Best Data Recovery Software for Mac for 2024 [Our Reviews and Comparisons]

We’ve all permanently deleted files only to need them sometime in the future. Whether this was an accident or a virus attacked them, it still is troublesome, nonetheless.

Thankfully there is data recovery software that allows you to recover those files.

It can be a hassle trying to weed out the good software. They offer a lot of the same features with only slight variations. So, we put together a list to make your process of elimination a lot easier. This list includes free and paid recovery software.

Stay tuned to find out the data recovery software for Mac we think is the best!

Our Best Data Recovery Software for Mac Reviews and Comparisons

1. Disk Drill by Clever Files

Product Highlights

This completely free recovery tool allows you to recover files that have been deleted on your Mac. It’s easy to use and will enable you to clean up disk space as well, helping your Mac run faster and more efficiently.

Features

• Recovers critical files in all formats
• Helps you access an external USB and camera card
• All major devices are supported

What We Like About Disk Drill

We really like how you’re able to recover all different file formats using this software. Sometimes software limit you to just a few formats, but with Disk Drill, you’re able to retrieve or reconstruct 400+ file types. The versatility in this is fantastic and makes it great for all kinds of users.

Disk Drill is super easy to use. You don’t have to be any kind of tech expert to even get started. It’s as simple as downloading the software and simply clicking the “recover” button.

Any other additional steps are also easy to figure out. We like how beginner-friendly Disk Drill is for the average user.

We saved the very best feature for last: the extra free disk tools. Disk Drill comes with tools that allow you to monitor your disk health, locate unused files, identify and remove any duplicate files, backup, and protect your data, and scan for lost data.

Overall, Disk Drill allows you to recover important data while also clearing out clutter.

What We Don’t Like About Disk Drill

As with many recovery software, Disk Drill can take a while to complete. If you’re running on a tight and busy schedule or need a file right away, this might be inconvenient for you. We also don’t like that you can’t just scan one folder.

Disk Drill scans your entire Mac, so if you just needed to recover one file in your photos folder, you’d have to sit through the whole recovery process.

Lastly, there is no phone customer support. You can chat with support online or through email, but sometimes it is easier and more helpful to speak with a live person.

2. Data Rescue MDs

Product Highlights

This professional data recovery service is available 24/7 by phone or on certain days for in-person support. Data Rescue MDs recover data from hard drives and other devices without disassembling them and will keep your information safe and private.

Features

• Recovers all operating systems
• Can recover USB flash drives
• Implements extra safety precautions to protect your data

What We Like About Data Rescue MDs

We like that Data Rescue MDs take your privacy seriously. The data recovery specialists that they hire are HIPPA certified and trained. If you’re trying to recover medical documents or otherwise private documents, Data Rescue MDs seems like a safe option to consider.

You’re able to get assistance 24/7 by calling their customer support line, which we really appreciate. Everyone has busy schedules, so calling and getting support outside of regular business hours is a massive plus for this service.

Data Rescue MDs caught our attention when we found out they could recover data from USB drives. How many times have you accidentally deleted an important file off a USB drive and wish you could get it back? We think Data Rescue MDs’ ability to help you get those files back is incredibly useful.

We also like that the recovery evaluation is free of cost. Sometimes you might think you need a recovery program when the file you’re looking to recover can easily be found in a different folder.

Data Recovery MDs is a safe option to get your precious data back, offering multiple service options, and extensive customer support.

What We Don’t Like About Data Rescue MDs

We don’t like how the website is set up. The white on the black background makes it really hard on the eyes. There is general information on the website, but you have to call and talk to a representative to get specific information. This can be a major hassle, especially if hold times are long.

We also don’t like how the price of the services isn’t readily available on the website.

Most people generally want to know how much a service or product will cost before going through a full evaluation. If it ends up being too expensive, it’ll be a waste of time. It’s a lot better to have a ballpark price that you might end up paying for a specific service.

3. Recoverit Data Recovery Software Mac

Product Highlights

This three-step recovery software allows you to get your lost files back quickly. It’s easy to use and can be used with the most up to date mac operating systems. Recoverit has a vast network of users and offers extensive customer support.

Features

• Reconstructs and recovers 200+ file types
• Fully compatible with macOS Big Sur

What We Like About Recoverit Recovery Software Mac

Starting off with the website itself, Recoverit offers tips and tricks on how to recover files, clean devices, and repair devices. We like this because it optimizes the user’s experience before and after they regain their data. A clean mac is a smoothly running mac.

We love the 95 percent average recovery. Recoverit can even recover files from 6+ years! All those family photos you uploaded to your Mac but deleted can now be recovered. The good part about this, too, is that any of those family photos that got deleted or corrupted due to a virus can also be recovered.

Recoverit can recover an extensive range of formats and folders as well, which is an excellent feature for a wide variety of users. From the average college student to the tech professional, users are able to get back files from 200+ types of formats.

We really like the money-back guarantee of this product. It gives you a sense of security in case they realize the product isn’t what they wanted. And if you need any additional help, there is 24/7 tech support, as well as an online chat.

Recoverit offers a simple way to recover lost data from years ago with flexible customer support options.

What We Don’t Like About Recoverit Recovery Software Mac

We don’t like how pricey this product is. With other free versions that are similar to Recoverit, being expensive makes it lose some of its appeals, even with a money-back guarantee.

They do offer a free trial version; however, it has minimal features, so you won’t even be able to get a good test drive of the product.

4. R-Studio Data Recovery

Product Highlights

R-Studio Data Recovery allows you to find and recover lost files on your Mac through an easy-to-use interface. It offers extensive file searches while recovering corrupted, deleted, and reformatted files.

Features

• Recovers files attacked by viruses
• Recovers files from deleted or damaged partitions
• Offers in-depth file analysis

What We Like About R-Studio Data Recovery

We really like how unique the user interface of R-Studio is. User-friendly recovery software is always welcome, and with visualization features to allow you to see exactly what has been scanned, this software understands your needs.

You’re able to access a flexible parameter setting to choose how much data you want to recover. This can save time from having to scan your entire system. We also really like how this software sorts your files for you once they’re rescued.

The in-depth file analysis offers users useful information on which files have been recovered and what type of files they are. And the great part about R-Studio Data Recovery software is that it can recover a huge range of files. It can even recover files that have been attacked by viruses.

What We Don’t Like About R-Studio Data Recovery

We don’t like that R-Studio doesn’t offer a free trial. If you’re interested in this software, you’d just have to take a leap of faith and hope it works out for you. Most times, it’s best for any paid software to have a free trial to allow users to get a feel for the product.

We also don’t like how updating this software can cause some of the packages to glitch. You’d have to start all over from scratch if this were to happen, which can definitely be a frustrating and time-consuming experience.

5. EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard for Mac

Product Highlights

EaseUS Data Recovery allows you to retrieve lost and corrupted files with ease. With three different package options offering basic and extra features, this software allows users to choose the level of recovery they want while providing them with the services they need.

Features

• Offers three packages with free trials
• Recovers deleted files (photos, documents, audios, emails, archives, videos)

What We Like About EaseUS

We like that there are multiple download options. You can choose the free version, which includes being able to recover 2GB of data. You can also recover videos, audio, emails, and photos. This is a great option if you only have to recover a light amount of data.

The second option is the Pro data recovery option. Since this does have a cost, it comes with a free trial option. It allows you to retrieve an unlimited amount of data and comes with a handy iTunes backup. Another helpful feature of the pro version is being able to recover to the Cloud.

Lastly, EaseUS offers a technician-level data recovery package. You can also try it out with a free trial. It offers everything included in the other packages and also offers you one license to use for multiple devices.

All the EaseUS Data Recovery software packages allow you to find deleted and lost files on Mac, empty your trash bin and offer full tutorials on how to use the software.

EaseUS Data Recovery offers users versatility in packages while providing basic and additional benefits for each level of recovery needed.

What We Don’t Like About EaseUS

Compared to other data recovery software in this roundup, EaseUS doesn’t recover as many files. It only can recover the basic document, image, audio, video, and archive files. If you’re used to using more sophisticated files, this will surely be an issue for you.

We don’t like that the phone support doesn’t offer technical support. It only offers pre-sale inquiries. Even though some people prefer chatting via text or email, it’s always nice to have a phone option for people who aren’t tech-savvy. Or just people who prefer to talk to a live person.

6. Stellar Data Recovery Professional for Mac

Product Highlights

Stellar Data Recovery allows you to recover files of any format on your Mac, USB drives, or storage drives easily. It offers three different packages that allow you to operate within a clutter-free design.

Features

• Recovers any file format
• Recovers files from USB storage
• Recovers from Storage Drives

What We Like About Stellar Data Recovery

We love the customization features of this software. You’re able to choose which files you want to recover as well as which storage drive to recover from and which partition. The flexibility of this software continues through its ability to recover any file format.

Coming in three different packages, we can’t pass up talking about the free trial the software offers. As always, we like users to be able to know what they’re getting into before they purchase a product.

The three packages include professional, premium, and technician. They all allow for powerful data recovery of permanently deleted data, recovery from Time Machine, partition, and monitors the health of the drive.

The drive monitoring system is unique. It allows the software to track the performance and temperature of the drive. It can scan for bad sectors and can even clone to help backup extra data.

Overall, Stellar Data Recovery is quite stellar due to its customizable features, flexibility, and usability.

What We Don’t Like About Stellar Data Recovery

Even though a UI is clutter-free, it can still have some interesting components. Stellar Data Recovery’s software UI is quite basic and doesn’t really offer much visual appeal.

We also don’t like how inconsistent the scanning times are. Sometimes they’re longer than others, even if there is fewer data to go through.

7. Mac Any Data Recovery Pro 12.8

Product Highlights

Mac Any Data Recovery allows you to retrieve deleted files and whole partitions. You can even retrieve deleted files from an external USB, SD card, and a digital camera. Recovering data from your back can be done in three simple steps with Mac Any Data Recovery Pro 12.8.

Features

• Recover data from a memory card, external hard drive, flash drive, and a digital camera.
• Simple, 3-step process

What We Like About Mac Any Data Recovery Pro 12.8

We like that this software is able to retrieve so many types of data like videos, documents, emails, excel files, photos, and many others. The fact that it can recover this type of data from a memory card and external hard drive is also an added benefit.

The quick scan feature on this recovery software allows you to quickly scan all the lost folders and files so you can recover the data and get on with your day. Mac Any Data Recovery Software keeps efficiency in mind.

And, of course, we love the free trial feature. Since the software is safe and easy to use, the free trial allows users to quickly test out if the product is beneficial for them or not.

Mac Any Data Recovery Pro 12.8 is quick, efficient, and easy to use while recovering important data through quick and deep scans.

What We Don’t Like About Mac Any Data Recovery Pro 12.8

This software uses a lot of resources to work as efficiently and quickly as it does. This tends to slow your computer down drastically. If you plan on working on an Adobe After Effects project while trying to recover files, you might need to wait until the software is done processing.

We don’t like how you can’t choose a specific folder to recover. Mac Any Data Recovery scans your entire system, which can eat up time when you know exactly which folder needs to be recovered. It would be useful to have the option to choose a certain folder or file to retrieve data from.

Also, this software isn’t compatible with macOS Big Sur, so if you’re using that OS, this isn’t the product for you.

8. Cisdem Data Recovery 6 for Mac

Product Highlights

Cisdem allows you to recover 200+ file types on Mac that may have been stored on your computer, deleted from the trash, or reformatted on a drive. If none of these apply, Cisdem allows you to use advanced file recovery.

Features

• Basic recovery data-photo, audio, video, and documents
• Trash recovery
• Formatted drives and external device recovery
• Advanced file recovery

What We Like About Cisdem Data Recovery

Cisdem Data Recovery offers five different modes to recover your lost data. From basic recovery to advanced recovery, Cisdem has you covered. Allowing you to recover 200+ file types, this software caters to a variety of users’ needs.

Another great feature of Cisdem Data Recovery is the free trial before purchase and the 30-day money-back guarantee. So, even if you like the trial version, you can still get your money back if you’re dissatisfied with the actual version. Using this software is safe and risk-free.

We really like how you can also get lifetime updates at no cost. As the software improves, you’ll be able to enjoy all the nifty additions and changes without having to pay an additional fee.

Overall, Cisdem Data Recovery is a simple three-step process that thoroughly searches your Mac and external devices for lost files through five different modes.

What We Don’t Like About Cisdem Data Recovery

Cisdem is quite slow, even in the basic modes of recovery. Everything seems to take a while to load, which isn’t exactly the most convenient. This is also another software that doesn’t allow you to choose specific folders to recover, which, again, is inconvenient.

We also don’t like how there is no file preview function. This means that you can’t see if the lost files are recoverable or not before the system tries to recover them. Without this feature, you could be wasting your time and not even know it.

9. M3 Data Recovery for Mac

Product Highlights

M3 Data Recovery for Mac offers two scanning modes and powerful recovery tools. You’ll be able to use this software on a Mac that won’t turn on and on external drives.

Features

• Offers two scanning modes (quick mode and deep mode)
• Doesn’t need a bootable drive

What We Like About M3 Data Recovery for Mac

M3 Data Recovery for Mac easily allows you to recover files from the trash bin. We love this feature because it makes recovering files that were permanently deleted possible.

This software is also able to recover data from unreadable drives. So no matter what type of files you’re trying to recover, M3 will help you do just that. Not only can you recover these lost files on your Mac, but you can also recover them from your external drive.

M3 offers two modes of scanning: quick mode and deep mode. We like variety but sometimes having only two modes makes it a lot more simple to use for the average person. In quick scan mode, you can quickly scan deleted files in a short amount of time.

In deep scan mode, you’ll be able to find more files because it scans your entire device. Of course, this takes a little more time, but if you have a large number of lost files or a buried lost file, this will help you find it.

Lastly, we really like the file preview before you begin recovering. Who wants to waste time trying to recover files that aren’t even recoverable? Having this file preview allows you to see lost files and find out if they can be recovered.

M3 Data Recovery for Mac offers an easy-to-use interface with additional features that give you flexibility in deciding how to go about your data recovery process.

What We Don’t Like About M3 Data Recovery for Mac

M3 Data Recovery will not work for you if your files have been overwritten or corrupted. Since other data recovery software features this, meaning it is possible, we don’t like that M3 doesn’t. It makes it lose some of its competitive edges and isn’t useful to every type of user.

You also can’t use this software if your Mac’s storage has been physically damaged (if disk utility cannot recognize it).

10. Tenorshare 4DDiG

Product Highlights

Tenorshare 4DDiG recovers data that has been lost because of multiple situations. This software utilizes a real-time preview to ensure all data recovery accuracy before you follow a simple three-step process to recover the data.

Features

• Recovers files attacked by viruses, natural disasters, hardware failure, and human error
• Compatible with macOS Big Sur

What We Like About Tenorshare 4DDiG

We like that this software offers data recovery for all data loss situations, even files that have been attacked by viruses. Some causes of data loss, like natural disasters, are unpredictable. But Tenorshare 4DDiG comes to the rescue in situations like those.

This impressive data recovery software is compatible with macOS Big Sur and scans files and folders quickly. We like that you’re able to see a preview of files after they’re scanned to determine whether or not you want to recover them.

Overall, this software is easy to use in any data loss situation and offers additional features that allow you to recover data quickly and effortlessly.

What We Don’t Like About Tenorshare 4DDiG

Tenorshare 4DDiG does not provide a free trial before you purchase the software and the license, which, as mentioned previously, we really don’t like. This is also another software that doesn’t allow you to choose specific folders and files to recover. You’ll have to sit through the entire recovery process.

11. Mini Tool + Stellar Data Recovery for Mac

Product Highlights

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Features

• Recovers permanently deleted files
• Repairs corrupted videos and photos
• Makes a bootable recovery USB

What We Like About Mini Tool + Stellar Data Recovery for Mac

We like that this data recovery software allows you to choose from three editions. The more flexibility, the better. You can choose from the professional edition, the premium edition, or the technician edition. All editions allow you to recover data and create bootable USB drives.

Another great feature is the two scan modes. You’re able to do a quick scan or a deep scan. The quick scan is for light file recovery, while the deep scan is better suited for corrupted drive recovery.

You can also choose specific file types to scan, which is beyond helpful. It makes no sense to scan document files when you know you only want to recover photo files. Mini Tool + Stellar Data Recovery makes it possible to quickly get the files you need.

This software also features a drive health monitor. You’ll be able to track your drive’s performance, temperature, and overall health. It’ll report bad sectors and can clone the disk if needed.

The new feature of being able to recover data from a crashed mac is a lifesaver. You’re able to create a bootable recovery USB, even if you get the “gray screen of death.” All hope isn’t lost if you’ve got this software on your device.

What We Don’t Like About Mini Tool + Stellar Data Recovery for Mac

The same disadvantage of the scanning times being inconsistent still hold true for this data recovery duo. It can also take a lengthy amount of time for files to be recovered in both modes, which means you’ll need to set aside a great amount of time when trying to use this software.

You also won’t be able to use any other programs in the background while recovering your data, as this software may slow down your computer drastically until it finishes.

Final Verdict

The winner of all the software listed is Disk Drill by Clever Files. We were blown away by all the features, especially for the price…which is free.

Being able to recover critical files of all formats on your Mac and USB and camera cards, as well as other devices, is incredible. Other software that made it to our list are capable of doing this, but none of them are free.

And not only can you recover files of all different formats. Disk Drill is the only software on the list that allows you to recover or reconstruct 400+ file types.

The other competitors only let you recover 200+. This makes it extremely versatile. From the graphic designer to the grad school student, Disk Drill allows you to recover your lost files.

Disk Drill is quite simple to use, which is great for the average user. Three steps aren’t that difficult to figure out. It’s easy to download, easy to run, and easy to utilize.

To top it off, this FREE software includes EXTRA disk tools. They allow you to monitor your disk health, locate all unused files, and backup your data. Essentially allowing you to backup data and keep your Mac running smoothly.

Even if Disk Drill takes a while to complete the recovery process and has no phone customer support, the pros far outweigh any cons with this software.