Best MailStore Server Alternatives in 2026
The top MailStore Server alternatives are Proofpoint Enterprise Archive, Barracuda Message Archiver and Mimecast Cloud Archive: 15 email archiving software our editors would look at instead of MailStore Server, in our ranking order.
MailStore Server: A Windows-based archive with compliance controls and a $259 one-time Starter Kit. Where it falls short: windows deployment limits platform flexibility.
Switching from MailStore Server? For most email archiving software buyers the best MailStore Server alternative is Proofpoint Enterprise Archive, built for regulated enterprises archiving many channels. DArcMail has a free plan, which MailStore Server does not.
Why People Look for a MailStore Server Alternative
- Windows deployment limits platform flexibility
- The Starter Kit covers up to five users
- No free plan; the included support service lasts one year
- No free plan — 2 of the alternatives below have it
Quick Picks by What You Need
- Best overallProofpoint Enterprise Archive9.4
Regulated enterprises archiving many channels
Visit Proofpoint Enterprise Archive - Best free optionDArcMail7.9
Has a free plan (MailStore Server has none)
Visit DArcMail
All 15 MailStore Server Alternatives, Ranked
Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.
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Best forRegulated enterprises archiving many channels
- Better than MailStore Server:
- Editor score 9.4 vs 8.7
A cross-channel archive for regulated organizations with demanding legal and compliance workflows.
- Journal capture
9.4/10★★★★★Visit Proofpoint -
Best forHybrid enterprises with complex infrastructure
- Better than MailStore Server:
- Editor score 9.3 vs 8.7
A flexible archive for enterprises managing complex email retention and discovery requirements.
- Journal capture
9.3/10★★★★★Visit Barracuda -
Best forCloud-first teams needing resilient archiving
- Better than MailStore Server:
- Editor score 9.2 vs 8.7
A cloud archive for policy-based retention, rapid search, legal discovery, and collaboration capture.
- Journal capture
9.2/10★★★★★Visit Mimecast -
Best forTeams needing flexible compliance capture flows
- Better than MailStore Server:
- Editor score 9.1 vs 8.7
Flexible capture and compliance controls for cloud and on-premises email environments.
- Journal capture
9.1/10★★★★★Visit Zoho eProtect -
Best forIBM-centric on-premises environments
- Better than MailStore Server:
- Editor score 9.0 vs 8.7
A focused on-premises archive for IBM, Exchange, and compliance-driven email governance.
- Journal capture
9.0/10★★★★☆Visit IBM -
Best forOrganizations needing unified email and mobile archives
- Better than MailStore Server:
- Editor score 9.0 vs 8.7
A broad communications archive for compliance, investigations, and email-system migration.
9.0/10★★★★☆Visit OpenText -
Best forEnterprises needing AI-assisted archive review
- Better than MailStore Server:
- Editor score 8.9 vs 8.7
A cloud archive for regulated teams that need AI-assisted review, eDiscovery, and export controls.
- Journal capture
8.9/10★★★★☆Visit Jatheon Cloud -
Best forLarge firms needing communications compliance
- Better than MailStore Server:
- Editor score 8.9 vs 8.7
Enterprise-grade capture, preservation, search, and eDiscovery for regulated organizations.
- Journal capture
8.9/10★★★★☆Visit Global Relay -
Best forRegulated teams needing surveillance workflows
- Better than MailStore Server:
- Editor score 8.8 vs 8.7
A compliance-focused archive for regulated teams managing email retention, surveillance, and eDiscovery.
- Journal capture
8.8/10★★★★☆Visit Smarsh -
Best forBudget-conscious teams needing unlimited archiving
- Better than MailStore Server:
- Editor score 8.8 vs 8.7
Affordable email archiving with unlimited storage, retention, legal hold, and eDiscovery.
- Journal capture
8.8/10★★★★☆Visit Intermedia -
Best forTeams wanting simple cloud journaling
A focused cloud archiver for searchable, tamper-resistant email records.
- Journal capture
8.6/10★★★★☆Visit NinjaOne -
Best forTeams prioritizing storage capacity and recovery
A cloud archive for teams that need long retention, search, recovery, and export.
8.5/10★★★★☆Visit Hornetsecurity -
Best forCompliance teams needing broad capture and exports
A compliance-focused archive with journal capture, legal holds, eDiscovery, and broad exports.
- Journal capture
8.4/10★★★★☆Visit ArcTitan -
Best forResearchers preserving and searching MBOX collections
- Better than MailStore Server:
- Free plan
A local tool for preserving and searching MBOX collections, not live email archiving.
7.9/10★★★★☆Visit DArcMail -
Best forTechnical teams wanting free self-hosted archiving
- Better than MailStore Server:
- Free plan
A capable open-source archive for teams that can manage their own infrastructure.
- Journal capture
7.9/10★★★★☆Visit Open Archiver
MailStore Server Alternatives: Common Questions
What is the best alternative to MailStore Server?
Proofpoint Enterprise Archive: #1 in our Email Archiving Software ranking, with an editor score of 9.4 out of 10. A cross-channel archive for regulated organizations with demanding legal and compliance workflows.
Is there a free alternative to MailStore Server?
Yes. DArcMail and Open Archiver Enterprise have a free plan or a free tier.
Why do people look for MailStore Server alternatives?
Windows deployment limits platform flexibility; The Starter Kit covers up to five users; No free plan; the included support service lasts one year.
How do I switch from MailStore Server?
Export your data from MailStore Server (most tools have an export in their settings). Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one. Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on. Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel MailStore Server.
How to Switch from MailStore Server
- Export your data from MailStore Server (most tools have an export in their settings).
- Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one.
- Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on.
- Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel MailStore Server.
MailStore Server vs Each Alternative
| # | Tool | Paid from | Legal hold | eDiscovery tools | Journal capture | Deployment | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | MailStore Server | $259 one-time | Yes | Yes | Yes | On-premises | 8.7 |
| 1 | Proofpoint Enterprise Archive | Yes | Yes | Yes | Cloud | 9.4 | |
| 2 | Barracuda Message Archiver | Yes | Yes | Yes | Hybrid | 9.3 | |
| 3 | Mimecast Cloud Archive | Yes | Yes | Yes | Cloud | 9.2 | |
| 4 | Zoho eProtect | Yes | Yes | Yes | Cloud | 9.1 | |
| 5 | IBM Content Collector for Email | Yes | Yes | Yes | On-premises | 9.0 | |
| 6 | OpenText Retain Unified Archiving | Yes | Yes | 9.0 | |||
| 7 | Jatheon Cloud | Yes | Yes | Yes | Cloud | 8.9 | |
| 8 | Global Relay Archive | Yes | Yes | Yes | Cloud | 8.9 | |
| 9 | Smarsh Email Archiving | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.8 | ||
| 10 | Intermedia Archiving | Yes | Yes | Yes | Cloud | 8.8 | |
| 11 | NinjaOne | Yes | Yes | Yes | Cloud | 8.6 | |
| 12 | Hornetsecurity Email Archiving | Yes | Cloud | 8.5 | |||
| 13 | ArcTitan | Yes | Yes | Yes | Cloud | 8.4 | |
| 14 | DArcMail | Free | On-premises | 7.9 | |||
| 15 | Open Archiver Enterprise | Yes | Yes | Yes | 7.9 |
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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