GetDataBack Pro Review: A Struggle to Get Data Back

2.49

Out of 5 Total Score

No. 24 Among all Windows solutions

Price range $79...$999 • Runtime Software, LLC • Windows

Last update:

GetDataBack Pro boldly claims the ability to recover all of your drive’s data. Is there merit to this statement? Or, is this merely overconfidence? We’ve rigorously tested its capabilities so you don’t have to. Check out our full review.

GetDataBack Pro – Gallery

Main Pros and Cons of GetDataBack Pro

PROS

  • Small size. The program takes up very little space.
  • Very efficient. You don't need a powerful computer to run the program.
  • Scanning speed. Scan times are very fast, even for more intricate scanning methods.
  • Bootable version. Has bootable disk images for computers that can't be launched from the main system disk.
  • Byte-by-byte compressed disk copies. The program can create usual full-size byte-by-byte disk copies as well as compressed disk copies to save space.
  • APFS and HFS support. The program supports scanning Apple file systems on Windows.

CONS

  • The scanning process is not user intuitive. After the disk is scanned and you try to open the results of the found data, a new scanning process begins, which can take a very long time.
  • The interface is horrible. The interface is not well thought out and leaves much to be desired. Usability is out of the question. As a consequence, the interface is confusing and not clear.
  • Random interface changing. The program switches the interface colors randomly for some reason. The interface colors are randomly selected.
  • Settings get messed up. Once you've done any actions in the settings and restarted the program, all the settings are reset to their defaults.
  • Preview only works with a very limited set of file types. You can not preview raw photos, for example.
  • Confusing source selection. The tree of disks is not made in the best way and you have to guess what to choose.
  • No signature scanner. The program cannot find files based on their signatures. The program tries to recover only the file system. In other words, if the disk has a RAW file system, nothing is found during scanning.
  • Lack of automatic scanning. The program always offers 4 levels of scanning. It's up to the user to decide which one to choose. The description of the scanning methods is also confusing.
  • Difficult to follow the scanning results. It is very hard to find your way through the scanning results. It doesn't offer any filtering possibilities or any tools to make it easier to spot the lost data.
  • RAID recovery. The firm that makes the program has utilities in its suite for rebuilding RAID arrays, but they are all separate, paid applications.
  • Update frequency. Very seldom updated, about once per year.
  • No information about the company. There is no information about the creators of the program.
  • No disk disconnect monitoring. If the disk is reconnected during scanning or a byte-by-byte copy, there is no reaction.
  • No tracking of mounted disks. If there are new devices in the system, you have to restart the program to see them.
  • Bad APFS and EXT support. Even though the website claims to support these file systems, tests have shown that often no results will be obtained using APFS or EXT.
  • Cannot preview or navigate while scanning. You are unable to preview files or navigate the program during scans, unlike other tools.
  • Bad sector handling. The software can recognize that it takes too long to read from a disk, but it does not remember the sectors where it happens and will not let you build a map of bad sectors.
  • No auto-update. The program does not have a built-in auto-update feature.
  • By default, there is no search for deleted data. To have the program find deleted files you have to turn on the option to search for deleted files.
  • Tree view only. The program only displays results in a tree view. There are no other display options.
  • No obvious recovery. There is no button to recover found files. To recover files you have to guess what to do by right-clicking on the file you need and selecting the copy menu item.
  • Can't select files. No checkboxes to select files to recover. Can't recover files from different folders.
  • No BitLocker support. Does not support BitLocker in any way. The program always shows that nothing is found.
  • No session manager. There is no way to see sessions from previous device scans.
  • Damaged data filtering. The program can't show corrupted data in any way.
  • Online chat. No online support.
  • Hangs during APFS scanning. The program often hangs during the scanning of APFS file system partitions. You have to force exit the program via Task Manager.
  • Demo mode. In demo mode, it only gives you the option to preview the files, unlike its competitors which allow limited recovery up to a certain threshold.
  • Refunds. The company does not provide a money-back option.
  • False information about Windows Vista. The site presents information about support for Windows Vista. Our tests showed that it does not work on this operating system.

GetDataBack Pro Summary

👎 Needs improvement

GetDataBack Pro is not equipped with the functionality that’s needed to tackle complex data recovery situations. While that may come across as somewhat of a harsh statement, a quick look at its user interface and recovery results makes it clear why it places it low on the huge list of data recovery tools out there.

Its lack of advanced recovery algorithms (namely the ability to recover data by file signature) severely limits its potential. If you’re in a situation where the file system (and its records) are no longer in a usable state, the software will have no other scanning method to fall back on to locate your data.

It’s also very expensive, with the only available license costing $79. Additionally, the free version only allows you to preview recoverable data, so you don’t even get a chance to test its recovery effectiveness. The one good quality about it in terms of price is that it’s not subscription-based.

All-in-all, it’s a very weak data recovery option that’s only useful in a very small number of situations. We recommend exploring alternatives that can offer you better chances of finding and recovering your lost data.

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

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What is GetDataBack?

 #

GetDataBack is a data recovery application developed by Runtime Software. It allows you to scan and retrieve data from your drive. Instead of jumping straight into the recovery capabilities of GetDataBack Pro, let’s take a look at some of the requirements and specifications for the software so you get an understanding of what to expect.

GetDataBack Pro Factsheet

RequirementsWindows 7-10, 11 (unofficial support)
Latest version 5.71 • Released 20th May, 2024
Download size14,9 MB
CategoryData Recovery Software
UI languagesEnglish

How Much Does GetDataBack Pro 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:

  • Preview your data to be sure it work
Paid plans
  • GetDataBack Pro
  • Ultimate RAID Recovery Bundle
  • Runtime Bundle
  • Ultimate Bundle
  • Runtime Bundle - Technician's License
  • Ultimate Bundle - Technician's License
Price range $79.00...$999.00
License model Lifetime
No credit card to tryNo credit card to try
Money back guaranteeMoney back guarantee

The basic license for GetDataBack Pro is $79 USD. This will give you access to recover data from Windows, Apple, and Linux-based operating systems. Although it may appear relatively cheap for a recovery tool, the quality of the application quickly makes you realize that you paid too much (as we’ll discuss later). 

The trial version of GetDataBack Pro only allows you to preview the files discovered by the scan, unlike other recovery tools that allow you to recover a limited amount up to a certain threshold.

GetDataBack Pro is one of many recovery products offered by Runtime Software. You also have the option of getting NAS Data Recovery, RAID Recovery, and RAID Reconstructor either individually or as part of bundles.

All GetDataBack Pro Pricing Options

1Price $79.00
2Details
  • Flagship data recovery software included
1Price $249.00
2Details
  • RAID Reconstructor
  • GetDataBack (all versions)
  • Captain Nemo
  • NAS Data Recovery
  • RAID Recovery for Windows
1Price $249.00
2Details
  • GetDataBack (all versions)
  • DiskExplorer for FAT
  • DiskExplorer for NTFS
  • DiskExplorer for Linux
  • Disk Digger
  • RAID Reconstructor
  • Captain Nemo
1Price $319.00
2Details
  • GetDataBack (all versions)
  • DiskExplorer for FAT
  • DiskExplorer for NTFS
  • DiskExplorer for Linux
  • Disk Digger
  • RAID Reconstructor
  • Captain Nemo
  • NAS Data Recovery
  • RAID Recovery for Windows
1Price $849.00
2Details
  • GetDataBack (all versions)
  • DiskExplorer for FAT
  • DiskExplorer for NTFS
  • DiskExplorer for Linux
  • Disk Digger
  • RAID Reconstructor
  • Captain Nemo
1Price $999.00
2Details
  • GetDataBack (all versions)
  • DiskExplorer for FAT
  • DiskExplorer for NTFS
  • DiskExplorer for Linux
  • Disk Digger
  • RAID Reconstructor
  • Captain Nemo
  • NAS Data Recovery
  • RAID Recovery for Windows

Discounts and coupons

DiscountDescriptionLink
-15%
15% Off Entire Purchase

Receive GetDataBack code “MAR15”. Use this code at checkout. Discount automatically applied in cart. Only valid at GetDataBack.

Get the Deal
-10%
10% off GetDataBack Pro

Coupon code - WELCOME10

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 — Runtime Software, LLC

GetDataBack Pro was developed by Runtime Software, LLC which is based in the United States.

1% 18.4% than avg

Online market share

Reflects the share of online traffic within the niche occupied by data recovery software, based on data taken from ahrefs.com (from Google US search engine).

3700 36.1% than avg

Brand name popularity

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

Little is known about Runtime Software. Although the company offers a range of recovery products, it has a very small presence online, leading its products to be less popular compared to others in the industry.

Developer website runtime.org
Support email support@runtime.org
Founded

1999 • 25 years on the market

HQ location

75-1165 Keopu Mauka Dr Holualoa, HI, 96725 United States

Phone 888-777-6960

Runtime Software has been on the market for 23 years, developing a range of recovery products. The company has no social media presence, nor does it put a lot of effort into its marketing. As a result, it doesn’t stand out amongst the myriad of other competing data recovery tools on the market.

How to Use GetDataBack Pro for Windows

Tested on: Windows 11 (version 21H2)

Under the assumption that you haven’t used GetDataBack Pro before, we’ve included some brief steps on what a normal recovery process looks like to give you a better understanding of what it’s like to use this software.

Step 1

Installation

The installation file for GetDataBack Pro is relatively small at just over 15 MB. Upon opening it, you're met with a clear and helpful warning that installing this software on the same drive you're recovering from could cause issues.

The entire installation is very short, basically only requiring your acceptance to their terms of use and the creation of shortcuts. When installed, the application takes up 18.1 MB of hard drive space.

Step 2

Source selection

After opening the application, you're met with a very outdated user interface. The colors used do not complement each other, nor are they consistent with the branding used on the Runtime Software website.

Aside from the visuals, the application makes it easy for you to choose the disk you want to scan. You can choose from the list of devices to scan or use an image file. Alternatively, you can click [DRIVE] Recover drive to see a list of your drives, as well as their names.

Step 3

Scanning process

After selecting a drive, you'll be asked to select the file system you want to scan. Additionally, you can now choose the level of scanning you want to perform, ranging from Level 1 to Level 4 (with Level 4 being the most in-depth but slowest scan).

Scan times were very fast, even at the highest level. As the scan progresses, you have the opportunity to see what sectors are being scanned, as well as the estimated time remaining. Unfortunately, you cannot explore the application further while the scan is active.

Step 4

Managing found files

Scan results are displayed in a tree view only. You can organize the results by clicking on the column headings. Files can be previewed, which is particularly useful for checking image files. In the bottom-left of the window, you can choose to show deleted files and duplicates by ticking their corresponding checkbox.

Clicking File Search allows you to filter the results using parameters such as date and size, making it easier to find your data. However, this is as good as it gets for finding your files. Navigating a tree view can be tedious, especially if you're performing photo recovery. 

Step 5

Recovery and post-processing

The actual process of recovering files is confusing if you're unfamiliar with how to use the application. Unlike most recovery tools that have a clear Recover button, in GetDataBack Pro you need to right-click the file or directory and click Copy. Upon doing so, you're given the option to choose an output location. A quick reminder that recovery can only be performed with a valid license, as you can only preview your files using the free version.

After confirming recovery, everything is fairly straightforward. You will be presented with a progress bar and a real-time view of what files are being recovered.

Is GetDataBack Pro safe?

84%

Avg score GetDataBack Pro is a safe and trustworthy application

Safe and Trustworthy
👾 Malware
10/10

Our scans detected no malware.

🔒 Privacy
8/10

The data that is collected is not shared.

📊 Data Integrity
7/10

It doesn't use read-only algorithms.

👨‍💻 Developer
9/10

Runtime Software is relatively unknown but trustworthy.

SUMMARY

GetDataBack Pro is a perfectly safe recovery tool to use. When we scanned the software for malware, nothing was detected. As the company mentions in its Privacy Statement & Refund Policy, some of your data is collected to provide improved products and services, but nothing is shared outside of Runtime Software. Most of the data that we recovered was intact following the use of the software, but the absence of read-only algorithms could be a potential red flag for some who want to prioritize the safety of their data. The developer, Runtime Software, is a small software company with a handful of credible software tools.

GetDataBack Pro - Full Review and Analysis

Now that we’ve looked at the recovery process of GetDataBack Pro, let’s look at how the application measures up against our evaluation criteria.

47%

Karma

12 rating criteria

GetDataBack Pro scores a below-average Karma rating. It is not updated regularly, nor is there a changelog available to view what changes are being made to the software.

Runtime Software is also a fairly unknown company, which removes the trust factor a lot of users look for when trying new software. However, GetDataBack Pro has been on the market long enough to garner a number of reviews, which helps it stand on its own.

Support is offered through phone and email (although technical support is exclusively offered through email). The estimated response time is less than 24 hours, which is great compared to some other companies. Runtime Software also has offices in the United States and Europe.

#FeatureResult
1Update frequency More than 6 months
2Updated recently Yes
3Changelog available Not available
4Latest Windows release supported Nope, Windows 10 and older
5Genuine or clone? Genuine
6Brand name popularity Unpopular
7Online market share Poor
8Maturity Mature
9Extensive knowledge base Available
10Helpdesk support Available
11Live chat Not available
12Phone support Yes
47%

Bang for the buck

8 rating criteria

Given there are other data recovery tools out there with additional features and more comprehensive recovery capabilities for a similar price, GetDataBack Pro scores below average in terms of value.

The free trial offered only allows you to preview your files, which automatically pushes some users to other software that allows for recovery up to a certain limit. Even then, the quality of recovery you’re paying for with a license doesn’t compare to other tools in the same price range.

The one redeeming quality of GetDataBack Pro is that it doesn’t use a subscription model, so you only have to pay once.

#FeatureResult
1Competitive pricing No
2Price-quality ratio Average
3Free trial Yes (preview only)
4Is it free? Paid license is required for recovery
5Pricing policy One time buy
6Unlimited recovery in full version Yes
7Free upgrades Yes
8Commercial rights in the cheapest license No
30%

Usability

18 rating criteria

Usability is important for an application. It ensures the user doesn’t struggle with recovery and aims to make it as quick and painless as possible. In this regard, GetDataBack Pro is sorely lacking.

For starters, the user interface is severely outdated. Not only does it use a number of contrasting colors that don’t align with its branding, but the color selection also seems to be random and serves no purpose. This leads the application to feel cheap in comparison to more appealing alternatives.

Other quality of life features, like dark mode, auto-resuming scans of failing drives, and a built-in updater are out of the question. If a drive is connected while the application is already open, you need to close it and open it again for it to appear. While it does offer the ability to sort results, options are very limited.

#FeatureResult
1Modern user-friendly interface No
2Dark mode No
3Easy-to-locate features No
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 No
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 Yes
17Multilingual UI No
18Simple deployment Yes
14%

Recovery performance

122 rating criteria

Finally, we reach arguably the most important factor: recovery performance. As much as we’d like to say GetDataBack Pro makes up for its downfalls in other areas with its impressive recovery performance, we would be lying. During our tests, we found that the application struggled to find the majority of our data. 

One of its biggest drawbacks is that it doesn’t support signature-based scanning and recovery. Instead, it relies on recovery using the file system, or any records left from a file system that has become lost or formatted. As a result, it scores quite low in our evaluation of its recovery performance.

#FeatureResultDescription
1Quick scan FineMost data was recovered from FAT32, exFAT, and NTFS partitions. APFS scan encountered freezing.
2Deep scan FineThe application was unable to find data on our APFS and EXT4 partitions.
3Signature scan BadAs there is no signature-based scanning option, no files were found.
4Additional scan features BadIt can scan disk images and find lost partitions as part of its main scan.
5Device support FineOffers good device support, aside from RAID which uses a different app.
6Other notable recovery features BadLimited additional recovery features aside from byte-to-byte backups.

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
1FAT32 partitions33
2exFAT partitions43
3NTFS partitions44
4EXT4 partitions20
5HFS+ partitions05
6APFS partitions00
55%

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

55%

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

0
3BMP

Bitmap Image File

0
4CR2

Canon RAW Version 2 File

0
5CR3

Canon RAW Version 3 File

0
6CRW

Canon RAW CIFF Image File

0
7DCR

Kodak Digital Camera RAW File

0
8DNG

Digital Negative Lossless RAW Image File

0
9CinemaDNG

Adobe Industry-wide Standard File Format for Digital Video Files

0
10ERF

Epson RAW File

0
11EXR

High Dynamic-range File Format

0
12FFF

Hasselblad RAW Image File

0
13GPR

GoPro RAW Format File

0
14HEIC

High Efficiency Image File Format

0
15IIQ

Intelligent Image Quality RAW File

0
16INSP

Panoramic Image Insta360 File

0
17JP2

Bitmap Image Format JPEG 2000 File

0
18JPG

Joint Photographic Experts Group Compressed Image File

0
19KDC

Kodak Digital Camera RAW Image File

0
20MEF

Mamiya RAW Image File

0
21MOS

Leaf and Mamiya RAW Image File

0
22MPO

Multi Picture Stereoscopic Object File

0
23MRW

Konica Minolta RAW Image Format File

0
24NEF

Nikon RAW Image File

0
25NRW

Nikon RAW Image File

0
26ORF

Olympus RAW Format File

0
27PEF

Pentax RAW Image File

0
28RAF

Fujifilm RAW Image File

0
29RAW

Native Digital Camera File

0
30RW2

Panasonic Lumix RAW Image File

0
31RWL

Leica RAW Image Format File

0
32SR2

Sony RAW 2 Image File

0
33SRF

Sony RAW File

0
34SRW

Samsung RAW Image File

0
35TIFF

Tag Image File Format

0
36X3F

Sigma Camera RAW Picture File

0
37X3I

Sigma Super Fine Detail Picture File

0
0%

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

Not Supported

The tool does not use file signatures for data recovery.

#SignatureDescriptionScan Score
1360

GoPRO 360 Degree Video File

0
2ARI

ARRI Professional Digital Video Camera File

0
3ARX

ARRI Professional Digital Video Camera File

0
4AVI

Audio Video Interleave Multimedia Container with GoPRO CineForm Intermediate Codec

0
5AVI

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

0
6BRAW

Blackmagic RAW Video File

0
7INSV

Insta360 Panoramic H.264 Video File

0
8INSV

Insta360 Panoramic HEVC or HVC1 Video File

0
9MOV

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

0
10MOV

QuickTime File Format with Apple ProRes 4444 Raw or HQ Codec

0
11MOV

QuickTime File Format with H.264 Codec

0
12MOV

QuickTime File Format with CineForm HD Codec

0
13MOV

QuickTime File Format with HEVC or HVC1 Codec

0
14MP4

Digital Multimedia Container Format with H.264 Codec

0
15MP4

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

0
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

0
21WMV

Windows Media Video Image with Pro RAW 9 Codec

0
0%

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

Not Supported

The tool does not use file signatures for data recovery.

#SignatureDescriptionScan Score
1ACCDB

Microsoft Access 2007+ Database File

0
2DJVU

Scanned Document File Format Intended For Scanned Images

0
3DOC

Microsoft Word 97 – 2003 Document File

0
4DOCX

Microsoft Word 2007+ Document File

0
5FB2

FictionBook 2.0 eBook File

0
6KEY

Apple Keynote Office Application File

0
7MDB

Microsoft Access 97 - 2003 Database File

0
8NUMBERS

Apple Numbers Office Application File

0
9ODP

OpenDocument Presentation File Format

0
10ODS

OpenDocument Spreadsheet File Format

0
11ODT

OpenDocument Text Document File Format

0
12PAGES

Apple Pages Office Application File

0
13PDF

Portable Document Format File

0
14PPT

Microsoft Powerpoint 97 - 2003 Presentation File

0
15PPTX

Microsoft Powerpoint 2007+ Presentation File

0
16RTF

Rich Text Format File

0
17XLS

Microsoft Excel 97 - 2003 Spreadsheet File

0
18XLSX

Microsoft Excel 2007+ Spreadsheet File

0
0%

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

Not Supported

The tool does not use file signatures for data recovery.

Attention

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

The program’s exclusive reliance on recovery using the file system (and its records) is one of the reasons why it falls short in comparison to other software that supports signature-based scanning. Even though it does offer some decent support for many of the file systems it supports (specifically exFAT, NTFS, HFS+, and NTFS), it’s not nearly enough to instill confidence in its ability to recover data in a range of data loss scenarios.

For instance, if you find yourself in a situation where your file system has become damaged or corrupted, the software will be next to useless, as it isn’t able to locate lost data using signatures alone. Furthermore, its support for each file system is inconsistent. For example, it did a good job of recovering data from our HFS+ partition using only the file system records it had available. But, when we tested its ability to recover recently deleted files from the same partition, it didn’t yield any results.

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
17%
Average Score
#FeatureScore
1The number of file types supported by signature scan0
2BitLocker support0
3Windows shadow copies scanning0
4Scan for lost partitions3
5Recovered files' labeling0
6Partial file recovery0
7Disk images: scan and recovery5

As there is no scanning method that relies on file signatures, no specific file formats are supported. There is no support for encrypted BitLocker drives either, which is important for those who store sensitive data on protected drives. The application does have the ability to detect lost partitions, but only as part of the main scan. You can also create byte-to-byte disk images using the application.

Device Support

Supported internal and external storage devices Ideally, data recovery software applications should be able to recover from internal and external hard drives, external USB flash drives, memory cards, smartphones, and other commonly used storage devices
53%
Average Score
#FeatureScore
1Internal and external HDD5
2Internal and external SSD5
3USB thumb drives / Classic iPods (non-iOS) / FireWire devices5
4Memory cards5
5iOS devices0
6Android devices0
7Recovery from RAID1, 0, JBOD0
8Unmountable partitions5
9NAS (Network-attached storage) RAID devices0
10Remote SSH (secure shell protocol) Linux based devices recovery0

GetDataBack Pro can recover data from a number of devices. Internal and external hard drives and solid-state drives are supported, as well as forms of removable flash storage like USB drives and SD cards. However, there is no support for Android or iOS devices. Support for RAID recovery is offered using a different application.

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
27%
Average Score
#FeatureScore
1Overall non-intrusive read-only algorithms0
2Network recovery0
3Effectively filters out corrupted scan results0
4Byte-to-byte device backups5
5Bootable recovery drive creation5
6Convenient scan session management2
7Bad sector management0
8Recovery chance prediction0
9RAID reconstructor0
10Disk vitals monitoring and tracking during scan0
11Data protection0
12Links to in-lab recovery service for physically damaged devices0
13Scan speed4
14Scan free space only0
15Start file recovery without interrupting the scan0
16Preview recoverable items without interrupting the scan0
17Forensic features0

The application allows for byte-to-byte image backups and bootable recovery drive creation. It also has notably fast scan speeds.

It does not offer other useful recovery features that would otherwise complement your recovery experience, such as recovery chance prediction, active data protection, or bad sector management.

0%

Extras

10 rating criteria

There are no extras offered with GetDataBack Pro, meaning it’s intended for data recovery only. 

#FeatureResultDescription
1Disk space mapping NoNot supported
2Disk clean up NoNot supported
3Corrupted video repair tool NoNot supported
4Corrupted photo repair tool NoNot supported
5S.M.A.R.T. NoNot supported
6Duplicate finder NoNot supported
7Built-in disk space secure eraser NoNot supported
8Disk cloning NoNot supported
9Disk surface test NoNot supported
10Secure data shredding NoNot supported

This no-frills approach may appeal to users only wanting one use out of their software, but given the cost of the application, there is little incentive to stop users from choosing other software that offers more functionality.

What Users Say about GetDataBack Pro

GetDataBack Pro is a decent option for hard drive data recovery if you have a Windows computer. It’s fast and works well with drives partitioned to use different file systems. The ability to choose between four scan levels to balance speed and depth is also nice. However, the user interface of GetDataBack Pro is antiquated and makes it difficult to figure out where the files you want to recover are located.

Michael Graw (techradar.com)

My goal was not to evaluate software based on one case and I'm sorry if the post title (which I admit is a little bit clickbaity) made you think that. The thing is that in this case I found weird the fact that GDB is considered one of the best data recovery software by experts on this sub but underperformed in comparison with Recuva (which is not considered to be a professional software). I'm not an expert so I apologize for my ignorance in the subject.

PufferLightning_ (reddit.com)

I bought this years ago when a hard drive at home crashed with all of my photography work on it. My younger dumber self had learned the hard lesson of not having multiple backups. 17 hours later and I had recovered about 99% of over 20,000 photos. We bought it at work and it's recovered data on several drives.

kindofageek (community.spiceworks.com)

It is stated clearly in the review of many programs that you must purchase it but this one does not. It will not recover any files unless you pay the 70 bucks. It showed that it was able to recover some files although many of them were unrecognizable.

Mark_psalms3737 (snapfiles.com)

Video Resources for GetDataBack Pro: Tutorials and Helpful Guides

Here are some useful videos you can view to better understand GetDataBack Pro's recovery process and the features it includes.

GetDataBack Simple quick demo

GetDataBack Simple is a data recovery tool for NTFS and FAT files systems. GetDataBack Simple2 is developed by Runtime Software.

How to Recover Data After Formatting Hard Drive

Its happen to us all at some point in our life where we forgot to backup some data and then formatted our hard drive or SSD and now we want to recover data on that drive. I like to use GETDATABACK, its probably the best data recovery software available on the market today.

Bottom line

In an industry that’s dominated by data recovery tools that offer more robust recovery abilities and additional features, GetDataBack Pro is nothing to write home about.

The user interface uses jarring colors and a counterintuitive layout that only serves to confuse its users. It’s lacking any features that would otherwise complement the data recovery process, making it even less appealing in terms of value.

One of the biggest downfalls is its inability to scan based on file signatures. This is something that’s commonplace now for data recovery tools, which makes it all the more surprising why this isn’t an option.

Suffice to say, GetDataBack Pro may have the ability to recover your files, but in terms of price, effectiveness, design, and usability, it’s outclassed by almost all other tools on the market.

Frequently Asked Questions

Below we’ve answered some of the commonly asked questions surrounding GetDataBack Pro for Windows.

GetDataBack Pro uses an algorithm to scan the underlying file system of your drive for recoverable data. It then displays this data to you and allows you to choose what files you want to recover.

GetDataBack Pro can be set up in just a few clicks:

  1. Download the installation file from the Runtime Software website.
  2. Follow the on-screen prompts that require you to accept the terms of use and suggestions to create shortcuts.
  3. Click Install. You’ll be given the option to open the application once complete.

By default, GetDataBack Pro is installed to the following path: C:\Program Files\Runtime Software\GetDataBack Pro.

Once you have scanned your drive, you will be presented with a tree view of your files. Simply select the files you want to recover, then click [FILE] Copy. From here, you can choose where you want to recover the files.

This ultimately depends on the level of scan you perform. You can choose from Level 1 to level 4, each level being more comprehensive than the last. Generally, the scan times are quite fast in GetDataBack Pro. However, bear in mind that larger hard drives will have longer scan times.

MFT stands for Master File Table. The MFT is responsible for tracking the names, attributes, and locations of your data. It is used by GetDataBack Pro to find and locate your data for recovery.

You can recover data from NTFS partitions just like any other supported partition type. Here’s how:

  1. Select the drive containing the NTFS partition.
  2. Select the NTFS partition.
  3. Once the scan is complete, recover your data.

No. You can download a demo version of GetDataBack, but it only allows you to preview files, not recover them.

You can get the full version of GetDataBack by purchasing a license from the Runtime Software website.

While there’s no doubt GetDataBack Pro can recover data, it’s shadowed by the capabilities of more advanced recovery tools on the market. During our tests, the application’s performance was unsatisfactory.

There is currently no portable version available for GetDataBack Pro.

👎 Needs improvement

GetDataBack Pro Review: A Struggle to Get Data Back
2.49

Out of 5 Total score

No. 24 Among all Windows solutions

Without a doubt, GetDataBack Pro has been unsatisfactory in almost every regard. It has sub-par recovery capabilities, a user interface that quickly becomes strenuous to look at, and no additional features that allow it to stand out from the crowd. We recommend looking elsewhere.

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Jordan Jamieson-Mane
Author
  • 46 publishings
  • Auckland, New Zealand
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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.

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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.

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