Recovering data from a failed solid state drive (SSD) can be a costly process. The average cost of SSD data recovery depends on various factors like the capacity of the drive, the type of failure, and the data recovery method used. Here is an overview of the average costs one can expect when trying to recover data from an SSD.
Factors That Influence SSD Data Recovery Costs
Some of the key factors that determine the cost of recovering data from an SSD include:
- Drive capacity – Larger capacity SSDs often have higher recovery costs
- Cause of failure – Logical failures are easier and cheaper to recover from than physical failures
- Data recovery method – Software tools are cheaper than professional lab recovery services
- Urgency – Expedited or emergency recovery options cost more
- Security – Drives with encryption add complexity and cost to recovery
- Physical damage – Severely damaged drives are more expensive to recover data from
Average Cost By SSD Capacity
The capacity of the SSD is one of the biggest cost factors. Larger drives require more time, equipment and engineering to recover data from. Here are the average price ranges for SSD data recovery by drive capacity:
| SSD Capacity | Average Cost Range |
|---|---|
| 64GB – 256GB | $300 – $1000 |
| 512GB – 1TB | $600 – $2000 |
| 2TB – 4TB | $1200 – $3000 |
| 6TB – 8TB | $2500 – $5000 |
| 10TB+ | $4000 – $10,000+ |
As the table shows, the cost of recovering data from a failed SSD generally scales up with drive capacity due to the increased complexity. While a 256GB SSD may cost $500 – $1000 on average, a 10TB drive could cost between $4000 – $10,000+ to recover depending on the failure type and recovery method used.
Cost By Type of Failure
The type of failure the SSD has experienced is another major cost factor. SSDs can have logical failures or physical failures:
- Logical failures – Where the file system or partitions are corrupted but the physical drive components still work. Logical failures are easier and cheaper to recover from.
- Physical failures – Where the SSD has component failures like failed controller or failed NAND flash memory chips. Physical failures are complex and expensive to recover from.
Here are the average recovery costs for each failure type:
| Failure Type | Average Cost Range |
|---|---|
| Logical Failure | $300 – $2000 |
| Physical Failure | $1000 – $10,000+ |
Even a 1TB drive with only logical errors may cost $1000 or less to recover. But a 1TB drive with physical damage could run from $2500 up to $5000+ to attempt data recovery from professional labs.
Cost By Data Recovery Method
There are a few main methods used to recover data from failed SSDs:
- DIY software recovery – Using software tools like ddrescue, testdisk, photorec, etc. DIY software recovery has no labor fees but success rates can be low.
- Local repair shop – Independent shops offer recovery services at lower hourly rates. But may lack the expertise and tools for SSD recovery.
- Professional data recovery labs – Labs with proprietary methods, engineers and cleanroom facilities. High costs but best success rates.
Here is a comparison of the average costs for each recovery method:
| Recovery Method | Average Cost Range |
|---|---|
| DIY Software | $0 – $300 |
| Local Repair Shop | $300 – $2000 |
| Pro Data Recovery Lab | $1000 – $10,000+ |
DIY software recovery tools offer the cheapest option, but have a lower success rate. Pro labs almost always cost over $1000 but offer the best chance at recovering data from seriously failed drives.
Other Cost Factors
Some other variables that can impact the total charges for SSD data recovery include:
- Expedited fees – For emergency or rush recovery, labs charge premium fees to expedite the process.
- Encryption – If encryption is used, the time and costs to decrypt and recover data increase.
- Clean room – If opening the SSD in an ISO certified cleanroom is required, there are added fees.
- Donor parts – Replacing failed components in the SSD with donor parts adds to the total cost.
Estimating The Total Cost
It’s difficult to give an exact average cost for SSD data recovery since there are many variables. But here are some ballpark estimates:
- Small SSDs with logical failures: $300 – $1500
- Medium SSDs with physical damage: $1500 – $5000
- Large SSDs with severe failure: $5000 – $10,000+
The most cost-effective option is trying DIY software recovery yourself first before sending to a professional lab. Get free evaluations and quotes upfront so there are no surprise fees. Be prepared for costs to easily run over $1000 for physical recovery cases.
Data Recovery Cost Vs Value
The average cost for SSD data recovery can seem expensive. But when critical files have been lost, most users find the recovery costs worthwhile relative to the value of their data.
Photos, financial documents, work files and other irreplaceable data often have high personal or business value. In these cases, spending $2000 – $5000 to successfully recover the SSD data provides an excellent return on investment.
Reduce The Need For Data Recovery
To minimize the chance of an SSD failure leading to costly data recovery scenarios, be sure to:
- Maintain backups of important data in a separate location
- Use cloud syncing services like Dropbox to store copies of key files
- Keep the SSD drive firmware, OS and software updated
- Monitor SSD health stats with tools like S.M.A.R.T.
- Avoid contamination and physical damage/shock to SSD
Conclusion
Recovering lost data from a failed SSD can run from a few hundred to several thousand dollars on average depending on the specific variables of the recovery case. Logic failures allow for lower cost recovery, but physical failures often require expensive professional lab services. To keep data recovery costs low, the best practice is prevention – properly backing up important SSD data.