Since its founding in 2003 by Peter Bauer and Neil Murray, Mimecast has grown into a global leader in email security and cyber resilience. Building from its roots in London, the company helped define cloud based email protection at a time when organizations were moving critical communications to SaaS. Today, it is widely recognized for safeguarding business communications at scale.
Mimecast focuses on mid market and enterprise organizations that rely on platforms like Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace. The brand’s strength comes from a platform approach that combines secure email gateway, advanced threat protection, continuity, and archiving. This blend addresses security, availability, and compliance in one place, which makes it a go to choice for regulated and fast growing teams.
Its popularity is driven by consistent threat detection, deep integrations, and a strong administrative experience. Customers value policy driven controls, rich reporting, and tools for user awareness that reduce risk where it often starts, inside the inbox. With a mature cloud architecture and a reputation for reliability, Mimecast has set the benchmark many buyers use to evaluate alternatives.
Key Criteria for Evaluating Mimecast Competitors
Choosing an email security and resilience platform demands a careful balance of protection, productivity, and cost. The right alternative should match your threat profile, compliance needs, and technology stack without adding complexity. Use these criteria to compare options with confidence.
- Protection efficacy and coverage: Assess detection accuracy against phishing, business email compromise, ransomware, and zero day campaigns. Look for protection across inbound, outbound, and internal mail, and consider safeguards for web and collaboration tools if offered.
- Platform breadth and integrations: Prioritize solutions that integrate cleanly with Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, identity providers, SIEM, SOAR, and incident response tools. A robust API and prebuilt connectors reduce deployment time and operational friction.
- Ease of deployment and management: Evaluate setup speed, policy templates, and role based access controls. Multi tenant management for MSPs and delegated administration for large enterprises can simplify ongoing operations.
- Compliance, privacy, and data residency: Verify certifications such as SOC 2 and ISO 27001, plus controls for GDPR and industry specific mandates. Consider encryption options, key management, retention policies, e discovery, and data location choices.
- Total cost of ownership and pricing model: Compare per user licensing, bundled features, and any add on fees. Include migration, storage, training, and support costs to understand the true multi year TCO.
- Support, reliability, and SLAs: Look for 24×7 support, clear onboarding resources, and transparent service status. Uptime track record, redundancy, and rapid incident response are critical for business continuity.
- Reporting, visibility, and user experience: Strong dashboards, threat analytics, and executive summaries help prove value. Evaluate admin usability and end user features such as quarantine self service, phishing report buttons, and training modules.
Top 12 Mimecast Competitors and Alternatives
Proofpoint
Proofpoint has long been regarded as a leader in email security, especially in large and regulated enterprises. Its portfolio spans threat protection, compliance, and training, which gives security teams a unified approach. Organizations that need deep threat intelligence and robust policy control often shortlist Proofpoint early.
- Offers comprehensive secure email gateway and API based protections, paired with advanced threat intelligence from global telemetry. This breadth rivals Mimecast across prevention, detection, and response.
- Strong market presence in Fortune 1000 accounts, with mature features for regulated sectors. Customers value its reliability and long track record.
- Product categories include email gateway, cloud email security, targeted attack protection, DLP, encryption, archiving, and security awareness training. This mirrors Mimecast’s coverage while adding enterprise scale options.
- Frequently chosen as a Mimecast alternative because of granular policy controls, flexible deployment, and rich forensics. Migration paths are well documented for M365 and Google Workspace.
- Notable advantages include dynamic sandboxing, URL rewriting, and people centric risk insights that map threats to user vulnerability. These combine with rapid IOC enrichment.
- Integrated DLP and encryption simplify compliance for HIPAA, PCI, and GDPR. Legal departments appreciate defensible retention and eDiscovery workflows.
- Integration ecosystem spans SIEM, SOAR, and EDR platforms, which streamlines triage and automated remediation. This reduces operational burden in complex environments.
Microsoft Defender for Office 365
Many Microsoft 365 customers rely on Defender for Office 365 to secure email, collaboration, and identities from within the Microsoft stack. Native policies and telemetry reduce complexity for teams already standardized on M365. It is a logical consolidation candidate when budgets or operations favor built in controls.
- Deeply integrated with Exchange Online Protection, SharePoint, OneDrive, and Teams, which provides end to end protections. This native approach lowers deployment friction compared to third party gateways.
- Strong market presence across SMB to enterprise due to M365 adoption. Security teams leverage unified admin, auditing, and reporting in the Microsoft 365 Defender portal.
- Product categories include anti phishing, Safe Links, Safe Attachments, impersonation protection, and attack simulation training. These features align well with Mimecast’s core capabilities.
- Considered a Mimecast alternative when organizations want to reduce vendor count or capitalize on Microsoft licensing. It also reduces mail flow complexity by avoiding MX changes.
- Notable advantages include continuous improvements delivered through the cloud and correlation with identity and endpoint signals. This supports more accurate detections.
- Flexible policy templates and preset security baselines accelerate configuration. Admins can tune per user, domain, or group for risk based coverage.
- Integrates with Microsoft Sentinel and third party SIEMs for analytics and automation. API access enables custom workflows and playbooks.
Barracuda Networks
Barracuda Networks is widely known for approachable email security, backup, and network solutions that fit SMB and midmarket needs. Its Email Protection suite combines gateway, AI detection, archiving, and continuity. Customers often cite ease of use and predictable pricing as differentiators.
- Broad market presence among cost conscious organizations and MSPs. Straightforward licensing helps teams deploy quickly without specialized expertise.
- Product categories span secure email gateway, API based post delivery defense, account takeover protection, archiving, encryption, and backup. This aligns closely with Mimecast’s feature set.
- Seen as a Mimecast alternative because of its bundled approach and simple administration. Migration assistants streamline onboarding from legacy gateways.
- Notable advantages include Sentinel for AI driven spear phishing and internal threat detection. Automated remediation can remove malicious mail from inboxes.
- Continuity features keep email flowing during outages, which appeals to businesses with limited IT staff. Archiving and eDiscovery serve retention and audit needs.
- Integrates with Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace using API and SMTP routes. Flexible deployment supports hybrid mail environments.
- Centralized management and role based access support multi tenant scenarios. MSPs benefit from consolidated reporting across customers.
Cisco
Cisco brings its Talos threat intelligence and enterprise security heritage to email with Cisco Secure Email. Large organizations choose Cisco for high performance filtering and strong integrations with the Cisco Secure portfolio. The brand’s reputation for network security translates well to email protection.
- Market presence spans global enterprises and government, supported by Talos research. This intelligence improves detection of emerging phishing campaigns.
- Product categories include cloud and on premises email gateways, advanced malware protection, URL rewriting, DMARC tooling, and DLP. These categories overlap with Mimecast’s core offerings.
- Considered a Mimecast alternative when customers prioritize appliance options or want consistency with Cisco network controls. Hybrid deployments are a common fit.
- Advantages include high throughput appliances for demanding mail volumes and granular policy tuning. Administrators can tailor per recipient, group, or domain.
- Threat grid and sandboxing detonate suspicious attachments for accurate verdicts. Integration with Cisco SecureX streamlines investigations.
- Flexible reporting and message tracking support compliance and incident response. Audit trails are comprehensive for forensics.
- Works well with Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace, using both gateway and API approaches. This covers inbound, outbound, and internal mail flows.
Trend Micro
Trend Micro pairs email security with a broad XDR vision across endpoints, servers, and cloud. Its email solutions protect Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace with layered controls. Many teams appreciate the consistency of one vendor across email, endpoint, and cloud workloads.
- Strong presence in enterprises seeking integrated XDR, powered by Trend Micro Vision One. Cross domain analytics enhance detection of credential and BEC attacks.
- Product categories include cloud email security, sandboxing, URL defense, account takeover protection, and DLP. This complements or replaces Mimecast in modern SaaS suites.
- Chosen as a Mimecast alternative for API based deployment that avoids MX changes. Rapid rollouts are common in distributed organizations.
- Advantages include document and file sandboxing with high fidelity behavioral analysis. Detection is strengthened by global threat intelligence.
- Automated remediation can retract delivered messages across mailboxes. Policy templates simplify baselining for different departments.
- Integrations with SIEM and SOAR platforms ease response workflows. Security teams benefit from correlated investigations across endpoint and email.
- Compliance support includes encryption and archiving options through ecosystem partners. Retention needs can be met via flexible policies.
Check Point
Check Point Harmony Email and Collaboration, built on the Avanan acquisition, focuses on API level controls for cloud email. It protects Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, and collaboration apps like Teams and Slack. Organizations seeking inline API security without mail flow changes often compare it to Mimecast.
- Strong presence among cloud first enterprises that prefer post delivery and inline API inspection. This model enables granular user and app awareness.
- Product categories include anti phishing, malware prevention, BEC protection, account takeover defense, and data security. Collaboration security extends coverage beyond email.
- Considered a Mimecast alternative when teams want quick deployment and minimal MX or DNS changes. It integrates seamlessly with CASB and SASE strategies.
- Advantages include machine learning that models user behavior to stop impersonation and vendor fraud. Threat extraction and emulation add layered protection.
- Tight integration with Check Point ThreatCloud intelligence improves detection of zero day campaigns. Unified dashboards aid visibility across channels.
- Automated remediation retracts malicious emails and suspicious links in real time. Security teams can orchestrate responses via playbooks.
- Compliance features include encryption and policy controls that support regional data requirements. Admins can apply policies per group or tenant.
Abnormal Security
Abnormal Security is known for behavioral AI that targets business email compromise and supply chain attacks. The platform connects via API to analyze identity, relationships, and workflow signals. Enterprises value its signal depth and low maintenance approach.
- Growing presence in the Global 2000 and tech forward midmarket, with strong results against social engineering. Customers highlight reduced manual triage.
- Product categories focus on BEC protection, vendor fraud detection, account takeover defense, and graymail control. The emphasis is high fidelity detections with minimal rules.
- Viewed as a Mimecast alternative for organizations prioritizing modern API security rather than traditional gateways. It complements native M365 protections.
- Advantages include behavioral profiling of every sender and vendor, which reveals anomalies quickly. The platform continuously learns from user interactions.
- Automated remediation pulls malicious messages and neutralizes risky links or attachments. SOC teams gain time through precise verdicts.
- Integrations with SIEM, SOAR, and ticketing systems streamline operations. Reporting communicates risk to executives and auditors clearly.
- Privacy and data handling controls are transparent, which aids compliance reviews. Role based access and audit logs support governance.
IRONSCALES
IRONSCALES combines mailbox level AI detection with crowdsourced human reporting to stop phishing quickly. The platform emphasizes autonomous remediation and integrated training. Security teams like the rapid time to value and low operational overhead.
- Solid presence in midmarket and distributed organizations that need agile defenses. The approach pairs machine learning with human sensors.
- Product categories include phishing detection, BEC protection, phishing simulation, awareness training, and automated remediation. This offers an end to end anti phishing program.
- Considered a Mimecast alternative when customers want mailbox native controls and quick deployment. It augments or replaces gateways in many cases.
- Advantages include an integrated community intelligence feed that accelerates detection of novel campaigns. Response occurs at the mailbox level for speed.
- Campaign classification and prioritized queues help analysts focus on real threats. The platform reduces false positives while improving catch rates.
- Integrations with Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, and SIEM tools are straightforward. APIs enable custom automations for triage.
- Granular reporting shows user risk and training impact, which supports executive metrics. Compliance teams appreciate detailed audit trails.
Cloudflare
Cloudflare Area 1 brings pre delivery phishing protection backed by web scale threat crawling and analytics. The solution is part of Cloudflare’s Zero Trust and SASE portfolio. Enterprises often adopt it to unify email and web protections under one edge.
- Strong market momentum with organizations pursuing consolidated security and network services. Anycast architecture supports global performance.
- Product categories include email security, brand and domain protection, and integrated Zero Trust controls. This bridges email and web vectors effectively.
- Considered a Mimecast alternative for its preemptive detection that identifies attacker infrastructure before campaigns launch. It reduces inbox exposure.
- Advantages include lightweight deployment via MX or API, with minimal disruption to mail flow. Rapid time to value is a frequent benefit.
- Cloudflare threat intelligence enriches detections with DNS, HTTP, and bot insights. This cross layer context improves accuracy.
- Tight integration with secure web gateway, CASB, and ZTNA simplifies policy management. Unified logging aids investigations.
- Flexible pricing and scalable delivery fit both SMB and large enterprise. Reporting is accessible for security and compliance stakeholders.
Sophos
Sophos offers email security managed through the Sophos Central platform alongside endpoint and firewall products. The unified console is appealing to resource constrained teams. Consistent policies across products enhance security outcomes.
- Presence is strong among SMB and midmarket customers that want a single vendor for multiple controls. Licensing is straightforward and predictable.
- Product categories include secure email gateway, anti phishing, malware scanning, encryption, and data loss prevention. It covers the essentials that Mimecast provides.
- Chosen as a Mimecast alternative when organizations value centralized management with Sophos endpoint. Cross product telemetry supports better decisions.
- Advantages include impersonation protection, URL rewriting, and time of click analysis. Built in quarantine and user controls reduce help desk tickets.
- Integrates with Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace through gateway and API models. Deployment flexibility supports hybrid mail environments.
- Policy templates and wizard driven setup accelerate configuration. Role based access simplifies delegation for regional teams.
- Compliance needs are met with encryption options and retention policies through partners. Reporting provides clear audit trails.
Fortinet
Fortinet FortiMail delivers high performance email security that ties into the Fortinet Security Fabric. Enterprises with FortiGate and FortiSandbox often extend the stack to email. The solution serves both cloud and on premises needs.
- Strong presence in organizations standardized on Fortinet networking and security. Unified management and fabric telemetry are key benefits.
- Product categories include secure email gateway, sandboxing, impersonation protection, DLP, and encryption. Capabilities overlap closely with Mimecast.
- Considered a Mimecast alternative when customers want appliance options or tight integration with Fortinet tools. MSPs value multi tenant controls.
- Advantages include high throughput scanning and low latency delivery, even under heavy load. FortiSandbox detonation enhances malware verdicts.
- Flexible deployment supports on premises, virtual, and cloud based gateways. Hybrid mail routing is straightforward for staged migrations.
- Integration with FortiSIEM, FortiAnalyzer, and SOAR improves incident response. Automated playbooks speed remediation of malicious emails.
- Compliance features include built in dictionaries, fingerprinting, and policy templates. Encryption can be enforced based on content or recipient rules.
Broadcom
Symantec Email Security.cloud by Broadcom is a long standing enterprise service with global scale. Large organizations select it for reliable filtering and advanced isolation. The brand’s history in data protection strengthens its compliance story.
- Presence is significant in highly regulated industries, including financial services and public sector. Service availability and SLAs are mature.
- Product categories include cloud email security, threat isolation, malware and phishing protection, DLP, and encryption. These categories align with Mimecast’s focus.
- Viewed as a Mimecast alternative for its isolation technology that neutralizes risky links and documents. Users stay protected without losing productivity.
- Advantages include robust DLP driven by Symantec content inspection and dictionaries. Policy enforcement is granular across outbound traffic.
- Sandboxing and URL rewriting add layered defense, while global intelligence feeds improve detection speed. Reporting is detailed for auditors.
- Integrations with endpoint and data protection create a consistent security posture. APIs and SIEM connectors support operational workflows.
- Multi region data centers and data residency options help meet regulatory requirements. Compliance teams benefit from strong governance features.
Zix
Zix, now part of OpenText Cybersecurity, is recognized for email encryption and compliance centric protections. Its solutions serve regulated industries and MSPs that need reliable policy enforcement. Customers often pair Zix with existing email platforms for added compliance control.
- Established presence among healthcare, financial services, and legal organizations. The brand’s encryption heritage builds trust with auditors.
- Product categories include email encryption, DLP, secure email gateway, and archiving. These address key Mimecast use cases for compliance.
- Chosen as a Mimecast alternative when encryption workflows and recipient experience are top priorities. Secure message portals simplify access.
- Advantages include policy based encryption that triggers on content, recipients, or keywords. Flexible key management supports enterprise standards.
- Archiving and eDiscovery streamline retention and legal hold. Search performance is tuned for large datasets.
- MSP friendly multi tenant management enables centralized control across many customers. Reporting and billing tools are built in.
- Integrations with Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace are straightforward. Outbound policies prevent inadvertent data leaks.
Tessian
Tessian applies machine learning to human layer security, focusing on outbound data loss and inbound phishing risks. It models normal communication patterns to spot anomalies. Companies with sensitive data flows consider Tessian to address risks that traditional gateways miss.
- Growing presence in professional services, legal, and financial firms where human error is a leading cause of incidents. The platform emphasizes user centric controls.
- Product categories include inbound threat protection, outbound DLP, misdirected email prevention, and account takeover defense. These complement or replace Mimecast modules.
- Considered a Mimecast alternative for advanced detection of misaddressed emails and insider risks. Behavioral analysis goes beyond static rules.
- Advantages include in the moment nudges that coach users before they send risky emails. This reduces incidents without heavy blocking.
- API integrations with Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace enable quick deployment. No MX changes are required for most use cases.
- Analytics highlight risky users and departments for targeted training. Security leaders can show measurable risk reduction over time.
- Privacy controls and data minimization are designed for compliance. Audit logs and policy scopes support governance and regional needs.
Top 3 Best Alternatives to Mimecast
Proofpoint Email Security and Protection
Proofpoint is widely recognized for advanced threat detection, granular controls, and rich threat intelligence. It combines a mature secure email gateway with people centric defenses that help stop phishing and business email compromise. Its compliance and archiving portfolio also appeals to regulated organizations.
- Targeted attack protection with URL and attachment sandboxing.
- Strong BEC and supplier fraud detection using identity and behavioral signals.
- Detailed role based reporting and forensics for security and compliance teams.
- Integrated security awareness training and user risk scoring.
- Flexible deployment, gateway and API based options.
Best for large enterprises and regulated sectors that need deep visibility, tight policy control, and proven efficacy. It suits global teams that require scalable administration and strong compliance features.
Microsoft Defender for Office 365
Defender for Office 365 stands out through native integration with Microsoft 365, reducing complexity and improving signal correlation. Setup is straightforward for tenants, and policies follow your Microsoft identities and collaboration tools. Cost efficiency is compelling when bundled in Microsoft 365 plans.
- Safe Links and Safe Attachments for real time protection.
- Built in phishing and impersonation detection with machine learning.
- Automated investigation and response with remediation playbooks.
- Attack simulation training and user insights.
- Tight integration with Teams, SharePoint, OneDrive, and Entra ID.
Best for organizations standardized on Microsoft 365 that want consolidated tooling and strong protection without extra agents. Ideal for midsize to large businesses seeking broad coverage at attractive licensing.
Cisco Secure Email
Cisco Secure Email, formerly IronPort, is known for robust gateway capabilities and Talos threat intelligence. It offers fine grained policy control, encryption, and data loss prevention options for complex environments. Networking and security teams value its integration with the Cisco security stack.
- Talos backed spam, phishing, and malware filtering with high accuracy.
- Advanced outbreak filters, URL rewriting, and file analysis.
- Flexible deployment, on premises appliances and cloud service.
- Built in S/MIME, TLS controls, and DLP templates.
- Rich logging, message tracking, and quarantine management.
Best for enterprises with sophisticated email infrastructures or those invested in Cisco security. It suits organizations that prioritize granular policies, hybrid deployments, and detailed operational telemetry.
Final Thoughts
There are many strong alternatives to Mimecast, and several can be a better fit depending on your priorities. The right choice hinges on your stack, your risk profile, and the operational model your team can support.
Start by clarifying must haves such as prevention efficacy, API based protection versus gateways, integrated training, archiving, compliance, and total cost of ownership. Check integrations with Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace, identity providers, SIEM or SOAR, and incident response workflows.
Run a proof of value with live mail flow, measure admin effort and user impact, and validate reporting and audit needs. With a clear evaluation plan and a focused shortlist, you can confidently select an email security platform that protects people and data while staying on budget.
