Microsoft 365 Archive Alternatives (2026)

Microsoft 365 Archive Alternatives

Microsoft 365 Archive is Microsoft's native cold-storage tier for SharePoint: it archives content to a cheaper tier inside Microsoft's own cloud, whole-site reactivation is administrator-initiated and carries a per-GB reactivation fee, and its newer file-level mode lets end users reactivate individual files - though restores can take up to 24 hours for files archived more than 7 days, and archived content is excluded from Microsoft Copilot. The main alternatives are third-party archiving tools that work at the file level, leave searchable stub files in place, and can store archived data in storage you own. The most common options are Squirrel, AvePoint Opus, ShareGate, and Archive360.

This page compares all of them on the questions that decide the call: what level they archive at, where the archived data physically lives, whether end users can restore their own files, whether Microsoft Copilot can still see archived content, and how much of the process runs on automated policies. Every claim about a third-party product is sourced from that vendor's own current documentation.

The Baseline: What Microsoft 365 Archive Does

Before the alternatives, the native option itself. Microsoft 365 Archive has two modes. Site-level archive (generally available) hibernates a whole SharePoint site at a reduced storage rate; content becomes inaccessible to users, reactivation is administrator-initiated, can take up to 24 hours, and carries a per-GB reactivation fee. File-level archive (now generally available) lets end users archive and reactivate individual files, or admins script it via PowerShell and Graph - but there is no automated lifecycle policy engine, a reactivated file cannot be re-archived for 120 days, and Microsoft documents that "Copilot is not trained on archived content." Archived data stays inside Microsoft's cloud at a tier Microsoft sets.

The full head-to-head is in Microsoft 365 Archive vs Squirrel.

The Alternatives, Compared

Squirrel (SmiKar)

Squirrel automatically archives inactive SharePoint Online documents into your own Azure Blob Storage account, replacing each file with a lightweight stub that stays visible in SharePoint, OneDrive sync, and Microsoft Teams. Users restore their own files with one click - no ticket, no admin, no re-archive lockout. Archiving runs on scheduled lifecycle policies (by age, last access, file type, folder path, library, or site), and archived content stays discoverable by SharePoint Search and Microsoft Copilot through Nutshell AI summaries embedded in the stubs. The data is written into your Azure subscription, in your chosen region and access tier - it never sits in vendor infrastructure.

AvePoint Opus

AvePoint Opus is a broad information-lifecycle platform covering Microsoft 365, SharePoint on-premises, file systems, Box, Google Drive (preview), and physical records. Archive storage is configurable - Azure Blob Storage, Amazon S3, SFTP, or FTP - and end users can restore archived content through AvePoint's ReCenter portal, with stub templates available. Policy automation covers retention and disposal schedules. One documented constraint: per AvePoint's own documentation, sites with active Microsoft 365 retention policies applied are skipped in Opus jobs - "to manage this content, remove or disable the retention policy or label first." The full comparison is in AvePoint alternative for SharePoint archiving.

ShareGate

ShareGate is primarily SharePoint migration and management tooling, and its archiving works differently from the stub-based tools: it is an end-of-life workflow. When a team or site is deemed inactive, ShareGate exports its files, metadata, permissions, and version history to an Azure storage account you configure - and then the site itself is deleted. Archived content is searchable through ShareGate's own index rather than SharePoint, and there are no stub files left in place. It suits decommissioning finished sites; it is not designed for keeping archived files visible and restorable inside a live SharePoint estate.

Archive360

Archive360 is an enterprise information-archiving and data-governance platform. Its architecture deploys a dedicated instance inside your own Azure subscription, so - like Squirrel - archived data stays under customer control rather than in vendor infrastructure. The platform's focus is compliance-grade archiving: immutable WORM storage aligned to SEC/FINRA/MiFID II requirements, retention scheduling, eDiscovery, and restore back to SharePoint with metadata and permissions intact. End-user self-service restore from within SharePoint and Copilot visibility of archived content are not documented features; the platform is oriented toward records management and compliance teams rather than day-to-day end-user access.

Side-by-Side Comparison

Tool	Archive level	Where archived data lives	Self-service restore	Copilot visibility	Policy automation
Squirrel	File	Your own Azure Blob Storage	Yes - one click in SharePoint, OneDrive sync, or Teams	Yes (via Nutshell AI stub summaries)	Yes - scheduled lifecycle policies
Microsoft 365 Archive	Site (GA) + file (GA)	Microsoft's cloud	Site: admin only. File: end-user click, up to 24 hours for older files, 120-day re-archive lockout	No - excluded from Copilot	Site-level retention only; none at file level
AvePoint Opus	Site and content	Configurable: Azure Blob, Amazon S3, SFTP, FTP	Yes - via ReCenter portal	Not documented	Yes - retention and disposal schedules; skips sites under active M365 retention policies
ShareGate	Whole team/site at end of life	Your Azure storage account (source site is then deleted)	No - content leaves SharePoint; searchable via ShareGate's index	No	Inactivity detection and end-of-life workflows
Archive360	Files and sites (compliance archive)	Dedicated platform in your own Azure subscription	Restore to SharePoint is admin/records-driven; end-user self-service not documented	Not documented	Yes - retention and compliance policies

How to Choose

• You want inactive files out of expensive SharePoint storage, but users must still see and restore them - that is stub-based file-level archiving: Squirrel, or AvePoint Opus if you need its broader platform scope.
• You want archived data in storage you own - Squirrel, Archive360, and ShareGate all write into your Azure; AvePoint is configurable. Microsoft 365 Archive keeps data in Microsoft's cloud.
• You need Copilot to keep answering from archived content - Microsoft excludes archived content from Copilot; Squirrel with Nutshell AI is the documented way to keep it discoverable.
• You are decommissioning finished sites for good - ShareGate's end-of-life export, or Microsoft 365 Archive's site mode if you are happy with data staying in Microsoft's cloud.
• Your driver is regulatory records management (WORM immutability, eDiscovery, defensible disposal) - Archive360 or AvePoint Opus.
• You run active Microsoft Purview retention policies - note AvePoint's documented requirement to remove or disable them first; Squirrel operates alongside active retention policies.

For a structured way to run this evaluation, see the enterprise SharePoint archiving buyer's checklist.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best alternatives to Microsoft 365 Archive? The main alternatives are Squirrel, AvePoint Opus, ShareGate, and Archive360. Squirrel is the option that archives inactive SharePoint files into your own Azure Blob Storage with one-click self-service restore and keeps archived content visible to Microsoft Copilot. AvePoint Opus suits organisations that need one lifecycle platform across many content sources, ShareGate suits end-of-life site decommissioning, and Archive360 suits compliance-grade records management.

Is there a Microsoft 365 Archive alternative that keeps data in my own Azure? Yes. Squirrel writes archived SharePoint content into your own Azure Blob Storage account, in your subscription and chosen region - the data never leaves your tenant, and it remains accessible through standard Azure tools even if you stop using Squirrel. Archive360 also deploys into your own Azure subscription, and ShareGate exports end-of-life content to your Azure storage account.

What is the cheapest way to archive SharePoint instead of Microsoft 365 Archive? Offloading inactive files to Azure Blob Cool, Cold, or Archive tiers via a stub-file tool such as Squirrel is typically far cheaper than paying SharePoint storage overage at $0.20 per GB per month, and it avoids Microsoft 365 Archive's per-GB reactivation fees. Run the numbers for your own volume with the SharePoint vs Azure storage cost calculator.

Related reading

• Microsoft 365 Archive vs Squirrel: the full head-to-head
• AvePoint alternative for SharePoint archiving
• SharePoint Online archiving - the complete enterprise guide
• Enterprise SharePoint archiving buyer's checklist

DISCLAIMER: Information about Microsoft 365 Archive, AvePoint Opus, ShareGate, and Archive360 on this page is sourced from each vendor's own public documentation and product pages as of July 2026. Product capabilities change; if you believe anything here is inaccurate or out of date, contact us and we will correct it promptly. All product names and trademarks are the property of their respective owners. SmiKar Software is not affiliated with or endorsed by Microsoft, AvePoint, ShareGate, or Archive360.

See the Difference for Yourself

If your requirement is file-level SharePoint archiving with data in your own Azure storage, self-service restore, and Copilot visibility, see how Squirrel works or contact us for a demo.