Alternatives to Recuva
A Windows tool for recovering deleted files from hard drives, memory cards and USB sticks. The listings below can replace it for an important use case. Each note says what changes if you switch.
The original
Recuva
A Windows tool for recovering deleted files from hard drives, memory cards and USB sticks.
Replacements
Listings that take over the same core job as Recuva.
TestDisk & PhotoRec
Recovers lost partitions, makes non-booting disks bootable again, and undeletes files from FAT, exFAT, NTFS and ext filesystems.
TestDisk & PhotoRec is free and open source across Windows, macOS and Linux, and also recovers partitions, but uses an intimidating text menu interface.
Disk Drill
A data recovery app for macOS and Windows that scans drives and devices for lost files.
Disk Drill recovers from phones, RAID arrays and lost partitions on Windows and macOS with a simple interface, but full recovery requires the paid PRO version.
EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard
A consumer data recovery program for restoring deleted or lost files from drives and memory cards.
EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard handles deletion, formatting and partition loss on Windows and Mac, with larger recoveries needing a paid edition.
Windows File Recovery
Microsoft's free command-line tool for recovering deleted or lost files on Windows.
Windows File Recovery is Microsoft's free first-party tool but works only from the command line on Windows 10 2004 or later.
Stellar Data Recovery
Commercial software for recovering deleted, lost or formatted files from computers and storage media.
Stellar Data Recovery has Windows and Mac editions with a free preview of recoverable files, while full recovery sits in paid editions.
Wondershare Recoverit
Commercial data recovery app for restoring deleted or lost files on Windows and Mac.
Wondershare Recoverit is a closed-source guided recovery app for Windows and Mac that also handles crashed PCs, with full use depending on a paid plan.
DMDE
A disk editor and data recovery tool that reconstructs lost files and directory structures.
DMDE runs on Windows, macOS and Linux and rebuilds directory trees with a low-level editor, though the free edition limits files per directory.
DiskGenius
Combined partition manager, data recovery tool and backup utility for Windows.
DiskGenius adds partition management and lost partition recovery to file recovery on Windows, but recovering more than small files needs a paid licence.
Also worth comparing
These listings name Recuva as their own alternative, so the relationship runs both ways.
IsoBuster
A Windows data recovery program for optical discs, hard drives, USB sticks, memory cards and disk images.
Recuva is a freemium Windows tool for recovering deleted files from drives, memory cards and USB sticks, without IsoBuster's focus on CD, DVD and Blu-ray discs.
Similar software
Related functionality, not a direct replacement.
GNU ddrescue
A command-line data recovery tool that copies raw blocks from failing disks while working around read errors.
The Sleuth Kit
Command-line tools and a C library for analysing disk images and recovering files in forensic work.
SpinRite
A bootable maintenance and data recovery utility for hard drives and other mass-storage devices, from GRC.
Eraser
An open-source Windows tool that securely erases files and wipes free disk space.
Hiren's BootCD PE
Bootable Windows PE rescue environment full of diagnostic and repair tools.
