Quick Overview
- 1#1: Proofpoint Enterprise Archive - Cloud-native email archiving platform with unlimited storage, AI-powered search, and comprehensive compliance controls.
- 2#2: Mimecast Archive - Secure cloud-based email archiving solution featuring rapid eDiscovery, legal holds, and integrated supervision.
- 3#3: Smarsh - Enterprise archiving for email and digital communications with multi-channel support for regulated industries.
- 4#4: Global Relay - Compliance-focused cloud archiving for email, chat, and collaboration tools with advanced analytics and retention.
- 5#5: Veritas Enterprise Vault - Scalable on-premises and cloud archiving for email, instant messaging, and enterprise content management.
- 6#6: Barracuda Message Archiver - Hybrid email archiving solution with PST consolidation, fast search, and cost-effective compliance features.
- 7#7: Archive360 - AI-driven cloud-native platform for email and file archiving optimized for governance and preservation.
- 8#8: ZL Unified Archive - AI-powered unified archiving for email, files, and collaboration data with intelligent indexing and search.
- 9#9: MailStore Server - User-friendly email archiving software for SMBs supporting multiple email servers and platforms.
- 10#10: ArcTitan Email Archive - Cloud email archiving service for Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace with unlimited storage and eDiscovery.
We curated and ranked these tools based on robust feature sets (including storage, AI search, and regulatory controls), platform reliability (scalability, integration), user-friendliness, and overall value, ensuring alignment with modern organizational demands.
Comparison Table
This comparison table examines leading email archival software, featuring Proofpoint Enterprise Archive, Mimecast Archive, Smarsh, Global Relay, Veritas Enterprise Vault, and more, to guide readers in evaluating options for data preservation, compliance, and workflow efficiency. By analyzing key features, scalability, and user experience, the table helps identify the best fit for organizational needs.
| # | Tool | Category | Overall | Features | Ease of Use | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Proofpoint Enterprise Archive Cloud-native email archiving platform with unlimited storage, AI-powered search, and comprehensive compliance controls. | enterprise | 9.5/10 | 9.8/10 | 8.7/10 | 9.2/10 |
| 2 | Mimecast Archive Secure cloud-based email archiving solution featuring rapid eDiscovery, legal holds, and integrated supervision. | enterprise | 9.1/10 | 9.4/10 | 8.7/10 | 8.6/10 |
| 3 | Smarsh Enterprise archiving for email and digital communications with multi-channel support for regulated industries. | enterprise | 8.7/10 | 9.3/10 | 7.9/10 | 8.1/10 |
| 4 | Global Relay Compliance-focused cloud archiving for email, chat, and collaboration tools with advanced analytics and retention. | enterprise | 8.7/10 | 9.2/10 | 7.8/10 | 8.1/10 |
| 5 | Veritas Enterprise Vault Scalable on-premises and cloud archiving for email, instant messaging, and enterprise content management. | enterprise | 8.2/10 | 9.1/10 | 7.0/10 | 7.7/10 |
| 6 | Barracuda Message Archiver Hybrid email archiving solution with PST consolidation, fast search, and cost-effective compliance features. | enterprise | 8.2/10 | 8.7/10 | 7.8/10 | 7.9/10 |
| 7 | Archive360 AI-driven cloud-native platform for email and file archiving optimized for governance and preservation. | enterprise | 8.1/10 | 8.7/10 | 7.8/10 | 7.9/10 |
| 8 | ZL Unified Archive AI-powered unified archiving for email, files, and collaboration data with intelligent indexing and search. | enterprise | 8.4/10 | 9.2/10 | 7.8/10 | 8.0/10 |
| 9 | MailStore Server User-friendly email archiving software for SMBs supporting multiple email servers and platforms. | specialized | 8.2/10 | 8.8/10 | 7.5/10 | 8.0/10 |
| 10 | ArcTitan Email Archive Cloud email archiving service for Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace with unlimited storage and eDiscovery. | enterprise | 7.8/10 | 7.5/10 | 8.2/10 | 8.5/10 |
Cloud-native email archiving platform with unlimited storage, AI-powered search, and comprehensive compliance controls.
Secure cloud-based email archiving solution featuring rapid eDiscovery, legal holds, and integrated supervision.
Enterprise archiving for email and digital communications with multi-channel support for regulated industries.
Compliance-focused cloud archiving for email, chat, and collaboration tools with advanced analytics and retention.
Scalable on-premises and cloud archiving for email, instant messaging, and enterprise content management.
Hybrid email archiving solution with PST consolidation, fast search, and cost-effective compliance features.
AI-driven cloud-native platform for email and file archiving optimized for governance and preservation.
AI-powered unified archiving for email, files, and collaboration data with intelligent indexing and search.
User-friendly email archiving software for SMBs supporting multiple email servers and platforms.
Cloud email archiving service for Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace with unlimited storage and eDiscovery.
Proofpoint Enterprise Archive
enterpriseCloud-native email archiving platform with unlimited storage, AI-powered search, and comprehensive compliance controls.
Contextual Archive with integrated email security, allowing malware quarantine and compliance supervision directly within the archive
Proofpoint Enterprise Archive is a leading cloud-based email archiving solution that captures, indexes, and preserves email data from platforms like Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace for long-term storage and compliance. It provides advanced search, eDiscovery, and legal hold capabilities to meet regulatory requirements such as GDPR, HIPAA, and SEC 17a-4. The platform integrates seamlessly with Proofpoint's security suite, offering supervision, audit trails, and defensible deletion features for enterprise-grade data management.
Pros
- Exceptional search and eDiscovery with AI-powered indexing for rapid data retrieval
- Robust compliance tools including automated retention policies and legal holds
- Seamless integration with email security platforms for unified threat and archive management
Cons
- High cost suitable mainly for large enterprises
- Complex initial setup and configuration for non-expert admins
- Limited flexibility for custom reporting compared to some competitors
Best For
Large enterprises in regulated industries like finance and healthcare needing comprehensive email compliance, archiving, and eDiscovery.
Pricing
Quote-based enterprise pricing, typically $5-10 per user per month, with volume discounts and annual billing.
Mimecast Archive
enterpriseSecure cloud-based email archiving solution featuring rapid eDiscovery, legal holds, and integrated supervision.
Millennium Archive with linear storage architecture for lightning-fast searches on massive datasets
Mimecast Archive is a comprehensive cloud-based email archiving solution that enables organizations to securely store, search, and manage vast amounts of email data while ensuring regulatory compliance. It offers advanced features like rapid full-text search, e-discovery, legal holds, and seamless integration with Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace. The platform supports journaling, PST imports, and data sovereignty options, making it ideal for long-term retention and audit readiness.
Pros
- Ultra-fast search across petabytes of data with sub-second response times
- Robust compliance tools including e-discovery, legal holds, and supervision
- Seamless migration and integration with major email platforms
Cons
- Premium pricing that may be steep for small businesses
- Advanced features have a learning curve for non-expert users
- Reporting customization options are somewhat limited
Best For
Mid-to-large enterprises in regulated industries needing scalable archiving for compliance, e-discovery, and litigation support.
Pricing
Custom enterprise pricing, typically $6-12 per user per month depending on storage and features.
Smarsh
enterpriseEnterprise archiving for email and digital communications with multi-channel support for regulated industries.
AI-powered 360° surveillance that monitors and archives emails alongside chats, voice, and social media for holistic compliance
Smarsh is a leading cloud-based email archiving platform tailored for regulated industries like finance and healthcare, ensuring compliant capture, retention, and retrieval of emails and other electronic communications. It provides tamper-proof storage, advanced search capabilities powered by AI, and integration with major email systems like Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace. The solution supports e-discovery, supervision, and risk management to meet stringent regulatory requirements such as SEC 17a-4 and FINRA.
Pros
- Robust compliance features with WORM-compliant storage and audit trails
- AI-driven search and analytics for quick e-discovery
- Seamless integration with multi-channel communications beyond email
Cons
- High pricing suitable mainly for enterprises
- Complex setup and configuration for non-experts
- Limited transparency on pricing without a custom quote
Best For
Large regulated organizations in finance or healthcare needing comprehensive email compliance and surveillance.
Pricing
Custom enterprise pricing, typically $15-30 per user/month depending on volume, features, and storage needs; quotes required.
Global Relay
enterpriseCompliance-focused cloud archiving for email, chat, and collaboration tools with advanced analytics and retention.
Multi-channel capture and supervision across 15+ platforms like Microsoft Teams, Slack, Bloomberg, and voice recordings in one unified archive
Global Relay is a cloud-based compliance archiving platform specializing in capturing, storing, and supervising electronic communications for regulated industries like finance. It provides tamper-proof email archiving compliant with SEC 17a-4, FINRA, and other standards, alongside support for multi-channel data including IM, social media, and voice. The solution offers advanced search, e-discovery, and supervision tools to mitigate regulatory risks and streamline audits.
Pros
- Comprehensive multi-channel archiving including email, chats, and voice
- Robust compliance features with WORM storage and audit trails
- Powerful e-discovery and AI-driven supervision tools
Cons
- High enterprise-level pricing not suited for small businesses
- Complex initial setup and configuration
- Steeper learning curve for non-technical users
Best For
Regulated financial institutions and enterprises needing scalable, multi-channel email archiving for strict compliance requirements.
Pricing
Custom enterprise pricing, typically starting at $10,000+ per month based on users, storage, and channels.
Veritas Enterprise Vault
enterpriseScalable on-premises and cloud archiving for email, instant messaging, and enterprise content management.
Advanced policy-based retention and automated journaling for seamless compliance management
Veritas Enterprise Vault is a mature, enterprise-grade email archiving solution that captures, stores, and manages email data from sources like Microsoft Exchange and Office 365 to reduce mailbox sizes and ensure long-term retention. It provides robust compliance features, including automated retention policies, legal holds, and powerful search capabilities for eDiscovery. The software excels in large-scale environments with deduplication, compression, and indexing to optimize storage and retrieval efficiency.
Pros
- Highly scalable for petabyte-scale archives
- Comprehensive compliance and eDiscovery tools
- Efficient storage optimization with deduplication
Cons
- Complex initial setup and configuration
- Steep learning curve for administrators
- High licensing and maintenance costs
Best For
Large enterprises with high email volumes and strict regulatory compliance requirements.
Pricing
Quote-based enterprise licensing, typically $15-30 per user/month or capacity-based (per TB), with perpetual licenses plus annual maintenance.
Barracuda Message Archiver
enterpriseHybrid email archiving solution with PST consolidation, fast search, and cost-effective compliance features.
Patented asynchronous indexing engine for near-instant search results in archives exceeding petabytes
Barracuda Message Archiver is a robust email archiving solution that captures, stores, and manages email data for compliance, e-discovery, and storage optimization. It supports on-premises appliances, virtual deployments, and cloud options, integrating seamlessly with Microsoft Exchange, Office 365, and other platforms. Key features include advanced indexing for rapid search, automated retention policies, and legal hold capabilities to meet regulations like GDPR, HIPAA, and SEC 17a-4.
Pros
- Lightning-fast search with patented indexing technology across massive archives
- Strong compliance tools including legal holds and defensible deletion
- Scalable deployment options with efficient deduplication and compression
Cons
- Higher upfront costs for appliances and capacity licensing
- Setup and management may require IT expertise
- Limited native support for non-Microsoft email systems
Best For
Mid-sized to large enterprises needing reliable email compliance, e-discovery, and long-term storage management.
Pricing
Capacity-based licensing starts at ~$5,000 for entry-level appliances; subscription tiers from $3-6 per user/month, plus annual maintenance.
Archive360
enterpriseAI-driven cloud-native platform for email and file archiving optimized for governance and preservation.
HyperStore cloud architecture offering infinite scalability, automatic tiering, and zero-cost data egress for searches and exports
Archive360 is a cloud-native email archiving solution specializing in compliant storage, search, and management of email data from Microsoft 365, Exchange, and other sources. It enables organizations to retain emails indefinitely while supporting rapid eDiscovery, auditing, and regulatory compliance like GDPR, HIPAA, and SEC rules. The platform features advanced indexing for contextual searches and defensible data management, reducing storage costs through deduplication and compression.
Pros
- Superior compliance and eDiscovery tools with legal hold capabilities
- Unlimited storage and searches with no egress fees
- Seamless integration with Microsoft 365 and native journaling support
Cons
- Pricing is quote-based and can be expensive for small businesses
- User interface has a learning curve for non-technical admins
- Limited native support for non-Microsoft email platforms like Gmail
Best For
Mid-to-large enterprises reliant on Microsoft 365 needing scalable, compliant email archiving for regulatory retention and litigation support.
Pricing
Custom quote-based pricing, typically $3-6 per user/month for email archiving with volume discounts; includes unlimited storage.
ZL Unified Archive
enterpriseAI-powered unified archiving for email, files, and collaboration data with intelligent indexing and search.
Context-Enabled Search that analyzes relationships, sentiments, and threads for precise eDiscovery and supervision
ZL Unified Archive is an enterprise-grade email archiving solution from ZL Technologies that captures, indexes, and stores vast volumes of email, IM, and collaboration data for compliance and eDiscovery purposes. It supports regulatory standards like SEC 17a-4, FINRA, and GDPR with features such as context-aware search, automated supervision, and petabyte-scale scalability. Ideal for organizations handling high email volumes, it unifies archiving across multiple platforms while ensuring defensible data management.
Pros
- Exceptional contextual search with relationship mapping across communications
- Robust compliance certifications and petabyte-scale storage
- Unified archiving for email, IM, social media, and collaboration tools
Cons
- High cost suitable only for large enterprises
- Steep learning curve for setup and advanced features
- User interface feels dated compared to modern SaaS alternatives
Best For
Large enterprises and regulated industries like finance needing scalable, compliance-focused email archiving.
Pricing
Custom enterprise pricing, typically starting at $50+ per user/month with volume discounts; requires sales quote.
MailStore Server
specializedUser-friendly email archiving software for SMBs supporting multiple email servers and platforms.
Universal Archiving Engine supporting over 80 email protocols and clients seamlessly
MailStore Server is an on-premises email archiving solution that enables businesses to centrally archive emails from Microsoft Exchange, Office 365, Gmail, and numerous other sources via IMAP/POP3 or direct integration. It provides lightning-fast full-text search, eDiscovery tools, legal holds, and compliance features to meet regulatory requirements. Users access archived emails through a web-based interface or Outlook integration, ensuring efficient retrieval and management.
Pros
- Supports archiving from virtually any email source without proprietary connectors
- Exceptionally fast full-text indexing and search capabilities
- Robust compliance tools including auditing, retention policies, and eDiscovery
Cons
- Requires on-premises Windows server deployment (no native cloud/SaaS option)
- Setup and configuration demand IT expertise
- Limited mobile access compared to cloud competitors
Best For
Small to medium-sized businesses and compliance-focused organizations seeking a secure, on-premises email archiving solution with powerful search.
Pricing
Perpetual licenses starting at ~€1,000 for 5 users, scaling by user tiers up to enterprise levels; includes 1 year of support with optional renewals.
ArcTitan Email Archive
enterpriseCloud email archiving service for Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace with unlimited storage and eDiscovery.
Unlimited email storage paired with sub-second search indexing for instant retrieval
ArcTitan Email Archive by TitanHQ is a cloud-based email archiving solution that automatically captures, stores, and indexes emails for compliance, eDiscovery, and long-term retention. It integrates seamlessly with Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace, offering unlimited storage and rapid full-text search capabilities. Designed for businesses of all sizes, it helps meet regulatory requirements like GDPR, HIPAA, and SOX while providing secure access controls and audit trails.
Pros
- Unlimited storage with no data caps
- Quick setup and deployment via journaling
- Competitive pricing with strong compliance support
Cons
- Search lacks advanced AI-powered analytics
- Fewer third-party integrations than top competitors
- User interface feels dated compared to modern alternatives
Best For
Small to medium-sized businesses needing cost-effective, reliable email archiving for basic compliance and retention needs.
Pricing
Starts at $1.99 per user per month (billed annually), with tiered discounts for higher volumes and custom enterprise plans.
Conclusion
The review of top email archival tools confirms that while each provides distinct value, Proofpoint Enterprise Archive leads as the top choice, boasting cloud-native architecture, AI-powered search, and comprehensive compliance features. Mimecast Archive and Smarsh, however, shine as strong alternatives—Mimecast for rapid eDiscovery and legal holds, and Smarsh for multi-channel support in regulated industries—ensuring diverse needs are met. The list also highlights a range of options, from scalable enterprise platforms to user-friendly SMB tools, reflecting the evolving landscape of email archiving.
Take the next step in securing and managing your email data: explore the leading solution, Proofpoint Enterprise Archive, to streamline your archiving processes and enhance governance.
Tools Reviewed
All tools were independently evaluated for this comparison
