Short answer: if you want a Mac app that recovers everything it finds without paying, use Reco. If you’re comfortable in Terminal and don’t need file names back, PhotoRec is free and open source. Most other “free” versions scan for nothing but recover only a few hundred megabytes, or nothing at all, before asking you to buy.
About this list. We make Reco, so read our view of it with that in mind. Everything said about the other apps comes from their own websites as of October 2026. Prices and limits change, so check before you rely on them.
At a glance
| App | What’s free on Mac | Interface | Keeps file names |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reco | Everything, no limit | Mac app | Where the drive remembers them |
| PhotoRec | Everything, no limit | Terminal | No |
| Disk Drill | Scan and preview; recovery needs PRO | Mac app | Yes, where possible |
| Stellar Data Recovery | Up to 1 GB, files up to 100 MB | Mac app | Yes, where possible |
| EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard | A limited amount (EaseUS’s pages say 500 MB to 2 GB); SD cards not supported in the free version | Mac app | Yes, where possible |
What matters when you choose
- What “free” means. Scanning and previewing is the cheap part. What counts is how much you can actually save without paying.
- Read-only. A recovery app should never write to the drive you’re rescuing.
- Honesty about damage. A thumbnail can look fine while the file behind it is broken. It helps to know before you recover.
- Names and folders. Ten thousand files called
f1234567.jpgare much harder to use than your original folders. - Your Mac. Check the macOS version each app needs, and whether it runs natively on Apple silicon.
1. Reco: free, with no limits
Reco is a Mac app made by one independent developer. Scanning, previews, recovery and every tool are free, with no file-count or size limit and no license key. Instead of a price it invites you to give to the Mersal Foundation, a medical charity; that’s optional, and none of the money goes to Reco.
- Drives: SD and microSD cards, USB sticks, external hard drives and SSDs, your Mac’s own disk, and disk images, formatted APFS, HFS+, exFAT, FAT32 or NTFS.
- Careful by design: opens the drive read-only and won’t save recovered files onto it. Scans can be paused and continue after you quit, unplug or restart.
- Shows how intact each file is before you recover it, and brings back original names and folders where the drive still remembers them.
- More than recovery: repairs videos that won’t play, copies a failing drive before scanning it, checks drive health, and wipes drives so nothing can be recovered.
- Private: no account, no uploads, no analytics.
Limits: needs macOS 26 or later. It’s a young app from a single developer, without the long track record of the bigger names.
2. PhotoRec: free and open source, in Terminal
PhotoRec, from CGSecurity, is the long-standing free option. It’s open source, has no limits, and recognizes a very wide range of file types. It finds files by their contents rather than the file system, which makes it robust on damaged drives.
Limits: it runs in Terminal with a text menu, and it doesn’t recover file names or folders, so you get numbered files to sort through. The Mac download is built for Intel and runs on Apple silicon through Rosetta. More in Reco vs PhotoRec.
3. Disk Drill: polished, but recovery is paid on Mac
Disk Drill by CleverFiles is a well-designed Mac app with many extra tools. Its free Mac version scans and previews, which tells you whether your files can be found. As of October 2026, saving them needs Disk Drill PRO, except files you protected beforehand with its own protection feature. More in Reco vs Disk Drill.
4. Stellar Data Recovery: 1 GB free
Stellar’s free Mac edition recovers up to 1 GB in total, with each file up to 100 MB. That’s enough for a few documents or a small batch of photos, but not for most videos. Paid editions start at $69.99 as of October 2026.
5. EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard: a small free allowance
EaseUS has been making recovery software for many years. Its free Mac version recovers a limited amount; as of October 2026 its own pages give different figures, from 500 MB (more after sharing on social media) to 2 GB. Its free version doesn’t support SD cards. Paid plans start at $89.95 for one month. More in Reco vs EaseUS.
Before you use any of them
- Check for a copy first: the Trash, Recently Deleted in Photos, Time Machine and iCloud. See how to recover deleted files on a Mac.
- Stop using the drive, and don’t install any recovery app onto it.
- Recover to a different drive.
- Expect less from a Mac’s built-in SSD. TRIM erases deleted data soon after you delete it, and no app can bring that back. Why SSD recovery is hard.
Questions
Is there a completely free data recovery app for Mac?
Yes, two: Reco, a Mac app with no limit on files or data, and PhotoRec, which is free and open source but runs in Terminal and doesn’t keep file names or folders. Most others recover only a small amount for free, or nothing, and charge for the rest.
Is Disk Drill free on Mac?
Disk Drill’s free version for Mac scans and previews files. As of October 2026, recovering them needs Disk Drill PRO, except files you protected beforehand with its own protection feature. The Windows version includes 100 MB of free recovery.
Is Recuva available for Mac?
No. Recuva is Windows-only, and downloads labeled “Recuva for Mac” aren’t from its makers. See free alternatives to Recuva on a Mac.
Can free recovery software damage my drive?
Not if it only reads. The real risk is saving recovered files, or installing the app, onto the drive you’re rescuing, which can overwrite what you’re trying to get back. Always recover to a different drive.