Is DriveSavers Data Recovery Legit?
Yes, DriveSavers is a legitimate data recovery business. However, their pricing model typically results in quotes of $3,000–$7,000 for services that independent labs perform for $300–$1,500. You are paying for their advertising budget and referral partnerships, not superior recovery capabilities.
How Much Does DriveSavers Really Cost?
According to iPad Rehab's 2023 documentation, DriveSavers typically charges $3,000 to $4,000 for standard iPhone recoveries. Hard drive quotes routinely land between $4,000 and $7,000+. The industry average from independent labs is $300 to $1,200.
The Price of Marketing vs. Engineering
To understand the price, you must understand their business model. DriveSavers spends millions on referral partnerships with companies like Apple, aggressive PPC advertising (keywords like "data recovery" can cost over $150 per click), and maintaining a massive sales floor. When you pay $3,000+ for a recovery, a huge chunk of that goes to paying the person who referred you and the salesperson who answered the phone.
We wrote an in-depth article on whether you actually need a cleanroom. For modern devices, you often do not.
If your iPhone has a broken screen or your MacBook has a shorted capacitor, it requires a microsoldering technician; not a forensic cleanroom environment. DriveSavers charges cleanroom prices for soldering iron work.
⚠️ Documented Case: A $3,000+ Screen Repair
In the video below, we document a case where DriveSavers quoted over $3,000 to recover data from a phone. The actual issue? A broken screen and charge port. We fixed it for a fraction of the cost. The data was never "lost"; the phone just could not turn on to display it.
DriveSavers vs. Independent Labs
You are not paying DriveSavers for better recovery success rates. You are paying for their brand name and their partnerships. Independent labs offer the same technical capabilities for a fraction of the cost.
| Feature | Independent Labs | DriveSavers |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone Recovery | $300 - $1,000 | $3,000 - $4,000+ |
| Hard Drive Recovery | $300 - $1,500 | $2,500 - $7,000+ |
| Diagnostic Fee | Free | Free (but cancellation fees may apply) |
| Pricing Model | Part & Labor Based | Value/Brand Based |
| Specialty | Microsoldering / Component Repair | Marketing / Corporate Compliance |
Why do people end up at DriveSavers?
It is rarely because they are the "best." It is usually because:
- Apple Store employees are trained to refer you to them.
- They dominate Google Ads for "data recovery" (at $150+ per click).
- Panic drives people to pick the biggest name without shopping around.
- Corporate IT policies mandate SOC 2 vendors (even when unnecessary).
- Affiliate sites earn commissions for referrals, biasing "reviews."
Why choose Rossmann Group?
We do the same work, often with more transparency.
- We fix the board; we do not just "extract data."
- We charge for the work performed, not the value of your data.
- We clearly explain what failed (e.g. "C7700 capacitor").
- No cancellation fees. No pressure tactics.
- See our verified reviews and results.
Where Does the Money Go?
DriveSavers dominates the sponsored results at the top of Google. Those placements cost serious money; and that cost gets passed directly to you. This is not speculation; you can see the ad prices yourself in Google's Keyword Planner.
When your "simple repair" costs $3,000, a large chunk of that is covering the ad spend that got you to their website. We do not buy paid ads; that is part of why our quotes are what they are.
Is DriveSavers a Scam?
No, DriveSavers is not a scam in the legal sense. They are a legitimate business. The reason customers call them a "scam" is due to the disparity between the service rendered and the price charged.
The Legitimacy Argument
- ✓Manufacturer Authorized: Apple, WD, and Seagate authorize them to open drives. This proves they have standardized facilities.
- ✓SOC 2 Type II Audited: They have verified security controls. This is important for hospitals and government entities, but irrelevant for a student wanting vacation photos back.
The Consumer Traps
- ✕Predatory Quoting: Charging $3,000+ for a job that takes 20 minutes is legal, but many consider it unethical.
- ✕Affiliate Kickbacks: Many positive reviews come from partners earning referral commissions. One affiliate site openly states "I receive a referral fee." This hs the effect of removing objectivity from the service provider to find you the best deal.
- ✕Lack of Granularity: They rarely tell you exactly what component failed. They just give a flat, high quote.
More Qualified Alternatives Exist
For iPhone and iPad data recovery specifically, independent labs like iPad Rehab (founded by Jessa Jones) are trusted by the FBI for forensic training. They regularly recover devices DriveSavers declared "unrecoverable."
What iPad Rehab documented about DriveSavers
- ✕Evaluations without insights: DriveSavers' "free evaluations" do not involve opening the phone; leading to inaccurate diagnoses and inflated quotes for simple fixes.
- ✕Cancellation fees: DriveSavers introduced cancellation fees to deter customers from seeking more affordable alternatives after receiving a quote.
- ✕Misleading marketing imagery: Their website shows technicians working on chips (like baseband power management) that are not required for data recovery.
- ✕100% pricing trap: Because iPhone data recovery returns ALL data when successful (not partial), DriveSavers always charges the top of their quote range for any recoverable device.
- ✓iPad Rehab recovers "unrecoverable" devices: Multiple documented cases of successful recovery after DriveSavers said it was impossible.
📹 Case Study: Recovered After DriveSavers Said "Unrecoverable"
In this video, Jessa Jones of iPad Rehab successfully recovers data from a device that DriveSavers deemed unrecoverable. This is not an isolated case.
Vice Magazine on the pricing gap
When Vice Magazine called DriveSavers for a quote on recovering photos from a water-damaged iPhone, they were quoted $700 to $1,900 and told it would "probably be in the upper third." Jessa Jones charges $300 for the same work. For complex cases (like a phone run over by a lawnmower), iPad Rehab caps at $1,000.
Source: Vice: "He Was Murdered in a Hate Crime. She Brought His Blood-Soaked Phone Back to Life."
Real User Reviews: Reddit vs. Trustpilot
If you search "DriveSavers reviews," you will find a wall of 5-star ratings on Trustpilot. Many of these are genuine, but NBC Bay Area found evidence of "copycat" reviews in the industry. On Reddit communities like r/datarecovery, the sentiment is very different; users constantly warn about their unusually high pricing. You can read our verified customer reviews for comparison.
Real complaints from review sites
"STAY AWAY; they were supposed to get word documents I lost, they didn't get a single word doc and charged me about $2,700!"- BBB Complaint
"I asked for a ballpark price on data recovery for a liquid damaged iPhone 7, I was told between $799-3000 something. I have never felt more disgusted in my life."- Yelp Review
External Investigation: NBC Bay Area
NBC Bay Area investigated concerns about potential "copycat" reviews in the data recovery industry. We recommend reading this investigation before relying solely on star ratings.
Before you pay anyone
If your drive is still detected by your computer, you may be able to recover data yourself using software. Read our DIY data recovery guide before spending money. If the drive is clicking, beeping, or not detected at all, do not attempt DIY; you need professional help.
What symptom is your drive showing?
Still wondering about cleanrooms? Read our detailed article: Do you really need a clean room for data recovery?
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