange, SharePoint, OneDrive, Teams, Groups, and Planner, with immutable storage, encryption, and malware scanning that runs during recovery, not just during backup.

Fits well for: Smaller and mid-market businesses that want solid M365 coverage.

Where it's strong:

• Role-based access control over who can restore what
• Malware scanning built into the restore process

Commvault Cloud

Commvault pulls backup for Microsoft 365, Dynamics 365, Azure, and hybrid workloads into a single platform, running on a zero-trust framework with immutable storage. Retention policies are configurable, and the platform keeps a full audit trail for compliance purposes.

Fits well for: Large enterprises under strict regulatory requirements.

Where it's strong:

• Audit logging for backup and restore activity
• Retention periods adjustable by role, workload, or compliance need

Datto SaaS Protection

Datto built this with MSPs specifically in mind, covering both Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace from one platform. Backups run automatically. New users get detected and backed up automatically, and departing employees’ data gets archived instead of lost.

Fits well for: MSPs managing both M365 and Google Workspace clients who want one tool instead of two.

Where it's strong:

• Multi-tenant dashboard across client environments
• Recovery options ranging from single items to full account restores
• Automatic detection of newly added users

How to Actually Choose Between These

Price matters, obviously, but it shouldn't be the first filter. Start with coverage. If your business leans heavily on Teams chats or SharePoint libraries, make sure whatever you pick actually backs those up in detail, not just the basics like email.

Ask for a demo or trial before you commit. Run a test restore on a single file and see how it feels.

If you're already running other IT management tools, a backup solution that plays nicely with what you've got saves a lot of daily hassle compared to one that sits completely separate. Doctor IT Services can help evaluate your current Microsoft 365 setup and figure out which backup approach actually fits your business, not just whichever one has the flashiest feature list.

Final Thoughts

Microsoft 365 backup isn't optional anymore, not with how much business data lives inside Exchange, SharePoint, and Teams today. Native retention may not cover every business, especially ones with compliance requirements.

Every tool on this list does something a little differently. Some lean into speed. Others lean into security depth or compliance reporting. Matching the tool to your actual environment matters more than chasing whichever one tops a ratings chart.