Recuva is the best freeware data recovery software for most Windows users with a simple deleted file job, because its free edition has no stated size limit, while EaseUS and Wise Data Recovery follow with 2 GB free allowances. Disk Drill changed its free Windows allowance from 500 MB to 100 MB on its current official page, so older roundups that still quote 500 MB are out of date. PhotoRec and TestDisk are the only tools on this list with no higher plan at all, since both are free and open source with no recovery cap and no checkout page.
Freeware data recovery software falls into two groups: tools that are free with no higher plan, and free editions of commercial tools with a recovery cap that forces an upgrade once the job grows. The cap is usually measured in gigabytes, except for DMDE, which counts files instead. Match the cap to the size of your loss before you scan.
On this page
Best freeware data recovery software: comparison table
Swipe the table sideways on a phone to see every column.
| # | Name | Best for | Starting price | Free plan / trial | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Recuva | Simple deleted file recovery on Windows | $24.95 per year | Yes, no recovery size limit stated | Visit |
| 2 | EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard | Largest free allowance with a guided interface | $69.95 for one month | Yes, up to 2 GB | Visit |
| 3 | Disk Drill | Preview led recovery with drive imaging | $89 per year | Yes, up to 100 MB on Windows | Visit |
| 4 | Stellar Data Recovery | Photo and video recovery with repair tools | $59.99 per year | Yes, up to 1 GB | Visit |
| 5 | MiniTool Power Data Recovery | Guided Windows recovery with bootable media | $69 per month | Yes, up to 1 GB | Visit |
| 6 | DMDE | Technical users recovering many small files | $20 for one year | Yes, up to 4,000 files per operation | Visit |
| 7 | PhotoRec and TestDisk | Fully free recovery with no size cap | $0 | Yes, unlimited | Visit |
| 8 | Wise Data Recovery | Fast and light recovery of recent deletions | $39.97 per year for 1 PC | Yes, up to 2 GB | Visit |
The 8 best best freeware data recovery software tools, in detail
Recuva
Best for: Simple deleted file recovery on Windows
Recuva comes from the makers of CCleaner and is the standard first try for Windows file recovery. The free edition recovers pictures, music, documents, videos and emails from a Windows computer, the Recycle Bin or a camera card. The product page lists no recovery size limit for the free edition.
- The Professional edition costs $24.95 per year and adds virtual hard drive support, automatic updates and priority support, but it does not add recove
- One limit is the age of the program: the latest release, version 1.55.133 from June 2026, was a maintenance update, and the official system requiremen
- Choose Recuva first for a recent deletion on Windows.
Pros
- Free edition includes deep scan and secure delete
- small download that runs on older Windows versions
Cons
- Windows only with no Mac version
- Professional adds no extra recovery power, only virtual hard drive support, automatic updates and priority support
EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard
Best for: Largest free allowance with a guided interface
EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard is the friendliest tool here for a first time user, and its free edition is the most generous among the commercial tools. It recovers deleted files, formatted drives and lost partitions on Windows and Mac, and it handles more than 1,000 file types according to its product page. The free version scans and previews files first, so you can confirm that your lost files are visible before you spend anything.
- The free edition gives 500 MB by default, and the remaining 1.5 GB becomes available after sharing the software on Facebook or X.
- Pro costs $69.95 for one month, $99.95 for one year or $149.95 for a lifetime license, and each license covers one computer.
- Choose EaseUS for a loss under 2 GB with a guided interface.
Pros
- Free edition recovers up to 2 GB
- clear guided interface with file preview before recovery
Cons
- Each license covers one computer only
- the free 2 GB allowance starts at 500 MB and reaches 2 GB only after sharing the software on social media
Disk Drill
Best for: Preview led recovery with drive imaging
Disk Drill from CleverFiles is a cross platform recovery tool for Windows and Mac. It recovers deleted photos, videos, documents and archives from internal and external drives, memory cards and USB sticks. You can preview found files and see a recovery chance indicator for each one.
- It also creates byte to byte disk images of failing drives, so you can scan the image instead of the original drive.
- The free edition is the weak point.
- The current official page states that the free version recovers up to 100 MB of data on Windows, a cut from the 500 MB allowance that older reviews st
- Pro costs $89 per year for one user on up to three devices, with unlimited recovery, and a lifetime license is also listed at $149.
Pros
- File previews with recovery chance indicators
- byte to byte disk imaging and Recovery Vault data protection
Cons
- Free Windows recovery is limited to 100 MB
- the Mac free edition mainly offers scanning and preview
Stellar Data Recovery
Best for: Photo and video recovery with repair tools
Stellar Data Recovery is a long running Windows and Mac recovery tool from Stellar Information Technology. The free edition runs the same Quick Scan and Deep Scan as the higher editions, lets you preview found files, and recovers up to 1 GB of data on Windows and Mac. It covers deleted files, formatted drives and lost partitions on internal and external drives, USB sticks and memory cards.
- Standard costs $59.99 per year, Professional costs $89.99 per year and adds recovery for a PC that will not boot, while Premium costs $99.99 per year
- Standard is a yearly subscription, so plan on paying again next year unless you turn off renewal.
- Choose Stellar for photo or video loss when 1 GB of free recovery is enough.
Pros
- Free edition runs the full scan and preview before any purchase
- higher editions add photo and video repair
Cons
- Standard edition is a yearly subscription that renews unless cancelled
- RAID recovery and unbootable PC recovery need higher editions
MiniTool Power Data Recovery
Best for: Guided Windows recovery with bootable media
MiniTool Power Data Recovery is a Windows first recovery tool with a free edition that also runs on Mac. It recovers deleted files, formatted storage, RAW or inaccessible volumes and lost partitions. The free edition recovers up to 1 GB of data, which is enough to test the scan results on a real job before buying.
- The pricing needs a careful read.
- Personal Monthly costs $69 per month for one PC, Personal Annual costs $89 per year for one PC, and Personal Ultimate costs $129 as a one time license
- The monthly plan is the most expensive way to buy for a single job.
- Choose MiniTool for a guided Windows tool when the loss fits inside 1 GB.
Pros
- Free edition recovers up to 1 GB on Windows and Mac
- clear step by step workflow for deleted files, formatted drives and lost partitions
Cons
- Monthly Personal plan costs $69 for one PC
- loading saved scan results and WinPE bootable media need a higher plan
DMDE
Best for: Technical users recovering many small files
DMDE, short for DM Disk Editor and Data Recovery Software, is the most generous free tool here for a specific kind of job. Its free edition lets you recover up to 4,000 files from a selected directory per operation, with no limit on the number of operations, so a folder of thousands of small documents can come back in full. It runs on Windows, macOS, Linux and DOS, and it packs a disk editor, partition manager, disk imaging and RAID reconstruction into one portable program.
- One limit is usability.
- The free edition does not restore whole folders at once, so you open one subdirectory at a time, which is slow for a large drive.
- Express costs $20 for one year and adds bulk folder recovery, Standard costs $48 as a perpetual license, and Professional costs $95 or $133.
- Choose DMDE when the loss is many small files.
Pros
- Free edition recovers up to 4,000 files per operation with no limit on the number of operations
- includes disk editor, partition search, disk imaging and RAID support
Cons
- No full folder recovery in the free edition
- interface is technical and takes time to learn
PhotoRec and TestDisk
Best for: Fully free recovery with no size cap
PhotoRec and TestDisk ship together from CGSecurity as free and open source utilities, and they are the only tools on this list with no higher plan to sell you. TestDisk recovers lost partitions and fixes boot sectors, while PhotoRec scans the raw drive for known file signatures and recovers files even when the file system is badly damaged or formatted. The package is portable, so you extract the archive and run it with no installer.
- The trade off is the interface and the results.
- Both tools run in a text based interface with no graphical preview, so beginners should follow the official documentation.
- PhotoRec ignores the file system and carves files by signature, which means recovered files come back without their original names or folder structure
- Choose this pair when the budget is zero and the loss is large.
Pros
- Completely free with no recovery cap and no higher plan
- TestDisk repairs partitions while PhotoRec carves files from damaged file systems
Cons
- Text based interface with no graphical preview
- recovered files lose their original names and folder structure
Wise Data Recovery
Best for: Fast and light recovery of recent deletions
Wise Data Recovery from WiseCleaner is a lightweight Windows utility, and its free edition is generous. The free Windows edition recovers up to 2 GB of data, matching EaseUS for the largest free allowance among the commercial tools here. The installer is only 11.4 MB.
- A portable version runs directly from a USB drive without installation, which avoids installing on the affected drive.
- Pro 1 costs $39.97 for one year and one PC, and Pro 2 costs $49.99 for one year and three PCs.
- One limit is scope: it handles accidental deletion, an emptied Recycle Bin and quick formatting, but it has no disk imaging, no RAID recovery and no p
- Choose Wise Data Recovery for a recent deletion on Windows under 2 GB.
Pros
- Free Windows edition recovers up to 2 GB
- tiny 11.4 MB installer with a portable version that runs from a USB drive
Cons
- Windows only, with no official Mac edition of the same tool
- no disk imaging, RAID recovery or partition rebuilding
How we chose
We chose tools that offer a real free edition or are free outright, with an official homepage and a published price or free limit. We checked prices and plan limits on official vendor pages on 12 November 2026, and the Sources section lists the page used for each item. We did not test any tool hands-on. We left out tools that only scan for free, and we left out cracked software, keygens and warez tools entirely.
Pick by free allowance and budget
| Situation | Best pick | Free allowance | Cost if the free cap is not enough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recent deletion on Windows, small job | Recuva | No size limit stated | $24.95 per year |
| Loss under 2 GB, guided interface wanted | EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard | 2 GB, with 500 MB before sharing | $69.95 for one month |
| Loss under 2 GB, light and fast tool wanted | Wise Data Recovery | 2 GB | $39.97 per year for 1 PC |
| Many small files, technical user | DMDE | 4,000 files per operation | $20 for one year |
| No budget at all, large loss | PhotoRec and TestDisk | Unlimited | $0 |
| Photo or video loss under 1 GB | Stellar Data Recovery | 1 GB | $59.99 per year |
| Loss under 1 GB, guided Windows tool | MiniTool Power Data Recovery | 1 GB | $69 per month |
| Small loss under 100 MB, previews wanted | Disk Drill | 100 MB on Windows | $89 per year |
Frequently asked questions
Is freeware data recovery software really free?
Yes, for small jobs. Recuva has no stated size limit, PhotoRec and TestDisk have no cap, and EaseUS and Wise Data Recovery each allow 2 GB free. The free editions of Disk Drill, Stellar and MiniTool cap recovery at 100 MB or 1 GB, so larger jobs need a higher plan.
Which is the best freeware data recovery software for Windows?
Recuva is the best default pick for most Windows users, because its free edition has no stated size limit and its interface is simple. EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard is the best pick when you want a guided interface and a 2 GB free allowance, and DMDE is the best pick for technical users recovering many small files.
Which is the best freeware data recovery software for a Mac?
Disk Drill, EaseUS and Stellar all run on Mac with free editions, but the free allowances differ. EaseUS allows 2 GB free on Mac, Stellar allows 1 GB, and the Disk Drill Mac free edition mainly offers scanning and preview. PhotoRec and TestDisk also run on Mac with no cap at all.
How much does data recovery software cost if the free version is not enough?
The cheapest upgrade here is DMDE Express at $20 for one year, followed by Recuva Professional at $24.95 per year and Wise Data Recovery Pro at $39.97 per year. Stellar Standard costs $59.99 per year, Disk Drill Pro costs $89 per year, and the most expensive monthly option is MiniTool Personal at $69 per month.
Can free data recovery software recover files from a formatted drive?
Yes, in many cases, when the format was a quick format that only marks the drive as empty. Most tools here list formatted drive recovery, and PhotoRec can carve files even when the file system is badly damaged. Recovery is unlikely when the files were overwritten or deleted from an SSD with TRIM enabled.
What should I do first after deleting important files?
Stop using the affected drive at once, because new writes can overwrite the deleted data. Install the recovery tool on a different drive and save recovered files to a separate healthy drive. Scan first and preview the results before buying any higher plan.
Sources
- https://www.ccleaner.com/recuva
- https://www.easeus.com/datarecoverywizard/
- https://www.cleverfiles.com/data-recovery-software.html
- https://www.stellarinfo.com/appsource/free-data-recovery.php
- https://www.minitool.com/store/data-recovery.html
- https://dmde.com/buy.html
- https://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk_Download
- https://www.wisecleaner.com/wise-data-recovery.html
Prices and features were read on each company’s own website in November 2026. They change often, so confirm the current offer on the official site before you sign up or buy.