There is no single BetterCloud replacement across every use case. Zenphi is the closest fit here for Google Workspace-centric IT automation; Torii is stronger for SaaS discovery and licence spend; SpinOne combines security monitoring with backup; DoControl is narrower but deeper on SaaS data exposure; and Netskope or Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps fit enterprise security enforcement rather than IT workflow automation.
What’s in this guide
- How we assessed the platforms
- BetterCloud alternatives at a glance
- Group 1 — SaaS management and IT automation
- 1. Zenphi
- 2. Torii
- 3. Josys
- 4. CloudM
- Group 2 — Security and data protection
- 5. SpinOne
- 6. DoControl
- Group 3 — Enterprise CASB platforms
- 7. Netskope
- 8. Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps
- Which alternative fits your situation
- Frequently asked questions
IT teams re-evaluating BetterCloud usually cite the same three things: per-user pricing that climbs with headcount, a workflow engine limited to preset actions, and support that thins out beyond the apps BetterCloud integrates with directly.
The alternatives fall into three groups, and they are not interchangeable. Some replace BetterCloud’s automation. Some replace its security monitoring. Very few do both. This comparison covers eight options, what each is actually built for, and where each one is stronger and weaker than BetterCloud.
How we selected and assessed these platforms
Automated provisioning and deprovisioning, role-based access and approval routing.
External file sharing, email forwarding rules, shadow IT and OAuth visibility.
Whether the platform is built around Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, or both.
How pricing scales and what actually drives the commercial model.
SaaS-security-only platforms versus tools that extend into cross-functional automation.
Assessment draws on vendor documentation, user reviews on Capterra and Software Advice, and published platform comparisons. Pricing is indicative and moves; verify current figures with each vendor.
BetterCloud alternatives compared
| Platform | Best for | Automation depth | Security monitoring | Backup | Google Workspace | Microsoft 365 | Pricing model |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zenphi | Google Workspace–centric IT automation | Full custom logic, no code | Detection and remediation workflows | No | Native | Supported | Per workflow / operation |
| Torii | SaaS discovery and licence spend | Workflow automation | Shadow IT discovery | No | Yes | Yes | Per user |
| Josys | SaaS and device management together | Preset workflows | App and access visibility | No | Yes | Yes | Per user |
| CloudM | Migration plus lifecycle management | Preset workflows | Limited | Native | Yes | Yes | Per user |
| SpinOne | Security and backup in one tool | Policy-based | SSPM, DLP, ransomware | Yes | Yes | Yes | Per user (~$5–10/mo) |
| DoControl | No-code SaaS data security | Policy workflows | Data access and sharing | No | Yes | Yes | Per user or asset |
| Netskope | Enterprise CASB and SASE | Policy enforcement | Real-time inline control | No | Yes | Yes | Per user, enterprise |
| Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps | Microsoft-first enterprises | Policy enforcement | Anomaly detection, DLP | No | Via connector | Native | M365 E5 or add-on |
SaaS management and IT automation
The closest direct replacements for what BetterCloud actually does day to day.
1Zenphi
Google Workspace–centric IT automation
Key features
A no-code automation platform built natively on Google Workspace APIs. Covers user provisioning and deprovisioning, Shared Drive and file permissions, Google Group membership, Gmail delegation, licence assignment and reclamation, and organisational unit moves — with approval routing, conditional logic and an audit trail on every workflow. Workflows can be triggered from a form, Google Chat, an email or an existing ticket, and can call any external API.
Zenphi vs BetterCloud. BetterCloud’s workflow engine is built around preset actions across the apps it integrates with. Zenphi’s is open-ended: any logic, any API, any conditional path, without code. The pricing models differ materially — BetterCloud’s per-user model climbs with headcount, Zenphi’s does not. BetterCloud covers a broader range of SaaS applications; Zenphi goes deeper in Google Workspace and extends further outside IT.
2Torii
SaaS discovery and licence spend
Key features
SaaS management focused on discovery, licence optimisation and spend visibility. Finds shadow IT through expense data, browser extension and SSO integration, then supports automated workflows for onboarding and offboarding across discovered applications.
Torii’s discovery is stronger and its spend reporting far more developed. BetterCloud’s in-app administration is deeper. Organisations frequently evaluate both and choose on whether their problem is cost or control.
3Josys
SaaS and device management together
Key features
Combines SaaS management with device management — accounts, applications and hardware in one view. Covers user lifecycle across connected applications, licence tracking and device assignment.
Comparable scope on SaaS management, with device management added. BetterCloud’s automation is more mature; Josys covers more of the IT team’s remit.
4CloudM
Migration plus lifecycle management
Key features
Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 management with migration at its core, plus user lifecycle automation, archiving and backup.
CloudM wins on migration and archiving. BetterCloud wins on breadth of SaaS integration and workflow flexibility.
Security and data protection
5SpinOne
Security and backup in one tool
Key features
An all-in-one SaaS security platform combining posture management, data leak prevention, ransomware detection and automated backup. Detects risky file shares — Drive files shared publicly or outside the domain — and can flag or automatically revoke them. Audits OAuth applications connected to Google and Microsoft accounts and assigns risk scores. Provides daily backups for mail and file storage with granular restore.
The clearest differentiator is backup and ransomware rollback — if a file is deleted or encrypted, SpinOne can restore it and BetterCloud cannot. SpinOne’s anomaly detection works out of the box rather than requiring admins to build their own alerting. BetterCloud is materially stronger on user management automation.
6DoControl
No-code SaaS data security
Key features
A SaaS security platform focused on preventing data exposure, built around a no-code policy builder. Inventories files, folders and sharing links across connected applications and maps who has access to what. Detects sensitive data exposure, insider risk and suspicious OAuth applications, then runs automated remediation — removing an external share and notifying security, or disabling a mail forwarding rule to an external domain.
Both automate SaaS security without code. DoControl’s workflows are action-focused on file access, sharing and OAuth. BetterCloud’s span administrative tasks more broadly, including account and profile changes.
Enterprise CASB platforms
Worth understanding, though they solve a different problem. Organisations comparing these against BetterCloud are usually deciding between security enforcement and IT automation rather than choosing a like-for-like replacement.
7Netskope
Enterprise CASB and SASE
Key features
A cloud security platform with a leading CASB. Full visibility into managed and unmanaged application usage, DLP across SaaS, IaaS and web traffic, and real-time policy enforcement via proxy or API — blocking a public Drive share, or stopping a sensitive download to an unmanaged device. Identifies shadow IT against a library of more than 36,000 application signatures.
Netskope enforces in real time and can intercept a user action before it completes. BetterCloud acts after the fact via API. Netskope’s shadow IT discovery is far broader. BetterCloud’s workflow engine handles work Netskope does not attempt.
8Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps
Microsoft-first enterprise security
Key features
A cloud access security broker offering visibility and control over SaaS use, with machine-learning threat detection, DLP, compliance policy enforcement and shadow IT discovery. Detects external sharing of sensitive files and suspicious mail forwarding rules, and can automatically block risky activity or quarantine data.
Microsoft’s platform is security-first, with anomaly detection BetterCloud does not offer. BetterCloud handles SaaS administration and workflow automation, which Defender does not attempt.
Which alternative fits your situation
You run on Google Workspace and need automation beyond preset actions — Zenphi. Custom workflow logic, conditional approval routing, and pricing that does not scale with headcount.
Torii. Discovery and reclamation will surface applications and costs nobody has visibility of.
SpinOne. The only option here that can restore data after deletion or encryption.
DoControl. Narrower than BetterCloud, deeper on file access and sharing.
CloudM.
Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps, or Netskope where multi-cloud enforcement matters.
Josys.
The right choice depends on which part of what BetterCloud does actually matters to your team.
BetterCloud alternatives: FAQ
What is the best BetterCloud alternative?
There is no single best option, because BetterCloud spans two jobs that most alternatives address separately. For IT automation in Google Workspace, Zenphi is the closest replacement. For SaaS discovery and licence spend, Torii. For security monitoring with backup, SpinOne. For enterprise security enforcement, Netskope or Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps.
Why do IT teams look for BetterCloud alternatives?
The three most common reasons are per-user pricing that rises with headcount, a workflow engine limited to preset actions, and gaps in coverage beyond the applications BetterCloud integrates with directly.
Is there a cheaper alternative to BetterCloud?
SpinOne typically sits in the region of $5–10 per user per month. Zenphi prices by workflow and operation volume rather than per user, which changes how cost scales as headcount grows. DoControl positions below traditional CASBs. Verify current pricing directly, as all of these move.
Which BetterCloud alternative is best for Google Workspace?
Zenphi is built natively on Google Workspace APIs and supports granular administrative actions — Shared Drive permissions, Google Group membership, Gmail delegation, licence management, organisational unit moves — with approval routing and audit trails. CloudM and SpinOne also support Google Workspace well, with different emphases on migration and backup respectively.
Can any of these replace BetterCloud entirely?
For most organisations, one can. The question is which of BetterCloud’s two functions — IT automation or SaaS security — is the one actually being used. Teams using both sometimes run an automation platform alongside a security platform, which frequently costs less than BetterCloud alone.
Do these alternatives work alongside an existing ITSM or identity provider?
Yes. None of the platforms here requires replacing a service desk or identity provider. An identity provider handles authentication and standard entitlements; a service desk captures and records requests; these platforms execute the work and write the result back.
Bring us one awkward access request
Automating access requests and approvals in Google Workspace? Bring us one request your team currently handles by hand — ideally the one with the awkward approval path — and we will build it with you in 30 minutes. You keep the workflow either way.
Ruzida Badrutdinova is a technology writer specializing in workflow automation, Google Workspace productivity, and no-code solutions. At Zenphi, she covers everything from practical how-to guides and product updates to in-depth explorations of automation use cases across IT, finance, marketing, and security.
Her writing is aimed at IT administrators, business operators, and Google Workspace users who want to get more done without writing a single line of code.
View Ruzida’s author page