Best data recovery software in 2026

Research by Backblaze found that approximately 1.5% of hard drives fail annually, and their failure rates increase with their age. This means that in an instant, important data may no longer be accessible or may even disappear completely.

Because data loss can happen unexpectedly, having reliable data recovery tools can make a big difference. It helps you recover data if you accidentally lose it, due to system crashes, file corruption, malware attacks, partition failures, or hardware malfunctions. The tools use advanced scanning algorithms to restore data while maintaining file integrity.

That’s why I’ve investigated and tested the best data recovery software along with the Cybernews research team. Whether it was an accidental deletion or a system crash, the right data recovery software can save your day. Here are the 9 best tools we tested in 2026.

Best data recovery software – shortlist

1. EaseUS – the overall best data recovery software in 2026
2. Disk Drill – best Mac file recovery software
3. Stellar – best image recovery software for Windows devices
4. Wondershare – best data restore tool with 2,000+ supported devices
5. BLR Data Recovery – best file recovery software for Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS
6. R-Studio – best hard drive recovery software
7. PhotoRec – best recovery software for digital pictures
8. Recuva – best free hard drive data recovery solution
9. Data Rescue 6 – best file recovery software compatible with various formats

The best data recovery software compared

With multiple data recovery tools on the market, choosing the right one can be challenging. Because of this, I compiled a table of the best data recovery software so you can briefly go through my top picks.

Each backup and recovery software below reveals what it’s best for, its pricing, and key features.

Provider	Overall score	Supported OS	Free recovery limit	Best for	Pricing	Key features	Files systems supported
EaseUS	4.8/5	Windows, macOS, iOS, Android	Up to 2GB	Businesses of all sizes	From $49/year, free trial	Specialized SQL backup software	NTFS, FAT32, exFAT, HFS+, EXT
Disk Drill	4.7/5	Windows, macOS	Up to 500MB (Windows)	Beginners	$89 (one-time payment)	Recovery results prediction	NTFS, FAT32, exFAT, HFS+, APFS
Stellar	4.6/5	Windows, macOS	Up to 1GB	Businesses that need to recover large amounts of data	From $59.99/year, free version	Partitions recovery	NTFS, FAT, exFAT, HFS+, APFS
Wondershare	4.5/5	Windows, macOS	Up to 100MB	Beginners and businesses	From $59.95/year, free version	Crashed computer recovery	NTFS, FAT32, exFAT, HFS+, APFS
BLR Data Recovery	4.3/5	Windows	Limited free recovery	Professionals	From $99/month, free version	File repairing	NTFS, FAT32, exFAT
R-Studio	4.3/5	Windows, macOS, Linux	Limited (preview only)	Businesses	From $49.99, free version	Data recovery on damaged or deleted partitions	NTFS, FAT, exFAT, HFS+, APFS, EXT
PhotoRec	4.2/5	Windows, macOS, Linux	Unlimited	Beginners	Free	Deep scans	FAT, NTFS, exFAT, EXT, HFS+
Recuva	4.1/5	Windows	Unlimited in free version	Individuals and businesses	From $24.95, free version	Deep scans	FAT, exFAT, NTFS
Data Rescue 6	4.1/5	macOS, Windows	Limited preview	Beginners	From $79/month	Quick and deep scans	FAT, exFAT, NTFS

9 best data recovery software – our detailed list

If you’re looking to recover data easily, in case you’ve deleted it, your device crashed, or you lost some files due to malware, you’re in the right place. I decided to review and investigate the best data recovery software for various needs.

Let’s check out my detailed list of the top nine recovery tools below.

1. EaseUS – the best data recovery software with centralized backup

Best for:	Protecting businesses and servers
Free trial:	Yes
Starting price:	$49/year
Top features:	Deep scans, local and offsite backups

Visit EaseUS

Our score – 4.8/5

EaseUS has been on the market since 2003, with their first data recovery product, EaseSUs Partition Table Doctor for DOS. This tool diagnosed and remedied drive errors. Nowadays, they have numerous features that help recover data, regardless of the file type. That’s why EaseUS got first place on my detailed list.

EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard recovers files, like NTFS, FAT12, FAT16, FAT32, exFAT, HFS+, APFS, EXT2, EXT3, EXT4, and ReFS, due to accidental deletion, formatting, partition loss, system crashes, file corruption, malware attacks, and unexpected shutdowns.

It even restores data from both internal and external storage devices (iOS, Android, Mac, Windows, SSDs, USB flash drives, SD cards, external hard drives, RAID setups, NAS devices, and hard disk data recovery).

EaseUS also supports raw partition recovery, retrieving files from lost or hidden partitions, and recovering data from virus-infected drives. The software even provides a quick scan for retrieving recently deleted files and a deep scan for a thorough search, ensuring a high success rate in severe data loss situations.

Aside from the regular features, EaseUS is equipped with advanced ones. These include bootable recovery for unbootable systems, encrypted and secure data recovery, RAID and virtual disk recovery, and disk health monitoring and backup integration.

In terms of pricing, EaseUS offers both a free trial and paid subscriptions. The cheapest plan you’ll find costs $49/year for individuals or $159/year for businesses.

2. Disk Drill – best Mac and Windows data recovery solution

Best for:	Preventing data loss and retrieving lost files
Free trial:	Yes
Starting price:	$89 (one-time payment)
Top features:	Data recovery on APFS & HFS, recovery results prediction

Visit Disk Drill

Our score – 4.7/5

Disk Drill is one of the best HDD recovery software, and it has over a decade of experience. Since 2010, this tool has constantly improved its data recovery services and introduced new products to the market. Its easy-to-use interface will help you find everything you need right at your fingertips.

Simply put, Disk Drill is data recovery software that helps you retrieve lost files caused by accidental deletion, formatting errors, partition loss, system crashes, file corruption, and malware attacks.

Disk Drill recovers data from RAW file systems, lost or hidden partitions, and corrupted storage devices, even those affected by viruses or accidental formatting.

It supports a wide range of files (NTFS, FAT12/16/32, exFAT, EXT2/3/4, HFS+, APFS) and storage devices (HDDs, SSDs, USB drives, SD cards, RAID setups, external hard drives). However, Disk Drill also offers its abilities to mobile platforms like iOS and Android.

While Disk Drill has numerous basic and advanced features, one that stood out the most to me is the SMART disk health monitoring, which provides real-time updates on the status of storage devices.

However, I also really liked that this data recovery solution comes with a prediction of recovery results. It can predict the recovery chances for each discovered file, which significantly maximizes efficiency and saves time.

Unfortunately, you need to contact Disk Drill’s customer support to get a deal, but you can always download the free version for Mac and Windows devices.

3. Stellar – best data recovery software for Windows

Best for:	Recovering data from various file types and formats
Free trial:	Yes
Starting price:	$59.99/year
Top features:	Encrypted drive recovery, Preview File

Visit Stellar

Our score – 4.6/5

Stellar is another of the best data recovery solutions I’ve picked for you. With this software to recover deleted files, you’ll enjoy unlimited recoveries. On top of that, Stellar is compatible with plenty of devices, making your data recovery journey a breeze.

Stellar is a handy tool for retrieving your files after various data loss reasons. Whether you accidentally deleted something, formatted a drive, had a system crash, lost a partition, or even experienced a RAID or virtual machine failure, Stellar is here to help.

After a thorough investigation, I found a few options that help Stellar stand out from its contenders. One of them is the quick and deep scans, along with a raw file recovery option for severely damaged or lost data. More precisely, it can reconstruct fragmented or corrupted files, maximizing their recovery.

Another incredible feature is the file preview, which lets you preview files, both documents and multimedia before they’re recovered so you can check their integrity. This way, you can be sure that the recovered data is actually usable.

But the best part is that it works with almost every file you can think of, such as NTFS, FAT32, exFAT, APFS, HFS+, and EXT2-4. However, it only works with Windows, Mac, and Linux devices. Aside from these devices, Stellar is compatible with standard hard drives, SSDs, USB drives, SD cards, RAID setups, NAS devices, and virtual machines.

Ultimately, Stellar offers a free version for Mac and Windows. However, to enjoy all of its features, you can purchase some of its premium plans, which start at $59.99/year.

4. Wondershare – best recovery data software for 1,000+ file formats

Best for:	Retrieving photo and video files
Free trial:	Yes
Starting price:	$59.959/year
Top features:	35+ data recovery patents, SD card recovery

Our score – 4.5/5

Wondershare helps you recover hard drive data, along with data from 2,000+ devices in over 1,000 file formats. You can even restore photos, videos, and data from crashed systems.

Wondershare is a high-technology data recovery program that can retrieve your lost data from documents, photos, videos, audio, archives, and other file formats, from NTFS to FAT to HFS+ and APF. This means that no matter if you’ve accidentally deleted something or it was compromised, you can get it back with this tool.

The next best thing is that Wondershare supports 2,000+ storage devices, including laptops, PCs, NAS, memory cards, internal and external hard drives, flash drives, cameras, and even camera drones.

However, what I really liked is that you can even recover files even if your computer system crashes. For example, if your computer isn’t bootable or has only a blue or black screen, you can now get your valuable files back.

If you believe that Wondershare is one of the best disk recovery tools for your needs, I’ve got some great news. You can either get it for free or get some of its premium plans. This tool’s price starts at $59.95/year

5. BLR Data Recovery – best for data recovery from HDD and SSD drives

Best for:	Retrieving malfunctioned or corrupted data
Free trial:	Yes
Starting price:	$39/month
Top features:	Recovery of data from deleted partitions, data recovery from NAS, RAID, and external storage devices

Our score – 4.3/5

BLR Data Recovery is another worthy solution for retrieving your lost files. In fact, this PC data recovery software works with Mac and Windows devices, but it’s also suitable for iOS and Android users. It can recover any type of data with ease.

By using BLR Data Recovery, you can enjoy SSD and hard drive recovery even if the files are inaccessible, corrupted, or malfunctioning. What’s more, this tool retrieves data that is lost due to viruses, system malfunctions, disk formatting, raw drives, and partition deletion.

One of its best features, which caught my attention, was the ability to recover deleted data while keeping the original filenames, folders, formats, and quality. Additionally, BLR Data Recovery lets you preview, filter, and organize files during the scanning process, which makes it easier for you to find and recover what you’re looking for.

Lastly, BLR Data Recovery offers paid plans that start at $39/month. However, if you’re unsure about whether this tool will meet your needs, you can download it for free and test its capabilities.

6. R-Studio – best HDD recovery tool

Best for:	Professional data recovery tasks
Free trial:	Yes
Starting price:	$49.99/month
Top features:	iPhone data recovery, advanced recovery algorithms

Our score – 4.3/5

R-Studio got sixth place on my list of the best recovery software. This tool is a specialized disk recovery and hard drive recovery solution. So, let’s see what kind of features it offers.

If you ask me about one thing I liked about R-Studio, then that would be its advanced algorithms. It can recover files deleted when you emptied the Recycle Bin, lost due to virus attacks or power failures, or removed after a partition was reformatted.

What’s more, R-Studio recovers data when a virus has damaged the system, the FAT is corrupted, the MBR is destroyed, or disk utilities like FDISK have been run. Furthermore, it also retrieves data from damaged hard drives.

This hard drive data recovery software is compatible with Mac, Linux, and Windows platforms, meaning you can retrieve various file types. You can get it for free or get a pro version that costs at least $49.99/month.

7. PhotoRec – best disk recovery software for retrieving photos

Best for:	Recovering digital photos
Free trial:	No
Starting price:	Free
Top features:	Restoring erased files, searching for salvageable files

Our score – 4.2/5

PhotoRec is my next choice, especially if you’re looking for a solution to recover lost photos. Regardless of whether you faced a malicious attack or your hardware failed, PhotoRec can restore your digital images to their original condition. But it also works with other file formats.

Simply put, PhotoRec is data recovery software that retrieves erased, damaged, and corrupted files. It scans the hard drive for salvageable data and allows you to recover specific files or all recoverable files.

But the best part is that it isn’t limited only to recovering images. More precisely, even if you erased a photo, video, or document, you can retrieve it with the help of PhotoRec.

Last but not least, PhotoRec is a free and open-source software for data recovery, meaning you don’t need to pay anything to use it.

8. Recuva – best data recovery tool for multiple files

Best for:	Retrieving files from damaged or newly formatted drives
Free trial:	Yes
Starting price:	$24.95 (one-time payment)
Top features:	Deep scans, file recovery from any rewritable media

Our score – 4.1/5

Recuva is one of the best data recovery tools, as it can retrieve various file types, regardless of the issue. Whether you’ve deleted something, your device system crashed, or you were attacked by a virus, you’ll bring back your files.

One thing that I really liked is Recuva’s superior file recovery. In other words, Recuva retrieves pictures, documents, music, videos, and emails, among any other lost files. On top of this, it also recovers data from any rewritable media you have, including memory cards, external hard drives, and USB sticks.

Recuva stands out from other file recovery software because it also recovers files from damaged and newly formatted drives. In addition, it offers a deep scan mode that thoroughly searches your drives for any remaining traces of deleted data.

When it comes to pricing, Recuva is the cheapest solution on my list. Aside from its free version, you can get it for only $24.95 (one-time payment), making it an excellent choice for both individual and business usage.

9. Data Rescue 6 – best Windows-focused SD card recovery software

Best for:	Recovering accidentally deleted data
Free trial:	Yes
Starting price:	$79/month
Top features:	Restoring data from crashed systems, unlimited data recovery

Our score – 4.1/5

Data Rescue 6 is a reliable data recovery software that is mostly suitable for Windows. You can recover deleted data with ease, regardless of whether you’re a beginner or a more advanced user.

This software retrieves lost files from various storage devices, including your Recycle Bin, HDDs, SSDs, SD cards, USB drives, and Compact Flash cards. Thanks to its deep scan feature, it can restore data lost due to formatting, system crashes, and accidental deletion.

More precisely, Data Rescue 6 recovers documents (PDF, Word, PowerPoint, Excel, OpenOffice, Quicken, Quickbooks, AutoCAD), audio (WAV, MP3, AIFF, AAC/M4A/M4P/M4B, Logic, Finale Project, Maya Session, ProTools Session), and images (WFM, GIMP, DPX, TIFF, PNG, GIF, Illustrator, EPS, RAW (CRW, CR2, NEF, DCR, ORF, DNG, MOS, SRF).

As for the price, you can get it for free or pay $79 for 30 days of unlimited data recovery.

Honorable mentions

While testing the top data recovery software, I focused on software that offer high recovery quality, ease of use, and affordability. Still, there are many other reliable programs that didn’t make it on my list but are reliable and worth considering:

UFS Explorer

UFS Explorer is mostly for professional and experienced users. It works with various file systems, RAID systems, and virtual disks, which can be very useful for complex data recovery tasks.

DiskGenius

​​DiskGenius not only provides data recovery capabilities but also partition management tools. It can be used to recover lost data, fix damaged partitions, and even clone disks, which can be useful if you experience disk or partition issues.

MiniTool Power Data Recovery

This data recovery tool is easy to use and supports many storage devices and file types. MiniTool Power Data Recovery allows users to recover a limited amount of data for free.

DMDE

DMDE (DM Disk Editor and Data Recovery Software) is a data recovery tool that is primarily used for advanced partition recovery. It’s mainly used by experienced users.

DiskDigger

DiskDigger is a lightweight data recovery tool best used to recover deleted photos, videos, and documents from memory cards, USB drives, and other storage devices.

How did we test the data recovery software?

To measure how effective each top data recovery software is, I, along with the Cybernews research team, evaluated each application's performance across common data loss scenarios for regular computer users.

To conduct this assessment, we used various storage media: HDDs, SSDs, USB flash drives, and memory cards. We simulated various data loss situations, such as accidentally deleting data, formatting storage media, corrupted storage media, and emptying recycle bins across Windows and macOS systems. We tried to recover documents, images, videos, and compressed files that had not been overwritten. Here’s what went into the criteria:

1. Recovery success rate (40%). First and foremost, we looked at the data recovery success rate. We found that the best data recovery tools had a 90-95% success rate in recovering recently deleted data that had not been overwritten.
2. Scan speed and ease of use (25%). We also looked at how fast each tool could scan for recoverable data. In addition, we tested and evaluated how user-friendly each tool is – you don’t want to be spending hours learning the tool, especially for one-off uses.
3. File system and device support (20%). Another factor was compatibility. Good data recovery tools should support multiple file systems, including NTFS, FAT32, exFAT, HFS+, APFS, and EXT. In addition, they should be able to work with various storage devices, such as external drives and memory cards.
4. Features and value (15%). The last factor was additional features and pricing. Additional features include deep scan, partition recovery, bootable recovery media, and file preview.

What is data recovery software?

Data recovery software (DRS) is a specialized tool that you can use to retrieve lost, deleted, formatted, or corrupted files from various storage devices – hard drives, SSDs, USB drives, SD cards, and RAID systems.

Furthermore, these tools help you recover any data that you lost due to accidentally deleting something, system crashes, file corruption, malware, partition failures, or hardware malfunctions.

The best disk recovery software utilizes advanced scanning algorithms, deep file signature recognition, and partition reconstruction to restore data while maintaining file integrity. Additionally, they offer file previews, bootable recovery for systems that have crashed, RAID recovery, and encrypted file recovery.

In other words, data recovery solutions can also be understood as the process of undeleting specific files or using specialized services to recover damaged drives.

What can data recovery software do?

Each disk recovery tool comes with various capabilities. However, I decided to explain the most common capabilities of these solutions. So, let’s see what data recovery tools can do:

• Recover deleted files from hard drives, SSDs, USBs, and memory cards. One of the most common capabilities of data recovery software is recovering deleted files from hard drives, SSDs, USBs, and memory cards. In case some of your external drives get damaged or are attacked by malware, you can easily retrieve all of your data with a few clicks.
• Restore lost partitions and formatted drives. Data recovery tools can also restore formatted drives and lost partitions. If a partition of your hard drive is missing, or you’ve accidentally formatted a drive, you can now easily retrieve the data with data recovery software.
• Retrieve files from damaged or corrupted storage. Also, data recovery tools help recover files from corrupted or damaged storage. This means that you no longer have to worry about malware attacking your device and losing your files.
• Support various file types, including documents, images, and videos. Last but not least, data recovery software can retrieve multiple file types, such as documents, videos, and pictures. This is possible thanks to the advanced algorithms that are part of almost all of the best data recovery solutions.

Types of data recovery

By finding the best data recovery tool, you can benefit from different types of data. So, let’s get a better understanding of them:

• File recovery: This concept refers to restoring any accidentally deleted files. Regardless of whether you’ve clicked delete, emptied your Recycle Bin, or done anything else that erased your files, the file recovery option of data recovery software helps you retrieve them.
• Partition recovery: Another type is partition recovery, which means that you can recover lost or formatted partitions. This refers to all partitions that are lost due to damaged hardware.
• Raw recovery: Ultimately, data recovery tools also conduct raw recovery. Basically, these are deep scans that come in handy when standard methods fail. You can benefit from this type of recovery when you can’t retrieve any files. In other words, deep scans find traces of data that may not be found otherwise.

How do I choose the right data recovery software for my needs?

Before I wrap up my review of the best data recovery software, you need to know how to choose the right one for your needs. So, don’t worry. I compiled a list of a few criteria you need to have in mind to select software based on specific needs, such as business use, personal data recovery, or professional-grade solutions. Let’s have a look:

• Price:.The price is often the factor that makes or breaks the deal. But you shouldn’t always go for the cheapest data recovery software. In fact, check for tools that balance both price and the value the tool offers so that you can get the best performance for your money.
• File format support. Another thing you should pay attention to is file format support. While it’s important for the tool to retrieve documents, photos, and videos, you should also check the variety of supported formats. For example, look for file formats like NTFS, FAT, FAT32, exFAT, HFS+, APFS, and ext2/3/4.
• User interface. It’s important to search for tools that have a user-friendly interface with neat and well-organized categories. This will help you find what you’re looking for in no time.
• Scanning capabilities. Last but not least, you need to consider the scanning capabilities of the data recovery software you want to go for. Search for deep scans, advanced algorithms, file previews, and similar features. Also, choose software that provides fast scans that don’t take a while.

Final word on best data recovery software

Data recovery software is a tool that helps you retrieve lost files due to accidental deletion, malware attacks, system crashes, and file corruption. While there are numerous data recovery tools on the market, the best one depends on your needs. However, exploring their price, scanning abilities, file format support, and user interface may help you make the best decisions.

Luckily, along with the Cybernews research team, I conducted thorough research to discover the best data recovery software, which in my opinion, is EaseUS. But, have a look at my list again and pick the right tool that satisfies your needs.

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