Loss of data is more prevalent and recoverable than most people can imagine. It may be due to accidental deletion, drive corruption, a virus attack or an accidental format, but the right data recovery software can recover your files before they are overwritten permanently. The top tools have been put to the test by our experts in the real world to give you this definitive, up to date guide.
Anyone can lose data: it can be deleted by accident, the drive becomes corrupt, a virus infects it, or the wrong partition is formatted. The most effective data recovery software has the ability to recover files on hard drives, SSDs, USB drives, SD cards, and even smartphones.
Our experts have tried all the key tools in the market in this guide with real-life situations: deleted files, formatted drives, and simulated corrupted drives. The following are our best suggestions.
EaseUS has saved files since 2005, and it’s our overall favourite. The step-by-step wizard makes the normally stressful process of recovering lost data easy and relaxing – even for tech novices.
In testing, EaseUS recovered 76% of lost files (including their original names) and immediately identified a damaged hard drive as a “lost partition”, enabling preview of all files before recovery. It can recover just about anything: malware-ridden files, mistakenly deleted partitions and damaged drives.
| PROS 1. Rapid deep-scan technology 2. GB free recovery on PCSupports all major file types 3. Excellent customer support | CONS 1. Mac & Windows versions differ slightly 2. Monthly plan is expensive |
Windows & Mac | 2GB Free | From $70/month or $150 lifetime
Stellar is the best choice for advanced users with more control. It offers quick scans (for recovering recently deleted files) and deep scans (for recovering from formatted or corrupted drives), so you can save time when you’re pressed for it.
It’s compatible with all common file types and media formats – hard drives, solid state drives, USBs, SD cards, CDs and DVDs. During our tests, Stellar successfully recovered all files deleted from the Recycle Bin and 80% of files from a “dead” drive.
Best for: IT pros, power users, and enterprise-level data recovery.
| PROS 1. Flexible quick scan & deep scan 2. Broad device & format support 3. Strong corrupted drive recovery 4. 1 GB free preview & recovery | CONS 1. Deep scans are slower than rivals 2. Annual billing only — no monthly option |
Windows & Mac | 1GB Free | From $59.99/year
Disk Drill is the best data recovery tool for macOS – and it’s very good on Windows, too. It recovers from HDDs, SSDs, USB, SD cards, digital cameras, and even mobile phones. Scans complete in seconds.
Disk Drill was the only recovery tool we tested that successfully recovered files from all three scenarios: deleted files, formatted drives and corrupted drives. When we tested a drive not visible to Windows Explorer, Disk Drill immediately popped up with “Woohoo! Lost Partitions Found!” and recovered all files.
| PROS 1. Passed all 3 of our test scenarios 2. Excellent macOS support 3. Great device coverage 4. 500 MB free recovery | CONS 1. PRO version is expensive (~$108) 2. Recovery vault filenames can be confusing |
Win / Mac / iOS / Android | 100MB Free | $99.99 lifetime
AnyRecover is a powerhouse when it comes to supported devices – Windows, Mac, iOS, Android. It supports more than 2,000 devices, 500+ data loss situations and 1,000+ file formats.
We found that AnyRecover restored 92% of deleted files with their filenames on the first attempt – one of the best results we tested. It also worked well with a “corrupted” drive, recovering all but one file.
| PROS 1. iOS & Android support 2. 92% recovery rate in our tests 3. 2000+ device types supported 4. Dedicated remote support (paid) | CONS 1. File preview limited to certain types 2. Only 100 MB free recovery |
Win / Mac / iOS / Android | 100MB Free | $99.99 lifetime
OnTrack EasyRecovery has a clean, user-friendly interface with powerful sorting and filtering options. It has several editions – Home (simple file deletion recovery) to Toolkit (RAID recovery, commercial licensing).
Our tests found quick scans recovered all deleted files with file names in a matter of seconds. But the deep scan was unreliable – it froze several times during our tests – and it was slow on formatted drives.
| PROS 1. Polished, easy-to-navigate interface 2. Multiple pricing tiers for all needs 3. Easy file sorting & filters 4. 1 GB free recovery | CONS 1. Deep scan is buggy 2. Struggles with formatted drives |
Windows & Mac | 1GB Free | From ~$70/year
CrashPlan isn’t a recovery tool per se, but a backup and recovery service – and is a great choice for a business looking for peace of mind. It automatically backs up all your files in the background, storing deleted files in an encrypted backup so you can recover them months later.
| PROS 1. Backup + recovery combined in oneRetains deleted files (encrypted) 2. Competitive per-seat pricing 3. Background continuous backup | CONS 1. Not a traditional recovery tool 2.Doesn’t filter backups by file type |
Win / Mac / Linux | Business-focused | From $10/month per endpoint
| Software | Platforms | Free Recovery | Deep Scan | Recovery Rate | Starting Price |
| EaseUS | Win, Mac | 2 GB | Yes | 99.7% | $70/mo or $150 lifetime |
| Stellar | Win, Mac | 1 GB | Yes | 98.6% | $59.99/year |
| Disk Drill | Win, Mac | 500 MB | Yes | N/A | $108 lifetime |
| AnyRecover | Win, Mac, iOS, Android | 100 MB | Yes | 99.7% | $99.99 lifetime |
| OnTrack | Win, Mac | 1 GB | Yes | 85% | $71.99/year |
| CrashPlan | Win, Mac, Linux | None | N/A | N/A | $10/mo per endpoint |
| Pro Tip: Don’t use the drive. Any read and write operation could damage the data you want to recover. Use recovery software on a separate drive, or on a USB stick. |
Not ready to pay? These free software options are a good starting point – particularly for recovering a few gigabytes of data.
Created by the folks behind CCleaner, Recuva includes deep search, recovery from damaged drives and a secure delete feature. Our tests found it recovered 100% of files deleted from the Recycle Bin, and 76% from a reformatted drive. Completely free.
Windows | Completely Free | No corrupted drive support
This open-source pair is the only free software to complete all our tests. TestDisk recovers partitions in the command line; PhotoRec recovers files with optional GUI. Both are portable apps on a USB stick. Great for geeks.
Win / Mac / Linux | 100% Free & Open Source | Portable
Wise Data Recovery provides a large 2 GB recovery cap, no time limit and no limit on the number of devices. The traffic-light health check lets you quickly identify recoverable files. Scans in 3 seconds or less.
Windows 2GB Free Unlimited Devices
Windows | 2GB Free | Unlimited Devices
| Bottom Line: If you want a great all-rounder, EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard is the best – it’s quick, easy, and reliable with 2 GB of free recovery. If you’re a power user or IT pro, check out Stellar Data Recovery. Apple’s Mac users will love Disk Drill, which scored 100% in all tests. On a tight budget? TestDisk & PhotoRec is the only free software we tested that performed as well as the paid software in all our tests. |
Prices and features may change — always verify current pricing on the provider’s official website before purchasing.
How does data recovery software actually work?
When a file is deleted, it’s not removed from the drive; the space it occupies is just marked as free. The data is still there until it’s overwritten. Data recovery programs search the drive for these “available” data clusters and reassemble the files before they’re overwritten.
Can I recover files from a formatted drive?
Yes, often – particularly if you’ve recently formatted the drive and haven’t added much new data. Software such as Disk Drill and EaseUS are great for recovering formatted drives. Be fast, and don’t save new data.
Is free data recovery software good enough?
If you just accidentally deleted a file, free software such as Recuva or Wise Data Recovery will probably do the trick. For more complicated situations (such as damaged drives, reformatted partitions, or recovering large amounts of data), a paid software such as EaseUS or Stellar provides superior results and support.
When can data recovery software NOT help?
Data recovery is not always possible if: the area where the deleted file was stored has been overwritten; the drive is physically damaged (read head, circuit board, etc.); or the data has been securely deleted with tools that use overwriting to erase data. In the latter case, you may need to seek professional data recovery services.
Should I install recovery software on the same drive I’m recovering from?
Absolutely not. This could overwrite the data you are recovering. Use a different drive, or a portable version (such as TestDisk/PhotoRec or Recuva portable) from a USB flash drive.
