Key points

• Traditional DLP struggles with SaaS adoption and the shift beyond corporate firewalls.
• Legacy DLP solutions rely on regex-based detection, leading to alert fatigue and inefficiencies.
• Modern DLP solutions use AI and automation to provide proactive, real-time data protection.
• Metomic offers a scalable, SaaS-friendly DLP approach ith advanced risk detection and user-friendly remediation.

Businesses now run on SaaS, with 85% of their apps now being cloud-based.

Tools like Google Drive, Slack, and Notion make collaboration seamless, but they also push sensitive data beyond traditional security controls. With information constantly in motion, businesses need a smarter way to keep their data secure.

Google’s built-in DLP is a good starting point, but it only protects Google apps and struggles with other SaaS tools. It also relies on static rules, leading to false positives and unnecessary noise for security teams.

If your business is growing and adopting more apps, you’ll likely need a more scalable solution that cuts through the noise and detects real risks in real time.

In this article, we’ll compare Metomic and Google DLP, break down their key features, and explore how modern DLP is transforming data security.

How data loss prevention is changing

Data security has evolved. Traditional DLP was designed to protect data within corporate networks, but with most companies now relying on cloud-based apps, sensitive information moves beyond firewalls. As businesses adopt more of these tools, the risk of data exposure grows.

In fact, 66% of security professionals say SaaS apps make their organisations more vulnerable. And with human error being responsible for 82% of all data security breaches, it’s clear that businesses need to adopt a more modern approach to data security.

The problem with legacy DLP solutions

Simply put, traditional DLP tools weren’t built for today’s cloud-first world. They rely on outdated detection methods that have the potential to create more problems than they solve.

• Too many false positives – Regex is useful for pattern recognition in text, but it struggles to accurately classify sensitive information. Because it relies on static rules rather than context, it often misidentifies harmless data as a threat, leading to false positive rates of over 90%.
• Inefficient security response – Security teams waste about 32% of their time on non-issues, slowing down real threat detection.
• Poor SaaS integrations – Legacy DLP struggles to monitor modern apps like Slack, Notion, and Google Drive, leaving gaps in protection.

📋Comparing Metomic and Google DLP

Google DLP is a solid choice for protecting data within Google Workspace, but it has its limitations—especially in securing SaaS apps, reducing alert fatigue, and enabling proactive remediation. That’s where Metomic comes in.

Instead of replacing Google DLP, Metomic enhances it by extending coverage beyond Google apps and making data protection more efficient.

Let’s break down the key differences.

Feature comparison: Metomic vs Google DLP

Key factors to consider when choosing a DLP solution

Choosing the right DLP solution isn’t just about security—it’s about finding a tool that fits your workflows, scales with your business, and reduces the burden on your team. If your organisation already uses Google Workspace, Google Workspace DLP provides a solid foundation. But securing modern SaaS environments requires more than just protecting emails and Google Drive files. Here are the key areas to consider:

1. Coverage and integrations

• Google DLP is built for Google Workspace, offering strong protection within Gmail and Google Drive.
• Metomic extends this coverage to third-party SaaS tools like Slack, Notion, and GitHub, ensuring sensitive data isn’t exposed outside Google’s ecosystem. With Metomic’s unified dashboard, security teams get a centralised view of risks across all platforms, making it easier to track and manage threats over time.

2. Detection accuracy and intelligence

• Google DLP relies on regex-based rules to detect sensitive data, which can lead to false positives and alert fatigue.
• Metomic enhances detection with machine learning and contextual analysis, surfacing only the most relevant risks and reducing noise.

3. Remediation and response

• Google DLP focuses on flagging violations, but remediation options are limited to admin controls.
• Metomic provides real-time remediation, allowing users to fix issues themselves—whether that’s revoking access, unsharing files, or receiving automated alerts.

4. Ease of deployment and management

• Google DLP requires manual configuration and ongoing tuning, which can be complex for smaller teams.
• Metomic offers a straightforward SaaS setup, making it easy for security and IT teams to apply policies across multiple applications without deep expertise.

5. Cost and scalability

• Google DLP follows a pay-per-use pricing model, where costs increase with data volume.
• Metomic provides predictable, user-based pricing with no additional charges for scans or API usage, making it easier to budget for long-term security needs.

By using Metomic alongside Google DLP, businesses can build a more comprehensive, scalable, and efficient data protection strategy.

You can find more details on Metomic’s SaaS-native DLP here and Google DLP for Workspace and Cloud here.

🔒How Metomic can help

Metomic makes it easier to protect sensitive data in Google Workspace, stay compliant, and reduce the workload for security teams:

• Sensitive data discovery – Metomic automatically detects and classifies PII, PHI, and financial data across Google Drive, Gmail, and other connected SaaS apps, ensuring sensitive information remains secure.
• Proactive Data Loss Prevention – It continuously monitors and mitigates risks in real time, automating remediation to prevent data leaks before they happen, complementing Google DLP’s existing protections.
• Building a human firewall – Metomic empowers Google Workspace users with real-time alerts and self-remediation tools, helping them take action to reduce security risks while easing the burden on IT teams.
• Compliance automation – It helps businesses meet GDPR and HIPAA requirements by integrating data governance and access controls directly within Google Workspace.

Getting started with Metomic

Adding Metomic to your security stack is simple, helping you protect sensitive data, streamline compliance, and reduce the workload for IT and security teams. Here’s how to get started:

• Identify your risks – Use Metomic’s free assessment tools including our Google Drive scanner to analyse your current security setup and spot potential vulnerabilities, so you can focus on the areas that need attention.
• See Metomic in action – Book a personalised demo to explore key features, understand how it integrates with Google Workspace, and see how it helps secure your data while keeping compliance straightforward.
• Get in touch with our experts – Have specific security challenges? Our team is on hand to guide you through the setup process and ensure Metomic fits seamlessly into your organisation.