Side by side
CardRecovery vs Windows File Recovery
Both stand on photo recovery software. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free trial Windows
CardRecovery combines broad removable-media support with sector scanning, previews, and read-only recovery. Its evaluation version is useful for checking results, while the 39.95 USD one-time license is limited to one user and one copy.
Visit CardRecovery Free plan Windows
Choose Windows File Recovery if you need a free command-line option for deleted files on local storage and can work with its recovery modes. Look elsewhere if the files are in cloud storage or a network share, or if you need a graphical app.
Visit Windows File RecoveryThe facts
| CardRecovery | Windows File Recovery | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | A free trial | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | Windows | Windows |
| Lowest paid plan | CardRecovery single-user license: $39.95, paid once | Free or on request |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | cardrecovery.com | support.microsoft.com |
| On photo recovery software | #30 of 44 | #26 of 44 |
CardRecovery: what it does well
- Deep sector scanning
- Raw photo recovery
- Thumbnail photo previews
- Read-only card operations
- Supports many card formats
What to know first
- Windows only
- No free plan
- License covers one user and copy
- Recovery is not always possible
Windows File Recovery: what it does well
- Free to use through the Microsoft Store.
- Supports internal and external drives, USB devices, SD cards, and flash drives.
- Offers Regular and Extensive recovery modes.
- Filters searches by name, path, type, or wildcard.
- Signature mode targets groups of file extensions.
What to know first
- Cloud storage and network file shares are unsupported.
- The recovery source and destination must be different drives.
- FAT and exFAT recovery is available only in Extensive mode.
- Windows 10 support ended on October 14, 2025.
Alternatives to CardRecovery Alternatives to Windows File Recovery The whole list