In short
This Microsoft 365 backup comparison sets Acronis, Axcient x360Cloud, NinjaOne SaaS Backup, Redstor and Commvault against Microsoft's own Microsoft 365 Backup. All cover Exchange Online, OneDrive and SharePoint; they differ on Teams conversations, Entra ID, licensing unit, storage model and retention. There is no single best option, only the best fit for you.
Want an impartial recommendation?
Tell us about your users, systems and priorities and we will tell you which option fits, and why.
How to read this comparison
Every row below comes from the vendor's own website, documentation or the fact-checked product data we keep for our licensing site, checked in November 2026. We have not added ratings, rankings or test results, because we have no independent benchmark that would make them fair. Vendors change editions and features often, so we confirm the detail for your tenant when we quote.
Forever Systems supplies the first five platforms through one account. Microsoft 365 Backup is included because it is a genuine option, explained in Microsoft 365 Backup Storage, but it is billed by Microsoft through Azure rather than supplied by us. If you are new to the subject, start with why Microsoft 365 needs a backup at all in the Microsoft 365 shared responsibility model.
Microsoft 365 workloads covered
| Platform | Exchange Online | OneDrive | SharePoint | Teams | Entra ID |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acronis | User, shared and group mailboxes; optional archive mailboxes | Yes, optional OneNote | Yes | Teams, channels, channel files, team mailboxes, meetings, sites; channel conversations download only; private chats not backed up | Supported users, groups, Conditional Access policies and configuration |
| Axcient x360Cloud | Mail, calendars and contacts | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not listed |
| NinjaOne SaaS Backup | Inbox, sent items, folders, attachments, calendar and contacts | Yes | Site collections, libraries and lists | Team structure, channel messages and files | In the + Entra bundles |
| Redstor | Mailboxes, calendars and contacts | Yes | Sites, libraries, lists and metadata | Teams, channels, conversations, files and meeting recordings; Redstor's help centre lists private chat recovery as not supported | In the Restore and Comply bundles |
| Commvault | Including shared and group mailboxes and public folders; archive mailboxes in Enterprise editions | Yes | Yes | Yes | Separate Commvault Active Directory and Entra ID product |
| Microsoft 365 Backup | User and shared mailboxes only | Yes | Yes (most site templates) | No chats or channel messages | No (separate Microsoft feature) |
Redstor also lists OneNote, including Class and Staff Notebooks, which matters to schools. Our Microsoft 365 data backup hub explains each workload, and the Microsoft Teams backup page goes deeper on the differences in Teams coverage.
Still not sure which way to go? Ask us
Tell us what matters most to you and we will recommend one, with the trade-offs explained.
Licensing, storage and retention
| Platform | Licensing unit | Storage model | Retention |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acronis | Per seat, or per GB for Microsoft 365 Backup Storage | Unlimited Acronis Cloud storage on eligible per-seat plans, or Microsoft 365 Backup Storage | Flexible (by age, number of backups, or indefinitely) on Acronis Cloud; fixed one year on Microsoft 365 Backup Storage |
| Axcient x360Cloud | Per protected user | Axcient Cloud, pooled at a flat fee under Axcient's Fair Use Policy | Keeps data for departed and deactivated users |
| NinjaOne SaaS Backup | Per seat, in four bundles | NinjaOne's cloud, pooled under its fair use policy | Set by policy, up to unlimited |
| Redstor | Confirmed at quote | Redstor's cloud, in the storage region you choose, with UK sites among them | Unlimited |
| Commvault | Per user, by edition | Outside the tenant in a separate security domain, with a per-user storage allowance by edition; optional Microsoft 365 Backup Storage | Set by policy, with several policies possible at mailbox level |
| Microsoft 365 Backup | Pay-as-you-go per GiB, billed to Azure | Inside the Microsoft 365 data trust boundary | Recovery window of 3, 6, 12 or 24 months |
None of these figures is a price. How each model turns into a cost, and what pushes it up, is covered in Microsoft 365 backup pricing. Ask us for a quote for a like-for-like comparison.
What each platform highlights
| Platform | Notable features, as described by the vendor |
|---|---|
| Acronis | Microsoft 365 Backup Storage as a storage option; backups up to six times a day; AI-assisted anomaly detection described in Acronis's Protected 365 materials; optional immutable storage; search by sender, recipient, subject or date; part of Acronis Cyber Platform with security add-ons |
| Axcient x360Cloud | AirGap separates and delays deletion requests; SmartSearch full-text search across users, including email attachments; non-destructive restore; PST export; Axcient's SLA states one backup a day, with up to three attempted |
| NinjaOne SaaS Backup | Incremental backups several times a day; point-in-time and item-level restore; audit log; + Entra and + Archiver bundles; formerly Dropsuite, acquired by NinjaOne in June 2025 |
| Redstor | Every backup scanned for malware; InstantData streams files and mailboxes back while the full restore runs; OneNote including Class Notebooks; unlimited retention; no egress fees; now part of the CyberSentriq family |
| Commvault | Standard, Enterprise and Enterprise with Compliance editions; Premium Microsoft 365 Backup Storage integration for fast in-place restores; UK region listed in Commvault's documentation; one console with Entra ID, Salesforce and infrastructure backup; formerly sold as Metallic |
| Microsoft 365 Backup | 10-minute recovery point objective; fast large-scale in-place rollback; granular file and folder restore for OneDrive and SharePoint; append-only storage inside Microsoft 365; restores not charged, per Microsoft |
Weighing up the options?
We can compare them against your own requirements and give you a straight answer.
Which Microsoft 365 backup suits whom
There is no best Microsoft 365 backup in the abstract. Based on what each vendor says its product is built for, these are the situations where each one is worth a look:
- Small organisations wanting backup plus security in one console: Acronis, particularly if email security or awareness training is also on the list
- Organisations that want simple per-user backup with long-term search: Axcient x360Cloud, with pooled storage and SmartSearch
- Organisations that want backup, Entra ID and email archiving in one per-seat bundle: NinjaOne SaaS Backup
- Schools, trusts and organisations focused on clean ransomware recovery: Redstor, for OneNote Class Notebooks, malware-scanned backups and InstantData
- Larger or regulated organisations with a mixed estate: Commvault, for editions with eDiscovery, a UK region and one console across Microsoft 365, identity and infrastructure
- Organisations focused on fast in-place rollback and happy to keep backups inside Microsoft 365: Microsoft 365 Backup, on its own or with a third-party copy
These are starting points, not verdicts. The Microsoft 365 native backup vs third-party page explains the architectural choice in more depth.
Head-to-head comparisons
For two common shortlists we have written detailed pairwise comparisons, scoped to Microsoft 365 backup only:
- Acronis vs NinjaOne SaaS Backup: two per-seat services with different approaches to storage, Teams and Entra ID
- Commvault vs Acronis: an enterprise data protection platform against a backup-plus-security platform
Both pages end with a "which suits whom" section rather than a winner.
Questions to ask before you choose
Whatever is on your shortlist, these questions separate the options quickly:
- Which mailbox types do we have (shared, group, archive, public folders), and does the product cover each?
- What do we need from Teams: files only, channel messages, or private chats too?
- Do we need Entra ID backup, and is it included, a bundle or a separate product?
- Where will the backup be stored, and does that suit our UK GDPR and insurance position?
- How long must we keep leavers' data, and how is that licensed?
- Who can delete backups, and what protects against a compromised admin account?
- How do we restore one item, one mailbox and the whole tenant, and have we tested each?
Our Microsoft 365 backup compliance page covers the data location and UK GDPR questions in more detail.
How Forever Systems helps you compare
Because we supply all five third-party platforms on one account, we can compare them against your tenant rather than a brochure. We can review your users, shared mailboxes, Teams use, leavers and compliance needs, shortlist the platforms that fit and quote them side by side, then help set up the one you choose and test a restore with you. Contact us for a comparison based on your own tenant.
Head-to-head comparisons
How Forever Systems helps with Microsoft 365 backup
We are an independent UK IT and cyber security provider. We supply more than one Microsoft 365 backup product, so we can recommend what fits your tenant, your retention needs and your budget rather than one vendor's answer to everything.
- Review what you have: we look at your Microsoft 365 licences, retention policies and any existing backup before suggesting anything new
- Help you choose: we compare the backup products we supply against the workloads you need covered, such as Exchange Online, OneDrive, SharePoint, Teams and Entra ID
- Set-up and onboarding: we can help connect the backup service to your tenant and agree what is protected and how long copies are kept
- Restore testing: we can help you plan and run test restores so you know how recovery works before you need it
- Licensing in one place: backup licences alongside your Microsoft 365 subscriptions, with terms confirmed at quote
We work with businesses, schools, charities and public sector organisations. Contact us to talk it through.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Microsoft 365 backup solution?
It depends on what you need to protect and how you want to pay. All the platforms here cover Exchange Online, OneDrive and SharePoint; they differ on Teams conversations, Entra ID, retention, storage location and licensing. We recommend comparing them against your own requirements rather than a generic ranking.
Which Microsoft 365 backup covers Teams chats?
Coverage varies. Acronis backs up teams, channels and channel files but excludes private one-to-one and group chats, and channel conversations can be downloaded but not restored into Teams. Redstor and NinjaOne list channel conversations or messages, and Redstor's help centre lists private chat recovery as not supported. Microsoft 365 Backup does not cover Teams chats. Check private chat coverage with us before you buy.
Which Microsoft 365 backup includes Entra ID?
Acronis covers supported Entra ID data, NinjaOne SaaS Backup includes it in its + Entra bundles, Redstor in its Restore and Comply bundles, and Commvault through a separate Active Directory and Entra ID product. Microsoft 365 Backup does not; Microsoft has a separate Entra Backup and Recovery feature.
Which Microsoft 365 backup has unlimited retention?
Redstor lists unlimited retention. Acronis offers retention indefinitely while the service is active on Acronis Cloud storage, and NinjaOne lets you set retention by policy, up to unlimited. Microsoft 365 Backup has a recovery window of up to 24 months.
Can I store Microsoft 365 backups in the UK?
Commvault's documentation lists a UK region for Microsoft 365, Redstor lists UK sites among its storage regions and Microsoft 365 Backup follows your tenant's geography. For other platforms, and to confirm current UK availability, we check the storage location at quote.
How much does Microsoft 365 backup cost?
It depends on the platform, the number of users, data volume and options such as Entra ID or archiving. Most third-party platforms are per user; Microsoft 365 Backup is charged for each GiB of protected data. Ask us for a quote.
Still deciding?
Ask us and a member of our team will reply by email with a straight answer.
More Microsoft 365 backup guides
AcronisAgentless backup in Acronis Cyber Platform, per seat or per GB.
Axcient x360CloudCloud-to-cloud backup with SmartSearch, AirGap and pooled storage.
NinjaOne SaaS BackupThe former Dropsuite platform: per-seat bundles with Entra ID and archiving options.
RedstorInstantData recovery, malware-scanned backups and OneNote cover, now part of CyberSentriq.
CommvaultCommvault Cloud Backup & Recovery for Microsoft 365, formerly Metallic: three editions.
Microsoft 365 BackupMicrosoft's own backup for OneDrive, SharePoint and Exchange, explained.