Microsoft 365 backup tools compared: workloads, storage regions and restore options
How we compared: we list only what each vendor documents on its own website or documentation, checked on 4 November 2026. Check vendor means we could not find it documented. We do not compare prices.
How we compared: we list only what each vendor documents on its own website or documentation, checked on 4 November 2026. Check vendor means we could not find it documented. We do not compare prices. Check each vendor's current pricing before you buy.
Storage region matters if your policies, contracts or regulator require backups to stay in a particular country. The Storage regions column lists what each vendor documents; where we only checked for Australian storage, other regions are marked Check vendor. Ask the vendor to confirm the region in writing when you sign up.
Features side by side
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| Product | Workloads covered | Storage regions | Restore granularity | Delivery |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft 365 BackupTenants that want backup inside the Microsoft 365 boundary | Exchange, OneDrive, SharePoint | Data stays in your tenant's existing data residency geography | Point-in-time rollback of OneDrive accounts and SharePoint sites; full mailbox or granular item restores | Built into Microsoft 365 |
| Veeam Backup for Microsoft 365IT teams already using Veeam that want to control where backups live | Exchange, SharePoint, OneDrive, Teams; also on-premises Exchange and SharePoint | Check vendor | Check vendor | Software you run; Veeam Data Cloud SaaS also offered |
| AvePoint Cloud BackupTenants that also need Power Platform and Teams chat backed up | Exchange, OneDrive, SharePoint, Groups, Teams and Teams chat, public folders, Viva Engage, Power BI, Power Automate, Power Apps, Copilot Studio agents | Includes Google Cloud Australia Southeast (Sydney); other regions: Check vendor | Check vendor | SaaS |
| Dropsuite (NinjaOne SaaS Backup)Managed service providers protecting many small tenants | Exchange, OneDrive, SharePoint, Teams | Several data centres, including Australia; full list: Check vendor | Point-in-time and item-level restores | SaaS |
| Acronis Microsoft 365 backupService providers who already use Acronis for endpoint and server backup | Exchange, OneDrive, SharePoint, Teams | Includes a Sydney data centre; other regions: Check vendor | Granular restores of emails, files, sites, contacts and attachments | Cloud-to-cloud, mainly through service providers |
| AfiTenants that want Entra ID and Teams chats in the same backup | Exchange, OneDrive, SharePoint, Groups and Teams, Team chats, Entra ID, Power Platform, Copilot | Includes an Australia storage region; other regions: Check vendor | Full and granular restores from point-in-time snapshots | SaaS |
| KeepitOrganisations that want a vendor-run SaaS backup | Exchange, OneDrive, SharePoint, Teams and Groups including Planner; Entra ID and Power Platform as separate services | Includes a Sydney data centre; other regions: Check vendor | Item-level and point-in-time restores; PST download for mailboxes | SaaS |
Features as documented by each vendor, checked 4 Nov 2026. Prices change often, so check each vendor's current pricing.
Which one fits
Keeps backups inside the Microsoft 365 boundary and in your existing data residency geography.
Covers Teams chat and Power Platform alongside mail and files.
Covers Entra ID and Teams chats in the same backup as mail and files.
Runs as software you manage, with a SaaS option.
How to choose
Decide what you must protect. Microsoft 365 Backup documents Exchange, OneDrive and SharePoint. If you need Teams chats, Entra ID or Power Platform, check the third-party tools that list them.
Confirm the storage region. Check that the vendor offers storage in the country you need. For example, AvePoint, Dropsuite, Acronis, Afi and Keepit document Australian storage. Confirm the region applies to your product and tenant before you sign.
Test a restore. Restore a mailbox item, a file and a whole site during the trial. The Essential Eight guide explains why backup restores must be tested.
Frequently asked questions
Does Microsoft back up Microsoft 365 for me?
Microsoft offers Microsoft 365 Backup as a separate product for Exchange, OneDrive and SharePoint. Retention policies and the recycle bin are not a substitute for a tested backup.
Which Microsoft 365 backup tools store data in Australia?
AvePoint (Sydney), Dropsuite (Australia), Acronis (Sydney), Afi (Australia) and Keepit (Sydney) document Australian storage. Microsoft 365 Backup keeps data in your existing data residency geography.
Do these tools back up Teams chats?
AvePoint and Afi document Teams chat backup. Keepit documents Teams conversations and channel posts. Check the others with the vendor.
Do backups help with the Essential Eight?
Yes. Regular backups is one of the eight strategies, and Microsoft maps it to Microsoft 365 Backup, Azure Backup and Microsoft 365 retention.
Why are there no prices here?
Backup pricing depends on users, storage and term, and it changes. Check each vendor's current pricing.