Are you in search for the best data recovery software for your Window or Mac system?
Gone are the days when there used to be limited recovery tools in the market. Simply search on the web and you will find an array of data recovery tools with numerous features. Though, it might get overwhelming for a lot of first-time users as they often ask questions like “Which is the best data recovery software?” to us. If you have a similar doubt, then you are up for a treat. In this guide, we will teach you how to pick the best recovery software by looking into different parameters. Besides that, we have also listed a top 10 recovery software list a well. Let’s proceed and get to know more about these options.
Part 1: What Causes the Loss of Data?
Before we get to know about the best recovery options, it is important to know what leads to the loss or unavailability of data. In this way, you can explore the available tools and avoid the triggers that lead to the deletion of data.
- Often, people accidentally delete some files or format a drive, only to regret it later.
- A bad sector or a corrupt storage unit can lead to unexpected data loss.
- A malware or virus can infect the storage unit, making its data unavailable.
- If you have turned down the system while a file is still being processed, then it can affect its availability.
- The mishandling of the data by any unreliable third-party tool
- The overwriting of files by mistake
- Recycle Bin or Trash deletion
- A firmware or system malfunction
- Any other physical damage to the storage unit
Part 2: Top 10 Data Recovery Software to Try
The good news is that when a file is deleted from the system, it isn’t wiped off right away. Instead, the space allocated to it now becomes available to be overwritten. Therefore, if you take some immediate actions, then you can recover your lost files. To do this, you can use either of these top data recovery software.
1. Recoverit Data Recovery
The first spot on our list of the top ten data recovery software is Recoverit. It runs on both Windows and Mac, with an intuitive interface that does not require any prior technical experience. It supports all the possible data loss scenarios with one of the highest recovery rates in the industry.
A Life Saver to Solve Your Data Loss Problems!
- It allows the recovery of more than 1000 different types of data. For instance, you can get back all sorts of photos, videos, audios, documents, compressed files, emails, and more.
- The application yields fast results with an option to preview the recovered data on its own interface.
- From accidentally deleted files to a formatted drive, the application can recover data under all scenarios.
- It also supports the recovery on external sources like SD cards, USB drives, hard disks, MP3 players, camcorders, digital cameras, etc.
- It is compatible with every major Mac and Windows version. Also, it supports all kinds of file systems like NTFS, FAT32, exFAT, HFS+, APFS, and so much more.

3,165,867 people have downloaded it
Pros:
- The basic version of the tool is available for free
- Easy to use with effective results
- Can even recover data from a crashed system
- Supports every major file system and data type
- Lets us preview the data before restoring it
Price: Free (basic) and $59.95
2. Recuva
If you are looking for a freely available best recovery tool, then Recuva would be a great option. Owned by CCleaner, it can recover data from a Windows system and numerous other external sources.
- It is a reliable freeware that will keep all the extracted content safe.
- It lets us preview the extracted media like photos and videos on the interface.
- Supports a deep scan mode to recover data that is harder to extract
- Can recover data from Windows internal partitions or an external source like SD card or MP3 player
Pros:
- Also supports Recycle Bin recovery
- Easy to use
- The basic version is available for free
Cons:
- Low success rate
- No automatic updates
- Not available for Mac
Price: Free (basic) and $19.95 (pro)
3. Disk Drill
Disk Drill is considered as one of the top data recovery software that runs on both Windows and Mac. It supports the recovery of more than 200+ different types of files and features a decent data recovery success rate.
- The application follows a simple click-through process and is pretty easy to use.
- It supports almost all kinds of file systems like exFAT, NTFS, APFS, and more.
- Users can select the partition or the external source they wish to scan.
- There are different recovery modes (quick and deep) that it offers.
Pros:
- Easy to use
- SD card recovery support
- Preview of data available
Cons:
- Low recovery rate
- Minimum features for the free version
Price: Free (basic) and $89 (pro)
4. Wise Data Recovery
Wise Data Recovery has to be one of the best free data recovery software for Windows users. The tool is entirely free and will not ask you to upgrade later on. It supports every major 64 and 32 bit Windows version, including XP and later releases.
- It can scan the internal partitions as well as the connected media like SD card, USB drive, MP3 player, etc.
- The three major file systems it supports are FAT, exFAT, and NTFS.
- A portable version of the tool is available so that you can plug-and-play it on any Windows PC.
- Shows us the degree of data loss and the possibility to get data back
Pros:
- Freely available
- Lets us preview the files
Cons:
- Low recovery rate
- Limited compatibility for data types
- Not available for Mac
Price: Free
5. EaseUS Data Recovery
When we talk about some of the best data recovery tools out there, we can’t forget to mention EaseUS Data Recovery. One of the oldest recovery applications, it is known for its quality results and extensive compatibility.
- The application supports all the leading Windows and macOS versions.
- Can recover files that are lost under all kinds of scenarios with good results.
- There are different recovery modes (quick and deep) that the tool runs.
- The premium version can also recover data from a crashed system too.
Pros:
- Preview of data is provided
- A free trial version is available
Cons:
- A free version can only recover 500 MB of data
- Expensive
Price: $99.95/year
6. Stellar Phoenix Data Recovery
Trusted by over a million users, Stellar Phoenix Data Recovery is also considered as one of the best undelete software by many. The application is available for both Windows and Mac, and is known for its premium customer support.
- It is compatible with all kinds of file systems like exFAT, FAT32, NTFS, APFS, EXT, HFS+, and more.
- The tool can recover your lost photos, videos, documents, etc. under various scenarios.
- It can even recover your data from a corrupt hard drive or a crashed system.
- Different scanning modes to optimize the results
Pros:
- Reliable and high recovery results
Cons:
- A free version can only preview data
Price: $49.99
7. Remo Recover
Remo Recover is a complete data recovery tool for Mac, Windows, and even Android. Therefore, apart from your desktops, you can also use its best data recovery app to get back the lost files on your smartphone.
- It supports all the common data loss scenarios like accidental deletion or formatting of the drive.
- A preview of photos and small-sized videos is available on its interface.
- The application is pretty secure and lets us save a recovery session.
- Extensive data compatibility and file system support.
Pros:
- Easy to use
- Android app is also available
Cons:
Price: $39.97
8. DiskDigger
DiskDigger is a freely available data recovery tool that you can use on your Windows. One of the best things about the tool is that it lets us perform data recovery on Android device as well. Just connect it as USB storage and recover all sorts of data from it.
- The tool can be used to recover data on all kinds of Windows systems and Android devices.
- Apart from that, you can also recover data from a USB drive, SD card, and other storage units.
- You can preview photos before restoring them.
- It features a standard as well as a deep mode to meet your recovery needs.
Pros:
- Freely available
- Supports Android recovery
Cons:
- Low success rate
- Difficult to us
9. GT Recovery
While GT Recovery is not as popular as other top recovery software that we have listed, it is certainly worth giving a try. You can use its Windows application to recover data on your system’s internal drive. The application also supports Android recovery too.
- It provides a basic solution to recover data under different scenarios.
- You can also recover data from the trash, USB drive, or a connected Android device.
- Different recovery modes (like standard and advanced) are listed
- You can also save scan results on the application as well
Pros:
- Smart classification of data
- Easy to use
Cons:
- Low recovery rate
- Not available for Mac
Price: Free
10. Jihosoft File Recovery
The last spot on our list of the best data recovery software is from the house of Jihosoft. While the tool is pretty expensive, it is equipped with numerous high-end features as well.
- You can run it on your Mac or Windows system to recover data under different scenarios.
- The tool is certified by Norton and McAfee and is entirely safe to be used.
- You can pause/resume the recovery process whenever you want or create a backup of your data too.
- Supports a wide range of devices like MP3 players, SD cards, USB drives, digital cameras, and more.
Pros:
- Lets us create an image file of the application to perform data recovery on a crashed system.
- Preview of photos and videos is provided
Cons:
- Only the trial version is available for free
Price: $49.95
Part 3: What Should Be Considered When Choosing the Best Data Recovery Software?
Now when you know about the top recovery software, you can easily pick an ideal option. Though, if you are still confused, then consider the following things in mind while picking the best data recovery software.
- Ease of use: Firstly, the application should have a user-friendly interface and not be complicated to use.
- Security: The tool should keep all the extracted information secure. All your data should be kept intact and not be forwarded to any other entity.
- Supported data type: It should support the type of files (like Word documents, photos, or PDFs) that you wish to extract.
- System compatibility: Needless to say, the application should run on the version of macOS or Windows system that you own.
- Success rate: The better the data recovery rate of the tool, the better results it would yield.
- Other parameters: Apart from that, also consider other things in mind like the scanning time, customer support, user feedback, preview availability, and more.
After looking at all these parameters, one can easily conclude that Recoverit is the best recovery solution for both Windows and Mac. It is easy to use, has a wide compatibility, and an impressive recovery rate. It even offers a free version for its new users to try the tool before buying a pro subscription.
Part 4: How to Recover Lost Data with the Best Data Recovery Software?
One of the best things about Recoverit tool is that it does not require any prior technical knowledge. In fact, you can perform data recovery on any source with just a single click by following these steps:
Step 1 Pick a location to scan
Firstly, launch the best recovery software on your computer and attach an external source if you wish to scan it. On the welcome screen, you can see all kinds of location (like folders and partitions) to scan. If you wish to save time, you can browse to a specific folder as well.
Step 2 Scan the location
Just click on the “Start” button after selecting the location and wait for a few minutes. The application will scan the selected location and would try to extract your lost content. If you want, you can even pause the recovery process in between.
Step 3 Recover your data
That’s it! Once the process is completed, you can simply preview the extracted files on its interface. In this way, you can select the data you wish to recover and save it on the desired location too.
There you go! Now when you know about some of the best file recovery software, you can pick an ideal option. From the list of our selected top recovery software, Recoverit certainly stands out. It has a positive reputation in the market and is known for its high recovery results. Since it offers a free version, you can be a judge of it and get a hands-on experience of the tool without spending a single penny.
Elva
staff Editor