What tools do you use for migrating to SharePoint Online? In this blog I will look at two of the tools I use most often, the SharePoint Migration Tool and Sharegate, and explain how I choose.

The SharePoint Migration Tool (SPMT) is a free tool provided by Microsoft for simple migrations to SharePoint Online, it supports file server and SharePoint Server (think 2013, 2016, 2019 and subscription edition) to SharePoint Online migrations.

Sharegate is third-party solution that supports the same migration types a the SPMT and SharePoint Online to SharePoint scenarios, useful for tenant migrations and restructuring existing SharePoint Online environments.

Which tool do I choose?

The table below has a summary of some of the differences between SMTP and Sharegate. This covers the common scenarios you are likely to come across and not the more complex ones.

Capability / Scenario	SharePoint Migration Tool	ShareGate
File Server to SP Online	✅ Good for simple lifts	✅ Advanced
SharePoint Server to SharePoint Online	✅ Good for simple lifts	✅ Advanced
Tenant to Tenant	❌ Not supported	✅ Supported
Google Cloud to SharePoint	❌ Not supported	✅ Supported
Microsoft Exchange	❌ Not supported	✅ Supported
Migrate + Incremental copy	✅ Supported	✅ More flexible
Metadata copy	⚠️ Basic (system metadata only)	✅ Advanced
Permission migration	⚠️ Basic	✅ Advanced
Permission remapping	⚠️ Basic with CSV input	✅ Advanced
Pre-migration checks	⚠️ Basic	✅ Advanced
Restructure content during migration	⚠️ Basic	✅ Advanced
Permission Reporting	❌ Not supported	✅ Advanced
Error Handling	⚠️ Basic CSV log files	✅ Advanced dashboard
Automation	PowerShell	API

SharePoint Migration Tool is great for small migrations and low complexity migrations. I often train a business user on how to map folders on their file server to SharePoint document libraries.  It has an easy-to-follow user interface, and the defaults are sensible in most cases. SPMT allows you to create a mapping file to map source folders to destination locations in SharePoint Online. I use this feature a lot for bulk migrations.

Sharegate is the right tool for more complex migrations, however it is a paid solution, and you should consider the value you will get. It may not make sense for very small migrations. One of the big benefits outside the migration itself is the advanced reporting that helps an experienced SharePoint Admin understand the permissions before and after migration. Sharegate is a more complex tool, with superior features. It is a tool for the professionals rather than end users. They will usually get value beyond the migration itself.  

There is another scenario where neither tool is ideal. Migrations from legacy document management systems often require either very expensive migration tools or scripting using PowerShell to automate migration from the source system to SharePoint using API’s and PnP PowerShell. It does take time to develop scripts and their can be complex requirements that make this complex.

Both the SharePoint Migration tool and Sharegate perform much faster than scripted migrations. Sometimes a hybrid approach where file migration is done with either tool and then metadata is updated using scripts (system updates avoid versions and date changes).

With any migration it is important to understand how throttling is handled in Microsoft 365. Running many migrations in parallel can result in everything slowing down dramatically. Learn more about throttling limits for SharePoint migrations.

In addition to Sharegate, there are other vendors who create migration tools. Some tools are licensed based on the volume of content you are migrating rather than how many users you will require. It is worth evaluating these, especially if you have more complex scenarios to consider.