There are tons of different data recovery programs available both online and in stores to help you recover your lost data. Some of these programs may be “freeware”, meaning that you can download them online free of charge. Other high end programs can cost well over $100.

Before you select a data recovery program, read carefully about the software. Access your specific data recovery needs and ask yourself: Is this the right program for me? If not, you could end up spending lots of money on a product that is completely useless to you. If none of the programs you find online or in stores seem to suit your needs, it may be time to get quotes from professional data recovery services companies. But be warned: nine times out of ten, hiring a professional will cost more than purchasing a piece of software.

Here’s a list I put together of the top ten most popular, helpful and cost-effective data recovery programs:

  • 1. DT Utilities Digital Rescue
  • 2. Recover My Files
  • 3. Data Recovery Wizard
  • 4. Disk Doctors Windows Data Recovery
  • 5. Handy Recovery
  • 6. ParetoLogic Data Recovery Pro
  • 7. Quick Recovery
  • 8. GetDataBack
  • 9. R-Studio
  • 10. Restorer2000 Professional

The data recovery programs outlined above range in price from $49.99 to $129.99. Again, in my experience, these are much more cost effective options than hiring a professional to recover your lost data.