Best Microsoft 365 backup software compared: What really protects your data

In today's interconnected world, using cloud services has become more common. Microsoft 365 has become the backbone of digital productivity for millions of individuals and businesses. But here's a critical question: Are you truly protecting your most valuable digital assets? 

Microsoft 365 backup software automatically copies and protects your Microsoft 365 data — including email, OneDrive, SharePoint, Teams, and Exchange Online — so you can recover files after accidental deletion, ransomware, or sync errors. Unlike Microsoft’s built-in features, dedicated backup tools preserve historical versions indefinitely and support granular restores.

For individuals and businesses of all sizes, it offers a flexible, subscription-based model that ensures access to the latest features and updates, while enabling work from anywhere with an internet connection.

• Email (Outlook).
• Document creation (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Cloud storage (OneDrive).
• Collaboration tools (Teams).
• SharePoint.
• Exchange Online.

These services collectively store an organizations' data and individuals' data, making their protection essential for business continuity and compliance or personal email safety.

While Microsoft 365 is cloud-based, relying solely on on premises backup solutions is insufficient. Complete protection requires dedicated cloud backup to ensure all data, configurations, and metadata are fully safeguarded.

Key statistics 

• Over one million companies use Microsoft 365.

• More than 300 million commercial Office 365 users globally.

Microsoft 365 does not guarantee long-term data retention or recovery from user error or ransomware. Backup software fills these gaps by creating separate copies of your data that you control, allowing full restores even after permanent delete or cloud outages.

Think your Microsoft 365 data is automatically protected? You might be surprised. Yes, it has robust features, but things can happen, and additional protection is nonnegotiable in today’s digital landscape. Microsoft’s primary focus is on infrastructure availability and service uptime, not comprehensive data backup and recovery. Microsoft’s native tools do not automatically create backups, so users must proactively create backups to ensure data safety.

Data loss can happen through various scenarios, from accidental deletions to ransomware attacks. Having immutable backup copies is crucial for recovering data in these situations and protecting against malicious activity.

Third-party backup solutions provide full control over backup and recovery processes, which is essential for meeting regulatory compliance and regulatory compliance requirements.

• Users accidentally delete critical emails or documents.
• Microsoft’s recycle bin has limited recovery time.
• Permanent deletion occurs after 93 days. Microsoft 365 has limited retention windows (30-93 days) for deleted items, after which data is permanently deleted and cannot be recovered.

• Cloud environments are not immune to cyberthreats.
• Malicious actors can encrypt or destroy cloud data.
• In the event of a ransomware attack, having isolated, immutable backups is crucial to restore clean data without paying a ransom.
• Native protections have significant limitations.

• Unintentional data overwrites.

• Sync errors.

• Misconfigured sharing settings.

Not all backup solutions are created equal or the same. In the complex world of data protection, certain features can make the difference between a minor hiccup and a major disaster. For Microsoft 365 backup software, it is essential to ensure complete protection—this means safeguarding all data types, configurations, and metadata across services like Exchange, SharePoint, OneDrive, and Teams, to prevent data loss or tampering. Here’s your comprehensive guide to the must-have features that ensure your personal data remains secure and recoverable.

• Backup for Microsoft 365 applications.
• Support for Exchange, SharePoint, OneDrive, Teams, and public folders.
• Comprehensive data capture, including Microsoft Teams data such as messages, files, metadata, and configuration settings, to ensure complete protection and recovery.
• Top backup solutions for Microsoft 365 prioritize protecting Exchange, OneDrive, SharePoint, and Teams data.

• Ability to restore individual items.

• Folder-level and item-level restoration.

• Flexible recovery mechanisms.

• Scheduled, automatic backups.

• Incremental backup technology.

• Minimal disruption to workflow. 

• End-to-end encryption.
• Multifactor authentication.
• Compliance with industry standards.
• Data center-based backup software for enhanced security and regulatory compliance.

• Multiple backup storage options.

• Customizable retention policies.

• Unlimited or high-capacity storage.

Several reliable Microsoft 365 backup software options are available depending on your needs. Solutions vary in features, storage limits, and advanced security, so comparing their capabilities helps you choose one that balances protection, usability, and cost.

With numerous backup solutions on the market, choosing the right one can feel overwhelming. Some vendors may also offer additional discounts or incentives as part of their Microsoft 365 backup solution packages. We’ll cut through the noise and examine the leading contenders, comparing their strengths, limitations and unique offerings to help you make an informed decision.

• Integrated cybersecurity

• Advanced ransomware protection 

• Comprehensive Microsoft 365 backup 

• Cross-platform support 

• Great for home usage 

• Up to 5TB cloud storage 

• Backup only 

• Bring your own storage, locally or in the cloud 

• Limited to 10 users, 10 teams and 1TB of SharePoint data   

• Automated backups 

• Data retention 

• Backup only 

• File transfer protocol with P2P data transfers 

• Cross-platform support   

Microsoft 365 backup software typically performs cloud-to-cloud backups, storing a separate copy of your data on secure infrastructure. It uses incremental backups to reduce storage use, schedules backups automatically, and lets you restore individual items or entire accounts quickly, helping maintain continuity with minimal disruption.

Understanding the mechanics behind Microsoft 365 backup isn't just for IT professionals. As a normal or power user, you should be able to know what it is. Below we explain in clear terms how the different backup elements protect your data — from initial backup to successful restoration. 

• Direct backup from Microsoft 365 to secure cloud storage 

• Minimal local infrastructure requirements 

• Scalable and flexible 

• Only new or modified data gets backed up 

• Reduces storage requirements 

• Minimizes backup time and resources 

• Customizable backup frequencies 

• Automatic background processing 

• Zero interruption to daily operations 

Successfully implementing a Microsoft 365 backup solution requires a strategic approach to data protection. Start by selecting a comprehensive data protection solution that not only backs up your Microsoft 365 data but also integrates disaster recovery and cybersecurity features to defend against data breaches and malware attacks. It’s crucial to define retention policies that align with your organization’s compliance requirements and business needs, ensuring that backup data is available for the necessary retention period.

Look for backup solutions that offer flexible recovery options, such as granular restore and point-in-time recovery, so you can quickly recover individual files, emails, or entire mailboxes as needed. Advanced search capabilities and role-based access control are also important, enabling authorized users to locate and restore data efficiently while maintaining security. Ongoing maintenance, including regular updates and monitoring, ensures your backup solution remains effective and secure. By prioritizing these key features, organizations can implement a Microsoft 365 backup strategy that delivers fast restore speeds, robust data protection, and peace of mind.

While Microsoft 365's built-in features offer basic protection, dedicated backup solutions provide a robust safety net that can save and protect much more. Discover how specialized backup software delivers peace of mind through comprehensive data protection, compliance support and business continuity.  

• Integrated protection, backup and cybersecurity 

• Own your personal data   

• Recovery capabilities 

• Enhanced security layers 

• Reduced risk of data loss 

• Email preservation 

• Document library protection 

• Site collection preservation 

• Metadata and permissions retention 

• Personal cloud storage protection 

• Version history preservation 

• Comprehensive file recovery 

• Chat history protection 

• Channel conversations preservation 

• File sharing and collaboration data 

In an era where cyberthreats continue to evolve and data breaches make headlines, security must be at the forefront of any backup strategy. This is also the case if you are using Microsoft 365.   

• End-to-end encryption 

• Multifactor authentication 

• Compliance with GDPR, HIPAA, etc. 

• Advanced threat protection 

• Verify your backups 

• Test restoration process 

• Use granular recovery options 

• Maintain detailed logs, if needed 

• AI-powered threat detection 

• Blockchain verification 

• Enhanced compliance tools 

• Integrated cybersecurity   

Investing in robust Microsoft 365 backup software isn't an option — it's a critical necessity to keep your personal files protected. Comprehensive backup protects against data loss, ensures you always have a second copy in case you need it and provides peace of mind. 

Final recommendation and takeaways 

• Dedicated backup is essential. 

• Choose comprehensive, secure solutions. 

• Regularly test and verify your created backups. 

Protect your digital files and saved work on Microsoft 365 with a comprehensive backup solution. Explore Acronis True Image for industry-leading Microsoft 365 backup and security. 

Restoring Microsoft 365 data from backup typically involves selecting the data, choosing the restore point, and executing the restore. A good backup tool lets you restore individual items like emails or files or perform full account restores with minimal disruption.

• Item-level recovery.
• Full account restores.
• Version history retrieval.

Security must be a priority with Microsoft 365 backups. Look for encryption, multifactor authentication, compliance with GDPR or HIPAA, and protection against unauthorized access. Secure backups prevent data theft, tampering, and ensure regulatory compliance across your environment.

• Protects data from unauthorized access.
• Meets regulatory requirements.

To choose the right tool, consider your data volume, platform coverage needs, restore speed, storage options, security requirements, and budget. Testing trial versions and evaluating their interface and support can help you determine which application meets your personal or business requirements.