5 Best Alternatives to DiskWarrior

Last update:

DiskWarrior has been available longer than many Mac users have been alive. Sadly, it has not aged gracefully, and the latest version of the once praised data recovery software application doesn’t even support the APFS file system, which all modern Macs use by default. 

But there’s no reason to cry over DiskWarrior’s demise because many excellent alternatives have emerged over the years, offering superior usability, better data recovery performance, and a ton of extra features. Here are our favorites. 

Top DiskWarrior Alternatives

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

Top pick
1. Disk Drill for macOS
Disk Drill for Mac combines ease of use with excellent data recovery capabilities and many extra features that greatly increase its overall value. Read full review 
Platform:  macOS Windows
Distributed as:  Freemium
2. EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard for Mac
Thanks to its generous free data recovery limit, EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard for Mac is worth trying despite its shortcomings. Read full review 
Platform:  macOS Windows Android
Distributed as:  Freemium
3. R-Studio for Mac
There’s a good reason why R-Studio for Mac is loved by professionals, but regular home users have different priorities. Read full review 
Platform:  macOS Windows Linux
Distributed as:  Freemium

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 there’s no free version for users to take for a test drive.

DiskWarrior Logo

Why you might need an alternative to DiskWarrior

#FeatureResultDescription
1Price
Bad
An expensive one-time purchase.
2FAT32 partitions scan
Not supported
DiskWarrior is unable to scan FAT32 partitions.
3exFAT partitions scan
Not supported
exFAT partitions are not recognized.
4APFS partitions scan
Not supported
Sadly, even APFS partitions can't be repaired and recovered using DiskWarrior.
5Free trial
No
You can't test DiskWarrior for free.
6Latest macOS supported
Up to macOS 11.0
The most recent versions of macOS are not supported.
7The number of formats supported by deep scan
Not supported
No file formats are supported.
8Modern user-friendly interface
No
The application looks and feels terribly outdated.
9Preview recoverable items without interrupting the scan
No
It's not possible to preview files that can be recovered during scanning.
10Convenient file-by-file preview of recoverable items
No
DiskWarrior can't display previews of found files.
11Update frequency
Seldom
It has been a long time since the application has received an update.
12Live chat
No
Customer support isn't provided via live chat.

For the above-listed reasons, DiskWarrior can no longer be recommended to Mac users who have lost important files and want to get them back. The disk-repair capabilities that contributed so much to DiskWarrior’s popularity are no longer relevant in the era of Apple silicon Macs. 

Even if you have an older Mac with an HFS-formatted hard drive, you’re still better off using a true data recovery software application such as one of those described below. DiskWarrior can’t recognize and recover deleted data, which makes it next to useless in most situations that Mac users tend to experience these days.

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 4 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
5.1.1112
Last Release
31st Jan, 2023
Platform
macOS
Requirements
macOS 10.15-12.x

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
2FAT32 partitions scan
3APFS partitions scan
4HFS partitions scan
5Raw photo recovery
6Video formats recovery
7Document formats recovery
8Latest macOS supported
9Preview recoverable items without interrupting the scan
10Multiple view modes in scan results
11Data protection
12Native deep scan of system drives on T2/M1-powered Macs
13S.M.A.R.T.
14Trial version available

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 4 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

3.81 • 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
13.5.5
Last Release
22nd Mar, 2022
Platform
macOS
Requirements
macOS 10.9-12.0

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
2APFS partitions scan
3HFS+ partitions scan
4Raw photo recovery
5Partial file recovery
6Modern user-friendly interface
7Easy-to-locate features
8Built-in updater
9Live chat
10HFS+ directory rebuild
11Overall non-intrusive read-only algorithms
12Mount recoverable items as disk

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

3.70 • 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
7.0.7009
Last Release
30th Mar, 2022
Platform
macOS
Requirements
macOS 10.5-12.0

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
2APFS partitions scan
3HFS+ partitions scan
4Scan for lost partitions
5The number of formats supported by deep scan
6Recovery from RAID1, 0, JBOD
7RAID reconstructor
8Network recovery
9Forensic features
10HFS+ directory rebuild
11Overall non-intrusive read-only algorithms
12Convenient source selection on start
13Mount recoverable items as disk
14Simple deployment

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
3Raw photo recovery
4Video formats recovery
5HFS+ directory rebuild
6Bootable recovery drive creation
7Mount recoverable items as disk
8Helpdesk support
9Phone support

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

3.30 • 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
11.3.0.0
Last Release
4th Mar, 2022
Platform
macOS
Requirements
macOS 10.11-12.0

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 recovery
3Scan for lost partitions
4Modern user-friendly interface
5Multiple view modes in scan results
6Convenient scan session management
7Corrupted video repair tool
8Corrupted photo repair tool
9Unmountable partitions
10HFS+ directory rebuild
11Automatic implementation of multiple appropriate scanning methods without user interaction
12Mount recoverable items as disk

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

2.26

Disk Drill

4.79 111%

EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard

3.81 68%

R-Studio

3.70 63%

PhotoRec

3.31 46%

Stellar Data Recovery

3.30 46%

Excellent DiskWarrior alternatives are not difficult to find because the software no longer has much to offer. Disk Drill for Mac and other market leaders are better in basically every way, and they're 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

5.1.1112

Last Release

31st Jan, 2023

Platform

macOS

Requirements

macOS 10.15-12.x

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.

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.

Yes, DiskWarrior no longer supports the latest version of macOS, and it doesn’t recognize the APFS file system, which all modern Macs use.

No, DiskWarrior only supports macOS Big Sur (11.0) and older. 

David Morelo
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 popular publishings
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.