SendSafely vs Microsoft Purview

An end-to-end encrypted alternative to Microsoft Purview for data protection.

Microsoft Purview classifies and labels content across Microsoft 365 — useful work, but it doesn't prevent Microsoft from being able to read the content. SendSafely encrypts on the sender's device with a split-key architecture, so even SendSafely can't read what you've sent. The two pair, they don't compete.

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At a glance

Two products, different jobs.

A side-by-side picture of what Microsoft Purview is built for, and where SendSafely is built differently.

What Microsoft Purview does well

Deep integration across Microsoft 365 — Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, SharePoint, OneDrive
Strong classification and labeling for in-tenant content
Data Loss Prevention policies inside the Microsoft estate

Where SendSafely is different

End-to-end encryption with split-key architecture. Microsoft Purview's encryption is server-side and managed by Microsoft. SendSafely encrypts client-side with OpenPGP, and the decryption key is split — Microsoft, SendSafely, and any vendor in the path see ciphertext only.
Recipient identity verification before decryption. Recipients verify identity (email, SMS, SSO) before SendSafely releases the half of the key it holds. Microsoft Purview controls access through Azure AD — that works for in-tenant users but is heavier for external recipients.
Encryption that travels outside Microsoft 365. Outlook plug-in, Gmail extension, Zendesk app, Salesforce app, Intercom app, Freshdesk app — SendSafely encrypts files regardless of which surface they originate from.

Feature comparison

SendSafely and Microsoft Purview side by side.

Each row reflects how the two products approach the same problem. Both companies maintain their own certifications and audit programs — consult each vendor's public documentation for current capabilities.

Feature	SendSafely	Microsoft Purview
End-to-end client-side encryption	Yes — OpenPGP, every file	Server-side; Microsoft holds and manages keys
Split-key architecture (no admin path)	Yes	Microsoft and tenant admins have access
External recipient experience	Link + identity verification, no account required	Azure AD federation or guest account required
Cross-platform reach	Outlook, Gmail, Zendesk, Salesforce, Intercom, Freshdesk, REST API	Optimized for Microsoft 365
HIPAA BAA	On Business and Enterprise plans	Available within Microsoft's compliance framework
Audit log API	REST endpoint, JSON records, every event	Comprehensive within Microsoft 365 audit

Comparative claims reflect publicly documented behavior of Microsoft Purview as of the page's last update. Microsoft Purview maintains its own product roadmap; consult their documentation for current capabilities.

Why teams choose SendSafely

Four architectural differences that matter.

End-to-end encryption with split-key architecture

Microsoft Purview's encryption is server-side and managed by Microsoft. SendSafely encrypts client-side with OpenPGP, and the decryption key is split — Microsoft, SendSafely, and any vendor in the path see ciphertext only.

Recipient identity verification before decryption

Recipients verify identity (email, SMS, SSO) before SendSafely releases the half of the key it holds. Microsoft Purview controls access through Azure AD — that works for in-tenant users but is heavier for external recipients.

Encryption that travels outside Microsoft 365

Outlook plug-in, Gmail extension, Zendesk app, Salesforce app, Intercom app, Freshdesk app — SendSafely encrypts files regardless of which surface they originate from.

Who switches

Teams moving from Microsoft Purview to SendSafely.

Teams using Microsoft Purview for in-tenant data governance typically add SendSafely for the workflows where the file leaves Microsoft 365 entirely — outside counsel, regulated counterparties, support customers — and the encryption needs to survive on platforms Microsoft doesn't control.

Microsoft 365 organizations adding split-key encryption for regulated content
Healthcare sending PHI outside the Microsoft tenant under HIPAA
Legal teams exchanging files with outside counsel who aren't in your Azure AD
Financial services moving deal documents to counterparties on other platforms

Purview keeps classifying inside Microsoft 365 while SendSafely handles what leaves it — compliance file exchange outbound, and the Outlook plug-in on the desks that send it. All In Credit Union works this way under GLBA and NIST 800-53.

Enterprise controls

Deep admin control, built in.

Policy, identity, storage, and automation controls for teams that answer to auditors.

Multi-Portal Administration

Run every portal you manage, across subsidiaries, regions, or sandbox and production, from one login. No standing admin accounts, and every action lands in that portal's audit log.

Enterprise

Security Groups

Decide who can send outbound, own Workspaces and Dropzones, or generate API keys. Everyone else stays receive-only, across every integration.

Business · Enterprise

Bring your own bucket

Store encrypted files in an AWS S3 bucket you control, or host in the US, EU, or Sydney. Custody of your data, with nothing to run on your perimeter.

Business · Enterprise

Enforced Workspace expiration

Set default, minimum, and maximum file expiration for every Workspace in the portal, then exempt only the named accounts that need longer.

IP restrictions

Limit registered users to your office or VPN ranges on every path: web, integrations, REST API, and SCIM. Guests are unaffected.

Enterprise

SSO and SCIM

SAML SSO with any SAML 2.0 identity provider. SCIM provisioning for Okta and Entra ID, including admin rights managed from Okta.

Audit Log API

Stream every send, download, and admin action to Splunk, Sentinel, or Chronicle, with long-term retention through S3 export.

Enterprise

Actions

Scan every inbound file with CrowdStrike, OPSWAT, or Sophos, check it with Google Cloud DLP, and quarantine, hold, or archive it automatically.

Enterprise

Native integrations

Encryption inside Outlook, Gmail, Zendesk, Salesforce, Intercom, Freshdesk, and Slack, plus a REST API for everything else.

Audited and compliant

The same controls regulated procurement asks for.

Every file is encrypted on the sender's device using OpenPGP. SendSafely sees ciphertext only — the decryption key is split so nobody, not even SendSafely, can read the contents on its own.

Audited annually. SendSafely maintains the certifications regulated industries require.

How our architecture works Compliance & certifications

Compliance & certifications

Client-side OpenPGP

Files are encrypted on the device before they ever leave it.

Split-key architecture

The decryption key is split so no single party—including SendSafely—can decrypt file contents on its own.

Full audit trail

Every send, recipient open, identity check, and download is logged with timestamps for compliance reporting.

Compare side by side

Ready to see how SendSafely handles your data protection workflow vs Microsoft Purview?

Real product demo, real questions, no slideware. Bring your toughest Microsoft Purview edge case and we'll walk through the SendSafely architecture against it.

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