Data Recovery Companies

Choosing the Top Data Recovery Companies

We curated our list based on a strict set of criteria designed to evaluate multiple aspects of each company’s experience and the services they offer. In addition, we considered factors like client satisfaction, pricing, and customer service. Here is a detailed overview:

Company’s Website

The website tells us a lot about the company. Once we land there, we first check how long they’ve been on the market. We prioritize the companies that have been active for at least two years because that usually points to an extensive track record.

The next step is taking a look at their case studies and success stories. From there, we learn a lot about the capabilities and expertise behind data retrieval services. Specifically, we consider what types of data loss they’ve dealt with, what solutions they applied, and whether they were able to recover the data successfully.

Last but not least, we take a look at the services they offer to gain a basic knowledge of their specialties. There are two types of data recovery: physical and logical. Physical data recovery is more complicated as it deals with data loss caused by physical failure and hard disk damage. Logical data recovery deals with a functional hard disk. Here, the data loss is due to accidental actions, an app crash, or accidental hard disk formatting.

The Types of Physical & Logical Data Recovery Offered

Data recovery varies depending on what type of damage the device or media was exposed to. For us, it’s important to find data recovery companies that can easily diagnose the problem and have experience dealing with both physical and logical data damage.

Services Based on Device

Hard Drive Recovery

Hard drive data loss is very common since people tend to put all their important data there—and more often than not, they don’t back it up. As a result of the high demand, almost any agency provides fast and secure failed hard drive recovery services.

SSD Recovery

SSDs don’t have moving parts, meaning they won’t have a mechanical failure. Moreover, SSDs use TRIM technology. When a file is deleted, the technology removes it completely from the drive, making the task of recovering data possible only if trusted to the most professional team.

RAID Recovery

Server technologies are continually growing in popularity thanks to the fast access data they provide and the popularity of cloud computing. However, the complexity behind RAID systems leaves them liable to damage and configuration problems, which in turn can lead to business failure and serious financial loss. There are different levels in RAID, such as RAID 1, RAID 5, and RAID 10. We expect the best data recovery companies to be proficient at all levels.

Exchange Server Recovery

Business email communication often includes sensitive data, which the Exchange Server writes to a container file, a.k.a. an EDB (exchange database file). The recovery process of a corrupted Exchange Server should effectively recover and restore the data from the EDB file and extract the PST (Personal Storage Table) mailboxes.

NAS Recovery

NAS, or network-attached storage, is a server device that provides data storage in shared folders accessible from the client device over a LAN. The NAS devices have become very popular in both corporate and home network environments. The great disadvantage is that NAS devices don’t have built-in recovery procedures. When items on a NAS device are deleted, they’re deleted permanently, without providing a chance to restore them. The best data recovery services typically provide fast and successful NAS recovery.

SQL Server Recovery

For Microsoft SQL Server crashes, you need a trained professional with a strong IT background and experience in configuring, administering, and troubleshooting SQL Server platforms. We made sure to include the best of them in the above list. 

Apple Mac Recovery

Macs have complex flash memory for data storage, making them a bit more complicated for data recovery. Also, the SSD data recovery techniques are still relatively new compared to the hard disk drive recovery methods and tools, thus adding another layer of complexity. The Mac data recovery specialists listed here have deep knowledge in SSD data recovery and also stay at the forefront of the latest Apple technologies. 

Mobile Device Recovery

We live in a world where smartphones and tablets are indispensable tools for everyday life. Thanks to the increased use of these devices, it’s not uncommon to experience data loss or corruption due to virus attacks, human errors, or transfer errors. Cell phone data recovery services require a specific skill set because they come with different operating systems and have a unique memory and hardware configuration.

Services Based on Media

Flash Media Recovery

Flash storage media are quite efficient in terms of the size and speed of data transfer, which is the reason behind their wide usage. However, they can survive only a limited number of reading and writing cycles before you’re likely to experience flash media failure. The company recovering their data must be able to restore all corrupted and deleted files—no matter whether the cause of damage was physical or logical.

Tape Data Recovery

Tapes have a reputation for providing exceptional longevity for data storage but also have a failure rate of 100%. Data recovery solutions generally have the tools, technology, and experience needed to accomplish this task. 

Services Based on Business Size

SMB Data Recovery

Small businesses are more susceptible to data loss because they usually lack the resources to protect themselves from this risk. With this in mind, most of the data recovery service providers we’ve listed here also offer a robust backup.

Enterprise Data Recovery

Many big companies tend to invest resources in cybersecurity specialists. Those that don’t, can lose their data if their backup is incomplete or out of date. Enterprise data loss requires advanced solutions because enterprise-level data systems are fairly complex. Rescue data recovery services excelling in this area need to have specific expertise in handling RAID failures, hard drive issues, and any type of data recovery.

Emergency Data Recovery

Often, businesses can’t wait to recover their lost data because the delay of even a few hours might lose them a huge amount of money and negatively impact their business. Fortunately, there are plenty of specialists who offer emergency services for time-sensitive data.

Remote Data Recovery

On our list, you’ll find companies that provide a fast and professional data recovery service remotely. This requires unique technology that enables a connection between the client’s device and the systems of data retrieval services. Needing only a good internet connection, RDR is quite the convenient solution, which speeds up the process, minimizing the system’s downtime. 

Customer Reviews & Testimonials

To verify that the company is as good as their word, we scout client data recovery services reviews across different platforms, including Google, social media, and TrustPilot. We learn how professional the team is and whether they were able to live up to expectations.

A few negative reviews aren’t enough reason for us to exclude a company from our list. As long as they don’t outnumber the good ones, we use them to gain insight into the company’s weak points, which we then factor in when determining our final rankings. 

Certifications

When issued by credible, third-party organizations, certifications validate the skills and knowledge of the company’s team and whether they provide safe and professional data recovery services. There are a few types of credentials, but here are the most important ones we consider:

ISO Cleanroom Certification

Data recovery is performed in a sterile cleanroom environment that meets ISO standards of minimized contamination for maximum results. ISO Certifications refer to the maximum number of particulates in a cleanroom. The most common one is the ISO 5 Class 100, which allows up to 100,000 particulates per m3.

The higher certifications include ISO 4 Class 10, which allows a maximum 10,000 particulates per m3, and ISO 3 Class 1, which allows 1,000 particulates per m3. There are also ISO 2 and ISO 1 certificates, which allow for maximums of 100 and 10 particulates per m3, respectively. 

However, when selecting the best data recovery companies, we consider ISO 5 the minimum and most objective certification because these certifications aren’t technically required for data recovery cleaning rooms. Of course, the companies with higher certifications are included—however, their services usually come at a higher price because of the company's maintenance expenses. 

Beyond checking whether the company has a certification or not, we also take notice of the dates of the latest mandatory testing. As per ISO standards, the frequency of mandatory testing is 12 months for Air Pressure Difference and Airflow and 6 months for Particle Count tests. Anything beyond this raises a red flag as it might mean that the data recovery company has either lost or hasn’t renewed its certification.

SSAE 16 Certification

The Statement on Standards for Attestation Engagements No.16 is a set of standards for evaluating the service organization’s internal controls. SSAE 16 certifies that the company follows the best security practices and regularly audits its operations to make sure that data privacy is kept. SSAE 16 requires data recovery services to provide written reports describing their specific internal controls in order to ensure transparency and test the effectiveness of the control. There are three types of SOC (service organization control) reports:

• SOC 1 is a report about controls at a service organization relevant to user entities’ internal controls over financial reporting.
• SOC 2 is a report based on the Trust Service Principles (security, processing integrity, confidentiality, availability, and privacy) and focuses on non-financial reporting controls.
• SOC 3 is also based on the Trust Service Principles and is very similar to SOC 2. The only difference is that SOC 3 can be freely distributed and reports on whether an entity was able to achieve the set criteria without test and result descriptions.

Since there’s no consensus on which type of SOC is best, we made sure to credit the data recovery companies that have any version.

Customer Service

When you lose important data crucial to your business’s operation, you want it recovered as soon as possible. To satisfy your needs, we included companies with reliable and accessible customer service. Moreover, those providing 24/7 support received a rankings boost. Companies that assign a dedicated representative and contact person throughout the recovery process were also treated positively.

Delivery & Pickup

Usually, you’ll be required to ship the device or media to the company’s address or drop it off at their offices or pickup locations. However, some companies provide on-site recovery. This fairly expensive option involves one or more technicians coming to your location. But sometimes, the device is too big to move, or it contains data too sensitive to leave the premises, so we made sure to include data recovery companies that offer this service. 

Pricing & Value for Money

When you face data loss, we’re sure you’ll be ready to pay whatever it takes to get it back. Still, we know the satisfaction of getting the best service at a fraction of the cost, so we tried to find companies whose pricing models fall within the industry standards.

When it comes to industry standards, it’s worth mentioning that the best data recovery services usually don’t come with flat-rate pricing. Also, we should highlight the fact that those who do offer flat-rate pricing were omitted from our list simply because no two cases are alike—there are different types and amounts of stored data, not to mention the issues that could be affecting their loss. Thus, they cannot be priced equally. 

A professional data recovery company can adjust the official price according to the amount of data restored, especially when it doesn’t match the estimated amount determined in the evaluation.

No Data No Payment Policy & Evaluation

This policy ensures you won’t pay for the service if no data was actually recovered. The data recovery companies offering it move up in our rankings. Those that don’t usually provide a free evaluation or charge you a flat fee for it.

Either way, you should be aware that an evaluation is key. It determines both how much work the specialists must do to recover the data and also the probability of successfully recovering all data. After the evaluation, you can decide whether or not you want the company to proceed with the recovery.

Things to Consider Before Locking Down the Best Data Recovery Company

We’ve provided you with a list of the best companies, but the actual choice should be yours. For that purpose, we outline the most important aspects to consider while shortlisting candidates.

Determine Whether Your Case Qualifies for Recovery

Before fishing for the best data recovery companies for help, you should determine whether your device qualifies for recovery. Most deleted data is recoverable unless it’s overwritten to the same physical storage space. Here are other instances where data recovery is impossible:

• If your smartphone has undergone a factory reset.
• If the case involves a head crash.
• If the device is an iPhone or iPad with iOS6.

Understand What the Cost of Data Recovery Services Involves

Data recovery is priceless; however, you need to make sure the vendor doesn’t rip you off. That’s why you need to understand how your candidates price their services and get at least a ballpark figure after the preliminary evaluation. Then, you’ll be able to determine whether you’re getting good value for your money.

Verify Any Warranty Violations

Check if the company has a manufacturer’s authorization to perform recovery. The best data recovery service would be approved by major brands and meet the right criteria to work on their hardware invasively. In certain cases, you may even be entitled to a replacement from the manufacturer. 

Stay Away from Companies That Guarantee 100% Recovery

There are several specialists that claim they can recover 100% of the damaged data. However, even the best data recovery services will tell you it’s impossible to achieve that with even the most advanced equipment. We made sure to weed out companies that make unqualified claims; however, you should also be wary of false promises when shortlisting your candidates.

A New Working Device or Media

If after the evaluation the company assesses that recovery is possible, you need something to transfer it to. Make sure to ship the new device or media together with the damaged one, or consider buying one directly from the company.