Data Rescue for Mac Review – Has It Aged Like Wine or Milk?

3.26

Out of 5 Total Score

No. 8 Among all macOS solutions

Price range $79...$399 • Prosoft Engineering, Inc. • macOS

Last update:

Data Rescue for Mac is among the oldest data recovery software applications for macOS. The latest version (6.0.8) has been available since July 2023, and we’re excited to see what it has to offer.

Data Rescue for Mac – Gallery

Main Pros and Cons of Data Rescue for Mac

PROS

  • Mail alerts. Software can notify its users by email when it finds bad sectors.
  • Hex editor. The software comes with a Hex editor that can be used to analyze the entire content of the connected storage device.
  • Virtual RAID. Data Rescue for Mac can assemble virtual RAID arrays, which can help in repairing broken disk sets.
  • Specify the starting point for scanning. Advanced users can set the desired starting sector to focus scanning on a specific area of the storage device.
  • Passwordless launch. No need to enter the password every time one starts the program.
  • Dark mode. Although Data Rescue for Mac has an old-fashioned user interface, the developers have introduced support for dark mode.

CONS

  • Inability to scan system disks. Since macOS 10.13 High Sierra, Data Rescue can’t scan system disks directly. The user has to boot into Recovery Mode first.
  • Unreliable bootable recovery. To scan system drives, Data Rescue offers a bootable recovery option, but it didn’t work well on our Mac running the latest version of macOS.
  • Needs the internet at all times. Data Rescue for Mac requires a constant connection to the internet to validate the license.
  • Scanning duration. The data recovery software doesn’t display an estimated scanning duration.
  • Limited number of saved sessions. You can only save up to 15 scanning sessions, and Data Rescue won’t let you start another scan unless you delete all saved sessions first.
  • License pricing. Data Rescue now offers a trial mode where users can recover up to 1GB of data for free. Beyond the trial, the Standard license offers unlimited software access for 30 days at $79. The Professional license remains an Unlimited License but is priced at $399 for 1 year. While this offers more flexibility, the pricing is still on the higher side compared to other similar solutions.
  • Limited file system support. Data Rescue can recover file names and directory structures of HFS-formatted storage devices but not other file systems.
  • Hidden file size limitations. The size limitations for the searched files are set in the settings menu. For example, you can limit the program to ignore all files that are larger than 10 GB. The average user wouldn’t know the option exists in the first place, which would compromise the data recovery results.
  • Lackluster quick scanning capabilities. Recently deleted files can be quickly recovered only from APFS, HFS, NTFS, and exFAT disks. However, exFAT performance is lackluster at best, with only 10-20% of data recovered.
  • Bad sector management. The data recovery software knows when a scan is taking too long, but won't check for bad sectors and is unable to avoid them to minimize the ETA.
  • Complicated configuration. The default settings are mostly not ideal, and it takes a lot of work to figure out and adjust them.
  • Lack of M1 support. Data Rescue doesn’t work on M1 Macs without the Rosetta 2 compatibility layer.
  • Inability to resume an interrupted scan. When a storage device is disconnected while being scanned by Data Rescue for Mac, you don’t get a chance to resume the scan. Instead, you have to start it all over again.
  • Limited RAID support. The program can only work with RAID 0 and JBOD configurations.
  • macOS installer creation. Data Rescue doesn't allow creating USB installers for the latest versions of macOS.
  • Challenging scan session selection. The saved scan sessions don't have a sufficient description, thus it can be quite difficult to find the one you actually need to resume.
  • Usability issues. Data Rescue for Mac frequently refreshes the user interface after scanning, hiding search results in the process and potentially confusing the user.
  • Lack of translations. No other language besides English is supported.
  • Scan results filtering and ordering. There’s no way to change how found files are displayed, which makes it unnecessarily difficult to find what you’re looking for.
  • Device selection. It can be difficult to select the right storage device because Data Rescue doesn’t display much information about them. What’s more, the available devices can’t be sorted in any way.
  • Search for lost partitions. There is no method to search for lost partitions.
  • Encrypted storage devices. Data Rescue can’t scan encrypted APFS and HFS storage devices. What’s worse, the software doesn’t inform the user that encrypted storage devices are not supported—it simply doesn’t deliver any results.

Data Rescue for Mac Summary

👍 Worth a try

While Data Rescue for Mac has some objectively good qualities, much of it is overshadowed by its weaker areas. The software, which exclusively uses a subscription-based pricing policy, is priced at $79 for 30 days of access or $399 per year. It’s considerably more expensive than cheaper tools of similar caliber.

In our tests, we found that the software has the best chance of recovering data from HFS+ partitions. Other file systems produced mixed results, but much of it was below average. Its ability to recover document file formats by signature was commendable, but raw photos and videos did not share the same success.

The user interface is missing a lot of options that would make it much more convenient to use, like the ability to organize scan results and sort items by type. Strangely, a constant internet connection is required to ensure a valid license is being used, so you won’t be able to recover your data while offline.

If you have the budget and feel that Data Rescue for Mac is suited for your particular data loss situation, it’s worth giving it a go. Otherwise, if you’re looking for a more budget-friendly option that’s suitable for more than just a few select cases, we’d recommend exploring alternatives to see what else is out there.

TitleResult
Compatibility Good
Recovery Rate Good
Usability Good
File Type Support Good
Scan Speed Excellent
Free Trial Yes
Starting Price $79.00 / month
Money-Back Guarantee No

Other Options Besides Data Rescue for Mac

popular
Disk Drill Logo
Disk Drill

Score 4.79 47%

Best choice for Mac users


Compare
EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard Logo
EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard

Score 3.82 17%

Respectable free data recovery limit


Compare
DiskWarrior Logo
DiskWarrior

Score 2.29 30%

This warrior is ready for retirement


Compare
Data Rescue for Mac

Prosoft Engineering, Inc.

Visit website

Best choice for Mac users

Disk Drill Logo

Disk Drill for macOS

47%

4.79

Respectable free data recovery limit

EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard Logo

EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard for Mac

17%

3.82

This warrior is ready for retirement

DiskWarrior Logo

DiskWarrior for macOS

30%

2.29

What Is Data Rescue for Mac?

 #

Data Rescue is a mac data recovery software application developed by Prosoft Engineering, Inc. The application can be used to recover permanently deleted files from hard drives, external USB flash drives, and other devices.

Developed by a US-based software company, Data Rescue seems like a safe bet for anyone interested in mature data recovery software. The line between mature and outdated software can be thin, however.

Data Rescue for Mac Factsheet

RequirementsmacOS 10.12-14.0
Latest version 6.0.8 • Released 28th Jul, 2023
Download size18.1 MB
CategoryData Recovery Software
UI languagesEnglish

Sibling version

Data Rescue for Windows

3.25

Data Rescue isn't as well-known as industry-leading data recovery tools like Disk Drill and EaseUS. But, that may not be attributed to its effectiveness as a recovery solution. We take an extensive look at what Data Rescue has to offer so you understand exactly what it's capable of. Read full review

No. 18 Among all Windows solutions

Data Rescue Logo

How Much Does Data Rescue for Mac Cost?

Distributed as Freemium Some features are provided free of charge, but money is required to unlock the rest
Trial version availableTrial version available
Trial version limitations

With trial version you can:

  • Scan and Preview lost files
  • Free Data recovery up to 1GB (New Users Only)
Paid plans
  • Standard
  • Professional
Price range $79.00...$399.00
License model Subscription
No credit card to tryNo credit card to try
Money back guaranteeMoney back guarantee

Data Rescue has a fairly expensive pricing structure. There are several licenses you can choose from:

  • Trial: Free data recovery of up to 1 GB for new users.
  • Standard License: $79 for unlimited software access for 30 days.
  • Professional License: $399 for unlimited recovery for one year.

While this pricing model offers flexibility for users, the cost is still relatively high, especially when compared to other solutions on the market that offer unlimited recovery for less.

The good news is that the website provides clear pricing details, including the trial limitations, eliminating the need to download the software to view the costs.

All Data Rescue for Mac Pricing Options

1Price $79.00
2Details
  • Unlimited software access for 30 days
  • Unlimited Data Recovery
1Price $399.00
2Details
  • Auto Renew, Cancel Anytime
  • Unlimited software access for one year
  • Unlimited Data Recovery

Discounts and coupons

DiscountDescriptionLink
-15%
15% Off Mac Data Rescue 5

Coupon code - drmac15.

Get the Deal
Have you found a better discount coupon and would like to share it with our readers? Then don’t hesitate to get in touch with us, and we’ll update this section promptly.

Developer — Prosoft Engineering, Inc.

Prosoft Engineering, Inc. has been around as a company since the 80s. Data Rescue is the company’s flagship product. 

1% 10.6% than avg

Online market share
Reflects the share of online traffic within the niche captured by the data recovery software based on data taken from ahrefs.com and Google US.

840 96.4% than avg

Brand name popularity

Based on the number of brand-related search queries on Google US according to ahrefs.com.

If you wanted to visit Prosoft Engineering, Inc. in person, you would have to travel to sunny California. Fortunately, you don’t have to do that to get tech support or questions answered, because Prosoft Engineering, Inc. has multiple customer support channels open during standard business hours.

Developer website prosofteng.com
Support email support@prosofteng.com
Founded

1985 • 39 years on the market

HQ location

5424 Sunol Blvd Suite 10-253 Pleasanton, CA 94566

Phone 877-477-6763
Social media LinkedIn YouTube

We like that it’s possible to speak to one of Prosoft’s US-based representatives Monday – Friday (8AM – 5PM PST). You can also contact the company via email and receive a reply within 1-2 business days.

How to Use Data Rescue for Mac

Tested on: macOS 12.1 (21C52)

It’s difficult to grasp what the software is like before downloading it and using it yourself. To help with that, we’ve included some steps below that go over what it’s like to use the software, starting with its installation.

Step 1

Installation

To get started, we first downloaded the free demo version of Data Rescue from its official website. To install it, we opened the downloaded image file and copied the application to the Applications folder. 

When we launched Data Rescue for the first time, we were asked to give it Full Disk Access, which is a common requirement of all data recovery software applications for macOS.

Data Rescue requires the user to enter the admin password only for the first time. Subsequent launches are instant. 

Step 2

Source selection

While not immediately obvious, Data Rescue actually has two different user interfaces. The default one is intended for beginners, and it offers four self-descriptive options: Start Recovering Files, View Previous Scan Results, Clone, and Create Recovery Drive.

To access the other user interface, you need to click the View menu and select the Switch to Professional Mode option. As you can guess, Professional Mode is aimed at advanced users, and it gives you access to the application's hex editor and more.

We used the standard user interface, so starting a scan was as easy as clicking the Start Recovering Files option. We then selected our testing disk image and proceeded.

Step 3

Scanning process

After selecting our testing disk image, we were asked to choose from two scanning modes: Quick Scan and Deep Scan.

Data Rescue provides a handy description of each mode, going over its characteristics, advantages, and potential disadvantages. Because we wanted to examine the test image using advanced techniques to find every recoverable file, we selected Deep Scan.

Scan progress was displayed in real time, which was reassuring because we could see the application doing what it's supposed to do, however Data Rescue doesn't display an estimated remaining time.

Step 4

Managing found files

When it comes to the management of found files, Data Rescue doesn't offer much more beyond the basics. You can see files grouped into their original folders (when such information is available), preview the supported file formats, and search for specific files, but that's about it.

You can't filter the scan results in any way, and it's not even possible to change how the results are sorted, even though the user interface suggests that such functionality is supported. 

Step 5

Recovery and post-processing

Before you can recover any deleted file found by Data Rescue, you need to select it. To do that, you simply click the checkbox next to it. Data Rescue displays the total number of selected files at the bottom, along with their total size.

Once we had made our selection, we clicked the Recover button and were asked to specify the recovery directory. We confirmed our choice, and Data Rescue displayed a pop-up message, telling us the recovery had been completed. 

Is Data Rescue for Mac safe?

97%

Avg score Data Rescue is safe to use

Safe and Trustworthy
👾 Malware
10/10

Data Rescue for Mac does not contain malware.

🔒 Privacy
10/10

The company clearly states how it handles your data.

📊 Data Integrity
9/10

The software does have read-only scanning algorithms.

👨‍💻 Developer
10/10

Prosoft Engineering, Inc. is a reputable company.

SUMMARY

Indeed, Data Rescue for Mac is safe to download and use. We did a thorough check for any forms of malware and found nothing of concern. In terms of data privacy, the company has an extensive Privacy Policy that goes over what data is collected, how long it is stored, and who it is shared with. The software does have the ability to employ non-intrusive read-only scan modes, but this must first be enabled by the user. Finally, Prosoft Engineering, Inc. is a trusted company with a long history in the data recovery space.

Data Rescue for Mac - Full Review and Analysis

Let’s take a closer look at what Data Rescue can offer as a data recovery software application by evaluating everything from its reputation to its usability and data recovery performance.

67%

Karma

13 rating criteria

Prosoft Engineering, Inc., the developers of Data Rescue, are headquartered in California, and they’ve been around for a long time. You can reach them during standard business hours and speak to one of their US-based representatives.

The developers have yet to implement native support for Apple Silicon Macs, but seeing as the software hasn’t received an update since July 28, 2023, it doesn’t seem to be a priority. And because it’s not possible to directly scan system drives on newer Macs, it’s clear that Prosoft Engineering, Inc. is struggling to keep up with the operating system for which they develop their software.

#FeatureResult
1Update frequency Every 6 months
2Updated recently Yes
3Changelog available Available (View full update history)
4Latest macOS supported Yes, all good
5Runs natively on M1/M2/M3 Macs Does not support
6Genuine or clone? Genuine
7Brand name popularity Unpopular
8Online market share Poor
9Maturity Mature
10Extensive knowledge base Available
11Helpdesk support Available
12Live chat Available
13Phone support Yes
24%

Bang for the buck

8 rating criteria

Data Rescue has made strides in transparency by now displaying its pricing details directly on the website, which it previously did not. Additionally, they now offer a trial mode where users can recover up to 1GB of data for free, providing an opportunity to test the software’s capabilities before committing to a purchase. However, while the pricing structure has been revised, it remains on the pricier side. The Standard license offers unlimited software access for 30 days at $79, and the Professional license provides unlimited recovery for $399 per year. Despite the clearer pricing presentation and improved trial offering, potential customers should still carefully evaluate the cost against the software’s capabilities and compare it with other solutions in the market.

#FeatureResult
1Competitive pricing No
2Price-quality ratio Poor
3Free trial Free demo is available
4Is it free? Paid license is required to recover files
5Pricing policy Unlimited subscription plans
6Unlimited recovery in full version Yes
7Free upgrades Yes, with an annual subscription
8Commercial rights in the cheapest license No
33%

Usability

18 rating criteria

Data Rescue isn’t a modern data recovery application with a beautiful user interface. The software has been around for a long time, and not all parts have aged equally well (and not all parts have received the same attention from the software’s developers).

Selecting the right storage device is fairly easy (as long as you know which volume you want to scan), but from there it’s a parade of usability issues. For example, Data Rescue doesn’t show the remaining scanning time, and the tool also doesn’t make it easy to browse recoverable files and select the right ones from them.

The Expert mode seems like a lazy way to provide more advanced users with extra options without making the software too complicated for beginners. Many other data recovery software applications are both capable and accessible, so why can’t Data Rescue be the same?

#FeatureResult
1Modern user-friendly interface No
2Dark mode Yes
3Easy-to-locate features Yes
4Automatic implementation of multiple appropriate scanning methods without user interaction No
5Auto-resuming scans of failing drives No
6Auto-resuming backups of failing drives No
7Convenient source selection on start So-so
8Convenient file-by-file preview of recoverable items So-so
9Convenient thumbnail preview of recoverable items No
10Mount recoverable items as disk No
11Built-in updater Yes
12Multiple view modes in scan results No
13Hex view for recoverable items Yes
14Filter recoverable items by type No
15Search recoverable items by file names Yes
16Sort results No
17Multilingual UI No
18Simple deployment Yes
44%

Recovery performance

128 rating criteria

The price of any software application is setting the expectations. Data Rescue is priced like a professional data recovery software tool, but its recovery performance more closely matches a free tool. 

The biggest issue we have with Data Rescue is the lack of support for certain commonly used file systems. It doesn’t help that encrypted storage devices are not supported as well, regardless of which file system they use.

As if that wasn’t enough, Data Rescue can’t even scan the system drive on newer Macs without you first booting into Recovery Mode, which is anything but convenient.

#FeatureResultDescription
1Quick scan FineSome of the most popular file systems, including FAT32, exFAT, and ext4, are either not supported at all or are supported poorly.
2Deep scan BadOnly the HFS+ file system is fully supported.
3Signature scan FineData Rescue sometimes performs surprisingly great and sometimes surprisingly poorly.
4Additional scan features BadData Rescue doesn't offer too much when it comes to advanced data recovery capabilities.
5Device support FineExcept for mobile devices and encrypted drives, the software can scan all storage devices.
6Other notable recovery features FineYou can use Data Rescue to create a byte-to-byte copy of any storage device, among other things.

Scan results

Summary of our scan results

This table presents a quick summary of the scan results we gathered when testing the data recovery software

#FeatureQuick ScanRecovery of recently deleted filesDeep ScanThe ability to restore data upon file system reformatting or loss
1HFS+ partitions45
2APFS partitions30
3FAT32 partitions11
4exFAT partitions21
5NTFS partitions41
6EXT4 partitions00
37%

Quick Scan is designed to find recently deleted files on a device. This score reflects the overall software's effectiveness of recovering permanently deleted files across various file systems

Average Score

21%

Deep Scan is primarily designed to recover data from formatted devices, and lost partitions. This score reflects the overall software's effectiveness of recovering data from various file systems after reformatting

Average Score

#SignatureDescriptionScan Score
13FR

Hasselblad 3F RAW Image File

0
2ARW

Sony Alpha RAW File

3
3BMP

Bitmap Image File

5
4CR2

Canon RAW Version 2 File

3
5CR3

Canon RAW Version 3 File

0
6CRW

Canon RAW CIFF Image File

2
7DCR

Kodak Digital Camera RAW File

3
8DNG

Digital Negative Lossless RAW Image File

3
9CinemaDNG

Adobe Industry-wide Standard File Format for Digital Video Files

0
10ERF

Epson RAW File

2
11EXR

High Dynamic-range File Format

0
12FFF

Hasselblad RAW Image File

2
13GPR

GoPro RAW Format File

0
14HEIC

High Efficiency Image File Format

0
15IIQ

Intelligent Image Quality RAW File

2
16INSP

Panoramic Image Insta360 File

0
17JP2

Bitmap Image Format JPEG 2000 File

2
18JPG

Joint Photographic Experts Group Compressed Image File

5
19KDC

Kodak Digital Camera RAW Image File

5
20MEF

Mamiya RAW Image File

5
21MOS

Leaf and Mamiya RAW Image File

0
22MPO

Multi Picture Stereoscopic Object File

0
23MRW

Konica Minolta RAW Image Format File

3
24NEF

Nikon RAW Image File

4
25NRW

Nikon RAW Image File

0
26ORF

Olympus RAW Format File

3
27PEF

Pentax RAW Image File

3
28RAF

Fujifilm RAW Image File

3
29RAW

Native Digital Camera File

3
30RW2

Panasonic Lumix RAW Image File

2
31RWL

Leica RAW Image Format File

3
32SR2

Sony RAW 2 Image File

0
33SRF

Sony RAW File

2
34SRW

Samsung RAW Image File

0
35TIFF

Tag Image File Format

3
36X3F

Sigma Camera RAW Picture File

3
37X3I

Sigma Super Fine Detail Picture File

0
38%

Most modern digital cameras and an increasing number of mobile devices allow their users to capture raw image data in a variety of raw file formats. This score reflects the software's ability to recover photos in these formats using their unique signatures

Average Score

#SignatureDescriptionScan Score
1360

GoPRO 360 Degree Video File

5
2ARI

ARRI Professional Digital Video Camera File

3
3ARX

ARRI Professional Digital Video Camera File

0
4AVI

Audio Video Interleave Multimedia Container with GoPRO CineForm Intermediate Codec

4
5AVI

Audio Video Interleave Multimedia Container with MJPG, H.264, MSMPEG4 v2 Codecs

5
6BRAW

Blackmagic RAW Video File

4
7INSV

Insta360 Panoramic H.264 Video File

3
8INSV

Insta360 Panoramic HEVC or HVC1 Video File

3
9MOV

QuickTime File Format with Apple ProRes 422 Proxy, LT or HQ Codec

3
10MOV

QuickTime File Format with Apple ProRes 4444 Raw or HQ Codec

3
11MOV

QuickTime File Format with H.264 Codec

4
12MOV

QuickTime File Format with CineForm HD Codec

2
13MOV

QuickTime File Format with HEVC or HVC1 Codec

3
14MP4

Digital Multimedia Container Format with H.264 Codec

4
15MP4

Digital Multimedia Container Format with HEVC, HVC1 or Apple ProRes Codec

4
16MXF

Material Exchange Format for Professional Digital Video and Audio Media with H.264 Codec

0
17MXF

Material Exchange Format for Professional Digital Video and Audio Media with DVCPRO HD Codec

0
18MXF

Material Exchange Format for Professional Digital Video and Audio Media with ARRI RAW or Apple ProRes Codec

0
19MXF

Material Exchange Format for Professional Digital Video and Audio Media with XDCAM HD422 or HD35 MPEG2 Codec

0
20R3D

Red Digital Camera Company RAW Video File

2
21WMV

Windows Media Video Image with Pro RAW 9 Codec

3
51%

Video file formats have undergone significant evolution during the past decade. This rating assesses the software's effectiveness in recovering various video files using its signature scanner

Average Score

#SignatureDescriptionScan Score
1ACCDB

Microsoft Access 2007+ Database File

0
2KEY

Apple Keynote Office Application File

4
3PAGES

Apple Pages Office Application File

4
4NUMBERS

Apple Numbers Office Application File

4
5DJVU

Scanned Document File Format Intended For Scanned Images

0
6DOC

Microsoft Word 97 – 2003 Document File

5
7DOCX

Microsoft Word 2007+ Document File

5
8FB2

FictionBook 2.0 eBook File

0
9MDB

Microsoft Access 97 - 2003 Database File

0
10ODP

OpenDocument Presentation File Format

3
11ODS

OpenDocument Spreadsheet File Format

5
12ODT

OpenDocument Text Document File Format

5
13PDF

Portable Document Format File

5
14PPT

Microsoft Powerpoint 97 - 2003 Presentation File

5
15PPTX

Microsoft Powerpoint 2007+ Presentation File

4
16RTF

Rich Text Format File

2
17XLS

Microsoft Excel 97 - 2003 Spreadsheet File

4
18XLSX

Microsoft Excel 2007+ Spreadsheet File

5
74%

Documents are among the most commonly recovered file formats because their importance can be tremendous, especially when they're related to work or school. This score indicates the software's proficiency in recovering different document types based on their signatures

Average Score

Attention

Feeling puzzled by terms like "Quick scan" and "Deep scan"? This link explains the different scan modes and their specific purposes.

Data Rescue’s level of recoverability heavily depends on your specific data loss situation. In cases where you only need to recover files that have been recently deleted, the software is great at doing so from HFS+ and NTFS partitions. But, it had waning success doing the same with our APFS and exFAT partitions and really struggled with FAT32.

We then tested its ability to recover data using the records left by a file system that has been lost or formatted. In this case, only the HFS+ partition showed promising results. The vast majority of the data located on our FAT32, exFAT, and NTFS partitions remained permanently lost. Furthermore, APFS and EXT4 file systems are not supported with this scan mode.

Similar to its partition scan results, the signature scan results are a mixed bag. Based on what we’ve found, it has the best chance of recovering document file types over all others. PPT/PPTX, XLS/XLSX, PDF, ODT, and DOC/DOCX were all well-supported and had great success. Video files were in second place, as it recovered AVI, MP4, and some versions of MOV with ease, but struggled with more obscure formats like INSV, ARI, and R3D. Photographers may be disappointed to discover that most file formats, including ARW, CR2, CRW, RAW, and others were a challenge for the software to recover with adequate proficiency.

Additional scan features

Other notable scanning features and their performance These advanced scanning features expand the software's capabilities, adding flexibility to scanning process and allowing it to recover data from a wider range of data loss scenarios
28%
Average Score
#FeatureScore
1The number of file types supported by signature scan3
2Native deep scan of system drives on M1/M2/M3-powered Macs0
3Native deep scan of system drives on T2-encrypted Macs0
4Native data recovery from local Time Machine snapshots0
5Scan for lost partitions0
6HFS+ directory rebuild0
7Recovered files' labeling0
8Partial file recovery5
9Disk images: scan and recovery5

Despite the fact that Data Rescue has a special Expert mode that you can activate to reveal additional options, the data recovery software doesn’t offer much in terms of advanced recovery capabilities.

Device Support

Supported internal and external storage devices Ideally, data recovery software applications should be able to recover internal and external hard drives, external USB flash drives, memory cards, smartphones, and other commonly used storage devices
48%
Average Score
#FeatureScore
1Internal and external HDD5
2Internal and external SSD5
3USB thumb drives / Classic iPods (non-iOS) / FireWire devices5
4Memory cards5
5iOS devices0
6iOS backups0
7iCloud0
8Android devices0
9Recovery from RAID arrays3
10Encrypted device support0
11Unmountable partitions5
12NAS (Network-attached storage) RAID devices0
13Remote SSH (secure shell protocol) Linux based devices recovery0

Data Rescue doesn’t support mobile devices (of course, you can still remove a memory card from your Android smartphone and scan it directly). Unfortunately, it also doesn’t support encrypted storage devices, which are becoming more and more common.

Other notable recovery features

Additional recovery features and their performance These additional recovery features are what often separates average data recovery software solutions from those that can satisfy the needs of professionals and power users
33%
Average Score
#FeatureScore
1Overall non-intrusive read-only algorithms3
2Network recovery0
3Effectively filters out corrupted scan results0
4Byte-to-byte device backups5
5Bootable recovery drive creation5
6Runs in macOS native recovery mode0
7Convenient scan session management5
8Bad sector management0
9Recovery chance prediction0
10RAID reconstructor3
11Disk vitals monitoring and tracking during scan0
12Data protection0
13Links to in-lab recovery service for physically damaged devices0
14Scan speed4
15Scan free space only0
16Start file recovery without interrupting the scan0
17Preview recoverable items without interrupting the scan0
18Forensic features0

Data Rescue focuses on the recovery of lost data, and all available features reflect this. It gives you the opportunity to create byte-to-byte device backups when your disk is showing signs of damage and set up a bootable recovery drive to aid in times when your system drive is affected. Additionally, it retains previous scan sessions so you don’t need to re-scan your entire drive. It would be nice to also see at least some data management features because such features can prevent data loss from occurring in the first place.

23%

Extras

12 rating criteria

Data Rescue isn’t exactly a feature-packed data recovery software application, which should be evident just by glancing at the table below. However, it does include some extras that are worth mentioning.

#FeatureResultDescription
1Disk space mapping NoNot supported.
2Disk clean up NoNot supported.
3Corrupted video repair tool NoNot supported.
4Corrupted photo repair tool NoNot supported.
5Time Machine backups parser NoNot supported.
6S.M.A.R.T. NoNot supported.
7Bootable macOS installer YesData Rescue can create a bootable recovery drive. In fact, you need to create one if you want to recover a system drive.
8Duplicate finder NoNot supported.
9Built-in disk space secure eraser YesThe Erase Drive/Volume feature allows you to easily erase the selected drive or volume.
10Disk cloning YesData Rescue can clone any storage device, and the feature can be accessed directly from the main menu.
11Disk surface test NoNot supported.
12Secure data shredding NoNot supported.

The software can create a bootable recovery drive, although it doesn’t support the latest version of macOS. It can also securely erase the data from a selected drive or volume and clone any storage device as a means of quickly copying/transferring data.

What Users Say about Data Rescue for Mac

I bought data rescue several years ago after we had a few issues with corrupt SD and CF cards. It has done an excellent job over the years even still running an old version.

Andrew H. (capterra.com)

When I first bought DR4 years ago it worked great. I was able to recover data with it, no problem. It worked up through 10.14 Mojave and I was happy with it. Then it suddenly stopped working. It couldn't contact the licensing servers. I emailed Prosoft support and they gave me a link for an updated version. Okay, fine. This updated version would not work on anything later than Mac OS 10.10. Even though they were selling it up until the release of 10.13 and were advertising it as compatible with the latest version of Mac OS, so it should at least be functional in 10.12. They had switched off the licensing servers, then gave paying customers a kneecapped version and told me to just pay to upgrade to DR5 instead. I can't help but think that was a deliberate move to try and milk more money out of people. Fat chance. This is an unbelievably awful move and probably grounds for a class-action lawsuit, but I'm not a lawyer. In any case, I didn't take their lousy upgrade offer and I will never purchase another product from this horrible scum company for as long as I live.

SomeoneElse (macupdate.com)

If I could give it zero stars, I would. Useless, worthless, confusing, overpriced, over complex, not user friendly, useless customer support, upgrade pricing is ridiculous. NOT worth $0.99 based on my experience. Bought/paid a riduclous $99 for my mom's Mac and the documentation did not clearly indicate what it would work on. DOES NOT WORK/ they greedily want to charge for upgrade instead of doing great customer service and offering to replace for my $99 to a version that does. P.O.* pure....Crapware
 

cade1 (macupdate.com)

Data Rescue used to be about helping the customer - it now seems more about helping the developer make money. They have lost their way and in the process come up with a product inferior to Data Rescue 3. Thumbs down
 

mzulgis (macupdate.com)

Video Resources for Data Rescue for Mac: Tutorials and Helpful Guides

To help you better understand how Data Rescue works, we’ve put together a collection of useful tutorials and other video resources.

How to Recover Files From a Mac That Fails to Boot (or hard drive that won't mount)

This video shows you how to run a Quick Scan with Data Rescue 4.

How To Use Data Rescue ONE - All-In-One Recovery Solution

Data Rescue ONE is a self-contained computer hard drive recovery solution, which integrates software, services and hardware into ONE product.

Bottom line

Data Rescue for Mac is a trustworthy data recovery application developed by a company that has been around for a long time, but the latest version leaves a lot to be desired in terms of how much value it provides. 

With so many other excellent data recovery software applications available, many of which we have already reviewed on this site, justifying the expensive Data Rescue subscription is not just difficult—it’s unwise. 

We hope that future versions of this data recovery software will improve compatibility with ARM-based Macs and introduce a new user interface. Then, Data Rescue could once again deserve our recommendation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are the answers to the frequently asked questions about Data Rescue.

A free demo version of Data Rescue can be downloaded from the official website of the application. 

To install Data Rescue on your Mac, you need to:

  1. Download the free demo version.
  2. Open the installer image.
  3. Drag the Data Rescue icon to your Applications folder.

To completely remove Data Rescue, you can use a third-party app uninstaller. Alternatively, you can simply drag the application from the Applications folder to Trash. 

To access Data Rescue, open the Applications folder and double-click the Data Rescue icon. Alternatively, you can launch the software using Spotlight.

No, Data Rescue for Mac isn’t free, but there’s a free demo version that you can use to evaluate the application before purchasing a license.

When scanning a fast SSD, the entire scan process shouldn’t take a lot of time, but the same can’t be said about traditional hard drives, which may take over an hour to scan.

To know if Data Rescue has found the files you’re looking for, you need to go through the list for recoverable files. Fortunately, there’s a handy search feature that can help you locate files by name. 

To create a recovery disk so that you can recover data from a Mac that refuses to boot properly, launch Data Rescue for Mac and click the Create Recovery Drive button on the welcome screen. 

👍 Worth a try

Data Rescue for Mac Review – Has It Aged Like Wine or Milk?
3.26

Out of 5 Total score

No. 8 Among all macOS solutions

Because of its steep price and limited performance, we wouldn’t recommend Data Rescue as the first data recovery software to try. But if you’ve already used multiple solutions and have yet to see any positive results, then don’t hesitate and give Data Rescue a try.

Visit developer's website
Data Rescue Logo
More Data Recovery Software You Should Also Consider
No. 1
disk drill 5 for macos icon

Disk Drill for Mac combines ease of use with excellent data recovery capabilities and many extra features that greatly increase its overall value.

4.79
No. 2
EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard

Thanks to its generous free data recovery limit, EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard for Mac is worth trying despite its shortcomings.

3.82
No. 3
cisdem data recovery icon

Cisdem Data Recovery is a white label copy of EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard that shares all of its shortcomings without making any improvements.

3.78
No. 4
r-studio icon macos

There’s a good reason why R-Studio for Mac is loved by professionals, but regular home users have different priorities.

3.68
No. 5
wondershare icon

Even though the software doesn’t look like it, it’s actually a one-trick pony that can be recommended mainly to those who want to recover damaged video files.

3.52
View all macOS data recovery solutions
David Morelo
Author

David Morelo is a professional content writer with a specialization in data recovery. He spends his days helping users from around the world recover from data loss and address the numerous issues associated with it.

When not writing about data recovery techniques and solutions, he enjoys tinkering with new technology, working on personal projects, exploring the world on his bike, and, above all else, spending time with his family.

David’s recent reviews
David’s recent publishings
Jordan Jamieson-Mane
Co-author
  • 46 publishings
  • Auckland, New Zealand
  • LinkedIn

Jordan Jamieson-Mane is a content writer with a focus on technology-related content. He has spent much of his life studying and working with all types of technology. During his time as a writer, he has written countless articles in the field of data recovery, breaking down complex topics into articles that are easy to understand. When he's not writing articles on data recovery, Jordan enjoys traveling the world, reading books, and building websites.

Nikolay Lankevich
Nikolay Lankevich
Approver

Nikolay Lankevich has over 15 years of strong experience in various fields and platform includes Disaster Recovery, Windows XP/7. System analysis, design, application (Inter/Intranet) development, and testing. Provided technical supports on desktop and laptops on Win-XP and Macintosh for about 2000 employees.

Compare