5 Best Alternatives to DiskWarrior

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DiskWarrior has been available longer than many Mac users have been alive. Sadly, despite the numerous updates it has received over the years, the data recovery software still leaves us wanting more in terms of recovery performance, usability, and overall value. 

That’s why we’ve decided to do some research and put together this list of the top alternatives to DiskWarrior. 

Top DiskWarrior Alternatives

Can’t wait to see what the best DiskWarrior alternatives are? The following quick overview lists our top picks. 

diskwarrior icon
DiskWarrior for macOS
2.29
Free Download space iconOfficial Website
Karma3
Bang for the buck2
Usability2
Recovery performance1
Extras0
Scan speed4
Read full review
Excellent Alternative
disk drill 5 for macos icon
Disk Drill for macOS
4.79
Free Download space iconOfficial Website
Karma5
Bang for the buck4
Usability5
Recovery performance5
Extras3
Scan speed5
Read full review
EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard
EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard for Mac
3.80
Free Download space iconOfficial Website
Karma4
Bang for the buck4
Usability4
Recovery performance3
Extras2
Scan speed4
Read full review
r-studio icon macos
R-Studio for Mac
3.68
Free Download space iconOfficial Website
Karma3
Bang for the buck4
Usability3
Recovery performance3
Extras1
Scan speed5
Read full review

What Is DiskWarrior?

DiskWarrior is a well-known data recovery application for macOS. The reasons why so many Mac users have at least heard about it is simple: it has been around since 1984. That’s an astonishingly long time for a piece of software. 

The application specializes in the repair of corrupted storage devices and files with broken paths, permissions, invalid plists, and more.  DiskWarrior is a commercial software application, and you can buy its lifetime license for $119.95 or upgrade from a previous version for $59.95.

DiskWarrior Logo
Read full DiskWarrior for macOS review

Why you might need an alternative to DiskWarrior

#FeatureResultDescription
1Price BadAn expensive one-time purchase.
2FAT32 partitions scan Not supportedDiskWarrior is unable to scan FAT32 partitions.
3exFAT partitions scan Not supportedexFAT partitions are not recognized.
4Free trial NoYou can't test DiskWarrior for free.
5The number of formats supported by deep scan Not supportedNo file formats are supported.
6Modern user-friendly interface NoThe application looks and feels terribly outdated.
7Preview recoverable items without interrupting the scan NoIt's not possible to preview files that can be recovered during scanning.
8Convenient file-by-file preview of recoverable items NoDiskWarrior can't display previews of found files.
9Update frequency SeldomIt took five years for the latest DiskWarrior update to be released.
10Live chat NoCustomer support isn't provided via live chat.

Let’s give credit where it’s due: DiskWarrior has come a long way. It’s caught up with the times, offering support for Apple Silicon M1 & M2 Macs, and it’s undergone a serious internal makeover, eliminating the need for a kernel extension to operate in macOS 11 Big Sur and later versions. It’s even made friends with the Recovery environment on Intel Macs. And for those of you who love working under the cover of darkness, it’s Dark mode compatible.

However, even with these strides, it still feels like DiskWarrior is playing catch-up, and that’s not exactly what you want in your corner when your important files are missing in action. 

As our full in-depth review explains in great detail, the software struggles to deliver anything close to what we consider to be acceptable data recovery results, and its outdated user interface doesn’t help. There’s also the fact that no free trial version of DiskWarrior is available, so you have to shell out some hard-earned cash before you can even test the waters. This feels like a significant drawback, especially considering that many of its competitors offer free trial versions or at least some form of preview before you commit financially. 

Top 5 Best DiskWarrior Alternatives

To give you multiple DiskWarrior alternatives to choose from, we’ve selected five excellent data recovery applications and ranked them according to their review scores. 

disk drill 5 for macos icon

1. Disk Drill for macOS

4.79 • Best choice for Mac users – Disk Drill for Mac is the best data recovery solution for Mac we've tested so far. By combining an easy-to-use interface with powerful features, it has a lot to offer to casual and experienced users alike. 
Version
5.4.1426
Last Release
22nd Dec, 2023
Platform
macOS
Requirements
macOS 10.15-14.0

Overview

Disk Drill is the best data recovery app we’ve ever reviewed—by a wide margin. Just take a look at the screenshots below and compare them with the DiskWarrior screenshots above. That’s the difference a team of dedicated software developers that constantly releases new updates can make. 

Read full Disk Drill for macOS review

When it comes to data recovery performance and features, Disk Drill and DiskWarrior don’t even compete in the same league. Not only does Disk Drill support all modern file systems that Mac users are likely to encounter, its one-click data recovery process allows even complete newbies to achieve excellent results. 

The main differences between Disk Drill and DiskWarrior

Overview of main differences
#FeatureDiskWarriorDisk Drill
1Starting price$119.95 / Lifetime$89.00 / Perpetual
2Latest macOS supported good good
3FAT32 partitions scan bad good
4exFAT partitions scan bad good
5Raw photo recoverybase-consbase-pros
6Video formats recoverybase-consbase-pros
7Document formats recoverybase-consbase-pros
8Preview recoverable items without interrupting the scan bad good
9Multiple view modes in scan results bad good
10Data protection bad good
11Native deep scan of system drives on T2/M1-powered Macs bad good
12S.M.A.R.T. bad good
13Trial version availableconspros

Disk Drill is better than DiskWarrior in basically every way, and it also costs less money. Best of all, you can download Disk Drill for free and use it to scan an unlimited number of storage devices to see how it works in practice.  

diskwarrior icon disk drill 5 for macos icon

There are more differences to discover.

Read full Disk Drill versus DiskWarrior comparison

Disk Drill is a good alternative to DiskWarrior because:

Compatible with the latest version of macOS

Supports modern file systems and file formats

Easy-to-use interface

Affordably priced

Actively developed

Disk Drill is a poor alternative to DiskWarrior because:

Disk Drill doesn't specialize in hard drive repair

EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard

2. EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard for Mac

3.80 • Respectable free data recovery limit – Despite its shortcomings, EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard for Mac is an extremely recommendable data recovery application because it masterfully combines solid data recovery performance with an intuitive user interface.
Version
15.0
Last Release
19th Dec, 2023
Platform
macOS
Requirements
macOS 10.9-14.0

Overview

EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard for Mac is widely regarded as one of the most straightforward apps of its kind. The free version of this software can recover up to 2 GB of data, so you may be able to get all your files back without paying. 

Read full EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard for Mac review

One of the biggest downsides of DiskWarrior is the lack of support for APFS partitions. In this regard, EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard fares better but not as well as Disk Drill. While APFS partitions are supported, the results you get are often mixed. Still, the overall performance is miles ahead of DiskWarrior.

The main differences between EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard and DiskWarrior

Overview of main differences
#FeatureDiskWarriorEaseUS Data Recovery Wizard
1Starting price$119.95 / Lifetime$89.95 / 1 month
2Raw photo recoverybase-consbase-pros
3Partial file recovery bad good
4Modern user-friendly interface bad good
5Easy-to-locate features bad good
6Built-in updater bad good
7Live chat bad good
8HFS+ directory rebuild good bad
9Overall non-intrusive read-only algorithms good bad
10Mount recoverable items as disk good bad

EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard for Mac is better than DiskWarrior in most ways. The few areas in which it lags behind are not that important—perhaps with the exception of its lack of non-intrusive read-only algorithms. 

EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard is a good alternative to DiskWarrior because:

Modern user interface

Recovers a large number of file formats

Supports the APFS file system

Great raw photo recovery performance

More affordable

EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard is a poor alternative to DiskWarrior because:

Intrusive algorithms

Can't mount recoverable items as disk

Lacks disk repair features

r-studio icon macos

3. R-Studio for Mac

3.68 • Capable but potentially intimidating – If you're a data recovery professional or an advanced Mac user, then R-Studio for Mac deserves your attention.
Version
7.3.191259
Last Release
14th Dec, 2023
Platform
macOS
Requirements
macOS 10.5-13.0

Overview

R-Studio for Mac appeals to the same group of users as DiskWarrior: Mac power users who can appreciate advanced features and plenty of control over the recovery process. The difference is that R-Studio is actively developed and constantly improved while DiskWarrior isn’t.

Read full R-Studio for Mac review

R-Studio isn’t much easier to use than DiskWarrior, but for very different reasons. Whereas DiskWarrior is outdated and unintuitive, R-Studio is packed with so many advanced features that regular Mac users can easily be confused by them. Those who can take advantage of them, however, should be able to solve just about any data recovery scenario. 

The main differences between R-Studio and DiskWarrior

Overview of main differences
#FeatureDiskWarriorR-Studio
1Starting price$119.95 / Lifetime$79.99 / Permanent
2Scan for lost partitions bad good
3The number of formats supported by deep scan bad good
4Recovery from RAID1, 0, JBOD fine good
5RAID reconstructor bad good
6Network recovery bad good
7Forensic features bad good
8HFS+ directory rebuild good bad
9Overall non-intrusive read-only algorithms good bad
10Convenient source selection on start good fine
11Mount recoverable items as disk good bad

You would be hard-pressed to find a better RAID recovery and reconstruction tool than R-Studio. The software can also deliver great results when it comes to more common data loss cases, such as those involving USB flash drives and internal hard drives. 

R-Studio is a good alternative to DiskWarrior because:

APFS partition recovery

Recovers lost partitions

Can recover and repair RAID arrays

Comes with forensic features

More affordable

R-Studio is a poor alternative to DiskWarrior because:

Can't rebuild HFS+ directories

Intrusive scan process

Not simple to deploy

Can't mount recoverable items as disk

qphotorec icon

4. PhotoRec for macOS

3.31 • Excellent value in a not-so-appealing package – If you don't fear software that runs in Terminal on Mac, then you should give PhotoRec a try because it can recover an unlimited amount of data for free. 
Version
7.2
Last Release
1st Sep, 2021
Platform
macOS
Requirements
macOS 10.6-12.0

Overview

The Mac version of PhotoRec may not be the most appealing DiskWarrior alternative out there, but don’t let its command-line user interface discourage you from giving it a try. This data recovery software is completely free, and the results it can deliver are impressive. 

Read full PhotoRec for macOS review

Once you have PhotoRec for macOS installed, using it to recover data is not that difficult because the entire data recovery process boils down to a series of relatively simple steps. Should you run into any issues, then you can seek help on the official discussion board. Unfortunately, PhotoRec doesn’t provide professional customer support.

The main differences between PhotoRec and DiskWarrior

Overview of main differences
#FeatureDiskWarriorPhotoRec
1Starting price$119.95 / LifetimeFree
2Start file recovery without interrupting the scan bad good
3Raw photo recoverybase-consbase-pros
4Video formats recoverybase-consbase-pros
5HFS+ directory rebuild good bad
6Bootable recovery drive creation good bad
7Mount recoverable items as disk good bad
8Helpdesk support good bad
9Phone support good bad

PhotoRec is a fantastic alternative to DiskWarrior because it's completely free and open-source. Its command-line nature does leave a lot to be desired in terms of usability, but its recovery performance makes up for it.

PhotoRec is a good alternative to DiskWarrior because:

Open source

Completely free

Great photo and video recovery performance

PhotoRec is a poor alternative to DiskWarrior because:

Lacks GUI

Limited disk repair capabilities

Can't create bootable recovery drives

No professional support

stellar data recovery icon

5. Stellar Data Recovery for Mac

3.31 • Not as stellar as its name suggests – Stellar Data Recovery for Mac may be one of the most popular data recovery software applications for Mac, but it's certainly not one of the best. 
Version
12.0.0.0
Last Release
20th Jan, 2024
Platform
macOS
Requirements
macOS 10.11-14.0

Overview

Stellar Data Recovery for Mac is one of several available data recovery tools that promise simplicity without sacrificing performance. The tool is especially easy to recommend to people who want to recover videos and photos because it can repair those that have become corrupted.

Read full Stellar Data Recovery for Mac review

As far as premium data recovery products go, Stellar is fairly affordable, costing just $59.99. In comparison, DiskWarrior costs twice as much, or $119.95 to be exact.  A free version of Stellar is available, so you can test the software before you purchase a license.

The main differences between Stellar Data Recovery and DiskWarrior

Overview of main differences
#FeatureDiskWarriorStellar Data Recovery
1Starting price$119.95 / Lifetime$69.99 / 1 year
2Raw photo recoverybase-consbase-warn
3Scan for lost partitions bad fine
4Modern user-friendly interface bad good
5Multiple view modes in scan results bad good
6Convenient scan session management bad good
7Corrupted video repair tool bad good
8Corrupted photo repair tool bad good
9Unmountable partitions good fine
10HFS+ directory rebuild good bad
11Automatic implementation of multiple appropriate scanning methods without user interaction good bad
12Mount recoverable items as disk good bad

Stellar Data Recovery isn't perfect, but it does deliver better performance than DiskWarrior across the board. With slightly more polish, it could rank even higher on this list of data recovery software alternatives.

Stellar Data Recovery is a good alternative to DiskWarrior because:

Great usability

Scan sessions are easy to manage

Repairs videos and photos

More affordable

Stellar Data Recovery is a poor alternative to DiskWarrior because:

Can't rebuild HFS+ directories

Can't mount recoverable items as disk

Extra user interaction sometimes required

Wrapping Up

DiskWarrior

2.29

Disk Drill

4.79 109%

EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard

3.80 65%

R-Studio

3.68 60%

PhotoRec

3.31 44%

Stellar Data Recovery

3.31 44%

Reliable alternatives to DiskWarrior are not difficult to find given that the software may not have as much to offer compared to current market leaders. Disk Drill for Mac and others outperform it in almost all aspects, and they are often more affordable as well.

Disk Drill for macOS

4.79 • Fantastic – Disk Drill for macOS is the best data recovery software application that Mac users can download to recover lost files.

Version

5.4.1426

Last Release

22nd Dec, 2023

Platform

macOS

Requirements

macOS 10.15-14.0

While Disk Drill is the best DiskWarrior alternative by a wide margin, EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard, R-Studio, PhotoRec, and Stellar Data Recovery are all worth trying as well.

Frequently Asked Questions

Let’s answer some commonly asked questions about DiskWarrior and its alternatives.

What is the best DiskWarrior alternative?

Based on our reviews, the best DiskWarrior alternative is Disk Drill for macOS.

The most affordable DiskWarrior alternative is PhotoRec, an open-source data recovery software application that doesn’t cost anything at all to download and use.

DiskWarrior’s latest update, version 5.3, has significantly modernized the venerable data recovery software by adding support for the APFS file system and compatibility with Apple Silicon M1 & M2 Macs. However, DiskWarrior is still outdated in terms of its usability, extra features, and overall performance. 

Yes, with the release of version 5.3, DiskWarrior can now run on modern Macs, including those powered by Apple Silicon M1 & M2 chips. However, while the update has helped DiskWarrior stay relevant, it doesn’t necessarily make it your best option.

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.

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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.