Moving a company to Microsoft 365 can feel like packing an office into a rocket ship. Files, Teams, permissions, sites, lists, and confused humans all need a seat. ShareGate is one of the most popular tools for making that trip less scary.
TLDR: ShareGate is a friendly Microsoft 365 migration tool for moving SharePoint, Teams, OneDrive, and Microsoft 365 content with fewer headaches. For example, a 120-person company moving 1.8 TB of files and 42 Teams could use ShareGate to pre-check issues, copy content, and fix permissions before launch day. It is great for IT teams that want simple reports and control. But it may not be the best fit if you need deep email migration or a very low-cost one-time move.
What is ShareGate?
ShareGate is a migration and management tool built for Microsoft 365. It helps IT teams move content into, out of, or around Microsoft 365.
Think of it like a smart moving van. But instead of boxes and chairs, it carries:
- SharePoint sites
- Microsoft Teams
- OneDrive files
- Documents and folders
- Lists and libraries
- Permissions
- Metadata and versions
It also helps with cleanup. That is important. A messy source system creates a messy Microsoft 365 tenant. Nobody wants a digital junk drawer called Final Final Really Final Docs.
Why people like ShareGate
ShareGate is popular because it feels simple. You do not need to write scary scripts all day. You connect your source. You connect your destination. Then you choose what to move.
The interface is clear. The reports are useful. The steps are easy to follow. That matters when your CEO is asking, “Are my files safe?” every 14 minutes.
Best of all: ShareGate gives you visibility. You can see what may break before the move. That means fewer surprises. And fewer late-night pizza-powered panic sessions.
Main Microsoft 365 migration features
ShareGate has many features, but a few stand out.
1. SharePoint migration
This is one of ShareGate’s strongest areas. You can move SharePoint sites, libraries, lists, documents, metadata, and versions. You can also keep permissions, which is a big deal.
Permissions are often the sneaky villain in migrations. If they are wrong, people either lose access or see things they should not see. Both are bad. Very bad.
2. Microsoft Teams migration
ShareGate can help move Teams and their related SharePoint content. This is useful during mergers, tenant consolidations, or department restructuring.
Teams are not just chat rooms. They include channels, files, tabs, permissions, and connected services. ShareGate helps keep that structure easier to move.
3. OneDrive migration
ShareGate can move user files from OneDrive to OneDrive. This is helpful when people switch tenants or when a company reorganizes accounts.
It can also help IT teams avoid the classic question: “Where did my desktop folder go?”
4. Pre-migration checks
This feature is a lifesaver. ShareGate can scan your source before you migrate. It points out issues like long file paths, unsupported characters, broken permissions, or large files.
This lets you fix problems early. Think of it like checking your car before a road trip. It is better to find the flat tire in the driveway, not 200 miles later.
5. Incremental migration
ShareGate supports incremental copy. That means you can move content once, then move only the changes later.
This is great for larger projects. You can do a test move first. Then you can run a final sync closer to the launch date. Less downtime. Less drama.
6. Reports and audit details
ShareGate gives clear migration reports. You can see what moved, what failed, and what needs attention. This helps IT teams prove progress.
Reports are also useful for managers. They love charts. They love status updates. They really love knowing that 96% of the migration is complete.
ShareGate governance features
ShareGate is not only for migration. It also helps with Microsoft 365 governance.
That means it can help you manage sprawl. Sprawl is what happens when every project gets a new Team, every Team gets 27 channels, and nobody knows who owns anything.
ShareGate can help with:
- Finding inactive Teams and groups
- Checking external sharing
- Finding ownerless Teams
- Cleaning unused content
- Improving security visibility
This is very useful after migration. Because the work does not stop on launch day. Microsoft 365 needs care. Like a plant. Or a very needy robot.
What ShareGate does well
Here are the biggest wins.
- Easy to use: The interface is friendly for IT admins.
- Strong SharePoint support: It handles complex SharePoint content well.
- Good reports: You get clear results and error details.
- Flexible migrations: Move whole sites or selected content.
- Helpful checks: Find problems before users do.
ShareGate is especially good for small and mid-sized IT teams. It saves time. It reduces manual work. It also lowers the chance of mistakes.
Where ShareGate may fall short
No tool is perfect. Not even one with a nice dashboard.
ShareGate may not be ideal if your main need is email migration. It is focused more on SharePoint, Teams, OneDrive, and Microsoft 365 management. If you need to move many Exchange mailboxes, you may need another tool.
Pricing can also be a factor. ShareGate is usually sold as a paid subscription. For companies doing one small move, that may feel expensive. For teams doing many migrations or ongoing governance, the value is easier to justify.
Also, very complex enterprise projects may require more planning, testing, and support. ShareGate helps a lot, but it does not magically fix bad information architecture. Sadly, no tool can fully cure a decade of chaotic folder naming.
ShareGate alternatives
If ShareGate is not the right fit, there are several good alternatives.
Microsoft SharePoint Migration Tool
Best for: Budget-friendly SharePoint and file share moves.
Microsoft’s own SharePoint Migration Tool is free. That is a beautiful word. It can move content from file shares and older SharePoint environments into Microsoft 365.
But it is more basic. Reporting and advanced control are limited compared with ShareGate.
Microsoft Migration Manager
Best for: Larger file share migrations into OneDrive or SharePoint.
Migration Manager is available in the Microsoft 365 admin center. It is useful for distributed file server migrations. It is also included with Microsoft 365, which helps with cost.
Still, it may not offer the same friendly experience or broad SharePoint control as ShareGate.
BitTitan MigrationWiz
Best for: Email and mailbox migrations.
BitTitan is a strong choice when Exchange, Gmail, or mailbox migration is the main job. It is widely used by managed service providers.
If your project is mostly email, BitTitan may be a better match than ShareGate.
AvePoint Fly
Best for: Enterprise migrations and complex Microsoft 365 projects.
AvePoint Fly supports Microsoft 365, Teams, SharePoint, Google Workspace, Box, Dropbox, and more. It is powerful and enterprise-friendly.
It may be more than a small team needs. But for a big migration with many systems, it is worth reviewing.
Quest On Demand Migration
Best for: Tenant-to-tenant migrations.
Quest is strong for Microsoft 365 tenant consolidation. This is common during mergers and acquisitions.
It can handle users, mail, Teams, OneDrive, and SharePoint. It is powerful, but setup may feel more complex than ShareGate.
Who should use ShareGate?
ShareGate is a smart pick if you are moving SharePoint, Teams, or OneDrive content. It is also great if you want cleanup and governance after the move.
It fits well for:
- IT admins who want a simple migration tool
- Companies moving to Microsoft 365
- Businesses merging Microsoft 365 tenants
- Teams cleaning SharePoint permissions
- Organizations that need clear reports
It may not be the best choice if you only need to migrate mailboxes. It may also be too much for a tiny one-time file move.
Final verdict
ShareGate is a strong, friendly, and practical Microsoft 365 migration tool. It shines with SharePoint, Teams, OneDrive, permissions, reports, and pre-migration checks.
It does not remove every challenge. You still need a plan. You still need testing. You still need someone brave enough to explain permissions to the finance team.
But ShareGate makes the journey smoother. It turns a scary Microsoft 365 migration into a cleaner, calmer project. And in the world of IT, calm is basically a superpower.
