There are very few experiences as scary as losing data or files from your computer’s hard drive as a result of hardware failure or accidental deletion. However, there are file recovery services and software that can help you recover such files. We will be giving you a guide on how much it will cost you to recover lost data.
Data recovery cost will vary depending on your city. For example, data recovery cost in Chicago will be different from pricing in another city.
Pricing may also depend on whether the file recovery service is based within your city or in another city as you may require to ship the hard drive to and fro.
Another factor that may also affect data recovery cost is the complexity of the recovery. Recovering an accidentally deleted file will cost much less compared to an inability to access data stored in a hard drive as a result of mechanical failure.
Data recovery labs can recover data in just about any storage media, not just hard drives. They can also handle memory cards, flash drives, RAID Array, SSD, phones, tablets, virtual machines, etc.
Every data recovery lab may not have expertise on all storage media. So, it is a good idea to ensure they have experience of data recovery for the medium you want to recover data from.
The Cost of Data Recovery
Cost of data recovery will vary depending on the level of difficulty required and skill level of the data recovery Engineers.
The best labs will charge by the hour. Hourly rate for data recovery in the United States will range from $100 to $300.
Usually, the Engineer will inspect the hard drive and determine the level of complexity that will be required and provide a quote.
In some cases you may decide to do things yourself. In this case there are a couple of software you can download to help you recover your file. The software is available in paid and free options. However, paid options are usually best.
Cost of the best file recovery software can range between $40 and $200. You may also need a new hard drive to store the recovered data.
While, doing things yourself might seem more affordable, the cost might be grave if you screw things up. You can cause permanent damage on the hard drive, which could make it harder and more difficult and expensive to recover the data. It will also take a lot of time to figure out how to properly use the software.
Leaving things in the hands of professionals is usually the best choice. It is also the only sensible option for mechanically damaged hard drives.
File recovery software is most effective only for restoring accidentally deleted files, formatted external drive, encrypted data, and corrupted files.
However, when a hard drive or storage medium is physically or mechanically damaged, it is a very good idea to seek a data recovery lab for assistance.
They have well trained experts and loads of cool tools and gizmos to ensure that you get value for your money.
How Data Recovery Services Works
Having an issue with your hard drive? Maybe your house was flooded and your hard drive water soaked or your business suffered data loss. In both cases the services of a data recovery lab will be recommended.
You have to look for a service within your city or country. You will have to ship the hard drive to the lab where an expert will conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the hard drive and provide you with a quote on how much it will cost to recover your data.
The best data recovery services will do the evaluation free. You only pay for the actual data recovery.
Once you make payment, the data is recovered and loaded in a fresh hard drive and shipped back to you.
Before hiring a data recovery lab, make sure they have expertise in your industry. Some services may be great for individual clients, but may not have the experience to handle business and governmental clients.