Google Vault vs Smarsh Enterprise Platform comparison

Why PeerSpot?

Google and Smarsh are both solutions in the eDiscovery category. Google is ranked #3 with an average rating of 8.5, while Smarsh is ranked #7 with an average rating of 9.0. Google holds a 4.6% mindshare in eD, compared to Smarsh’s 4.2% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of Google users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Smarsh users who would recommend it.

Google Vault

Read 13 Google Vault reviews

3,568 Views
2,319 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Smarsh Enterprise Platform

Read 1 Smarsh Enterprise Platform review

1,365 Views
1,365 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Google Vault

Smarsh Enterprise Platform

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Download the report

Executive SummaryUpdated on Jan 18, 2026

Smarsh Enterprise Platform and Google Vault compete in the data archiving and compliance category. With Smarsh gaining user favor for affordability and support, Google Vault stands strong with its integration advantages appealing to Google ecosystem users.

Features: Smarsh Enterprise Platform offers comprehensive data governance, supports multiple communication channels, and caters to diverse needs. Google Vault provides seamless integration with Google's service suite, ensures consistent data retention, and e-discovery capabilities.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Smarsh Enterprise Platform is appreciated for straightforward deployment and an attentive support team, facilitating quick setup. Google Vault naturally deploys within Google Workspace but may not offer personalized support, emphasizing system efficiency over individual attention.

Pricing and ROI: Smarsh provides competitive pricing and fast ROI through customizable solutions, beneficial for businesses seeking flexibility. Google Vault offers cost efficiency by bundling services within Google Workspace, with ROI tied to broader Google investments, resulting in long-term integration benefits.

To learn more, read our detailed eDiscovery Report (Updated: October 2026).

Buyer's Guide

eDiscovery

October 2026

Download the complete report

Helped 921,523 peers since 2012

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

Google Vault

Ranking in eDiscovery

3rd

Average Rating

8.8

Reviews Sentiment

6.6

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Email Archiving (5th)

Smarsh Enterprise Platform

Ranking in eDiscovery

7th

Average Rating

9.0

Reviews Sentiment

6.8

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of November 2026, in the eDiscovery category, the mindshare of Google Vault is 4.6%, down from 7.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Smarsh Enterprise Platform is 4.2%, up from 4.0% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

eDiscovery Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Google Vault	4.6%
Smarsh Enterprise Platform	4.2%
Other	91.2%

eDiscovery

Featured Reviews

Rahul Gill

GWS/M365 Consultant at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees

Has supported data retention and export tasks while leaving room for greater automation and feature expansion

If we can have more APIs open for Google Vault, that would be great, and instead of doing it manually, it would be better to do it programmatically. I think there is an API available with Google Vault, though I'm not certain about it. I have never used Vault programmatically, but if APIs exist, then it's beneficial, and if there aren't any, we should have the capability for programmers to create some sort of scripting so they can fetch the data. I assess the export feature in Google Vault in terms of ease and efficiency as quite efficient because most of the data we want to see is available in MBOX and PST formats. If possible, I would want to see Google Vault support additional formats such as iCal, iCad, or CardDAV, which are for iPhone users.

Read full review

reviewer2902509

Managing Director at a hospitality company with 11-50 employees

Compliance monitoring has created a trustworthy, well-documented record of all team communications

I think Smarsh Enterprise Platform's WhatsApp capture solution still needs improvement; a big part of that is due to Meta's platform that puts many restrictions, but it is not as simple to set up and start using as the other tools. I understand this is something that Smarsh is pursuing to improve, and it is evolving over time. The issue is to develop something that the user finds frictionless; most tools are totally frictionless, and for example, the Teams solution is amazing because when they operate it, they see no difference at all before and after implementing the tool. It is fantastic and state of the art, but WhatsApp, unfortunately, is not the same experience due to Meta's restrictions.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"Google Vault retains all deleted data from the previous four years, acting as backup security so this vital information can be made available to anyone who needs it."

"I think the most valuable features are Gmail and Drive, and the solution is also very helpful with Google Chat messages because sometimes you might be missing some information and you can search for it in Google Vault, a very helpful feature for our customers."

"The most valuable features are automatic document and email retention."

"Google Vault is a solution we can use for the data export of end-users."

"Google Vault acts as a great method for retrieving files from Google Drive and Gmail."

"The most valuable feature of Google Vault is its reliability."

"In my opinion, the search functionality is the best feature. With Google Vault, we can quickly search for any email within Gmail accounts. And then we can get further information, such as if you want the full header or want to know any extra details about the emails."

"What I appreciate about Google Vault is that one of the best features is the ability to use retention policies; it covers mail, chat groups, calendars, sites, Drive, and Google Voice, and the data will remain in Google Vault even if it gets deleted by the user accidentally or intentionally."

More Google Vault pros

"In my opinion, the best features Smarsh Enterprise Platform offers are how really easy it is to set up and very fast to start using, along with being trustworthy."

Cons

"For us, customer service has been a bit lacking, probably with a rating of a five out of ten."

"eDiscovery could be improved with additional information and an easier way to retain it."

"Compared to Microsoft, they have more features in terms of compliance and retention policies."

"Google Vault lacks speed."

"One thing I've noticed is that it splits the data files into multiple parts, like the PFT files. For example, when there is a large data size of any account, the backup process splits it into many files. This can be confusing and not very efficient when trying to manage the backups."

"The knowledge base is not as in-depth as it should be."

"So, when doing a search, perhaps in some instances when you use terms, the information is not very precise in the sense that I'm not getting what I'm looking for. And in some instances, the information, not all the time, but in some instances, it might not be accurate. For example, when doing a search, if you use too many terms, it might not return any results."

"EDiscovery could be improved. It's used for searching, holding, and exporting data for Vault and I believe it should be updated."

More Google Vault cons

"I think Smarsh Enterprise Platform's WhatsApp capture solution still needs improvement; a big part of that is due to Meta's platform that puts many restrictions, but it is not as simple to set up and start using as the other tools."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"If you have Google Enterprise, then Google Vault is free to use."

"Google Vault comes as part of a package deal for us."

"Google Vault is a cheaply priced product. Monthly payments are to be made towards the licensing costs attached to the solution. There are no extra costs apart from the licensing costs attached to the solution."

"The pricing is fairly cheap."

"The solution is expensive."

"Last year, the price was randomly increased and our customers were really facing a challenge around this. Google launched new pricing under different plans, where formerly there were only three plans, and now there are four, each with their own separate usage allowances. I think it's good, though. The basic plan is now the Business Starter plan, and many customers find this plan very convenient and minimal in price. Overall, the pricing for all the plans is good."

Information not available

See which vendors are best for you

Use our free recommendation engine to learn which eDiscovery solutions are best for your needs.

See recommendations

921,523 professionals have used our research since 2012.

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Educational Organization

12%

Comms Service Provider

11%

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

18%

Comms Service Provider

12%

Healthcare Company

Hospitality Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	6
Midsize Enterprise	4
Large Enterprise	3

No data available

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Google Vault?

There is no setup cost; it's only the pricing which one needs to pay upon subscribing to Google Vault services.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Google Vault?

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Google Vault?

A few use cases for Google Vault involve using it for custodian purposes where we have to store their mails, calendars, and mostly the mails, which we have done as a custodian process in order to s...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Smarsh Enterprise Platform?

My experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing has been standard cost; I always use Microsoft because it is the best solution for me, and I trust them—they work properly. My whole system is ...

See all answers

What needs improvement with Smarsh Enterprise Platform?

I think Smarsh Enterprise Platform's WhatsApp capture solution still needs improvement; a big part of that is due to Meta's platform that puts many restrictions, but it is not as simple to ...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Smarsh Enterprise Platform?

My main use case for Smarsh Enterprise Platform is teams capture, recording, and archiving, which is my most important feature, along with emails. It is important for compliance reasons to document...

See all answers

Comparisons

Veritas Enterprise Vault vs Google Vault

Compared 20% of the time

Veritas Enterprise Vault.cloud vs Google Vault

Compared 18% of the time

Veritas eDiscovery Platform vs Google Vault

Compared 17% of the time

Microsoft Purview eDiscovery vs Google Vault

Compared 9% of the time

Proofpoint Intelligent Compliance Platform vs Google Vault

Compared 4% of the time

More Google Vault Competitors

Epiq eDataMatrix vs Smarsh Enterprise Platform

Compared 9% of the time

Microsoft Purview eDiscovery vs Smarsh Enterprise Platform

Compared 9% of the time

Commvault Cloud vs Smarsh Enterprise Platform

Compared 8% of the time

Xerox OmniX vs Smarsh Enterprise Platform

Compared 8% of the time

IBM StoredIQ vs Smarsh Enterprise Platform

Compared 7% of the time

More Smarsh Enterprise Platform Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Google Vault

October 2026

Download Google Vault product report

Buyer's Guide

eDiscovery

October 2026

Download Smarsh Enterprise Platform product report

Also Known As

No data available

Micro Focus eDiscovery, Autonomy eDiscovery, HPE Autonomy eDiscovery, HPE eDiscovery, Actiance

Overview

Google Vault integrates with Gmail and Drive, offering data retention and fast email searching. Known for reliability and user-friendliness, it manages data export and aids in legal processes, storing emails indefinitely.

Google Vault supports organizations in retaining email, chat, and calendar data efficiently. With its search capabilities and security compliance, it ensures stored data is useful without relying on users. While areas for improvement include enhanced eDiscovery and more export options, it remains a tool for managing email storage and preserving information. Companies utilize Vault for data integrity, making it vital for businesses in legal proceedings and audits.

What Are the Key Features of Google Vault?

Gmail and Drive Integration: Seamlessly works with Google's core services.
Data Retention: Ensures indefinite storage of crucial data across communications.
Fast Email Searching: Allows swift retrieval without user dependency.
Legal Process Support: Assists in storing unaltered data for legal needs.

What Benefits Should Users Look for in Reviews?

Reliability: Trustworthy data protection and retention strategies.
User-Friendliness: Ease of navigation even for non-technical users.
Security Compliance: Adheres to standards for data protection and legal requirements.

Organizations across industries find Google Vault essential for handling data retention within Gmail, Drive, and Chat for protection and compliance. They emphasize its role in legal processes and troubleshooting, ensuring data integrity in legal audits and forensic investigations.

Google

Smarsh Enterprise Platform provides a comprehensive digital communications compliance and archiving solution for financial organizations, ensuring secure, efficient data management and regulatory adherence across multiple channels.

Smarsh Enterprise Platform is designed to meet the challenges of modern communication compliance. By capturing, archiving, and facilitating the review of digital communications, it ensures compliance with industry regulations. The platform integrates with a wide range of communication channels, providing organizations with the tools they need for efficient data retrieval and risk management. This cloud-based solution offers scalability and security, making it suitable for enterprises of all sizes.

What Are the Key Features of Smarsh Enterprise Platform?

Cross-channel Capture: Supports the capture of communications across email, messaging, social media, and more.
Advanced Archiving: Robust storage solutions ensure secure and compliant data archiving.
Search and eDiscovery: Powerful search tools simplify the process of finding and retrieving data.
Compliance Assurance: Aligns with industry regulations to maintain compliant records.
Integration Capabilities: Connects seamlessly with many business-critical applications.

What Benefits and ROI Can Be Expected?

Regulatory Compliance: Helps meet and maintain industry-required compliance standards.
Risk Mitigation: Reduces potential risks associated with unmanaged communications.
Operational Efficiency: Streamlines compliance processes to save time and resources.
Scalability and Flexibility: Adapts to the changing needs of growing organizations.

Industries like finance and legal are utilizing Smarsh Enterprise Platform to handle big data challenges and stringent regulatory frameworks. It enables these sectors to archive communications securely while maintaining accessibility and compliance with ease, allowing for a streamlined approach to data governance.

Smarsh

Sample Customers

Broadcom, Dr. Agarwal’s Eye Hospital, Globeflight, Maven Wave, McClatchy, NII Holdings, Safetec, Sheboygan County

Bank AlJazira, MTS India, Vodafone Ireland

Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft, Commvault, Google and others in eDiscovery. Updated: October 2026.

DOWNLOAD NOW

921,523 professionals have used our research since 2012.

See our list of best eDiscovery vendors.

We monitor all eDiscovery reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.