Afi.ai vs Spanning Backup

Afi.ai is a cloud-native backup and recovery service for Google Workspace, Microsoft 365 and Kubernetes. It protects mailboxes, drives, shared drives, calendars and contacts as well as Teams and SharePoint data, and it was built from scratch as a SaaS product rather than adapted from on-premises backup software, which shows in its quick setup and modern interface.

Backups run automatically on a schedule, with unlimited storage and unlimited retention included in a per-user price. Restores can be granular (a single email, file or folder) or cover a full account at a chosen point in time. AI-driven monitoring flags unusual activity such as mass deletions or encryption patterns that suggest ransomware, and a multi-tenant console lets managed service providers run backups for many client organizations from one place. Kubernetes cluster backup is priced separately on a custom basis.

Afi fits IT teams and MSPs that want SaaS backup without managing storage or legacy agents, especially organizations on Google Workspace, where fewer strong options exist. It is a younger and less known vendor than Veeam Backup for Microsoft 365, Backupify or Spanning, and it does not cover Salesforce or other SaaS apps, so companies that want one vendor for every cloud application may prefer broader suites such as Druva or Own. For pure Workspace and 365 protection, transparent pricing and fast restores are its strongest arguments.

Spanning Backup is a cloud-to-cloud backup service for Google Workspace, Microsoft 365 and Salesforce. The company started in Austin, Texas, and is now part of Kaseya, which sells it alongside its other backup products for IT teams and managed service providers (MSPs).

Spanning takes automated daily backups, with on-demand backups available, of Gmail, Google Drive, Calendar, Contacts and Shared Drives; of Exchange Online mail, OneDrive and SharePoint in Microsoft 365; and of Salesforce records, metadata and attachments. Point-in-time restore brings back individual files, emails or records, or whole accounts, to their original location, and end users can restore their own items without opening a support ticket. Audit logs, status reports and encryption help with compliance and ransomware recovery. Pricing is per user, typically bought through resellers and MSPs, with separate products for each platform.

Spanning fits IT teams and MSPs that want proven, low-maintenance protection for the main productivity suites. It is limited to these three platforms, the interface feels dated and restore speed varies with data volume. Native retention and version history in Google and Microsoft cover simple cases for small teams but are not true backups, since they do not protect against every deletion or sync error. Alternatives include Backupify (also owned by Kaseya through Datto), Veeam Backup for Microsoft 365, AvePoint and Afi, while Own, now part of Salesforce, specializes in Salesforce data.