Reference
Choosing a Google Workspace backup tool
The best Google Workspace backup tool for an organisation is the one whose restore path matches its worst realistic failure, judged on 4 criteria: restore granularity, retention independent of the tenant, export format you can read without the vendor, and cost per seat at your actual data volume.
| Restore granularity | Single message and single file, not whole-account only |
|---|---|
| Independence | Copy held outside the tenant, so tenant loss is survivable |
| Export format | Open formats you can open without the vendor's console |
| Retention | Defined in years, and not reset when the account is deleted |
| Coverage | Gmail, Drive, shared drives, Calendar and Contacts, checked individually |
| Restore test | Vendor supports a rehearsed restore, not only a documented one |
Vault is retention, not backup
Vault holds and searches data under a retention rule and exports it for legal purposes. It does not restore a deleted shared drive back into place, and it does not survive the loss of the tenant it lives in. Those two gaps are the reason a separate backup exists.
Where Vault genuinely helps is in evidence and eDiscovery. Treat it as a legal control and buy a backup separately rather than arguing the two overlap.
Price the restore, not the storage
Vendors compete on per-seat storage price, but the number that matters during an incident is how long a full restore of your largest shared drive takes and whether permissions come back with it. Ask for both in writing before signing.
A rehearsed restore once a year is worth more than any feature comparison. Organisations discover their backup does not restore sharing permissions during the incident, which is the worst possible moment.
What we see that others don't say
The backup gap we find most often is shared drives excluded from the backup scope because the tool was configured per user, so team content was never covered at all.
What this doesn't cover
- We are not a backup vendor and do not resell backup products; this page describes selection criteria, not a ranked product list.
- Retention obligations vary by sector and jurisdiction; confirm your required retention period before comparing tools.
Want this done for you?
Three fields. We come back with whether this is a 20-minute fix or a project, and what it costs.
Prefer to talk? Call +44 20 7183 3436 (Mon–Fri 08:00–18:00 GMT), or message WhatsApp +44 7403 423563.
Questions we get asked
- Does Google Workspace back up my data already?
- Google protects against infrastructure failure, not against your own deletions, a compromised account or a departed admin. Deleted items are recoverable for a limited window only, which is why an independent backup copy exists.
- Is Google Vault a backup?
- No. Vault retains and exports data for legal and compliance purposes. It cannot restore a shared drive or a mailbox back into working order, and it lives inside the same tenant it is protecting.
How this page is verified
Reviewed by Workspace Migration Services security desk, Workspace security and compliance reviewers. Last checked .
- Vault scope and deletion windows verified against Google's Vault documentation at the review date.
- Coverage gaps drawn from backup configuration reviews we have carried out.
Sources you can check
Related pages
Not sure what your backup actually covers?
We map every data type in the tenant against what your current tool captures and restores, then state the gaps and the cost of closing them.