Wise Data Recovery Pro is a budget-friendly option for data recovery, offering a free version with a 2GB data limit and a paid version for unlimited recovery. While it has been around for years and is known for its simplicity, its recovery capabilities aren’t as advanced as some of its competitors.
Like many data recovery apps, Wise Data Recovery Pro has a clean and straightforward interface. You can easily select the drive or folder to scan and the app will immediately start the process. The scan progress is displayed with an estimated time to completion, and recovered files are listed in a resizable window.
However, while the simplicity is appealing, it lacks some features found in higher-priced competitors. For example, there’s no preview panel or thumbnail view, which can be frustrating when trying to identify specific files.
In my testing, Wise Data Recovery Pro struggled with SSD recovery, failing to recover any files from a formatted SSD partition. While this is a known challenge for many data recovery apps due to modern SSD optimization techniques, even recovering from a completely deleted SSD partition proved unsuccessful.
On the other hand, the app performed better with HDD recovery. It managed to recover a decent number of files from a formatted external USB drive, although it missed some files and lacked previews. A full format and recovery test on the same drive resulted in a successful restoration of all files, including filenames and folder structures.
Wise Data Recovery Pro also proved successful in recovering data from a damaged thumb drive that was no longer recognized by Windows.
While the app’s overall recovery performance is decent, it falls short compared to more expensive options like EaseUS and Stellar Data Recovery, which offer better preview capabilities and live chat support.
Despite its limitations, Wise Data Recovery Pro offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, allowing you to try the paid version before committing. If you are on a tight budget, the free version of Recuva, which allows unlimited data recovery, might be a better choice based on my experience.
Ultimately, whether Wise Data Recovery Pro is the right fit for you depends on your individual needs and budget. If you are looking for a simple and inexpensive data recovery option for occasional use, it might be worth considering. However, if you require advanced features and high recovery rates, a more comprehensive data recovery software might be a better investment.
