The best email archiving solution for most Microsoft 365 teams is Exchange Online Archiving at $3.00 per user per month, because it sits inside Outlook and keeps the archive close to the mailbox. Google Workspace teams that need retention and eDiscovery should look at Business Plus, which includes Vault at $22 per user per month on a one year commitment. Small teams that want a one off licence should look at MailStore Server, which starts at $259 for five users, while cloud buyers can start near $2.50 to $2.80 per user per month with Jatheon Cloud and ArcTitan.
We compared 9 options for best email archiving solution. Each profile below lists the price, free plan, pros and cons as published by the company.
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Best email archiving solution: comparison table
Swipe the table sideways on a phone to see every column.
| # | Name | Best for | Starting price | Free plan / trial | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Exchange Online Archiving | Microsoft 365 and Exchange teams | $3.00 per user per month | No | Visit |
| 2 | Google Vault | Google Workspace teams that need retention and eDiscovery | $22 per user per month | No | Visit |
| 3 | MailStore Server | Small and midsize teams that want an on premises archive | $259 one off for 5 users | Free trial (30 days) | Visit |
| 4 | Jatheon Cloud | Small and midsize teams that want simple cloud archiving | $2.50 per user per month | Free trial (30 days) | Visit |
| 5 | ArcTitan | Cloud archiving with fast search and no search limits | $2.80 per user per month | No | Visit |
| 6 | Barracuda Cloud Archiving Service | Teams that already use Barracuda email protection | quote only | Free trial | Visit |
| 7 | Mimecast Cloud Archive | Enterprise teams that want archive, security and continuity in one contract | quote only | No | Visit |
| 8 | Proofpoint Enterprise Archive | Regulated enterprises with complex eDiscovery needs | quote only | No | Visit |
| 9 | Smarsh Enterprise Archive | Financial services and other regulated teams with many channels | quote only | No | Visit |
The 9 best best email archiving solutions, in detail
Exchange Online Archiving
Best for: Microsoft 365 and Exchange teams
Exchange Online Archiving is the most direct choice when mail already lives in Microsoft 365 or Exchange Server. The Microsoft page opened on 12 November 2026 lists the add on at $3.00 per user per month on an annual subscription, and it is compatible with Exchange Server 2019, 2016, 2013 and 2010. Users reach archived mail from Outlook without learning a separate archive client.
- The archive gives each subscriber 50 GB at the start, with automatic addition of storage for select plans.
- Retention policies and eDiscovery help teams find and manage data, and IT phone support is available 24 hours a day.
- The main limit is scope, as this is an archive add on, not a full compliance suite.
Pros
- Works inside Outlook and Outlook on the web
- In-Place Archive and In-Place Hold are included
- 99.9 percent uptime service level agreement from Microsoft
Cons
- Archive storage starts at 50 GB per subscriber, so large mailboxes may need a higher plan for automatic expansion
Google Vault
Best for: Google Workspace teams that need retention and eDiscovery
Google Vault is a retention and eDiscovery tool for Google Workspace, not a standalone email product. The pricing page lists Business Plus at $22 per user per month on a one year commitment, and that plan lists Vault to retain, archive and search data. Business Starter and Business Standard do not list Vault.
- Business Plus also includes 5 TB of pooled storage per user.
- Vault lets an admin set retention rules, place holds and run searches across Gmail and Drive data, then export results.
- Business plans have a maximum of 300 users, and Vault is built for retention and eDiscovery rather than mailbox backup.
- Archived User licences for former staff are a separate cost.
Pros
- Vault is included in Business Plus
- retention, legal hold, search and export cover Gmail and Drive
- 5 TB pooled storage per user in Business Plus
Cons
- Vault is not included in Business Starter or Business Standard, so teams must move to Business Plus to get it
MailStore Server
Best for: Small and midsize teams that want an on premises archive
MailStore Server is an on premises email archiving product for small and midsize businesses. The MailStore page opened on 12 November 2026 lists a one off payment starting at $259.00, and a free 30 day trial is available. Version 26.4 runs on Windows 10 or later, and it creates 1 to 1 copies of email in a central archive for compliance, data loss protection and removal of PST files.
- Supported systems include Exchange Server, Microsoft 365, Google Workspace and any IMAP or POP3 server, plus PST and EML files.
- Users can search in Outlook or MailStore Web Access and restore mail with one click.
- MailStore uses AES256 encryption and SHA hashes.
- The trade off is ownership, as the buyer runs the server and plans storage.
Pros
- One off licence with no monthly archive fee
- fast full text search for email and attachments
- supports Microsoft 365, Exchange, Google Workspace, IMAP and POP3
Cons
- Runs on Windows only, so the buyer must provide and maintain the server
Jatheon Cloud
Best for: Small and midsize teams that want simple cloud archiving
Jatheon Cloud is a cloud email archiving service with a simple per mailbox fee. Listings put the Small and Midsize plan at $2.50 per user per month for a one year plan, with $2.40 for two years, $2.30 for three years and $2.10 for four years, all billed annually. A 30 day free trial is available, and the archive covers Microsoft 365, Exchange, Gmail and other common mail systems.
- Jatheon states that it charges nothing for inactive mailboxes, which can change the total cost for teams with regular staff turnover.
- Jatheon also archives chat, social media, mobile messages and website records in one archive.
- The Enterprise plan for 250 or more users is by quote, and on premises hardware is built to order.
Pros
- Low starting price with discounts for longer terms
- no charge for inactive mailboxes
- cloud and on premises options from the same vendor
Cons
- Enterprise pricing for 250 or more users is by quote, so large teams cannot budget from a list price
ArcTitan
Best for: Cloud archiving with fast search and no search limits
ArcTitan is the cloud email archiving product from TitanHQ. The TitanHQ page opened on 12 November 2026 lists ArcTitan at $2.80 per user per month or $33.60 per user per year. The same page states that ArcTitan has no limits on email storage and no search limits, with a 50,000 item export limit that can be exceeded through support.
- Technical support is included in the licence price.
- ArcTitan archives inbound and outbound mail with attachments, folders, calendar entries and contacts, and it provides an Outlook add in.
- It uses AES 256 bit encryption at rest and TLS in transit, with audit trails and antivirus scanning.
- Licences are sold in blocks of 25, so a team of 10 users still buys 25 seats, and no free plan is listed.
Pros
- No limits on email storage or search
- support is included in the licence price
- fast search and retrieval from Microsoft 365
Cons
- Licences are sold in blocks of 25, so very small teams must buy more seats than they need
Barracuda Cloud Archiving Service
Best for: Teams that already use Barracuda email protection
Barracuda Cloud Archiving Service is a cloud based archive for compliance and eDiscovery. The Barracuda site does not publish a list price, so the starting price in this article is quote only. A free trial is listed in product directories.
- The service stores mail in the Barracuda Cloud with no customer hardware required, and it integrates with Office 365, Exchange and other email service
- The archive covers email, attachments, calendar items, tasks and instant messages, and it can help remove PST files.
- Retention policies, legal hold and a full audit trail are included, with AES 256 bit encryption and role based access control.
- TitanHQ lists a separate Premium Support package at $2,880 per year, so support can add a material cost.
Pros
- Cloud archive with no customer hardware or software to run
- integrates with Office 365, Exchange and other mail services
- legal hold and audit trail are included
Cons
- No public list price on the Barracuda site, so budgeting needs a quote
- premium support is a separate purchase
Mimecast Cloud Archive
Best for: Enterprise teams that want archive, security and continuity in one contract
Mimecast Cloud Archive is an enterprise archive from Mimecast. The Mimecast product page opened on 12 November 2026 does not publish a price, so the starting price in this article is quote only. Mimecast describes the archive as a secure and scalable system to store, manage and retrieve email, with retention policies, legal hold, search and export, for compliance, legal preparedness and eDiscovery.
- The archive fits best when a team already uses Mimecast for email security, as one vendor can cover gateway filtering, archiving and continuity.
- In a mail outage, users can still reach archived mail from any location.
- Buyers must request a quote, and the final price depends on user count, modules and contract term.
Pros
- Cloud archive with retention, legal hold, search and export
- fits with Mimecast email security and continuity
- access from any location after a mail outage
Cons
- No public list price, and archiving is often sold as part of a wider Mimecast bundle
Proofpoint Enterprise Archive
Best for: Regulated enterprises with complex eDiscovery needs
Proofpoint Enterprise Archive, now shown as Proofpoint Archive, is a cloud native archive for business communications. The Proofpoint product page opened on 12 November 2026 does not publish a price, so the starting price in this article is quote only. Proofpoint describes a central repository for email and other channels, built on AWS, with secure storage, fast search, legal hold, export and audit trails.
- Proofpoint lists TLS 1.3 encryption in transit, AES 256 at rest, key management and role based access controls, with immutable retention and support f
- Public REST APIs are available for automation and reporting.
- Discover, Supervision and Automate each require the base Archive product, so the total cost can rise above the first quote.
Pros
- Cloud native archive on AWS with fast enterprise search
- TLS 1.3 in transit and AES 256 at rest
- Discover, Supervision and Automate add ons extend the base archive
Cons
- No public price, and advanced eDiscovery and supervision are add ons that require the base Archive product
Smarsh Enterprise Archive
Best for: Financial services and other regulated teams with many channels
Smarsh Enterprise Archive is part of the Smarsh platform for digital communications governance. The Smarsh site does not publish a list price, so the starting price in this article is quote only. Smarsh states that its platform captures communications across more than 100 channels, including email, mobile messaging, social platforms, collaboration tools, video and voice.
- Enterprise Archive provides immutable WORM retention, unified search, legal holds, export and eDiscovery.
- Capture, Archive, Conduct and Discovery are the main parts of the platform.
- Pricing is set in an order form and can include platform, content, implementation and services fees, so buyers should ask for a full written quote.
Pros
- Captures email plus mobile, social, voice, video and collaboration channels
- immutable WORM retention and legal hold
- unified search across channels
Cons
- Quote only pricing with platform and implementation fees, so small teams may find the cost and setup heavy
How we chose
We opened the vendor pricing and product pages listed in Sources on 12 November 2026 and used only the prices shown on those pages. Where a vendor did not publish a price, we wrote quote only instead of copying a third party estimate. We favoured products with a clear archive purpose, a real official homepage, retention and legal hold features, search and export, and a stated deployment model. We did not claim hands on testing. Prices change, so readers should confirm the current price on the vendor page before they buy.
Choosing by team size and budget
| Team size | Budget signal | Best starting point | | 1 to 25 users | $259 one off, or about $70 to $75 per month for 25 cloud seats at $2.80 to $3.00 per user | MailStore Server, ArcTitan, Exchange Online Archiving | | 26 to 100 users | About $250 to $280 per month for 100 cloud seats at $2.50 to $2.80 per user | Jatheon Cloud, ArcTitan, Exchange Online Archiving | | 101 to 300 users | About $2,200 per month for 100 Google Workspace Business Plus seats at $22 per user, or about $300 per month for 100 Exchange archive seats at $3.00 per user | Google Vault for Gmail teams, Exchange Online Archiving for Microsoft teams | | Over 300 users, regulated | Quote only, with platform and support fees to confirm in writing | Proofpoint Archive, Smarsh, Mimecast Cloud Archive, Barracuda |
Frequently asked questions
What is the best email archiving solution for a small business?
For a small business, the best email archiving solution is usually the one that matches the mail system already in use. Microsoft teams can add Exchange Online Archiving at $3.00 per user per month, Google teams can use Vault in Business Plus, and small teams that want a one off licence can use MailStore Server from $259 for five users.
How much does email archiving cost per user?
Cloud email archiving in this article starts at $2.50 per user per month with Jatheon Cloud and $2.80 with ArcTitan, while Exchange Online Archiving starts at $3.00 per user per month. Google Vault is included in Business Plus at $22 per user per month. Enterprise archives from Proofpoint, Mimecast, Smarsh and Barracuda are quote only.
Is Google Vault a full email archiving solution?
Google Vault is a retention and eDiscovery tool for Google Workspace, and it works well for Gmail teams that need legal hold, retention rules and export. It is not a mailbox backup tool, and it is only included in Business Plus and Enterprise plans. Teams that need a standalone archive with no Workspace plan change should compare a dedicated archive product.
Do I need email archiving if I already have Microsoft 365?
Microsoft 365 includes a basic archive mailbox on many plans, with 50 GB at the start on Plan 1 and more on higher plans. The standalone Exchange Online Archiving add on at $3.00 per user per month adds a dedicated archive mailbox for users who need it. Teams with strict retention, legal hold or eDiscovery duties should check whether their current plan meets those duties.
Can I export mail from an email archive when I leave a vendor?
Most archives in this article support export, but the limits and costs differ. ArcTitan lists a 50,000 item export limit that can be exceeded through support, while other vendors may charge for export or set a different limit. Ask for the export process, the file format and any fee in writing before you sign a contract.
What is the difference between email archiving and email backup?
Email archiving keeps a searchable, tamper resistant record for retention, compliance and eDiscovery, with legal hold and audit trails. Email backup is designed to restore mail after loss or damage. An archive can help with recovery, but it is not a substitute for a backup plan that covers the full mailbox and its settings.
Sources
- https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/exchange/microsoft-exchange-online-archiving-email
- https://workspace.google.com/
- https://workspace.google.com/pricing.html
- https://www.mailstore.com/
- https://www.mailstore.com/en/products/lp-try-mailstore-server-for-free/
- https://jatheon.com/
- https://www.titanhq.com/email-archiving/
- https://www.titanhq.com/email-archiving/alternatives-barracuda-cloud-archiving-service/
- https://www.barracuda.com/
- https://www.mimecast.com/products/email-archive/
- https://www.proofpoint.com/us/products/archiving-and-compliance/enterprise-archive
- https://www.smarsh.com/
Prices and features were read on each company’s own website in November 2026. They change often, so confirm the current offer on the official site before you sign up or buy.