Disk Drill vs Windows Backup
Disk Drill
cleverfiles.comWindows Backup
support.microsoft.comSide by side
| Figure | Disk Drill | Windows Backup |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $7.42/mo | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 8 | 1 |
| Spec score · Photo recovery software | 9.2 (#2) | 7.9 (#24) |
| Spec score · SD card recovery software | 9.1 (#4) | 7.9 (#26) |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Purpose | Disk Drill scans storage devices to find and recover deleted, lost, or damaged files. | Windows Backup backs up files, themes, settings, installed apps, and Wi-Fi information to help move items to a new PC. |
| Support | CleverFiles says its technical support team operates in CES and EST time zones and provides do-it-yourself recovery support worldwide. | The Windows Backup page provides support instructions and links to Microsoft support topics for OneDrive sync problems and backup settings. |
Plans
Disk Drill
- BasicFree
- PRO Subscription$89 a year
- PRO Lifetime License$149, paid once
- EnterprisePrice not published
- Disk Drill BasicFree
- Disk Drill EnterprisePriced on request
- Disk Drill PRO Lifetime LicensePrice not published
- Disk Drill PRO One-Year SubscriptionPrice not published
In their own words
Disk Drill
Disk Drill scans storage devices to find and recover deleted, lost, or damaged files. It runs on macOS 10.15 or later and Windows 10 or later, and supports internal and external drives, SSDs, USB drives, memory cards, cameras, RAID arrays, virtual disks, and disk images. The free Basic edition scans storage and previews recoverable files; Windows users can recover up to 100 MB without upgrading. PRO provides unlimited data recovery and recovery methods including Quick & Deep Scan and Lost Partition Search. It also covers both supported operating systems under one license, with activation on up to three devices by one user. The free edition includes Recovery Vault metadata protection and byte-level backups. PRO costs $89 a year for an annual subscription or $149 as a one-time purchase for a lifetime license. PRO is for personal use, while Enterprise is listed for multiple users and includes priority technical support and forensic data export. PRO purchases are non-refundable except where consumer protection laws require refunds.
Windows Backup
Windows Backup is a file backup and restore utility included with Windows PCs. It can back up files, themes, settings, installed apps, and Wi-Fi information to help move items to a new PC. Users can sync Desktop, Documents, Pictures, Videos, and Music folders to OneDrive, and choose settings such as accessibility, accounts, personalization, and language preferences. During setup of a new PC or reinstalled Windows, signing in with the same Microsoft account lets users choose a backup to restore. Microsoft Store apps can be restored from their pins; apps not available in the Store link to a web download. The app is intended for personal Microsoft accounts, not work or school accounts. A free Microsoft account includes 5 GB of OneDrive storage, and more can be purchased. Personalization preferences require OneDrive sign-in and available storage. Windows Backup supports Windows 10 and Windows 11; Windows 10 support ended October 14, 2025. The plan costs nothing.