Data loss can result from accidental deletion, formatting, system crashes, or other causes. Whatever the reason, it can be heartbreaking to lose your precious data. To solve this problem, there are many data recovery tools available and one of them is Stellar Data Recovery.
In this review, we will take an honest look at the features and performance of Stellar Data Recovery. This will help you understand if it’s really free and whether you can trust it to restore your precious lost/deleted data.
Part 1: Overview of Stellar Data Recovery
Stellar Data Recovery Tool is offered by Stellar Information Technology and is among the oldest data recovery tools. The software has been around since 2000 and can be used to recover lost or deleted files from different storage devices.
According to developers, the tool can recover all the common and uncommon file types. So, you can easily use it for data recovery from memory cards, hard disks, and more.
Key Features of Stellar Data Recovery
The main features of this tool are given below:
- Wide File Type Support: The tool supports over 1000+ file formats. This essentially covers everything, such as videos, images, emails, etc.
- Partition Recovery: It also offers an option to scan for lost/deleted partitions. This makes it possible to recover from formatted, corrupted, and missing volumes.
- Pause and Resume Scan: Stellar also allows users to pause and resume scans. This can be helpful in deep scans, which can easily take hours.
- Preview Files: There’s also an option to preview the files. This helps confirm whether the files are intact before attempting to restore them.
- User-Friendly Interface: The software has a very simple design, and all the features are easily accessible. This makes it a good option even for beginners.
Most of the essential features are available in Stellar Data Recovery. However, there are issues that affect the overall experience.
For example, the deep scanning mode is a little slow when compared to new tools. So, large recoveries can be time-consuming, which might be off-putting for some users.
Some of the advanced recovery options, such as RAID discovery, photo/video repair, and partition recovery, are also locked behind higher-tier plans. This makes the entry-level versions less powerful and also makes Stellar less competitive when compared with modern data recovery tools.
Pros
- Beginner-friendly interface makes it easy for even non-technical users.
- Quick scan is very fast and effective, and can easily detect files in a few steps.
- Supports many storage devices and files.
Cons
- More expensive than other data recovery tools.
- Only offers basic features in free and entry-level plans.
- Display scaling issues deteriorate the user experience.
- File signature support is limited.
Performance and Real-World Test Results
We tested the Stellar Data Recovery full on a 512 GB SSD (NTFS). The device had mixed data before it was formatted.
We used the deep scan, which took around 90 minutes to complete. It managed to detect and recover most of the files.
The recovery rate was around 98.6%, and most recently deleted files (documents, images, videos) were recovered perfectly. However, some large videos were partially corrupted, and some files also lost their original folder structure.
Is Stellar Data Recovery any good?
Overall, Stellar Data Recovery does a good job at handling common data loss situations. It can be used to recover all the common file types and offers a very clean interface.
Our testing also shows that the recovery rate is around 98.6%, which is similar to what the developers also claim. However, Stellar Data Recovery is not without drawbacks.
The deep scans can be slow and can easily take hours to complete. The advanced features are also locked behind higher-priced plans, and the file organization after recovery can be messy.
So yes, it is a good option for beginners. But if we look at speed, pricing, and efficiency, there are better options in the market.
Part 2: Is Stellar Data Recovery Really Free?
Stellar data recovery for Windows offers a free version, but we can’t say the software is completely free. The free version puts a cap on how much data can be recovered, and a lot of the features are also only available in more expensive plans.
Free Version Limitations
The free version of the Stellar software has these restrictions:
- The scanning and preview are completely free and unlimited. However, the free version doesn’t allow users to recover beyond the limit.
- The advanced features, such as partition recovery and RAID recovery, are not available.
In short, the free version is more like a trial/demo, which allows you to test the software’s basic functionality.
What is the cost of Stellar Data Recovery?
Stellar Data Recovery for Windows has multiple plans available for users. Here’s a quick list of the Stellar Data Recovery prices of one-year subscription:
- Free (up to 1 GB)
- Standard ($39.99)
- Professional ($69.99)
- Premium ($79.99)
- Technician ($199)
- Toolkit ($299)
On the surface, the price of this tool may look competitive when we look at other data recovery software. However, a closer look shows that the standard plan doesn’t include all the features. So, a user will eventually need to subscribe to a higher-tier plan.
Part 3: How to Use Stellar Data Recovery?
Using this tool for data recovery is fairly simple as the interface is very user-friendly. So, let’s look at the steps on how to use it:
- Install and Launch: Visit the official website. and click on the Stellar data recovery download link.
- Select File Types and Scan: Choose which file types to recover. After that, select the location where the data is present and then start the scan.
- Recover Data: Once the scan is complete, you can preview the files and select what you want to recover.
Note:
It is important to remember that you should avoid any Stellar data recovery crack as such versions are filled with viruses and malware. In most cases, such sites often include malicious ads that can infect your system and even lead to data theft.
Is Stellar Data Recovery safe?
Yes, Stellar Data Recovery is completely safe when downloaded from the official website. We have checked the setup file and the installed software using three AV tools (AVG, MalwareBytes and Kaspersky). All of these antivirus tools showed that both the setup and the installed software are safe and free from viruses/malware.
Also, Stellar Data Recovery doesn’t upload any of your data to its servers. The entire process of scanning and recovery is done locally on your machine. This means you don’t have to worry about the privacy of your data.
Part 4: Top Alternative to Stellar Data Recovery – 99% Success Rate
Stellar Data Recovery is a capable tool, but this doesn’t automatically make it the best. In fact, there are far better alternatives to Stellar Data Recovery available in the market.
One of the most popular data recovery tools is iToolab RecoverGo Windows Data Recovery. When compared with Stellar, RecoverGo offers a high success rate and access to all the features at a more affordable price.
Key Features of RecoverGo Windows Data Recovery
Let’s take a quick look at the key features of RecoverGo:
- Up to 99% Recovery Rate: RecoverGo has a success rate of up to 99%, while Stellar Data Recovery has a success rate of 98.6%. The difference may look small, but it becomes massive when you are trying to recover important data. Let’s say you have lost some important family photos or a business document. In cases like this, even a small increase in the recovery rate can make all the difference!
- Faster and More Efficient Scanning: RecoverGo is optimized for speed, and this shows in its scanning process. The quick scan mode is already fast, but RecoverGo really stands out in the deep scan. We tested the deep scan feature on both the RecoverGo and Stellar’s Data Recovery. While RecoverGo only took 25 minutes to scan a large drive, Stellar Data Recovery took up to 45 minutes. Also, RecoverGo was able to find more lost/deleted files, which is yet another plus point of this tool.
- Broad Device and Scenario Support: RecoverGo supports USB flash drives, HDDs, SSDs, SD cards, and other storage devices. So, whether you have a laptop or a camera, RecoverGo can help you recover data. Another great thing about RecoverGo is that it can also easily handle more complex data loss scenarios. For example, it can easily handle situations like a formatted Hard Drive and a deleted/lost partition. On the contrary, Stellar Data Recovery doesn’t offer these features in the entry-level plan.
- Simple to Use: The user interface of RecoverGo is very simple. This allows the users to scan, preview and recover the lost files in just a few steps.
How to Use RecoverGo Windows Data Recovery?
Now, let’s look at how you can easily use the iToolab RecoverGo to recover files on Windows:
Step 1 Select Location and Scan: From the main screen, you can select a location to search for lost data. You can choose from these: local drives, external drives, recycle bin or a specific folder. After selecting a location, click on “Search for lost data” to start the scan.
Step 2 Scan Your Drive: Once the scan starts, you will be able to see the remaining time and the percentage completed during the scan.
Step 3 Recover Files: Locate the file or folder, click “Preview ”and then click on the “Recover ”button. Remember to select a different drive for storing the recovered file to avoid overwriting data.
FAQs About Stellar Data Recovery
What is the success rate of Stellar Data Recovery?
The success rate depends on the data loss situation, drive condition, and other factors. Normally, the success rate is very high when you attempt to recover data immediately after data loss or deletion.
Based on user reviews and our own testing, the recovery rate is around 98.6%. However, the recovery rate can drop in more complex cases.
Is Stellar Data Recovery legit?
Yes, this data recovery tool is completely legitimate and is offered by a famous company. In fact, the Stellar company has been around since 1993 and this software was first launched in 2000.
The Stellar Data Recovery software is also completely safe when downloaded from the official website. The software also does exactly what it claims: Scanning and recovering lost/deleted files.
How long does Stellar Data Recovery take?
The exact time it takes to recover files depends on the scan type and storage size. Normally, a deep scan can easily take 1-2 hours or more. It all depends on the size and condition of the drive.
The recovery process is usually faster than scanning, but it can still take time depending on file size. Small files only take a few seconds, while large video files can take a few minutes to hours.
Summary
Overall, Stellar Data Recovery is a reliable and beginner-friendly tool for common data loss situations. The UI is clean, and the tool also has solid recovery results (98.6% success rate).
However, there are also some drawbacks to the Stellar Data Recovery. The deep scans can be slow, and the advanced features are also locked behind higher-priced plans. The free version is also quite limited, which only allows you to check the software’s basic functionality.
iToolab RecoverGo Windows Data Recovery stands out as a more modern alternative. It offers faster scanning, a higher success rate, and all the advanced features at a more affordable cost.