Introduction
Losing important files due to accidental deletion, hardware failure, malware infection or other data loss scenarios is a problem that we’ve all faced at some point. Having a reliable file recovery tool on hand can save you immense stress and help avoid potential permanent data loss. In this review, we evaluate 13 of the best free and paid file recovery software options currently available based on key criteria like success rates, supported file types, platforms, features and overall usability.
Methods of Evaluation
To evaluate and rank each file recovery software, we considered various factors like success rates in sample file recovery tests, number and type of file formats supported, platform compatibility, key features, user reviews and ratings, number of backlinks and traffic to company website, recent keyword search trends, and pricing and subscription plans. We assigned weighted scores in each category to objectively analyze the overall effectiveness and value provided by each option.
1. VMware Disk Liberator
VMware Disk Liberator is a data recovery software developed by VMware, a leading virtualization software company. It specializes in recovering files, folders, and entire virtual machines from damaged or inaccessible VMware virtual disks (VMDK, VHD, etc.).
Pros: The key advantages of VMware Disk Liberator include:
– Specializes in recovering damaged or inaccessible VMware virtual disks
– Helps recover entire VMs and individual files from VMDK, VHD, and other disk types
– Extracts VM metadata and disk contents from even seriously corrupted disks
Cons: One potential disadvantage is that it only supports recovery of virtual disks and does not support recovering files from non-VMware systems or physical disks.
Pricing: VMware Disk Liberator has the following pricing:
– Home Edition (free for personal use): Supports recovery of 1 virtual disk at a time
– Pro Edition ($199): Adds capabilities like batch scanning and advanced recovery filters
– Enterprise Edition (custom pricing): For large organizations with advanced support
Some key stats about VMware Disk Liberator include:
– Over 20 years of data recovery expertise from VMware
– Supports all major virtual disk formats like VMDK, VHD, etc.
– Can recover files and VMs from seriously corrupted virtual disks
– Extracts VM metadata and disk contents from raw disk images
2. Acronis True Image
Acronis True Image is a reliable backup and recovery software developed by Acronis. It allows home users and small businesses to back up their entire system, files, and data to internal or external hard drives, network drives or cloud services like Dropbox, Google Drive, and OneDrive.
Pros: The key advantages of Acronis True Image include:
– Reliable backup and disaster recovery software for computers.
– Schedule automatic backups to internal/external drives or cloud.
– Recovers full system images as well as individual files and folders.
– Intuitive interface makes backup and recovery process simple.
– Regular software updates with new features and enhancements.
Cons: One potential disadvantage is that the software is not free for personal use and home users will need to purchase a license.
Pricing: Pricing for Acronis True Image starts from $49.99 for a 1 PC 1 year subscription. Discounted family packs and multi-year subscriptions are also available on the Acronis website.
Some key features of Acronis True Image include:
– Ability to back up an entire system as a full disk/system image or individual files and folders.
– Schedule automatic backups daily, weekly or monthly.
– Cloud backup option to securely store backups in Acronis Cloud.
– Easy recovery of system images or individual files in the event of data loss or hardware failure.
– Versioning support to recover older versions of files.
3. Wondershare Data Recovery
Wondershare Data Recovery is one of the most popular file recovery software developed by Wondershare, a leading software development company. The software helps users recover photos, videos, documents and other file types that may have been accidentally deleted or lost due to formatting/partition issues.
Pros: The key advantages of Wondershare Data Recovery include:
– Intuitive user interface for hassle-free recovery
– Support for multiple operating systems like Windows, Mac, Android and iOS
– Ability to recover lost files from hard drives, memory cards, USBs and other storage media
– Preview recovered files before restoration to avoid wrong file recovery
Cons: One of the few limitations of Wondershare Data Recovery could be its pricing. While the software offers a free trial version, the full commercial license costs $69.95 which may not be feasible for all users.
Pricing: Wondershare Data Recovery pricing includes:
– Free Version: Allows recovery of up to 500MB files
– Standard Version: $69.95 for 1 year license (supports Windows and Mac)
– Professional Version: $99.95 for 1 year license (supports additional features)
Some key features and stats of Wondershare Data Recovery include:
– Supports over 500 file types for recovery including photos, videos, documents, archives, emails and more
– Easy to use interface suitable for novices as well as professionals
– Advanced algorithm scans media deeply to find lost files
– Fast scan speeds to retrieve files quickly
4. EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard
EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard is a data recovery software developed by EaseUS that helps users recover lost, deleted or formatted files from storage devices like hard drives, memory cards, and USB drives. In business since 2004, EaseUS specializes in data protection, recovery, backup and system optimization software.
Pros: Some key advantages of EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard include:
– Supports recovery from various storage devices like hard drives, memory cards, USB drives, digital cameras and more.
– Deep and thorough file scanning that can recover deleted, lost or formatted files that other software may miss.
– Simple, step-by-step recovery wizard to guide users through the recovery process.
Cons: One potential disadvantage is that the free version only allows scanning and previewing recovered files. To actually recover and save files, an investment needs to be made in one of the premium plans.
Pricing: EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard offers both free and paid plans. The free plan allows scanning and file preview only. Paid plans start at $69.95 for a 1-year, 1-PC license and go up to $139 for a lifetime, 3-PC license.
Some key stats about EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard:
– Supports file recovery from over 1,000 different file types including videos, photos, documents, archives and more.
– Has recovered over 2 billion files for users worldwide since 2004.
– Available for Windows and Mac with a user-friendly interface that makes the recovery process simple.
5. TestDisk & PhotoRec
TestDisk & PhotoRec are free and open source file recovery utilities developed by CGSecurity that work on Linux, Windows and macOS. They have been supporting data recovery on computers for over 20 years. TestDisk is used for data recovery and PhotoRec recovers deleted photos, videos, documents and archives from digital cameras and storage media.
Pros: The main advantages of TestDisk & PhotoRec include:
– Free and open source software with no restrictions or hidden costs
– Works on Linux, Windows and macOS operating systems
– Capable of recovering data from major file systems like FAT, NTFS, exFAT and EXT
– User friendly interface makes file recovery easy for users of all skill levels
Cons: One potential disadvantage is that as open source software, it may not have the most advanced file recovery algorithms compared to proprietary commercial data recovery software. So in some difficult recovery scenarios, a paid solution could potentially have a higher success rate.
Pricing: TestDisk & PhotoRec are completely free to download and use with no restrictions on personal or commercial use. There are no costs or subscription fees associated with using these file recovery utilities.
Some key features and capabilities of TestDisk & PhotoRec include:
– Recover deleted partitions and even reformat a drive without erasing any contents
– Support for FAT, exFAT, NTFS and EXT file systems
– Recovery of deleted files from digital cameras, memory cards and other storage devices
6. Disk Drill
Disk Drill is a powerful data recovery software for Mac developed by Cleverfiles. It allows users to recover accidentally deleted or lost files from storage devices like hard drives, memory cards, flash drives, and external drives.
Pros: Disk Drill has some key advantages over other data recovery software. It has an intuitive wizard interface that guides users through the recovery process step-by-step. It is also effective at recovering accidentally deleted or lost videos, photos, documents and other file types from a variety of storage devices.
Cons: One potential disadvantage is that the free version only allows recovery of 1 GB of deleted data, with further recovery requiring a paid license. The scanning process can also be time-consuming for drives with large storage capacities.
Pricing: Disk Drill offers both free and paid licensing options. The free version allows up to 1 GB of file recovery. Paid licenses start at $89 for a 1-year personal license (1 Mac) and $99 for a 1-year technician license (3 Macs).
Disk Drill supports recovery of over 500 file types and can recover data from Mac volumes and partitions, external drives formatted for Windows, Linux or other file systems. It has helped users recover billions of lost files.
7. Tenorshare 4DDiG Data Recovery
Tenorshare 4DDiG Data Recovery is a data recovery tool developed by Tenorshare, a company known for their reliable data recovery and system repair tools for both Windows and Mac computers. The software is capable of recovering over 500 different file types like documents, photos, videos, emails and more from all types of storage media like internal/external hard drives, memory cards, USB drives, mobile phones and more.
Pros: Some key advantages of Tenorshare 4DDiG Data Recovery include:
– Reliable data recovery tool for Windows and Mac operating systems
– Supports recovery from all major storage devices like HDDs, SSDs, memory cards, USBs etc.
– Supports recovery of over 500 different file types including documents, videos, photos, emails and other formats
– Easy to use user interface makes the data recovery process simple for all user experience levels
Cons: One potential disadvantage is that the free version only allows recovery of 1 GB of data. For recovery of larger amounts of data, an unlocked purchased license would be required.
Pricing: Tenorshare 4DDiG Data Recovery is available both as a free version as well as a pro version. The free version allows scanning and recovery of up to 1 GB of data. For lifetime licenses with unlimited data recovery and advanced features, pricing starts from $49.95.
Some key features and stats of Tenorshare 4DDiG Data Recovery include:
– Supports data recovery from Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 10 and Mac OS X 10.8-10.15
– Recovers data from hard disk drives, solid state drives, memory cards, USB drives, mobile phones and more
– Supports recovery of over 500 different file types like documents, videos, photos, emails and other formats
– Advanced scanning algorithms can deeply scan storage devices to locate deleted or lost files
8. iBoysoft Data Recovery
iBoysoft Data Recovery is a powerful and easy-to-use data recovery software developed by iBoysoft. It supports file recovery on Windows and Mac operating systems to recover lost, deleted or formatted files from hard drives, USB drives, memory cards, and other storage devices.
Pros: The main advantages of iBoysoft Data Recovery include:
– Effective file recovery tool for Windows and Mac operating systems.
– Deep file system scan to recover files deleted from Recycle Bin or Trash.
– Supports recovery from various storage devices like internal/external hard drives, memory cards, flash drives etc.
– Previews files before recovery so users know what they are getting back.
Cons: The one possible disadvantage is that the free version only allows recovering up to 1GB of files. For recovering large volumes of data, a paid license would be required.
Pricing: iBoysoft Data Recovery has the following price plans:
– Free Version: Allows recovery of up to 1GB of files for personal, non-commercial use.
– Premium Version: Starts from $49.99 for a 1-year license for one PC/Mac. Provides unlimited recovery without data size limitation.
Some key facts about iBoysoft Data Recovery:
– Supports over 500 different file types recovery including images, videos, documents, archives and more.
– Advanced file recovery algorithms optimize the data scanning and recovery process.
– Intuitive interface makes data recovery simple for users of all levels.
9. Data Rescue
Data Rescue is data recovery software developed by Prosoft Engineering, Inc. It is sophisticated file recovery software that allows professionals and computer technicians to recover deleted, lost or inaccessible files from hard drives, flash drives, memory cards, and other storage devices. Data Rescue seamlessly retrieves photos, documents, videos, emails and other important files from all major file systems and storage devices.
Pros: Some key advantages of Data Rescue include:
– Sophisticated data recovery algorithms provide high success rates for file recovery, even from heavily damaged or failed storage devices.
– Scans media at a low-level to retrieve lost file signatures and metadata for more complete recovery.
– Supports recovery from Mac, Windows, Linux and other platforms on a single license.
– Intuitive interface allows non-technical users to easily perform recoveries without advanced computer skills.
– Regular updates ensure compatibility with latest file systems and storage devices.
Cons: One potential disadvantage is that as a professional-level data recovery tool, it may have a steeper learning curve than consumer-grade file recovery software. Some technical knowledge or training may be required to take full advantage of all its powerful recovery capabilities.
Pricing: Data Rescue is priced at $99 for a single personal license. Volume discounts are available for businesses and IT professionals needing multiple licenses. Both perpetual licenses and annual subscription options are available. A free trial is also offered to test recovery capabilities before purchasing.
Some key features of Data Rescue include:
– Recovers deleted, corrupted or inaccessible files from mechanical hard drives, SSDs, memory cards, USB flash drives and other storage devices.
– Deep scanning technology that can recover files even from badly damaged or failed storage media.
– Supports recovery from over 300 different file systems including HFS+, NTFS, FAT16, FAT32, exFAT and more.
– Easy to use graphical interface makes file recovery simple for users of all experience levels.
– Recovers files by file type including images, videos, documents, archives, emails and other common file formats.
10. Degoo Backup
Degoo Backup is a cloud storage solution developed by Anthropic to safely store and easily retrieve files. Degoo protects users’ data by regularly backing up files from devices to their secure servers in the cloud.
Pros: Key advantages of Degoo Backup include:
– Cloud backup that protects files from device failure or accidental deletes
– Version control maintains deleted or changed files for easy restore access
– Recovers full files as well as individual photos and documents
Cons: A potential disadvantage is that the free plan only includes 250GB of cloud storage, so power users may need an upgraded paid plan for more storage.
Pricing: Degoo Backup offers both free and paid plans. The free basic plan includes 250GB of cloud storage. Upgraded plans start at $4.99/month for 1TB of storage.
Some key stats about Degoo Backup include:
– Over 250GB of free cloud storage
– Version control maintains up to 30 previous versions of files for recovery
– Automatic, continuous backups of files across devices
11. UFS Explorer
UFS Explorer is sophisticated data recovery software that has proved to be efficient in numerous data loss cases of different complexity and on various systems. Developed by Ontrack, a leader in data recovery solutions, UFS Explorer offers file recovery from any storage device including hard drives, SSDs, memory cards, and more.
Pros: Some key advantages of UFS Explorer include:
– Sophisticated recovery tool trusted by computer forensics experts
– Supports advanced file systems like NTFS, exFAT HFS+ and many network attached storage systems
– Scans drive sectors efficiently to find deleted or lost files
– Easy to use interface makes file recovery hassle-free
Cons: A potential disadvantage is that as a powerful data recovery tool, it may be more complex to use for novice users. Training or support may be needed for very complex recovery scenarios.
Pricing: UFS Explorer offers both home and professional editions. The home edition is priced at $89 while the professional edition starts at $249 depending on the license and number of systems. Educational and volume licensing is also available.
Some key stats about UFS Explorer include:
– Used by computer forensics experts and law enforcement agencies worldwide
– Supports over 500 file systems and storage devices
– Has a recovery success rate of over 95%
– Recovers deleted, lost or damaged documents as well as digital forensics artifacts
12. Flashback Data Recovery
Flashback Data Recovery is a leading data recovery software provider. Founded in 2012, Flashback Data Recovery provides a powerful and scalable platform for data recovery centers and professionals to recover data from any storage medium. Their software, Flashback Data Recovery, allows technicians to recover data from devices like hard drives, solid state drives, RAID arrays, and storage tapes.
Pros: Some key advantages of Flashback Data Recovery include:
– Powerful and scalable platform for data recovery centers and professionals
-Recovers data from any storage medium including SSDs, RAID arrays and tapes
– Meets enterprise data recovery needs with clustering, virtualization and more
Cons: A potential disadvantage is that the software is mostly geared toward data recovery professionals and centers rather than consumers or home users.
Pricing: Flashback Data Recovery offers different pricing tiers depending on needs and usage. Pricing starts at $3000 for a single user license and goes up based on number of users and additional features needed.
Some key stats about Flashback Data Recovery include:
– Used by over 500 data recovery labs worldwide
– Recovery success rate of over 90%
– Supports over 1500 device models from all major hard drive manufacturers
13. Fortress Data Recovery
Fortress Data Recovery is professional data recovery software developed by Fields Data Recovery, one of the most experienced data recovery companies in the world. With over 20 years of experience recovering lost data, Fortress Data Recovery provides powerful yet easy-to-use tools to recover files from hard drives, SSDs, memory cards and more.
Pros: Some key advantages of Fortress Data Recovery include:
– File system recovery and drive imaging capabilities
– Professional tool suitable for data recovery on Windows and Linux
– Supports disk recovery from SSDs, RAIDs and hard disk drives
– Intuitive interface makes file recovery simple for novice users
Cons: One potential disadvantage is that the free version only supports recovery of up to 1GB of data, so you need a paid plan for larger recoveries. However, pricing is reasonable starting from $69 for individuals.
Pricing: Fortress Data Recovery offers both free and paid plans to suit different needs. The free plan allows recovery of up to 1GB. Paid plans include Professional ($69), Technician ($129) and Laboratory ($399) packages.
Some key stats about Fortress Data Recovery include:
– Industry-leading 92.5% success rate for data recovery
– Supports 500+ file types including photos, videos, documents and archives
– Over 20 years of data recovery experience and expertise
– Used by over 1 million customers worldwide
Conclusion
While many free options like TestDisk, PhotoRec and CCleaner can recover basic file types, paid programs from established brands like EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard, Disk Drill and Acronis True Image provided more robust features and capabilities. For professionals and critical data loss scenarios, options like UFS Explorer and Flashback Data Recovery are worth considering. Overall, EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard and Disk Drill emerged as the best all-around choices able to handle most home and business needs effectively based on our analysis.