Email backup software compared: six ways to keep your mail
The best email backup software depends on one question: do you want a copy of the whole mailbox, or readable PDFs of the messages that matter? This page compares six approaches, from Google Takeout and Outlook's PST export to desktop archivers, a cloud extension and the SaveMail converter. For each: what it works with, whether it installs or uploads anything, how it treats attachments and what you get at the end; no prices, only trade-offs.
What you are actually choosing between
Every piece of email backup software falls into one of three groups. Provider exports (Google Takeout, Outlook's export) hand you a mailbox file: MBOX or PST. Desktop clients and archivers (Thunderbird, MailStore Home) pull messages over IMAP and keep a local copy that stays in sync. Converters (cloudHQ, SaveMail) turn messages into PDFs you can file and share.
The groups are not rivals; most people need two of them. A Gmail backup tool that gives you an MBOX is a complete copy, but nobody reads an MBOX. A PDF is readable but is not the original message. The table below shows where each option sits.
Have the email as a file (EML, MSG, MBOX)? Convert it to PDF in your browser: nothing is uploaded.
Email backup software compared: the table
| Option | Works with | Needs install | Uploads your data | Keeps attachments | Output | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Google Takeout | Gmail, Google Workspace | No | Stays with Google; export is downloaded or sent to Drive | Yes, inside the MBOX | MBOX file (one per label or all mail) | Free |
| Outlook PST export | Outlook desktop (any account added to it) | Outlook desktop | No, local file | Yes, inside the PST | PST file; single messages as MSG by drag and drop | Included with Outlook |
| Thunderbird | Any IMAP account: Gmail, Outlook.com, Yahoo, AOL, GoDaddy, Microsoft 365 | Yes, free desktop client | No, local profile | Yes | MBOX in the profile folder; Save As gives EML per message | Free |
| MailStore Home | IMAP accounts, Outlook, Thunderbird, PST and EML files | Yes, Windows only | No, local archive database | Yes | Searchable local archive; export to EML, MSG or PST | Free for personal use |
| cloudHQ Save Emails to PDF | Gmail in Chrome | Chrome extension plus account | Yes, messages are processed on cloudHQ servers | Partly; users report attachments missing from merged PDFs | PDF per message or merged PDF, saved to the cloud | Free tier with a limit, then paid |
| SaveMail converter | EML, MSG, MBOX and EMLX files from any client or export | No, runs in the browser tab | No upload endpoint exists; parsing happens on your device | Yes, listed with names and sizes, downloaded singly or as ZIP | PDF via Save as PDF, HTML copy, original attachments | Free |
Third-party details are general knowledge about those products as of writing; check each vendor for current behavior.
Each option in one paragraph
Google Takeout is the official Gmail email backup tool. You select Mail, optionally pick labels, and receive a ZIP containing an MBOX. It is complete and free, but slow for large accounts, and the MBOX needs a reader; see how to open an MBOX file.
Outlook PST export is the standard Outlook backup tool: File, Open & Export, Import/Export, Export to a file, Outlook Data File. The PST holds folders, mail, calendar and contacts, and restores cleanly into Outlook. It is only readable by Outlook, which is why a browser cannot open it; see what a PST file is.
Thunderbird is a free client that doubles as an IMAP email backup tool. Add the account, let it download the folders, and the messages live as MBOX files in your profile directory. It works with Yahoo, AOL, GoDaddy and Microsoft 365 mailboxes that have no export of their own.
MailStore Home is a Windows email archiver that imports from IMAP accounts, Outlook, Thunderbird or files into a searchable local database. It suits one person on one PC who wants an ongoing, deduplicated archive, and it can export back to EML, MSG or PST.
cloudHQ Save Emails to PDF adds a button inside Gmail and produces PDFs in the cloud. It requires a Google sign-in and account, sends the mail to cloudHQ's servers for processing, and reviewers complain that the free allowance is small and only announced after the first batch. For confidential correspondence the upload is the deciding factor.
SaveMail converter is file-based: it does not connect to a mailbox and does not sync anything. You drop an EML, MSG or MBOX file on the converter, the message renders in the tab with headers, body, inline images and an attachment list, and you press Save as PDF. One message at a time; a merged multi-message PDF is not something it produces.
Gmail backup tool: what to pick for a Google account
For a one-time copy of everything, Google Takeout is the answer; nothing else is as complete. Request Mail only, choose a split size your drive can hold, and keep the MBOX as the master copy. Then use the converter for the threads you need to read or hand over: drop the MBOX, and it lists every message inside so you can open and save each one as PDF.
For an ongoing mirror, add the Gmail account to Thunderbird over IMAP and let it download All Mail. For the full walkthrough, see how to back up Gmail emails.
Best way to archive Outlook emails
Outlook desktop already contains the backup: a PST export of the folders you want. Store the PST on an external drive or a synced folder and you can import it into any future Outlook. For individual messages, drag them from Outlook to a desktop folder and you get MSG files, which the SaveMail converter opens for PDF output.
Outlook on the web and Microsoft 365 mailboxes without the desktop app have no PST button; add the account to Outlook desktop or Thunderbird first. The steps are on how to back up Outlook emails.
How to choose
- Whole mailbox, once: Google Takeout (Gmail) or PST export (Outlook).
- Whole mailbox, ongoing, any provider: Thunderbird, or MailStore Home on Windows.
- Readable PDFs of specific messages with attachments, nothing uploaded: export the file and use the SaveMail converter.
- Many Gmail threads into one merged PDF: a cloud extension does that today, at the cost of an account and a server round-trip.
Whatever you pick, keep the original file next to the PDF. The PDF is for reading; the EML, MBOX or PST is the record.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best way to archive emails?
Export the originals (MBOX from Google Takeout, PST from Outlook, or EML files), convert the important ones to PDF, and store both on a drive or in a folder you control. The right software depends on whether you need a whole-mailbox copy or readable files.
What is the best way to archive emails in Outlook?
Export a PST from Outlook desktop for the full mailbox, and drag individual messages to a folder to get MSG files. The MSG files can be converted to PDF in the browser; the PST stays as the restorable copy.
Is there free email backup software?
Yes. Google Takeout, Thunderbird and MailStore Home (for personal use) cost nothing, and the SaveMail website converter is free. Outlook's export is included with Outlook.
Does Google Takeout include attachments?
Yes. The MBOX contains each message in full, attachments included. To get the attachments out as separate files, open the MBOX in the SaveMail converter and download them one by one or as a ZIP.
Can I back up email without installing anything?
Partly. Google Takeout runs in the browser and needs no install. Converting the resulting MBOX or any EML or MSG file to PDF also runs in the browser with the SaveMail converter. Mailboxes without an export, such as Yahoo, need a desktop client.
Do I need an Office 365 or Microsoft 365 email backup tool?
For one mailbox, Outlook desktop's PST export is enough. For many mailboxes, retention policies in Microsoft 365 or a dedicated backup service are the usual route; that is outside what a file converter does.