Hard drive data recovery from $100. Free diagnostic evaluation. No data = no charge on qualifying jobs.
| Your Symptom | HDD | SSD / Flash | ETA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drive works, need data copied off | $100 | $200 | 3-5 days |
| Drive not recognized by your computer | From $250 | From $250 | 2-4 weeks |
| Drive detected but inaccessible or shows wrong size | $600–$900 | $600–$900 | 3-6 weeks |
| Drive completely dead, no spin, no detection | Quoted after eval | $450–$600 | 3-6 weeks |
| Clicking, beeping, or grinding sounds | $1,200–$1,500 | N/A | 4-8 weeks |
| Drive dropped, platters scratched | $2,000 | N/A | 4-8 weeks |
| SSD or flash with dead controller | N/A | $1,200–$1,500 | 4-8 weeks |
All prices + tax + target drive. Head swap, surface damage, and NAND swap tiers require 50% deposit. Donor parts additional on mechanical tiers. Helium-sealed HDDs (Exos, Ultrastar, MG series) have higher pricing at every tier.
No data recovered = no charge. Free diagnostic evaluation. +$100 rush fee available on any job to move to the front of the queue.
Standard hard drive data recovery costs $100–$2,000 for non-helium consumer and enterprise drives, depending on the failure type. Simple copies start at $100. Firmware repair runs $600–$900. Head swaps run $1,200–$1,500 plus donor drive cost. Surface damage is $2,000. Pricing reflects worst-case per tier; many jobs come in lower after the free evaluation.
Low complexity
Your drive works, you just need the data moved off it
Functional drive; data transfer to new media
Rush available: +$100
$100
3-5 business days
Low complexity
Your drive isn't recognized by your computer, but it's not making unusual sounds
File system corruption. Accessible with professional recovery software but not by the OS
Starting price; final depends on complexity
From $250
2-4 weeks
Medium complexity
Your drive is completely inaccessible. It may be detected but shows the wrong size or won't respond
Firmware corruption: ROM, modules, or translator tables corrupted; requires PC-3000 terminal access
CMR drive: $600. SMR drive: $900.
$600–$900
3-6 weeks
High complexity
Most Common
Your drive is clicking, beeping, or won't spin. The internal read/write heads have failed
Head stack assembly failure. Transplanting heads from a matching donor drive on a clean bench
50% deposit required. CMR: $1,200-$1,500 + donor. SMR: $1,500 + donor.
50% deposit required
$1,200–$1,500
4-8 weeks
High complexity
Your drive was dropped, has visible damage, or a head crash scraped the platters
Platter scoring or contamination. Requires platter cleaning and head swap
50% deposit required. Donor parts are consumed in the repair. Most difficult recovery type.
50% deposit required
$2,000
4-8 weeks
Our "no data, no fee" policy applies to hardware recovery. We do not bill for unsuccessful physical repairs. If we replace a hard drive read/write head assembly or repair a liquid-damaged logic board to a bootable state, the hardware repair is complete and standard rates apply. If data remains inaccessible due to user-configured software locks, a forgotten passcode, or a remote wipe command, the physical repair is still billable. We cannot bypass user encryption or activation locks.
No data, no fee. Free evaluation and firm quote before any paid work. Full guarantee details. Head swap and surface damage require a 50% deposit because donor parts are consumed in the attempt.
By brand: Seagate · Western Digital · Toshiba · Full HDD recovery details
Helium-sealed enterprise drives (Seagate Exos, WD Ultrastar, Toshiba MG series) cost more to recover at every tier. Opening the sealed chamber for head swaps requires helium refill and a compatible helium donor drive, both additional costs. Head swaps start at $3,000. Tighter tolerances and specialized donor parts drive pricing higher than standard HDDs.
Helium-sealed drives (Seagate Exos, WD Ultrastar HC series, HGST Ultrastar He, Toshiba MG series) have sealed chambers filled with helium gas. Opening these drives for head swaps requires breaking the hermetic seal, swapping heads from a matching helium donor, and refilling the chamber with helium before re-sealing. Helium refill cost and compatible donor drives are additional on mechanical tiers; see per-tier details below.
Low complexity
Your helium drive works, you just need the data moved off it
Functional drive; data transfer to new media
Rush available: +$100
$200
3-5 business days
Low complexity
Your helium drive isn't recognized by your computer, but it's not making unusual sounds
File system corruption. Accessible with professional recovery software but not by the OS
Starting price; final depends on complexity
From $600
2-4 weeks
Medium complexity
Most Common
Your helium drive is completely inaccessible. It may be detected but shows the wrong size or won't respond
Firmware corruption: ROM, modules, or translator tables corrupted; requires PC-3000 terminal access
Helium drive firmware recovery is more complex due to sealed chamber architecture
$900–$1,200
3-6 weeks
High complexity
Your helium drive is clicking, beeping, or won't spin. The internal read/write heads have failed
Head stack assembly failure. Transplanting heads from a matching helium donor drive on a clean bench. Helium refill required.
50% deposit required (usually $1,100 non-refundable deposit). Helium cost ($400-$800) and donor drive cost additional.
50% deposit required
$3,000–$4,500
4-8 weeks
High complexity
Your helium drive was dropped, has visible damage, or a head crash scraped the platters
Platter scoring or contamination. Requires platter cleaning, head swap, and helium refill
50% deposit required. Helium cost ($400-$800) and donor drive cost additional. Most difficult recovery type.
50% deposit required
$4,000–$5,000
4-8 weeks
Our "no data, no fee" policy applies to hardware recovery. We do not bill for unsuccessful physical repairs. If we replace a hard drive read/write head assembly or repair a liquid-damaged logic board to a bootable state, the hardware repair is complete and standard rates apply. If data remains inaccessible due to user-configured software locks, a forgotten passcode, or a remote wipe command, the physical repair is still billable. We cannot bypass user encryption or activation locks.
No data, no fee. Free evaluation and firm quote before any paid work. Full guarantee details. Head swap and surface damage require a 50% deposit because donor parts and helium are consumed in the attempt.
SSD data recovery pricing depends on the failure type and drive interface. SATA SSD recovery runs $200–$1,500. NVMe SSD recovery runs $200–$2,500. NAND swap recovery, required when the controller fails, is the highest tier for both types. Free diagnostic evaluation included before any paid work begins.
Low complexity
Your drive works, you just need the data moved off it
Functional drive; data transfer to new media
Rush available: +$100
$200
3-5 business days
Low complexity
Your drive isn't showing up, but it's not physically damaged
File system corruption. Visible to recovery software but not to OS
Starting price; final depends on complexity
From $250
2-4 weeks
Medium complexity
Your drive won't power on or has shorted components
PCB issues: failed voltage regulators, dead PMICs, shorted capacitors
May require a donor drive (additional cost)
$450–$600
3-6 weeks
Medium complexity
Most Common
Your drive is detected but shows the wrong name, wrong size, or no data
Firmware corruption: ROM, modules, or system files corrupted
Price depends on extent of bad areas in NAND
$600–$900
3-6 weeks
High complexity
Your drive's circuit board is severely damaged and requires NAND chip transplant to a donor PCB
NAND swap onto donor PCB. Precision microsoldering and BGA rework required
50% deposit required; donor drive cost additional
50% deposit required
$1,200–$1,500
4-8 weeks
Our "no data, no fee" policy applies to hardware recovery. We do not bill for unsuccessful physical repairs. If we replace a hard drive read/write head assembly or repair a liquid-damaged logic board to a bootable state, the hardware repair is complete and standard rates apply. If data remains inaccessible due to user-configured software locks, a forgotten passcode, or a remote wipe command, the physical repair is still billable. We cannot bypass user encryption or activation locks.
No data, no fee. Free evaluation and firm quote before any paid work. Full guarantee details. NAND swap requires a 50% deposit because donor parts are consumed in the attempt.
Low complexity
Your NVMe drive works, you just need the data moved off it
Functional drive; data transfer to new media
Rush available: +$100
$200
3-5 business days
Low complexity
Your NVMe drive isn't showing up, but it's not physically damaged
File system corruption. Visible to recovery software but not to OS
Starting price; final depends on complexity
From $250
2-4 weeks
Medium complexity
Your NVMe drive won't power on or has shorted components
PCB issues: failed voltage regulators, dead PMICs, shorted capacitors
May require a donor drive (additional cost)
$600–$900
3-6 weeks
Medium complexity
Most Common
Your NVMe drive is detected but shows the wrong name, wrong size, or no data
Firmware corruption: ROM, modules, or system files corrupted
Price depends on extent of bad areas in NAND
$900–$1,200
3-6 weeks
High complexity
Your NVMe drive's circuit board is severely damaged and requires NAND chip transplant to a donor PCB
NAND swap onto donor PCB. Precision microsoldering and BGA rework required
50% deposit required; donor drive cost additional
50% deposit required
$1,200–$2,500
4-8 weeks
Our "no data, no fee" policy applies to hardware recovery. We do not bill for unsuccessful physical repairs. If we replace a hard drive read/write head assembly or repair a liquid-damaged logic board to a bootable state, the hardware repair is complete and standard rates apply. If data remains inaccessible due to user-configured software locks, a forgotten passcode, or a remote wipe command, the physical repair is still billable. We cannot bypass user encryption or activation locks.
No data, no fee. Free evaluation and firm quote before any paid work. Full guarantee details. NAND swap requires a 50% deposit because donor parts are consumed in the attempt.
iPhone data recovery runs $300–$650 and requires board-level microsoldering to restore power to the encrypted storage subsystem. Flash drive and SD card recovery starts at $200. NAS and RAID recovery is priced per member drive based on its condition, plus a $400-$800 array reconstruction fee. Free diagnostic evaluation on all device types.
Low complexity
Your flash drive or SD card works, you just need the data moved off it
Functional media; data transfer to new storage
Rush available: +$100
$200
3-5 business days
Low complexity
Most Common
Your flash drive or SD card isn't showing up, but it's not physically damaged
File system corruption. Visible to recovery software (R-Studio, UFS) but not to OS
Starting price; final depends on complexity
$300–$600
2-4 weeks
Medium complexity
Your flash drive or SD card has shorted components or won't power on
PCB issues: simple shorts, failed components on the drive's circuit board
May require a donor drive (additional cost)
$600–$900
3-6 weeks
High complexity
Your flash drive or SD card needs physical NAND chip extraction to recover the data
NAND chip extraction via soldering, pin-out identification, and raw data reconstruction
50% deposit required
50% deposit required
$1,200–$1,500
4-8 weeks
Our "no data, no fee" policy applies to hardware recovery. We do not bill for unsuccessful physical repairs. If we replace a hard drive read/write head assembly or repair a liquid-damaged logic board to a bootable state, the hardware repair is complete and standard rates apply. If data remains inaccessible due to user-configured software locks, a forgotten passcode, or a remote wipe command, the physical repair is still billable. We cannot bypass user encryption or activation locks.
No data, no fee. Free evaluation and firm quote before any paid work. Full guarantee details. Chip-off recovery requires a 50% deposit because the extraction process is destructive to the original media.
All prices are plus applicable tax.
Standard complexity
iPhone 5s through iPhone 8 Plus
Older iPhones without Face ID
Single-layer logic board. Simpler power architecture with separate Tristar or Hydra USB controller IC. Fewer board layers to diagnose.
$300–$450
2-7 business days after evaluation; difficult cases may take several weeks
Higher complexity
Most Common
iPhone X, XR, XS, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 series
Face ID models with stacked sandwich board design
Sandwich board architecture (two PCBs soldered together). Hydra USB controller IC. Higher component density increases diagnostic and repair time.
$450–$650
2-7 business days after evaluation; difficult cases may take several weeks to 2 months
Case-by-case
Any model with severe physical or corrosion damage
Severe corrosion, heavy jumper work, long screw damage, or full CPU/NAND/EEPROM transplant
Board separation, extensive trace reconstruction, donor board transplant of cryptographic triad (SoC + NAND + EEPROM), or multi-fault repair across both sandwich layers.
Requires in-person or mail-in evaluation to scope the repair
Quoted after evaluation
Several weeks to 2 months
Our "no data, no fee" policy applies to hardware recovery. We do not bill for unsuccessful physical repairs. If we replace a hard drive read/write head assembly or repair a liquid-damaged logic board to a bootable state, the hardware repair is complete and standard rates apply. If data remains inaccessible due to user-configured software locks, a forgotten passcode, or a remote wipe command, the physical repair is still billable. We cannot bypass user encryption or activation locks.
No data, no fee. Free evaluation and no diagnostic charges. Full guarantee details. All work performed in-house at our Austin, TX lab.
NAS and RAID recovery is priced per member drive (each drive imaged individually based on its condition) plus a $400-$800 array reconstruction fee. When multiple drives in an array need the same type of work, we apply multi-drive discounts so total cost stays reasonable. A 2-drive NAS mirror with logical issues may cost $900-$1,300 total. A 4-bay NAS where every drive needs head swaps does not cost 4x the single-drive price; we quote the array as a package. Full RAID pricing breakdown.
Donor drive cost is additional to the labor fee on head swap, surface damage, and NAND swap tiers. Standard HDD donors run $50 to $150 for common models. Helium HDD donors run $200 to $600 plus $400 to $800 for helium refill. Costs vary by model and are passed through at our purchase price.
We source the cheapest compatible donor available & pass the cost through at our purchase price. Competitor labs that exclude donor costs from their base quote (check the Terms of Service) create a gap between the number on the phone & the number on the invoice. We publish ours here.
| Drive Type | Typical Donor Cost | When It Applies |
|---|---|---|
| Standard HDD | $50–$150 common; $200–$400 rare/high-capacity | Head swap ($1,200–$1,500) & surface damage ($2,000) tiers |
| Helium HDD | $200–$600 + helium refill ($400–$800) | Head swap ($3,000–$4,500) & surface damage ($4,000–$5,000) tiers |
| SATA SSD | $40–$100 common; $150–$300 rare/discontinued | NAND swap ($1,200–$1,500) tier |
| NVMe SSD | $40–$100 common; $150–$300 rare/discontinued | NAND swap ($1,200–$2,500) tier |
The labor fee covers engineering time, imaging, clean bench work, and firmware rebuilds. The donor fee covers the physical part. We list them separately because the donor cost varies by model and availability. Some common 1 TB desktop drives have $50 donors. A discontinued helium enterprise model from 2018 might cost $500+. Bundling these into one number would force us to quote the worst case on every job.
We do not want to pad every quote with worst-case donor pricing when most jobs use a $50-$150 part. We also believe you should see real price ranges before you ship your drive, not a "call for quote" form that tells you nothing.
A large portion of the data recovery industry operates on opaque, call-for-quote pricing with zero published tiers. We think that model exists because it lets companies charge each customer whatever they think that customer will pay. We publish our pricing because we want you to know what you are getting into before you do business with us, not after your drive is already in someone else's hands in another state.
MacBook logic board repair costs $200 to $600 depending on model year. Liquid damage repair runs $250 to $850 for board, keyboard, and trackpad combined. Board-level repairs instead of expensive board replacements. Logic board repairs include a 1-year warranty; liquid damage repairs include a 90-day warranty. No fix, no fee applies.
We don't pay for pay-per-click ads, affiliate kickbacks, or vanity certifications. We use a validated laminar-flow clean bench at 0.02 µm particle filtration instead of an expensive ISO-certified cleanroom. Your invoice reflects engineering time, donor parts, and imaging hours, not marketing overhead.
You will see competitors advertising multi-million-dollar ISO-certified clean rooms with technicians in full spacesuits. For hard drive data recovery, that level of infrastructure is more theater than necessity.
What actually protects your data is a validated laminar-flow clean bench and an image-first workflow. We validate our bench to zero particle count at 0.02 µm and show the proof on video.
See a full breakdown of how we compare to the big-name labs.
Our "no data, no fee" policy applies to hardware recovery. We do not bill for unsuccessful physical repairs. If we replace a hard drive read/write head assembly or repair a liquid-damaged logic board to a bootable state, the hardware repair is complete and standard rates apply. If data remains inaccessible due to user-configured software locks, a forgotten passcode, or a remote wipe command, the physical repair is still billable. We cannot bypass user encryption or activation locks.
All pricing ranges reflect worst-case scenarios. If your repair or recovery is simpler than expected, you pay less. We provide firm quotes after a free evaluation with honest odds of success.
No sales scripts, no pressure. Just an engineer explaining what's wrong, what it takes to fix it, and what it will realistically cost.
| Service | Rossmann | DriveSavers / Big Labs |
|---|---|---|
| Hard drive not detected (firmware) | $600–$900 | $1,500-$3,000 |
| Head swap (standard HDD) | $1,200–$1,500 | $2,500-$4,000+ |
| Head swap (helium drive) | $3,000–$4,500 + helium | $4,000-$7,000+ |
| Logical recovery (deleted files) | $100-$250 | $700-$1,500 |
| SSD data recovery (SATA) | $200–$1,500 | $1,000-$5,000 |
| NVMe SSD data recovery | $200–$2,500 | $1,000-$5,000 |
| iPhone data recovery | $300–$650 | $3,000-$4,000 typical |
| MacBook logic board repair | $200-$600 | $750-$1,600+ (board swap) |
| Evaluation fee | Free | Free (device not opened) |
| Marketing overhead in your bill | $0 | Built into price |
Note on iPhone pricing: Multiple documented cases show DriveSavers quoting $2,800-$3,500 for iPhones with simple hardware problems (bad screens, charge ports) that were not data recovery issues at all. Their free evaluation does not involve opening the device. See our full analysis with evidence.
Louis Rossmann and Jessa Jones of iPad Rehab discuss documented cases of DriveSavers charging $2,700+ for basic iPhone repairs like screen replacements.
Why the difference? We don't bankroll PPC ads, affiliate kickbacks, or vanity certificates. Your invoice reflects engineering time, donor parts, and imaging hours; not marketing overhead and inflated quotes. Read our analysis →
Nationwide Coverage
We serve all 50 states with secure mail-in data recovery. Ship your failed drive to our Austin lab using our free shipping kit, and we'll diagnose it within 24-48 hours. No geographic limitations—we've successfully recovered data for customers from Alaska to Florida.
Tell us about your drive and we'll provide a free diagnostic and firm quote. Mail-in service available from all 50 states.
“Sent my hdd for data recovery, process was simple and I was able to pre-authorize an amount. They worked on my drive within 2 days of receiving it and the total cost was literally 1/10th of the amount of another service I got a quote from. Professional, quick, affordable. Nothing to complain about.”
Andrew Hansen
“Had a raid 0 array (windows storage pool) (failed 2tb Seagate, and a working 1tb wd blue) recovered last year, it was much cheaper than the $1500 to $3500 Canadian dollars i was quoted by a Canadian data recovery service. the price while expensive was a comparatively reasonable $900USD (about $1100 CAD at the time).”
Christopolis
Seagate
“Walked in with my wife's dead hard drive, walked out 20 minutes later with it fixed. They were friendly, professional, did the work in a snap, and saved me the hefty repair prices for other (mail in) hard drive recovery services!”
Patrick Dughi
“USE THIS COMPANY!!!! You will not regret it. Extremely professional and transparent about everything, including cost. I sent my hard drive out for repair with another company that quoted me $1500. for a simple recovery. Rossman did better, faster, and significantly more accurately priced ($1300 less!). I loved everything about the interactions I had with their employees.”
Melissa Hazlett
