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The 27 best football games of all time

By admin April 7, 2024

The 27 best football games of all time, It’s a sad fact that most of us won’t ever be any good at football. But whether on console or PC, the best games can take you into a fantasy world in which you’re a world beater.

Amazingly, that applies whether you’re controlling a stick figure on an 8-bit computer or a fully realised 3D model with ultra-realistic stubble on a PS5. Seriously – we’ve shed real tears at a line of text on a screen describing how the opposition stick figure has just put us out of the cup.

But then that’s football: it has the power to reduce otherwise sensible people to mere shells of their former selves. And game makers soon realised they were on to something good when they created the first footie sims, because in no time they were flying off the shelf.

The 27 best football games of all time

As a result, there have been hundreds of football games over the years – so many, in fact, that narrowing down our selection to a mere 28 titles was near impossible. Arguments raged across the office – FIFA or Pro Evo? Sensi or Kick Off? – and that’s exactly as it should be. After nearly 30 years, EA and FIFA have now officially cut ties so will EA Sports FC be gracing this list in the future?

Whether you agree or disagree with our list, we hope it’ll spark plenty of memories. Let the arguments begin.

27) Footballer of the Year (1986, ZX Spectrum)

People weren’t sure what to make of this oddball at the time of release. Part management game, part board game, you aimed to take a kid from the old fourth division to the glory of cup finals and Division One.

Success was mostly down to scoring goals in arcade sequences; chances were bought with ‘goal cards’ purchased in-game, and ‘incident cards’ enabled you to delve further into your young player’s life. If this all sounds a bit familiar, FOTY was a big influence on New Star Soccer creator Simon Read…

26) Tracksuit Manager (1988, C64)

We’re not sure how you manage a tracksuit; stupid name aside, this Goliath Games effort was an impressive management game with depth. You arrived just as your team (England by default) had a disastrous World Cup (so, pretty accurate), and had to figure out a road to success.

Highlights were akin to the running commentary you’d today see on a news website, and while that lacked visual impact, it provided plenty of insight into who was providing the goods for your team, and who to send for an early bath.

25) International Soccer (1983, C64)

This C64 classic was the first truly great soccer game. Inspired by the earlier Intellivision Soccer, it utilised a side-on viewpoint, and had two seven-a-side teams battling it out for a chunky, pixelated cup.

Despite creator Andrew Spencer not being a fan of football, he captured the feel of the sport, and squeezed throw-ins, corners and goal-kicks into the cartridge’s tiny memory. It’s also the one football game where you can sometimes head a ball half the length of the field – a bug Spencer noticed but left in because he thought it was funny.

24) Match Day 2 (1987, ZX Spectrum)

Knowing a good thing when they saw it, Jon Ritman and Ocean teamed up for a sequel to Ritman’s original Spectrum smash hit. This time, the players looked a lot like bodybuilders, and the underlying mechanics had been suitably beefed up: along with a far superior deflection system, there was a league format, volleys, flicks and jumping.

Shot strength was determined by a slightly awkward oscillating ‘kickometer’ and the pace was again slow, but this merely made for more strategic play.

23) Behold the Kickmen (2017, Nintendo Switch/PC)

Look, we adore the beautiful game, but sometimes it feels like the sport takes itself a little bit too seriously. Watching a gaggle of shouty adults boot a ball around a field for 90 minutes is hugely entertaining, but it’s also not that important in the grand scheme of things. Behold the Kickmen is here to remind you of that.

This is football as seen through the eyes of someone with absolutely zero interest in the laws and rules of the sport (or physics, for that matter). Kicking, tackling, passing, shooting, and scoring – it’s all here but dialled up to 11 in the most nonsensical way imaginable. In striving to make a complete mockery of football, developer Size Five Games has created one of the most comical and outrageous takes on the sport we’ve ever encountered.

22) Actua Soccer (1995, PS1)

Its name and tagline may have been a shot across Sega‘s bows (“There’s nothing virtual about Actua“), but Gremlin Interactive’s title was noteworthy for more than just a bit of snide trollery: it was the very first console football game to offer fully 3D players. These were motion-capped from Sheffield Wednesday stalwarts Chris Woods, Andy Sinton and Graham Hyde, providing a level of clogger realism never before witnessed on consoles. The original featured only national teams, but a Club Edition featuring all 20 teams from the 96/97 Premier League season was released a year later.

21) Ultimate Soccer Manager (1995, Amiga)

For all of Championship Manager‘s statistical goodness, nothing immersed you in a mid-’90s football world like the USM series. Transfers and team selection almost became minor distractions, as you reclined in your office next to a fax machine and Teletext.

There were advertising deals to negotiate, a stadium complex to build, and even bungs to offer the opposition. Yes, this was the George Graham era, when managers were unimpeachable emperors, and USM put you right on the throne with a hotline to football’s dark side.

20) Pro Evolution Soccer 2017 (2016, PS4/Xbox One)

Having spent years in FIFA’s shadow, Pro Evolution Soccer 2017 finally offered a genuine alternative to EA’s annual juggernaut. PES 2017 was a slower, more considered version of the beautiful game, with less emphasis on beating players for pace and more on patient build-up play, but when everything fell into place and you unlocked a defence the sense of satisfaction was glorious. Its lack of official licenses and a fundamentally flawed online mode still made it very hard to convince most FIFA fans to jump ship, and things seem to have gone backwards since then, but for one short year PES‘s glory days were back.

19) Kick Off (1989, Amiga)

Dino Dini’s 16-bit classic added an ingredient that hadn’t really been seen before in football games: speed. The little players darted about the pitch like they were dosed-up on something decidedly not allowed under FIFA’s code, and the ball was initially impossible to control, given that it didn’t remain glued to your feet.

But once mastered, Kick Off made every other football game suddenly seem dull and dated by comparison, even if it was at times the football game equivalent of juggling bars of soap while riding a unicycle down a hill.

18) World Cup 98 (1997, PS1)

EA’s FIFA series has ruled the football gaming world like some kind of digital Sepp Blatter (before all the dodgy payments stuff), but it wasn’t always thus. Back in 1998 it was merely one of several games vying for the hearts and minds of floppy fringed teens, and it was far from being the best.

The previous edition, 1997’s Road To World Cup 98, had marked a big improvement though – while FIFA had always had the official licences, it finally had the gameplay to go with them too. World Cup 98 built on that in some style, keeping the free-flowing football of the previous title and adding in-game tactical changes.

It was all wrapped up in a slick World Cup skin that no other game at the time came close to, complete with commentary and unlockable classic games. Shame we had to put up with Chumbawamba’s execrable Tubthumping every time it loaded though.

17) Football Manager (1982, ZX Spectrum)

Kevin Toms graced the front of Addictive’s Football Manager cover, enticing you to buy the game with his charm and beard. And what a game it was: on your little Spectrum, you could buy and sell players, pick a team, and watch highlights on pitches with comically large goals.

Today, it all looks a bit primitive (the C64 conversion was at least a bit prettier), and yet its simple gameplay remains surprisingly compelling in an era of over-complicated (micro) management sims. If you fancy a go on your smartphone, check out Toms’s remakes for Android and iOS.

16) Tehkan World Cup (1985, arcade)

Tehkan World Cup wasn’t the first overhead football game (that accolade probably goes to Exciting Soccer), but it was the first to make that viewpoint work. This was a fast game, in part down to the trackball controls, and decent goalies also ensured that matches were often frantic end-to-end battles.

The game very heavily influenced Sensible Software, and more or less came to the C64 in the form of Microprose Soccer, but its legacy was really being the grandfather to the outstanding Sensible Soccer series.

15) New Star Soccer (2012, iOS/Android)

In answering the question “How do you create an in-depth career-long football game for mobile devices?”, New Star Soccer said “You don’t!”, and instead served up a selection of mini-games draped over a basic framework that wasn’t a million miles from 1986’s Footballer Of The Year.

Although a touch IAP-hungry, it became a mobile classic, having you balance a kind of hyper-real version of a young footballer’s life (Buy a car! And now a TANK!) with pitch-based exploits and the demands of a boss, advertisers and a nagging partner.

Its successor, New Star Manager, is more in-depth, but lacks the addictive simplicity of the original.

14) FIFA 10 (2009, PS3/Xbox 360)

Like a footballing version of Rocky Balboa vs Apollo Creed, the FIFA and Pro Evolution Soccer games slugged it out relentlessly throughout the ’00s without either landing a final knockout punch. Pro Evo was generally the better game, but FIFA retained a strong following by virtue of its proper team and player names and presentation nous. But with FIFA 10 that winning uppercut finally connected.

Both games introduced 360-degree player control for the first time in their 2010 editions, but FIFA 10 did it better, allowing you to expertly slide a pass through at just the right angle for your striker to run on to it. Or, more commonly, for you to expertly slide a pass straight to an opposition defender. Coupled with a wealth of game modes – from Be A Pro to Ultimate Team and Manager Mode – FIFA 10 was a more complete footballing experience than any previous title in the series and finally edged ahead of its rival too. And it hasn’t been toppled since.

13) Emlyn Hughes International Soccer (1988, C64)

A spiritual successor to Andrew Spencer’s International Soccer, Emlyn Hughes International Soccer was the last great side-on football game of the 1980s. Brimming with options, advanced players could utilise techniques such as ‘5-direction’ passing, sliding tackles and backheels, all from a joystick with only a single fire button.

The result was the first truly fluid football game, where you could string together some genuinely breathtaking moves. The goalies were still rubbish, though, natch.

12) Retro Goal (2021, Android/iOS)

Retro Goal is by the New Star Soccer folks, and has some similarities, in being a fusion of management and action. However, rather than veering towards management, much more of this game is played out on the pitch. Instead of full games, you play out highlights, using gestural controls (with the aid of Matrix-style slo-mo) to bury the ball in the back of the net.

We’ve seen grumbles that the game is pay-to-win, but we’ve won everything you can win in the game, without doing a Manchester City. You just need some patience, and to power up couple of strikers so they’ve got enough welly. If you’re not sure, you get ten games for free, whereaand even unlocking the entire game costs a pittance.

Retro Goal is a beautiful throwback to the SEGA days of football games and features such star names as Garrido, Hough and Frezza (not actual players, of course). The convenience of being handheld makes it all the better, too. The first 10 matches of Retro Goal can be played for free. Unlocking the rest costs a quid. Barg.

11) FIFA Street (2005, PS2)

There’s something beautifully nostalgic about FIFA Street. For those who played the 4-a-side street football game in 2005, the game conjures up memories of committing devastating flicks and tricks in favelas and English football pitches. It also came with a soundtrack that has seldom been beaten since, bringing the local sounds of soca, grime, jungle and more to global players.

FIFA Street’s newest form, VOLTA, hasn’t managed to live up to the heights of FIFA Street (that is a tough task to achieve, though). But even playing today, FIFA Street still impresses. Few things beat the feeling of nutmegging Ronaldinho before firing a screamer into the top bins, after all.

10) Virtua Striker (1994, Arcade)

Sega’s legendary AM2 team (also responsible for Daytona USA and Virtua Fighter) developed this groundbreaking title – the first football video game in history to use 3D player models. Being available only in arcades, Virtua Striker was designed for fast and furious action over serious simulation, but for those of us who crammed countless coins into the cabinet, it was the most realistic digital appropriation of the beautiful game we’d ever seen.

9) International Superstar Soccer (1994, SNES)

In hindsight, this SNES classic is a bridge between classic-era side-on fare and modern football titles. A predecessor to PES, the original ISS offered a stunning array of moves – everything from feints to shoulder charges – when various buttons were combined.

Visually, it was also leagues beyond the likes of Match Day and International Soccer. Yet for all its gloss and cleverness, what made ISS appeal most was its fun and frantic nature, retaining a very arcade sensibility, in that brief period before sports titles became totally obsessed with a kind of TV-style realism.

8) Football Manager 2011 (2010, PC)

In its divorce with Eidos, Sports Interactive lost the Championship Manager name but carried on creating the only management games still worth playing – and this edition is one of the greatest, adding a full 3D engine that, if you were so inclined, allowed you to watch every single pass, shot, tackle and horrendous goalkeeping error in a match.

Among the other innovations were press conferences – a small detail that served to add colour to an already frighteningly real football universe that featured no fewer than 117 playable leagues.

7) Kick Off 2 (1990, Amiga)

Kick Off 2 looked an awful lot like its predecessor, and it was really a combination of Kick Off and a couple of expansion disks, all carefully refined. But that attention to detail transformed an enjoyable but occasionally uncontrollable knockabout title into a product that demanded a lot more skill.

Along with tournaments, refs with varying moods and – crucially – fewer bugs, this Amiga sequel dropped the pace and boosted the controls, copious use of ‘aftertouch’ enabling you to fashion the kind of dazzlingly audacious shots of which even Matt Le Tissier would have been proud.

6) Sensible Soccer (1992, Amiga)

Sensible Software were fans of Kick Off 2 and football, but were irritated by the former’s shortcomings that didn’t – as they saw it – do justice to the latter. Sensible Soccer was their attempt to bring to gaming the feeling of how you imagined playing professional football would be, coupled with the kind of attention to detail only a true football geek possesses (including correct hair and skin colour for each of the players).

The game zoomed the viewpoint out, showing more of the pitch and enabling it to dispense with a Kick Off-style radar; passing and shooting was simplified and streamlined and everything was done on the frame, making the game extremely responsive. Until sequel SWOS arrived, this was the pinnacle of the genre.

5) ISS Pro Evolution (1999, PS1)

Ah, the Master League: just how many hours have we spent cocooned in your comforting embrace, steadily building up a team of honest pros and turning them into world beaters? Probably several thousand – and that’s no exaggeration. And it was here that it first appeared.

Although at this stage a relatively basic affair, the Pro Evo Master League still bolted a decent career sim on to an already superb football game. You could buy and sell players, but you used points earnt by winning games, rather than money, and there was none of the complicated day-to-day running of the club that you’d have to endure in Championship Manager. Instead, it gave you the chance to shape the team of your dreams, packing it with attacking midfielders if you chose, or instead making sure you had a Mourinho-solid defence.

While the Master League was a great addition to the series, it would have meant nothing if the gameplay hadn’t matched up to it. But in truth ISS Pro Evolution was already creeping ahead of FIFA by this time; it was more realistic yet also more playable – and that’s a winning combination in any game.

4) Championship Manager: Season 97/98 (1997, PC)

Sports Interactive’s series looms like a Colossus over all management games.

Despite being derided by small-minded dullards as a glorified Excel spreadsheet, Championship Manager‘s masterful tactical engine, reams of accurate data (this was the first instalment allowing you to run more than one league simultaneously) and giant player database wove together a rich, convincing football universe that sat parallel to our own – and it fired the imagination like no other game around.

And it was so, so addictive: the game’s official forums were full of tales of lives all but lost to Champ’s particular brand of “just one more game”-itis, or grown men so proud of taking a lower league team to the FA Cup final that they would don a suit for the occasion.

3) FIFA 21 (2020, PS4/Xbox One)

Recent FIFA games have been all about tweaking a winning formula rather than any major overhauls, but considering the series has been building from a leading position since FIFA 10, that’s no bad thing.

While FIFA 21 only makes very minor changes to its predecessor and certainly isn’t without its faults – defending is very much a secondary concern to scoring goals, there’s far too much showboating online, and goalkeepers punch so often they must all be wearing buttered gloves – it remains the best virtual approximation of the beautiful game.

2) Pro Evolution Soccer 5 (2005, PS2)

There are times in popular culture when a thing – band, TV series, game, whatever – reaches such a peak, you think it can’t possibly stay there. But then it does – for year after year after year. The Simpsons did that from about season 3 to season 9, for instance, but it’s pretty rare. Well, Pro Evolution Soccer managed the same feat.

That its standards did eventually drop was inevitable, but it doesn’t make the glory years from 2002-2005 any less special. We could have picked any of the four games from Pro Evo 2 to Pro Evo 5 and made a case for its inclusion. Frankly, we could have had all of them in this list. But that would be silly, so instead we’ve picked the probable highest point in a series of very high ones.

What made it so special? Just… everything. The Master League had by now developed into a proper four-division set-up, with promotion, relegation and a Champions League equivalent and there were even, finally, proper player names. On the gameplay side, it was as fluid and playable as football games get. Not quite as frantically insane as Sensible Soccer, not quite as gloriously detailed as FIFA 18, but instead a wonderful mid-way between the two extremes.

You could score screamers from 40 yards or tap-ins after a goalmouth scramble. You could waltz through five tackles, if you had a skillful enough player, but you couldn’t get away with just running the ball into the net. In short, it was beautifully balanced.

It couldn’t last, of course – but boy was it fun while it did.

1) Sensible World Of Soccer (1994, Amiga)

Almost 30 years young, SWOS is still top of the league. It took everything that was great about Sensible Soccer and just ran with it. You got the same fantastic arcade-oriented gameplay, but the title comprehensively acknowledged the rest of the world’s existence, with the kind of slavish devotion of a true footballing aficionado.

Management features and player trading were boosted by the inclusion of a whopping 1500 teams and 27,000 players. It should have been the start of something great, but SWOS was somehow allowed to be eclipsed by FIFA and PES. Still, dedicated fans keep the flame alive with leagues, events, and patched versions of the game that incorporate modern data – the wonderful, crazy nutters.

Can it compete with FIFA for realistic gameplay or Football Manager for exhaustive statdom? No, obviously not. And for many people, the classic mid-’00s era Pro Evo beats it as an all-round football game; it’s definitely split this office at any rate.

But for sheer “JUST LOOK AT THAT GOAL! THAT WAS LIQUID FOOTBALL!” joy, it will never be bettered. Go on, then, just one more game.

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Artificial Intelligence

Best Free AI Content Generator 2024

By admin February 21, 2024

If you want to save yourself the hassle, here are some of the most viable alternatives as the best free AI content generator tool that you can try for content creation with ease in 2024.

AI or artificial intelligence is advancing by the hour. This is the technology of the future that promotes automation along with machine learning and other growth-stimulating strategies that reduce the workload of humans. Different AI tools are gaining popularity rapidly because of the ease of access they offer, paired with reliability.

A lot of users take the help of AI to generate content for blogs, articles, posts, and various other purposes. These content generators help in saving the time and effort of the user and get things done when facing a deadline or otherwise. We have curated this list of tools that will help you with content creation. Use any best free AI content generator you want but first, we suggest you go through the entire list of tools for better decision making

Best Free AI Content Generator: What Is It?

A relatively new type of software called an AI content generator may assist you in producing high-quality, SEO-friendly articles, blog posts, and more. The top artificial intelligence (AI) content generators provide wholly unique material that ranks highly, has high interaction, and boosts your traffic.

The best free AI content generator can produce hundreds of pieces of material each day in only a few minutes, and they also have a human touch. But, before it is published, users also have the option to alter each piece of material. This implies that in addition to receiving a big quantity of high-quality articles, you will also receive content that is pertinent to your audience and will thus perform higher in search engines like Google.

Based on supplied keywords or subjects, the best free AI content generator generates original, fresh, and high-quality material. In place of doing manual keyword research, it may be utilized to locate pertinent subjects for your website. Nevertheless, rather than detailed analytical assessments, these tools work better for general themes.

Indeed, there are situations when artificial intelligence content is of poor quality. You shouldn’t let the AI content writer produce all of your material, as a result. Artificial intelligence-generated material is only a workaround for writer’s block. It goes without saying that the majority of information produced with AI should be fact-checked and modified.

Which is the Best Free AI Content Generator in 2024?

The coming sections of this article will list and describe the features and advantages of the top best free AI content generator. Try any of these tools as required and get things done perfectly.

1. Copy.AI

The finest free AI tool for content development is Copy AI, which lets you quickly and easily create a variety of forms of articles and posts. Copy AI was established in 2020 with the goal of assisting content producers using AI-powered writing tools that encompass over 90 different content kinds.

Copy AI is one of the most renowned and esteemed AI writing tools, with four million+ subscribers, including marketers, marketing agencies, copywriters, freelancers, and many other enterprises. The top Google results are scraped by this technology to produce accurate content. Chat Copy.ai provides factual responses and displays the sources it used.

This is the best free AI content generator tool that may be used to produce excellent material for a variety of platforms, including your websites, social network accounts, digital ads, blogs, e-Commerce, and sales. The most advanced AI language tool is used by Copy AI to boost your skills and aid in the creation of amazing content.

Top Features of CopyAI

• Blogs- Copy.AI generates a whole blog with just the title of your topic, including the primary keyword. The first draft will then be generated by Copy AI, and all you have to do is review the content outline and other essential talking points.

• Rewriter Tool – This option can rewrite a piece of text for you once you’ve written it and have decided on the tone.

• Over 90 Different Web Content Types – Produce over 90 different types of content.

• Use ChatGPT’s strength while adding factual content.

• Generator for Blog Article Ideas You can access a wealth of alternatives by simply typing in a title or a brief description for this blog.

• Passive-Active – This is the best free AI content generator and a smart tool that transforms any sentence from the passive voice to the active voice.

• Use the tool to create email subject content that promotes your company’s name, goods, and services.

• There are more than 25 languages available for you to select from.

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2. Simplified

Your in-depth articles’ quality can be greatly improved by a Simplified AI writer. Using this free artificial intelligence writer, you may create powerful books, blogs, articles, and whatnot. Also, you can generate text using more than 50 cases.

This is the best free AI content generator that has a content rewriter, along with its other helpful AI functions, which can swiftly replace your current material with a new, more captivating copy. There are more than 10 various ways you can communicate, including formal, conversational, and hilarious.

There are additional benefits to Simple beyond its role as an AI helper. Use it to make photos, edit and animate films, or post content to social media – it’s free! Simplified distinguishes itself from this competition by resizing information and images quickly. You can modify your templates by adding pictures and using filters, as well as by altering the hue, brightness, and saturation.

If you lack any previous experience, that’s okay. Because of the best free AI content generator’s extensive library of attractive, editable templates, visual properties, pictures, and videos, you won’t need to start from zero while creating your project.

Top Features of Simplified

• Using free options like a background remover, an AI picture generator, and others, you may create and alter graphics.

• Video editing – Using Simplified tens of thousands of video templates, make videos for any social media network with this best free AI content generator.

• Compose up to 3,000 words.

• Social media posts: Post to all of your social accounts and schedule it.

• Text-to-speech – Add automated voice-overs to your films to elevate them to a new level.

• Multiple AI templates can generate captivating copy for multiple marketing channels, landing pages, smart websites, advertising, emails, and many more.

• This is an amazing time-saving alternative for creating articles, essays, blogs, and other types of writing.

• Grammarly Integration – By quickly checking your work for errors in spelling, grammar, and punctuation, anyone can relax knowing it is error-free.

• Over 30 languages – Develop multilingual content.

• Create captivating Instagram reels by using video templates for Instagram.

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3. Writesonic

Several content marketing strategists utilize Writesonic, amongst the top businesses in the writing sector. Also, the best AI art producer that they offer is Photosonic. You may generate free AI content for certain words per month using this best free AI content generator. Writesonic’s words are categorized into 4 categories named Economy, Good, Average, and Premium. You will receive 2500 words each month if you select Premium.

You may use different templates, landing pages creator, AI blog writer options, as well as many extensions, with Writesonic’s free plan.

The AI content generator from Writesonic may be used to produce material for blogs, social media, effective ads, and other platforms.

Several useful copywriting tools & features are principally responsible for its enormous popularity. Moreover, Writesonic uses the GPT-3 language learning model with AI technology for the production of content, enabling you to create fresh material with only a single click.

Top Features of WriteSonic

• A conclusion, intro, and other blog parts may all be created using the AI Article Writer’s blog generator of this best free AI content generator.

• Writesonic offers multiple writing tools, including many for copywriting. These programs may generate high-quality material for advertisements, social media postings, descriptions, and other uses.

• Content optimization – Writesonic offers a grammar checker, summarizer, expander, rephraser, and readability checker in addition to the normal text production tools.

• GPT-3 – Writesonic makes use of GPT-3 from OpenAI. Using the same, you can produce convincing content that sounds more human.

• Supports over 25 Languages – You can write copy in a variety of languages.

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4. Rytr

Millions of marketers, copywriters, and company owners of well-known businesses in the world utilize and adore Rytr to assist them to develop content. It is regarded by many contractors as the best free AI writer with user-friendly UI and competitively priced.

This best free AI content generator platform creates unique and pertinent content for several sectors using a sophisticated AI language. Over 30 languages are offered for users to receive material in.

In addition to other options, Rytr leverages the scientific copywriting formulae AIDA and PAS to create high-quality results that require little to zero editing. You can ensure that your writing is unique thanks to its built-in plagiarism detection.

Top Features of Rytr

• Blog Posts – Rytr’s simple long-format content generator lets you create comprehensive blog posts and articles.

• Blog Ideas Generator – Use our free AI article writer to generate content ideas or outlines for your posts.

• 40+ Templates – Increases writing productivity.

• Make your work stand out with the help of formatting options so that people will like it.

• The AI helps you convey the perfect message to the reader with 20+ Tones of Speech.

• Scientific Copywriting – Your material will be polished, which will lessen the requirement to update it.

• Write outstanding SEO content descriptions and choose the best keywords with the help of the SEO analyzer. All this is free with the best free AI content generator.

• Text Editing – Your text’s sentences or paragraphs are automatically written by the AI text completer.

• Free of plagiarism content Use Rytr’s plagiarism detection tool to ensure that your writing is always unique.

• Integrations – Access your chosen programs, including Shopify & WordPress, via the Rytr API.

• You’ll finish your emails, blogs, and social updates more quickly with this Chrome extension.

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5. QuillBot

Quillbot, a content rewriting tool, has helped millions of people rewrite the existing text in a variety of ways while ensuring the right phrasing, tone, plus style in every situation. When you use this best free AI content generator, you type your words in input boxes, and its sophisticated artificial intelligence analyzes them to provide the finest possible paraphrase. You can use the tool again if you’re unhappy with the outcome.

A high-level text summary and essential points are highlighted in Quillbot’s AI summary option, which searches through emails, papers, and news items in addition to the paraphraser.

Top Features of QuillBot

• Enhancing Your Vocabulary – By adding new terms and synonyms to the vocabulary, you’ll be able to write more creatively and coherently.

• Summarizing Tool – Offers one text summary option that you may use right away to gain a brief overview of the key ideas in your topic.

• Thesaurus with AI – Your text should have appropriate synonyms for every word, which you may use by simply clicking on the term in question and selecting the perfect one from this list quite easily.

• Grammar Checker: When you’ve completed writing an article, this best free AI content generator swiftly evaluates it for mistakes in word choice, grammar, punctuation, spelling, and other aspects so that may improve them.

• The following is a collection of some of the most common questions we get asked about our services. It’s easy to create citations in APA, MLA, and Chicago styles.

• Tool for Counting Words and Characters – Provides information related to words & characters in the output.

• Integrations and Extensions – Quillbot is compatible with Chrome Extensions, Google Docs, & Microsoft Word. Use the free Quillbot addon instead of having to switch tabs every time paraphrasing is required.

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6. WriteCream

Writecream is an AI content authoring tool that offers a flawless long-form editor with various formatting possibilities. You have the ability to create whole articles as though you were using Google Docs or any expert text editor. In addition, this best free AI content generator aid offers other capabilities like “expand,” “rewrite,” and “paraphrase” when highlighting any word inside the editor. The AI writer from Writecream makes it simple and straightforward to write and modify your stuff.

Writecream is a tool for creating blog articles as well as for copywriters that want short-form material for things like LinkedIn, Google, and Facebook advertisements, email, blog ideas, and much more. Also, a 4-step AI article writer is included; all you need to do is enter the topic; the AI will take care of the rest.

Top Features of WriteCream

• Create all kinds of original material for free using the free content generator (up to 10,000 words per month).

• Short-form Content – Provide material for several use cases, including Quora responses, Quora product descriptions, SEO, and advertising.

• When you’ve highlighted your content, use the Rewrite Tool of this best free AI content generator to effectively rewrite it.

• Text-to-audio: Convert any blog post to an audio file by selecting from more than 40 voices (multi-lingual). You may produce podcasts and videos for YouTube to reach a larger audience.

• Use Writecream on the move with their mobile app, which is accessible on both Android and iOS.

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Best Free AI Content Generator: Summing Up

The ability of AI copywriting generators to produce material at scale is no longer a mystery. With AI, these technologies enable you to produce high-quality content more quickly. While there may be numerous benefits to this, such as overcoming writer’s block, it may also start to result in an increase in the amount of low-quality content on the Internet.

Remind yourself that these AI technologies are only aides. The judgment and discernment of the individual using the AI writer tool are crucial if you want to produce writing of the highest caliber. In light of this, trying out and experimenting with these top free AI content-generation tools is always enjoyable. We only included the best free AI content generator alternatives that provide a free plan for a lifetime, despite the fact that there are other alternative content production tools like Jasper AI.

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The best phones to buy in 2024

By admin February 3, 2024

The best phones to buy in 2024, Fivu has tested just about every major smartphone released over the past year, including foldable Androids and the latest iPhone and Samsung Galaxy models. These are our picks for the best phones.

We’re in the early days of 2024, which means we’re at the start of another year of new phones expected from most of the big manufacturers. Samsung kicked off the year by unveiling its new Galaxy S24 line, the company’s first to build in generative AI features like real-time call translation.

Below, I’ve compiled the definitive list of top phones you can buy right now, based on over a year’s worth of hands-on testing. My pick for the best phone overall goes to Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra for its immersive and vibrant display, reliable battery life, and wealth of special features, including generative AI.

The best phones of 2024

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

Best phone overall

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra specs: Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 | Display size: 6.8 inches | Storage options: Up to 1TB | Rear cameras: 200MP main, 12MP ultrawide, 50MP telephoto (5x), 10MP telephoto (3x) | Front camera: 12MP | Battery: 5,000mAh

Samsung’s newly-released Galaxy S24 line is the first to go all-in on AI, and the S24 Ultra is the most premium phone you can buy. The new Galaxy AI model embedded in the device brings a number of generative capabilities, including real-time phone call translations, the ability to circle an object on screen to perform an image-based Google search, AI-assisted photo editing and transcriptions, and a Chat Assist feature for figuring out how to phrase a message in different tones.

Like its predecessor the S23 Ultra, the S24 Ultra is built with a large 6.8-inch AMOLED display and a reliable 5,000mAh battery. Though the price has gone up to $1,299 ($100 more than the S23 Ultra), the phone’s upgrades make it well worth it: The S24 Ultra is made of a lightweight yet durable titanium frame, compared to last year’s aluminum, and features Corning’s new Gorilla Armor. It feels lighter in the hand, noticeably grippier, and more durable.

Under the hood, it includes an upgraded Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset for improved graphics and AI features, 12GB RAM (an increase from last year’s 8GB), and 2,600 nits of brightness — a big improvement over last year’s 1,750. The four-camera system also got an upgrade, with a 50MP telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom for higher-quality shots of distant objects, sharper images, and clearer shots in dimly-lit environments.

iPhone 15 Pro Max

Best iPhone overall

iPhone 15 Pro Max specs: Processor: A17 Pro | Display size: 6.7 inches | Storage options: Up to 1TB | Rear cameras: 48MP main, 12MP ultrawide, 12MP telephoto (2x), 12MP telephoto (5x) | Front camera: 12MP

The new iPhone 15 Pro Max offers everything a premium flagship smartphone should, including a brilliant 6.7-inch AMOLED display for all the media consumption — and mobile productivity, of course.

This year’s model also looks and feels different than any prior Pro Max devices, as it’s made of titanium instead of stainless steel and, therefore, significantly lighter in the hand. This makes the iPhone 15 Pro Max noticeably more comfortable to use.

Another major feature of the iPhone 15 Pro Max is the USB-C connector; particularly, one that supports faster charging and data transfers, the ability to charge other devices including the Apple Watch from your iPhone, and the ability to connect to an external 4K monitor. These benefits are game-changing for professional content creators.

The iPhone 15 Pro Max also features a new 5x zoom camera lens — the equivalent of a 120mm focal length on a mirrorless or DSLR camera. A new Action button lets you better customize shortcuts and easily open the apps you need, including firing up the camera with a press-and-hold. And the A17 Pro chip rounds out the year’s upgrades, offering improved graphical performance.

Apple is charging you more for this year’s iPhone 15 Pro Max, with a starting price that’s now been bumped up to $1,199. In turn, the device comes with a base storage of 256GB.

The best phones to buy in 2024

Google Pixel 8 Pro

Best camera phone

Google Pixel 8 Pro features: Processor: Google Tensor G3 | Display size: 6.7 inches | Storage options: 128GB/256GB/512GB/1TB | Rear cameras: 50MP main, 48MP ultrawide, 48MP telephoto | Front camera: 10.8MP

When it comes to camera performance, you really can’t go wrong with any of the flagship devices from the big three (Apple, Samsung, and Google). Depending on your preference for color temperature and feature set, you may lean towards one manufacturer over the other. But more often than not, it’s Google’s Pixel camera system that satisfies the most users, and the latest Pixel 8 Pro remains a champion both for instant capturing and post-processing.

This year’s model features a reliable triple lens setup, with a 50MP primary lens, a 48MP ultrawide that’s notably more capable at capturing macro and close-up photos, and a 48MP telephoto lens for far-distance shots. Should you want more granular control over the Pixel 8 Pro’s camera quality, there’s now a series of Pro controls that allow you to tweak settings like the exposure and shutter speed.

But real-time capturing is only half the battle with mobile photography; there’s also post-processing and how flexible devices are with editing and tweaking subjects around. To that regard, the Pixel 8 Pro may just have the most flexible and creative photo toolbox on the market, with AI features like Magic Eraser, Photo Unblur, and Best Take that can turn any bad photo into a good one.

OnePlus Open

Best tablet-style foldable phone

OnePlus Open features: Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 | Display size: 6.3 inches and 7.8 inches | Storage options: 512GB | Rear cameras: 48MP main, 48MP ultrawide, 64MP telephoto| Front camera: 32MP (outer) and 20MP (inner)

The number of foldable phones on the market this year basically quintupled compared the 2022, thanks to the collective effort of just about every manufacturer, including Google with its Pixel Fold, Motorola with its Razr lineup, and OnePlus with the OnePlus Open. While Samsung has held the reins of the best foldable honor for years, I’m giving the top spot this year to the OnePlus Open.

Unlike its competitors, the OnePlus Open strikes the best balance of weight-to-size ratio. When folded, the phone is as light as an iPhone Pro Max, and when unfolded, it expands into a thin slate of visual goodness. OnePlus leverages the 7.8-inch display by offering some of the most intuitive multitasking features I’ve tested, headlined by “Open Canvas”. With it, you can open up to three apps at once, and as you tap into each one, the other one or two will tuck itself to the side, ready to reappear when needed.

The triple camera setup, while presented in a casing that sticks out more than I’d prefer, captures spectacular photos and videos, with an emphasis on blue and orangish hues that cinematographers and photography buffs know and love. By nature of the foldable form factor, the Open is also capable of taking hands-free selfies and group photos.

OnePlus got the fundamentals down pat with the Open, too, including 65W fast charging capabilities (with a charger in the box) that blow past Samsung and Google’s foldable standards, a base configuration of 16GB RAM and 512GB storage, and a crease-less inner display. The cherry on top for me is its $1,699 price tag, with OnePlus offering $200 off when you trade in any phone in any condition.

Motorola Razr Plus

Best flip-style foldable phone

Motorola Razr Plus features: Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 | Display size: 3.6 inches and 6.9 inches | Storage options: 256GB | Rear cameras: 12MP main, 13MP ultrawide | Front camera: 32MP

Flip phones have made a (somewhat) triumphant return, even if teenagers and young adults are opting for the dumber option of the two types. The Motorola Razr Plus marks the return of the old-school handset, or as I put it in my full review, “a return to form, modernizing a classic flip phone into one of today’s best foldables.”

With the new Razr Plus, Motorola has equipped the outer cover of the phone with a 3.6-inch display. Besides doubling as a rear-camera viewfinder, the external display basically serves as a secondary, smaller phone. You’re able to run the same apps and services that you would on the inner 6.9-inch panel, including making phone calls, text messaging, watching TikToks, and playing games. The same can be achieved with the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5, though you’d have to jump through a loophole or two.

The foldable form factor of the Razr Plus ultimately lends itself to an improved camera experience. Since you’re able to flex the display at an upright angle, it’s easier to get everyone in the frame for group photos, take selfies, and capture long-exposure shots that would typically require a tripod or mounting accessory.

Samsung Galaxy A54 5G

Best budget phone

Samsung Galaxy A54 5G features: Processor: Exynos 1380 | Display size: 6.3 inches | Storage options: 128GB | Rear cameras: 50MP main, 12MP ultrawide, 5MP macro| Front camera: 32MP

Believe it or not, Samsung’s best-selling smartphone last year was not one of its S-series or foldable devices, rather it was the humble Galaxy A53 5G, which delivered an uncompromising phone experience with a smooth-scrolling screen, reliable battery, and up to five years of software support. The device was priced at just $449, undercutting its more premium competitors and heavy-handedly beating Apple’s own mid-range handset, the iPhone SE.

This year’s A54 5G ticks just as many boxes as its predecessor but with a series of subtle yet useful upgrades. For example, the display is still a large 6.4-inch panel that ramps up to 120Hz refresh rate, but now shines at 1,000 nits of brightness (from 800 nits), the battery size is still a healthy 5,000mAh capacity, and the unit is now powered by an Exynos 1380 chipset. That’s a minor bump from last year’s Exynos chip, but a bump nonetheless.

The Galaxy A54 also features an exterior design that’s more in line with Samsung’s S-series phones and a new camera system that’s headlined by a 50-megapixel main lens. From our testing, the photo results — both in daytime and nighttime — were evenly lit and sharpened just enough for you to share with others with confidence. Video capturing is capped at 4K, though the 128GB internal storage that can be expanded via MicroSD card should be ample enough for use.

OnePlus 11

Best fast-charging phone

OnePlus 11 features: Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 | Display size: 6.7 inches | Storage options: Up to 256GB | Rear cameras: 50MP main, 48MP ultrawide, 32MP telephoto| Front camera: 16MP

A slow-charging phone can be a real pain point, especially if you’re always on the go. That’s why the OnePlus 11 carves out its own best category, beating Apple, Google, and even Samsung when it comes to charging speed. The latest model comes with 100W SuperVooc fast charging or 80W in the US, which is still great.

For reference, the highest-end iPhone 15 Pro Max has a charging speed limit of 30W and Samsung’s Galaxy S23 Ultra caps out at 45W. From ZDNET’s testing and comparisons, both of those devices take a least an hour to go from 0% to 75% battery, falling noticeably short of the OnePlus 11’s numbers.

In less than 27 minutes, the OnePlus can go from empty to full. That charging speed, and the fact that OnePlus includes its proprietary charger in the box, put it a step above the rest.

The best part is that the rest of the phone is no slouch either; you’re getting a 6.7-inch AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, a 5,000mAh dual-cell battery, and a competitive triple-camera array that gets the job done. In total, OnePlus is charging you a starting rate of $699, which is just as good of a value pickup as the best budget smartphone on this list.

Asus Zenfone 10

Best compact phone

Asus Zenfone 10 features: Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 | Display size: 5.9 inches | Storage options: Up to 512GB | Rear cameras: 50MP main, 13MP ultrawide | Front camera: 32MP

There’s no denying that, over the past five years, smartphones have become more and more unwieldy. Apple now offers Plus and Max-sized iPhones, Samsung has an “Ultra” beast, and even Google has a foldable that opens up to 7.6 inches. On the other end of the spectrum sits the Asus Zenfone 10, a device that deviates from the norm in favor of ergonomics and in-hand comfort, and the decision pays off.

Like last year’s Asus Zenfone 9, which I called “the iPhone Mini alternative for Android enthusiasts,” the newest model features a compact 5.9-inch AMOLED display, all the power you’d need in a modern-day phone thanks to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, and two capable cameras on the rear.

The battery life on the Asus holds up surprisingly well, too, with my review unit recording nearly two days of usage before hitting 0%. Some smaller yet significant details to note include the 3.5mm headphone jack on top, a physical side-mounted fingerprint sensor, and a texturized back cover that looks and feels great in the hand.

What is the best phone?

Our pick for the best phone overall is the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra. It features everything you could want from a smartphone including a large display, four cameras that can shoot 200MP photos and 8K video, up to 1TB of storage, a built-in S Pen for writing and drawing, and a 5,000mAh battery powering the system. Here’s how the S23 Ultra fares with the rest of our top picks.

Which phone is right for you?

Choosing a phone can be a daunting task. But having a list of your must-have features can go a long way toward narrowing down your options. If you’re a mobile professional or travel a lot for work, you’ll want to choose a phone that can provide you with at least a full day of use on a full battery as well as both LTE and Wi-Fi connectivity.

If you’re looking for your teen’s first smartphone, a budget-friendly and less feature-heavy option may be better to prevent overspending as well as misuse. And if you’re a content creator or other creative professional, you’ll want a phone with an excellent front and rear camera to capture photos and videos for your social media feed.

Choose this best phone…	If you want…
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra	A no-compromise smartphone that virtually any type of user can take advantage of. It’s the only 2024 smartphone with a built-in stylus.
iPhone 15 Pro Max	The best iPhone money can buy. It has a large screen, the longest-lasting battery out of all the models, and a toolbox of a camera system.
Google Pixel 8 Pro	A flagship camera experience at your fingertips. The Pixel 8 Pro differentiates itself with a slew of AI-powered camera tricks like Magic Editor and Best Take.
OnePlus Open	The best phone-to-tablet foldable that money can buy. And if you’re a power user, the multitasking and charging features especially will serve you well.
Motorola Razr Plus	A flip-style foldable that’s both compact and performant. With a large 3.6-inch external display and the market’s first dust-resistant build, this is the foldable to buy for most people.
Samsung Galaxy A54 5G	A more budget-friendly smartphone that doesn’t compromise on performance and battery life. The A54 5G is also eligible for up to five years of software and security updates, besting that of any phone of a similar price.
OnePlus 11	A phone that lasts long and charges from 0% to 100% in just 30 minutes. The OnePlus 11 is quietly good value, too, starting at $699.
Asus Zenfone 10	A compact phone that’s easy to pocket but doesn’t compromise on performance and specs. The Zenfone 10 is also competitively priced, starting at $699.

How did we choose these phones?

The process to make our phone selections includes real-world testing and researching about the phones for weeks, consulting with colleagues, industry experts, and analysts who also have hands-on experience with the smartphones, and then selecting the best from all of the available choices.

Ultimately, we weigh in the following aspects when curating this list:

Design: There’s only so much you can do with a slab design, but size differences, material choices, color options, and even the ability to bend a screen in half give shoppers enough diversity to have a preference. That’s why we have a recommendation for every form factor.
Performance: For many, smartphones are the center of our lives, which means the best ones are performant and can handle most, if not all, tasks you throw at them.
Camera: Arguably the most valuable feature of a smartphone; the consistency and reliability of a camera system can make or break the overall mobile experience. We test every device in broad daylight and in the darkest of nights when finalizing this list.
Battery: Every option in this guide should last you at least a day of moderate use. We also take into consideration what devices support fast charging and/or wireless charging.
Value: Price points are noted, but the most important thing with buying a phone is getting your money’s worth. With these picks, you can rest assured that you’re getting the best bang for your buck.

Which phone has the best camera?

It’s debatable between the iPhone 15 Pro Max, Google Pixel 8 Pro, and Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra. For long-distance shots, Samsung’s 200MP rear camera with 100x Space Zoom can capture subjects as far out as the moon. For point-and-shoot pictures and a rather simplified (but effective) camera experience, Google’s Pixel phones have always been at the top. If you’re a videographer at heart, then the iPhone 15 Pro, with Cinematic mode and Action mode, makes for an excellent tool to get the shots you need.

How long should a phone battery last?

The average phone battery gives you about 22 hours of use on a full charge, which is great for staying connected on your commutes, work flights, and at home in the evenings. But that’s just the average, actual use time varies by phone model and by what you’re using your phone for.

For example, the latest iPhone 15 Pro Max boasts a 29-hour battery life. But you’ll most certainly get less than that if you habitually scroll through social media or stream video and music. And the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 has just a nine-hour battery life, which is further reduced by streaming, social media, and making calls.

How much storage should my phone have?

Most smartphones have a base storage capacity of 128GB, which is plenty of space for average users to download apps and music, take photos, and shoot videos. However, if you’re a mobile or creative professional, you’ll need more space. Many smartphones have expanded storage options up to 512GB or even 1TB, and you can always sync your phone to your preferred cloud storage service to free up local storage space.

Which phones are also worth considering?

If you’re in the market for a new smartphone, there are tons of options out there. Whether you’re looking to upgrade or get your first smartphone, Apple, Samsung, and OnePlus have great choices:

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Best outdoor security cameras 2024

By admin January 8, 2024

Best outdoor security cameras 2024, If you’re shopping for the best outdoor security cameras of 2024, you’ll want to find something that’s weatherproof, captures high-quality footage, and works well at night. It’s also important to consider your budget and ongoing subscriptions that may be required to access premium features such as cloud saving and person detection.

Regardless of your budget, there’s an outdoor security camera that’ll fit your needs. From premium products crafted by Ring to budget-friendly options like those from Wyze, there are dozens of well-reviewed models that are perfect for protecting your home.

In fact, some of the best outdoor security cameras also double as floodlights, allowing you to light up your yard. Others are wireless for easy installation, while a handful require wired connections (though this allows for continuous monitoring).

Below, you’ll find a list of the best outdoor security cameras of 2024. You can’t go wrong with any of them, but each one caters to a specific audience and budget, so take a closer look at each to figure out which is best for your home.

John Velasco / Digital Trends

Arlo Pro 4

Best outdoor security camera

The Arlo Pro 3 was our pick for the best outdoor security camera for some time, but after testing the Arlo Pro 4, it brings a couple of new additions that help it earn our top pick. Just like its predecessor, it packs 2K video resolution and a wide 160-degree viewing angle. Also included are a weatherproof camera with color night vision, a built-in LED spotlight, and a built-in siren that can alert you to danger.

What makes this model superior is the fact that it no longer is tethered to a hub in order to talk with your home’s Wi-Fi network. You won’t need it this time, which certainly streamlines the setup process. And best of all, not only does it perform as exquisitely as the Arlo Pro 3 when it comes to safeguarding your home, but it now boasts a lower starting cost of $200 for a single camera, whereas the Arlo Pro 3 started at $500 for a 2K camera system.

The Arlo Pro 4 includes a three-month free trial of Arlo Smart, which gives you access to advanced features like 30 days of recording history, activity zones, enhanced 911 calling, and advanced detection features.

Best outdoor security cameras 2024

.Arlo

Arlo Pro 5S 2K

Best premium outdoor security camera

Pros

• Captures 2K footage

• Low Power mode extends battery life

• Impressive 160-degree field of view

Cons

• Expensive

• Very similar to the more-affordable Arlo Pro 4

The Arlo Pro 5S 2K doesn’t cut any corners. Featuring a camera that captures 2K video, a wide field of view, sleek design, and color night vision, few products can match its performance. Unfortunately, all those features come at a price, as the Arlo Pro 5S 2K clocks in at $250.

That makes it one of the most expensive security cameras on this list, but if money is no object, it deserves a closer look. Not only does it offer every feature found on our beloved Arlo Pro 4, but it also features Dual-Band Wi-Fi for simplified installation, SecureLink Connectivity that allows it to stay protected during power outages, and a Low Power Mode that offers a 30% boost to battery life.

But beyond those features, it’s eerily similar to its cheaper sibling. Still, if you need an outdoor security camera that’s as cutting-edge as possible, you can’t do better than the Arlo Pro 5S.

Wyze Cam v3

Best budget outdoor security camera

Night vision is a vital feature for every outdoor security cam — you don’t want the darkness to hide any detail, especially if something like a break-in happens. While our top cam picks include various kinds of night vision, Wyze’s indoor/outdoor cam is particularly notable thanks to its Starlight Sensor, which can record night-time video in full color for users.

This wired cam includes all the other smart features that make Wyze’s cams a great pick, including a motion and sound sensor for alerts, detection zones, sensitivity settings that you can tweak for best results, and two-way audio for communication. It’s also compatible with Alexa and Google Assistant and is friendly with IFTTT if you’d like to set up complex routines based on the alerts the cam gives you.

The Wyze Cam v3 also has one of the best free video storage options around, with a 14-day cloud storage option for video clips at zero cost. There’s also an SD card slot for local storage if you prefer that method. While it’s an indoor/outdoor cam, you don’t need to worry: All the outdoor IP65 resistances are included for all types of weather.

Ring Spotlight Cam Pro

Best wireless outdoor security cam

Amazon‘s update to the Ring Spotlight Cam is an excellent option for those who don’t want a full floodlight camera, but would still like lots of illumination for their porch, patio, or driveway. The surprisingly bright LED lights on either side of the cam can be set to light up along with the motion detection features.

There’s a little bit of everything packed into the Spotlight Cam Pro’s design, including basics like 1080p video, night vision, and two-way audio. But Ring also has some extras, like a siren you can sound, advanced 3D motion detection, and a “Bird’s Eye” view option that gives you a model for where a subject may have gone. We also like that it’s battery-powered with an option to plug into an outlet.

As with all Ring cams, you will really want a Ring Protect plan to enable video storage and video sharing, but otherwise, this is the most comprehensive wireless security cam we’ve seen to date.

Blink Wired Floodlight Camera

Best floodlight camera

Blink makes plenty of great outdoor cameras, but few are as great as the Blink Wired Floodlight Camera. As one of the newest members of the Blink family, the Wired Floodlight Camera offers heaps of functionality despite its budget-friendly price of $99.

In case the name didn’t give it away, the Blink Wired Floodlight Camera isn’t just an outdoor camera – it’s also a floodlight. And a bright one at that, capable of producing 2,600 lumens of LED light. You’ll also benefit from motion detection, a wired connection that offers a constant power supply, and color night vision. Its design is a bit bulkier than others on this list, but that’s largely due to the massive floodlights that loom over the camera.

Anyone in the market for an outdoor camera that’s both affordable and powerful (and comes with shockingly bright floodlights) should give strong consideration to Blink’s new product. But if you’re looking for something with a more streamlined design, consider looking back at the Ring Spotlight Cam Pro mentioned above.

.Phil Nickinson / Digital Trends

Ring Stick Up Cam Pro

Best indoor and outdoor security camera

Pros

• Easy installation process

• 1080p video with HDR support

• Can also double as an indoor cam

Cons

• Expensive

• No privacy shutter

It’s a bit expensive, but you’re getting a lot of value out of this investment. The Ring Stick Up Cam Pro is designed to work both indoors and outside – giving it plenty of versatility. Along with its weatherproofing, the camera offers HDR video and films in 1080p, supports two-way audio, and is easy to install thanks to its wire-free setup.

One minor sticking point is its lack of a built-in privacy shutter. That might be an issue if you’re using it indoors, though you can quickly toggle alerts off and disarm the camera from the Ring smartphone app. But if you have it installed outside, you likely won’t miss the feature. You’ll also want to spring for a monthly Ring subscription to unlock additional features such as cloud saves and smart alerts.

Beyond those minor quirks, there’s not much to dislike about this powerful outdoor camera. Homes with other Ring products already installed will love how easy it is to sync the device with the rest of their smart home, and Ring newcomers will enjoy its high-quality images, simple setup, and generous 155-degree viewing angle.

Ring Stick Up Cam Pro

Best indoor and outdoor security camera

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do I place outdoor security cameras?

FBI crime data indicates that most (around 55%) home intruders try to get into homes through either the front or back door. So, you may want to have your security camera scoping out your doors. It’s also a good idea to cover other entry points, like back windows, that are hidden away where someone could break in without being seen.

Where exactly to mount your outdoor cameras, however, depends on your property and your individual needs. You may have a shed in the back that contains expensive lawn equipment, for instance, and you might want to place more focus on that area. Perhaps your neighborhood has experienced a few break-ins recently, and the intruders typically enter through the garage, so you want to cover your garage area.

How many security cameras do I need?

Typically, having at least two outdoor cameras is ideal, not including your video doorbell. If you have a video doorbell to watch your porch, combined with an outdoor security camera covering the front and back areas of your home, this should be sufficient. However, if you have a large property, live in an area where there’s a lot of property crime, or if you have vehicles or valuables stored on your property, you may want to add in an extra camera or two.

Can you use an indoor security camera outdoors?

No. An indoor camera does not have the necessary protection from the elements, so it won’t hold up outside. Some cameras are rated for indoor or outdoor use, and you can use those cameras outside. If you want to point your indoor camera out a window to watch the outdoors, you technically can do so. However, the camera’s features probably won’t work as well, and you’re better off just buying a cheap outdoor camera.

Can outdoor security cameras be used indoors?

Yes, although it’s not usually recommended because the cameras designed for outdoor use may not work optimally indoors. Again, you can opt for a camera that’s rated for both indoors and outdoors, like a dome camera.

Do all outdoor security cameras have two-way audio?

The short answer is no. Many wired outdoor cameras feature two-way audio, which allows you to speak back and forth with someone through the camera via an app on your phone, but not all outdoor cameras have this feature.

If two-way audio is something you’re interested in, consider doing research on which cameras have it, and of the ones that do, read up on which are better. Not all two-way audio is created equal — some companies do it well, while others do not. Keep in mind that cameras with two-way audio might cost a bit more than those that don’t feature the technology.

How well does night vision work on an outdoor security camera?

Night vision on cameras typically uses infrared light to illuminate dark images at night. Essentially, cameras with night vision use this technology to backlight images to help you see what’s happening in the field of view. Most outdoor security cameras feature night vision, but the quality varies from model to model.

If you’re looking for superior night vision, go for the Arlo camera listed above, or research night vision quality before making a purchase.

How well do outdoor security cameras detect motion?

Motion sensitivity in outdoor security cameras varies widely, but generally, the technology works well regardless of the model you choose. Most cameras, even inexpensive ones, do an excellent job of detecting motion, and, if the camera is connected to an app, it will send a motion alert to your phone. Most people find that motion settings on cameras are too sensitive, meaning that things like rain, bugs, or even bright sunlight can trigger an alert.

If you’re concerned about motion alerts, consider buying a camera that not only sends you motion alerts so you can monitor what’s happening on your property but also allows you to adjust the motion sensitivity so that small things aren’t triggering it all the time.

Can outdoor security cameras survive severe weather?

Most outdoor cameras have a rating of IP65 or higher, which means they are waterproof and can withstand someone spraying a hose on them. That usually (but not always) means that a camera with that rating can withstand extreme temperatures ranging from -40 to 110 degrees Fahrenheit or similar.

Cameras vary slightly in terms of survival in extreme weather, but anything with a rating of IP65 or higher will be fine for most climates. If you live in an extremely hot or extremely cold climate, you might want to consider a camera with a rating of IP66 or higher.

Do I have to pay for storage for an outdoor camera?

This depends a lot on the brand and the model. Generally, if a security cam has a memory card slot, you can use native storage without paying anything — it’s just a little trickier to manage. If you want video footage to be uploaded to the cloud for easier viewing and saving, you’ll often have to pay for it. Brands like Arlo and Ring only allow for free livestreaming video and require a plan if you want to save video for any length of time. Google is one of the best options here because its Nest cam offers a certain amount of free online storage without needing a subscription.

Is an outdoor security camera ever illegal?

It can be, although privacy laws haven’t entirely caught up with home security cams yet. Generally speaking, you can’t point a camera where people have the expectation of privacy. Pointing a cam at your porch and the street in front? Totally fine, it’s considered a public area. Pointing a camera so that it captures footage of your neighbor’s backyard or looks into their windows? Illegal, and you could get successfully sued for it.

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Best Data Recovery Software in 2024

By admin January 6, 2024

Best Data Recovery Software in 2024, You don’t want to be caught off guard when you lose an important file. Instead, you want to have reliable data recovery software already installed on your system, and this article is here to help you pick the best solution for you.

Our Data Recovery Software Selection Criteria

Here are some of the critical aspects that delineate top data recovery software from the competition.

• Performance & Versatility: A common issue with a lot of these recovery apps is that the rescue tools support very limited file types. A recovery app becomes resourceful when it supports the restoration of a wide range of file types; so, you can confidently restore deleted photos, videos, music files, and other more specific file types, such as XLS, DOC, or PDF files. Another unpleasant realization is that most of your programs do not support the recovery of files from external storage devices such as external HDD, memory cards or USB flash drives. This is quite inconvenient as the major chunk of data loss these days occur on external or portable storage devices. We favored versatile data recovery software with high performance, supporting various file types, file systems, and recovery from external storage devices, while maintaining a high recovery rate.

• Scanning Speed: Time is something nobody has enough of these days. You can’t expect users to spend the whole day waiting for the scanning and recovering processes to finally get their hands on something urgent. Good-performing data recovery software generally has options for high-speed scanning. And some even come with customized scanning while targeting a specific file for recovery. We preferred data recovery software with fast scanning speeds, offering high-speed and customizable scans for targeted file recovery, thus saving time and increasing efficiency.

• File Preview & Recovery Chances: Another important feature is to preview files that have already been identified. Also, the recovered files need to be in their original quality. Reliable data recovery applications also display the recovery chances of each file. We gave preference to data recovery software with file previews, original quality preservation, and displayed recovery chances for informed decision-making.

• User-Friendly UI: There’s no use in having the world’s best data recovery app if it can only be operated by the team behind it. A simple interface and ease of use are essential to any app. A lot of recovery programs feature flashy icons and supposedly high-tech features that are rather useless. The end-user often only needs a well-defined interface that delivers the goods, period. We prioritized user-friendly data recovery software with a simple interface, removing flashy elements, for easy end-user operation.

Now that you know what makes an awesome recovery program, let’s move on to the ranking.

Top 10 Best Data Recovery Software

1. Disk Drill Data Recovery (Windows & Mac)

Disk Drill is one the best data recovery software for Windows and Mac because of its ability to effortlessly recover lost or deleted data from all internal and external storage devices, regardless of their file system.

✅

Pros:

• Supports hundreds of file formats

• Powerful recovery capabilities

• Lost partition search

• Data protection and backup features

• Intuitive user interface

• Recovers up to 500 MB of data for free (Windows)

• Ability to mount scan results as a folder

❗️

Cons:

• No phone support

• Average scan speed

• Limited support for Linux file systems

Download Disk Drill

User Experience

Developed by the data recovery experts at CleverFiles, Disk Drill is the best choice for professional and casual home users alike, providing an exceptionally polished experience and best-in-class data recovery results. The latest version of the software can recover data in more than 400 file formats from a variety of storage devices and file systems using its advanced scanning algorithms.

Data recovery with Disk Drill is an intuitive process that doesn’t require any expert knowledge. You can filter scan results to find a specific file and preview it before recovery directly inside Disk Drill. If you need to shut down your computer, you can simply pause the scan and resume it later.

The free version of Disk Drill can recover up to 500 MB of data (on Windows), and it provides enhanced data protection with its Recovery Vault and Drive backup features (which makes Disk Drill a backup and recovery tool at the same time). Both of these features are just as easy to use as the data recovery portion of Disk Drill because they share the same polished user interface. Another important aspect of Disk Drill is its ability to recover data with original file names and folder structure.

Users who would like to enjoy unlimited data recovery can upgrade to Disk Drill PRO for just $89.00 and activate it on up to 3 computers. Lifetime upgrades can be purchased for $29 to reliably recover data even on future versions of Windows and macOS.

On top of that, when you buy Disk Drill you actually get two for one. For example, your purchase of Disk Drill PRO for Windows automatically gets you a version for macOS.

Despite the word PRO in its name, the paid version of Disk Drill is just as easy to use as the free one, so even inexperienced home users with no expert knowledge shouldn’t feel intimidated by it.

🔗

If you’re interested in using Disk Drill, check out our full review to learn about its features and performance. We also conducted an analysis of its safety and security, which you can find on our website.

Versions / Licensing:

• Disk Drill Basic: Free

• Disk Drill Pro: $89

• Disk Drill Enterprise: $499

System requirements: Windows 7 SP1+, 44 MB of storage space / Mac OS X 10.8.5+, 22 MB of storage space

Supported languages: English, Arabic, German, Spanish, French, Turkish, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Malay, Dutch, Polish, Brazilian, Portuguese, European Portuguese, Russian, Swedish, Chinese, Hindi

Supported file systems: NTFS, NTFS5, FAT12, FAT16, FAT32, exFAT, EXT3/EXT4, HFS, HFS+, APFS

2. R-Studio (Windows, Mac, and Linux)

This comprehensive data recovery software solution is geared toward more experienced users who are able to appreciate its extensive options and powerful features.

✅

Pros:

• Advanced features for data recovery professionals

• Available as a bootable ISO image

• Disk sanitization feature

❗️

Cons:

• Not suitable for non-technical users

• Doesn’t display results during scan

• Can preview only a few file formats

Download R-Studio

User Experience

Whereas most data recovery products on the market target regular home users, R-Studio is intended primarily for professionals who already understand the ins and outs of data recovery. It provides support for all commonly used file systems and partition layout schemes and handles even damaged or deleted partitions.

Instead of guiding users through the recovery process step by step, R-Studio gives them the freedom to start multiple data recovery jobs at the same time in separate tabs. Recovered files can be sorted by their extensions, creation time, modification time, access time, and other parameters. You can preview many supported file types or view files using the built-in hex editor to assess their integrity or perform partial recovery.

When buying R-Studio, make sure you get the right version. The least expensive version of R-Studio ($49.99) can recover data only from the FAT, exFAT, and Ext2/3/4 file systems. To also recover data from NTFS, ReFS, HFS+, APFS, HFS, and UFS, you need to purchase the $79.99 version.

System requirements: Windows 10/8.1/8/7/Vista/XP/2000 or Windows Server 2019/2016/2012/2008/2003 / Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard or newer / Any kernel 2.6+ Linux distribution capable of installing .rpm or .deb packages

Supported languages: English, French, Spanish, German, Russian, Portuguese, Traditional and Simplified Chinese, and Japanese

Supported file systems: NTFS/ReFS, FAT/exFAT, Ext2/Ext3/Ext4, HFS+/APFS/ HFS/UFS

3. PhotoRec (Windows, Mac, and Linux)

PhotoRec has powerful file recovery capabilities and support for a wide range of platforms. Whether it’s a digital camera or a traditional hard drive, PhotoRec has you covered as long as you’re able to figure out how to use it.

✅

Pros:

• Compatible with all major operating systems

• Recovers about 300 file families

• Support for many file systems

❗️

Cons:

• Intimidating for beginners

• All files are automatically recovered during scan

• Unable to restore file names and folder structure

Download PhotoRec

User Experience

Judging by its name, you might think that PhotoRec can recover only image file formats, but that’s not the case at all. In reality, this open-source data recovery software can recover more than 480 file extensions (about 300 file families) from hard drives, memory cards, CD-ROMs, USB flash drives, and other storage devices.

PhotoRec is known for scaring inexperienced users away with its text-only user interface, but we found the data recovery process to be reasonably self-explanatory. Sure, beginners could benefit from even more handholding, but that’s what the official documentation is intended for.

In terms of performance, PhotoRec can measure up to many paid data recovery software applications. It uses a non-destructive data recovery method, which prevents it from writing to the same storage device the user is about to recover from. In certain cases, PhotoRec can successfully recover even fragmented files scattered all over the place.

Versions / Licensing: Free and open-source

System requirements: Windows 10/8.1/8/7/Vista/XP, Windows Server 2016/2012/2008/2003 / Any recent version of macOS / Linux kernel 2.6.18 or later

Supported languages: English, Catalan, Chinese, Czech, French, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Turkish

Supported file systems: FAT, NTFS, exFAT, ext2/ext3/ext4 filesystem, HFS

4. Recuva (Windows)

Recuva is a small freeware program you can use to recover pictures, music, documents, videos, or any other types of files on your hard drive, memory cards, floppy disks, iPod or MP3 player, or USB sticks.

✅

Pros:

• Low price

• Free version available

• Preview screen

❗️

Cons:

• Can’t recover as many files as high-priced rivals

• The interface is rather outdated

• Limited support of restoring the original folder trees and file names

Download Recuva

User Experience

We like Recuva for its low cost, its clear interface, and its ease of use, but it only recovered two-thirds of the deleted files on my test drive, and that kind of performance may not be good enough in a crisis. The reason why Recuva performs poorly compared with the top 3 listed in this article is simple: it doesn’t support many file formats.

The lackluster file format support may not matter to you if all you want to do is recover files saved in a format that is supported by Recuva. What will matter to you, in either case, is the tool’s usability, which is rather good thanks to its clean interface design and integrated preview screen.

It’s clear, however, that Recuva’s user interface comes from the Windows XP era (Recuva was released during the transition period from Windows XP to Windows Vista). The latest major Rucuva update (v1.53) was released in 2016, and the software has received only minor improvements since then. Fortunately, it still works fine on all recent versions of Windows.

Versions / Licensing:

• Recuva Free: $0

• Recuva Pro: $19.95

System requirements: Windows 10, 8.1, 7, Vista, and XP

Supported languages: Albanian, Arabic, Armenian, Azeri (Latin), Bosnian, Brazilian Portuguese (Portugues do Brasil), Bulgarian, Catalan (Catala), Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), Croatian, Czech (Ceský), Danish, Dutch (Nederlands), English, Estonian, Finnish (Suomi), French (Français), Georgian, German (Deutsch), Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian (Magyar), Italian (Italiano), Japanese, Lithuanian (Lietuviu), Norwegian, Polish (Polski), Romanian (Romana), Russian, Serbian (Cyrillic), Slovak, Slovenian, Spanish (Espanol), Swedish (Svenska), Turkish (Türkçe), Ukrainian, Vietnamese.

Supported file systems: FAT, exFAT, and NTFS

5. Data Rescue (Windows & Mac)

Simplicity is what Data Rescue is all about, but its steep price makes it prohibitively expensive for most home users, the demographic that would ironically most appreciate its clean and simple user interface.

✅

Pros:

• Clean and simple interface

• Can duplicate a potentially failing drive onto a healthy drive

• Automatically determines a set of RAID configurations

❗️

Cons:

• Unnecessarily complicated multi-step recovery process

• Expensive

Download Data Rescue 6

User Experience

Data Rescue is a somewhat confusing data recovery software application because its clean and simple user interface (the main screen features just three large buttons with colorful icons and detailed descriptions) suggests that its target are regular home users, but its steep price tag and website tell a completely different story.

A single license (which can be used by one user on an unlimited number of systems) costs $399.00 a year. That’s more than twice as much compared with what most other competing data recovery software applications charge for a lifetime license.

If you can afford to pay such a large amount of money for Data Rescue, you can look forward to fast scan and recovery speeds, improved RAID recovery, and additional disk tools for byte-to-byte disk copies and secure file deletion.

Versions / Licensing:

• Data Rescue 6 Demo: Free

• Data Rescue 6 Standard: starts at $19 (pay for the files you want to recover)

• Data Rescue 6 Pro: $399 per year

System requirements: Windows 7 or later or macOS 10.12 or later, secondary storage location, internet connection

Supported languages: English

Supported file systems: FAT, FAT32, exFAT, ext2, ext3, HFS+, APFS, and NTFS

6. Wondershare Recoverit (Windows & Mac)

One of the best data recovery programs in its price range, Wondershare works flawlessly with a wide range of storage devices, including camcorders, hard drives, memory sticks, and USB flash drives.

✅

Pros:

• Supports many file formats

• Sleek design and great usability

• Compatible with Windows and Mac files systems

❗️

Cons:

• Can recover only up to 100 MB of data

• Preview feature limited to a handful of file formats

• Many duplicates in scan results

Download Wondershare Recoverit

User Experience

The company behind this data recovery software has been around for many years, and it has successfully earned the trust of millions of home users and many large companies. Recoverit is its flagship data recovery product, and it boasts support for over 1,000 file formats and all commonly used file systems, including NTFS, FAT, HFS+, and APFS.

Just like all other software applications from Wondershare, Recoverit is really easy to use, and we had to go through just three simple steps to recover our files. During the last step, we were able to preview recovered files before retrieving them with a single click.

The only problem is that the free version of Wondershare Recoverit can recover only up to 100 MB of data. That’s not much considering that a single high-resolution picture taken with a modern smartphone can easily have around 5 MB.

Versions / Licensing:

• Wondershare Recoverit Essential: $59.95 a year

• Wondershare Recoverit Standard: $69.95 a year

• Wondershare Recoverit Advanced: $79.95 a year

System requirements: Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7, Vista, XP (either 32-bit or 64-bit) or Windows Server 2016, 2012, 2008, 2003 / macOS 10.9- 10.15

Supported languages: English, Japanese, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Arabic, Dutch, Korean

Supported file systems: NTFS, FAT32, FAT16, exFAT, APFS, encrypted APFS, HFS+, encrypted HFS, HFSX

7. DiskGenius (Windows)

DiskGenius is an all-in-one data recovery and partition management solution aimed at professional and home users alike. You can use it to solve many unpleasant disk problems and try it for free before spending money on one of the two paid versions.

✅

Pros:

• Combines data recovery and partition management

• Is able to virtualize Windows into a VMware virtual machine

• Disk cloning functionality

• 30-day money-back guarantee

• Free version available

❗️

Cons:

• Doesn’t have the most intuitive user interface

• Jack of all trades but master of none

Download DiskGenius

User Experience

Partition and data loss issues often go hand-in-hand, which is why the people behind DiskGenius decided to create an all-in-one data recovery and partition management solution that lets you recover lost data from deletion, formatting, RAW drive, partition loss, OS crash, and many other data loss situations.

While the user interface of DiskGenius is nothing to write home about, the actual data recovery process is simple and boils down to just three steps. First, you select a partition or drive, then you scan for lost data, and, finally, you preview all listed files and select those that you want to get back.

DiskGenius comes with several extra features that even several times more expensive products don’t include, such as the ability to recover data directly from VMware, Virtual Box, or Microsoft Virtual PC images. It also includes a hex editor that facilitates the analysis of raw disk data, but it’s unlikely that regular users would ever take advantage of this feature.

System requirements: Windows 2000/XP/Vista/7/8/8.1/10, Small Business Server 2011/2003/2008, Windows home server 2011, and Windows Server 2003/2008/2012/2016 (both 32bit and 64bit)

Supported languages: English, Japanese

Supported file systems: NTFS, FAT32, FAT16, exFAT, EXT2, EXT3, and EXT4

8. Stellar Data Recovery (Windows & Mac)

Stellar Data Recovery is a professional-grade data recovery software for Windows and Mac that can deal with completely crashed and unbootable systems that many lesser applications of its kind would deem unrecoverable.

✅

Pros:

• Support for a wide range of storage devices

• Easy to use

• Useful preview feature

❗️

Cons:

• Relatively expensive

• Slow scan and recovery speed

• Glitchy store device selection

Download Stellar Data Recovery

User Experience

Previously known as Stellar Phoenix Data Recovery, this data recovery software supports NTFS, exFAT, and FAT (FAT16/FAT32) formatted hard drives, SSDs, USB flash drives, memory cards (including SD cards, MicroSD cards, CF cards, etc.), and other commonly used storage devices.

You can choose from two different versions intended for professional usage: Professional ($79.99 for one year or $99 for a lifetime license) and Premium ($99.99 for one year or $149 for a lifetime license). The former version is slightly cheaper because it doesn’t include any video or photo recovery capabilities.

Except for the missing recovery features, the two versions are identical and equally easy to use. Recovered files can be sorted according to their type or displayed in a tree view, which is useful for locating a specific folder.

System requirements: Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7, Vista & XP / macOS Catalina 10.15, Mojave 10.14, High Sierra 10.13, 10.12, 10.11, 10.10, 10.9, 10.8 & 10.7

Supported languages: English, German, French, Italian, Spanish

Supported file systems: NTFS, exFAT, FAT(FAT16/FAT32), HFS, HFS+, ext2, ext3, ext4

9. TestDisk (Windows, Mac, and Linux)

Designed to recover lost partitions and make non-booting disks bootable again, TestDisk is an excellent solution to many desperate data loss scenarios, but its text-only user interface puts it out of the reach of many users.

✅

Pros:

• Capable of recovering many different filesystems and partition schemes

• Broad operating system support

• Free and open source

❗️

Cons:

• Lacks an intuitive graphical user interface – command-line only

• Repairs damaged partitions and file systems but not files

Download TestDisk

User Experience

If you’ve accidentally and permanently deleted an important file, and you desperately want to get it back, TestDisk isn’t the right choice. This open-source data recovery application doesn’t focus on individual files but entire file systems and partitions. It can fix partition tables, repair boot sectors, and do many other things to restore access to lost files.

It’s true that TestDisk can undelete files from FAT, exFAT, NTFS, and xt2/ext3/ext4 file systems, but this functionality is tucked away inside the advanced menu, where most regular users never go. Besides, recovering individual files with TestDisk is extremely cumbersome because you can’t preview files before recovery.

But despite its shortcomings, such as the lack of an intuitive graphical user interface, TestDisk remains one of the best data recovery software solutions for Windows, Mac, Linux, and several other operating systems.

Versions / Licensing: Free and open-source

System requirements: Windows 10/8.1/8/7/Vista/XP, Windows Server 2016/2012/2008/2003 / Any recent version of macOS / Linux kernel 2.6.18 or later

Supported languages: English, Catalan, Chinese, Czech, French, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Turkish

Supported file systems: FAT, exFAT, NTFS, and xt2/ext3/ext4

10. EaseUS Data Recovery (Windows & Mac)

EaseUS has managed to garner a great deal of positive feedback across a wide spectrum of users, and our experience with its data recovery features has been similarly positive, which is why it deserves a place on this list.

✅

Pros:

• Reliable data recovery performance

• Lets users sort and filter deleted files

• Makes data recovery accessible to anyone

❗️

Cons:

• Includes unrecoverable files alongside recoverable files

• Previews only files that are smaller than 100 MB

• Doesn’t accurately display remaining scan time

Download EaseUS Data Recovery

User Experience

EaseUS Data Recovery is a tried and tested data recovery software for Windows and Mac. Its developers have successfully made the complicated process of data recovery simple and accessible to anyone. There are no menus with multiple layers and options that require a lengthy manual to decipher what they mean.

When you begin data recovery with this software application, you’re first asked to select a location to scan, such as your hard drive or USB flash drive. You can also select a specific folder, including the Recycle Bin. Then, you simply click the Scan button and wait for EaseUS Data Recovery to find your files.

If your budget is tight, you can purchase EaseUS Data Recovery for just one month. However, we recommend you get a lifetime license for $149.95 to enjoy unlimited free upgrades.

System requirements: Windows 2000 or newer / macOS 10.15 ~ 10.9

Supported languages: English, German, Japanese, French, Brazilian Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Chinese (Traditional), Chinese (Simplified), Swedish, Danish, Korean, Russian, Norwegian, Polish, Hungarian, Arabic, Turkish, Indonesian

Supported file systems: FAT (FAT12, FAT16, FAT32), exFAT, NTFS, NTFS5, ext2/ext3, HFS+, ReFS

Honorable Mentions

Are you still hungry for more data recovery software? Then take a look at our selection of try-worthy applications that didn’t make it into the top 10.

• Windows File Recovery: Developed by Microsoft for its Windows operating system, Windows File Recovery, is a command-line tool capable of recovering permanently deleted files that are no longer present in the Recycle Bin. We just wish it delivered better recovery results and came with an optional graphical user interface.

• MiniTool Power Data Recovery: If you can live with an outdated user interface and a limited set of features, then the free version of MiniTool Power Data Recovery deserves a download from you since it works well in all kinds of data loss situations.

• Undelete 360: Last updated in 2017 for Windows 7, Undelete 360 is an outdated data recovery application that has yet to become obsolete. You can use it to recover all Windows-supported storage devices with a few simple clicks, and it even lets you preview files before recovery.

• Wise Data Recovery: If you want to recover data from an older version of Windows, then Wise Data Recovery is a solid choice. Just keep in mind that you may experience serious issues when using it on Windows 10 and newer.

• SysTools Data Recovery Software: The long list of features and the highly technical language the official website of this data recovery software uses to describe them should be enough to tell you that this isn’t the most user-friendly software in the world.

• Remo Data Recovery Software: Because of how dependable Remo Data Recovery Software is, it has received many positive reviews from professional reviewers and real users alike. We just with the Windows application was more polished.

• Zero Assumption Recovery: Also referred to as ZAR Data Recovery, this Windows software supports Windows FAT, NTFS, Linux ext/2/3/4, and XFS file systems, and you can download it free of charge from its official website.

• TogetherShare Data Recovery Pro: You can try the full version of TogetherShare Data Recovery Pro without risking anything thanks to the 30-day money-back guarantee. The last version of the software even supports Windows 11.

• Lazesoft Windows Data Recovery: What’s great about Lazesoft Windows Data Recovery is the free price tag. What’s not so great is its terribly outdated user interface and limited file system and file format support.

• iBoysoft Data Recovery: iBoysoft Data Recovery doesn’t offer anything groundbreaking in terms of features, design, and performance, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. If you’re looking for an instantly recognizable alternative to established data recovery solutions, then this software is worth looking into.

• GetDataBack Pro: Developed by Runtime Software, GetDataBack Pro excels in the HDD data recovery department but could use improvements in terms of being a more well-rounded and user-friendly program. Despite not being as popular as other data recovery software, it is a suitable choice for intermediate and expert PC users looking for a powerful recovery tool.

• Ontrack EasyRecovery: As a rebranded version of Stellar Data Recovery, Ontrack EasyRecovery offers similar performance, and its free version allows you to recover up to 1 GB of data without paying. Although not among the best data recovery apps, it supports all major file types and is cross-platform, making it a versatile option that’s worth trying. The biggest downside is its expensive annual subscription, which can be a deal-breaker for some users.

• DMDE: Featuring an expansive set of features aimed towards professional users, DMDE stands out for its broad operating system support, even dating back to Windows 98. But despite its technical prowess, DMDE’s complexity can be overwhelming for beginners, with an unintuitive scanning process and complex scanning results.

• AnyRecover Data Recovery: By striking a balance between user-friendliness and data recovery capabilities, AnyRecover Data Recovery positions itself as an attractive alternative to the leading data recovery software applications. If only it didn’t fall short in recovering data from some file systems during deep scans and offered more extra features, it could have made it into our top 10 list.

• Tenorshare 4DDiG: This app’s user-friendly interface makes data recovery a breeze, so it’s a solid choice for regular home users who find complicated software intimidating. Just know that Tenorshare’s ease of use outweighs its data recovery capabilities, especially when it comes to recovering files with their original names intact.

• Cisdem Data Recovery: Though it’s a clone of EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard, Cisdem deserves the attention of anyone seeking a well-rounded data recovery solution. With fast scan times, a user-friendly interface, and excellent support for various file formats, it makes for an accessible tool for users at all levels of tech-savvy. However, its lifetime license is quite pricey, costing $149.95, and the monthly subscription ($69.95/month) can quickly end up being even more expensive.

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Software

Best Data Recovery Software for Mac 2024

By admin January 4, 2024

Best Data Recovery Software for Mac 2024, Macs are beloved for their sleek design and high-tech capabilities, particularly among creatives across various fields. Yet, like any other computer, they are not immune to data loss, a situation that can be incredibly distressing for users.

To address this concern, we have delved into the world of data recovery software tailored for Mac. In this article, you’ll find insights that will guide you in selecting the ideal solution to restore your valuable data, ensuring you’re well-prepared for any unforeseen data loss scenarios.

Key Criteria for Selecting Mac Data Recovery Software

There are many data recovery solutions from which to choose when data loss strikes your Mac. Several factors may influence which one you choose to use to recover your lost data. Here are some things to consider when naming your selection.

• Functionality: The most important aspect of recovery software is its ability to get your lost files back. You should choose a flexible solution that allows you to recover data from multiple types of storage devices and restore the file types that interest you.

• Ease-of-use: You will likely use data recovery software under less than optimal conditions. Losing data is stressful and you don’t need to increase the tension by using software that requires you to use arcane commands. Look for a tool that makes it easy for you to recover your lost files and folders.

• Reliability: You may only have one chance to recover your lost data so you want to use a tool created by reliable developers. It’s a good idea to check out some reviews of the products under consideration to see which ones have a proven track record of success with high recovery rates.

• Price: There is a wide range in the pricing of Mac data recovery solutions. You can obtain freeware solutions or commercial applications. In most cases, a paid/freemium solution will offer more functionality and ease of use than free alternatives.

In order for you to gain a better understanding of the situation in the Mac data recovery software market, we have prepared a diagram with interesting statistics for you.

The data for this chart was sourced from Google Ads and represents the average number of monthly searches in English worldwide. We combined various instances of writing the names of the same software (e.g., “easeus data recovery mac”, “easeus data recovery wizard for mac”, “easeus for mac”).

Stellar Data Recovery has restricted access to similar data in Google Ads for their brand. According to third-party services, the popularity of the brand (query) “Stellar Data Recovery (for) Mac” is approximately 500 queries per month. While R-Studio for Mac has numerous monthly searches, we did not include them all, as “R-Studio for Mac” can also refer to RStudio, an integrated development environment (IDE) for the R programming language, not just data recovery software.

Top 10 Best Data Recovery Software for Mac

So, here’s an overview of ten of the best data recovery software solutions for Mac. We’ve included paid, freemium, and freeware data recovery applications for your Mac or MacBook.

1. Disk Drill for Mac

Disk Drill is a comprehensive data recovery tool that makes it easy for anyone to restore accidentally deleted files and folders.

Pros:

• Intuitive and user-friendly interface

• Runs natively on M1/M2 devices

• Simple yet effective recovery procedure

• Scan results can be mounted as a virtual disk

• Recovers all lost or deleted files, even from an emptied Trash

• Advanced scanning algorithms

• Support for over 400 filetypes

• Market-leading RAW file scanner

Cons:

• No phone support

• The free version only provides file previews

Download Disk Drill

User Experience

Disk Drill simplifies the data recovery process, making it easy for anyone to recover their lost and deleted data. With just a few clicks, you can select the disk for recovery and start scanning the device for recoverable files and folders. Quick or deep scans can be employed to control the recovery and locate the maximum number of items to be restored.

Effective filters help control the scanning and recovery process by allowing you to focus on the files that matter. Scans can be paused and resumed at any time to make it more convenient to recover your lost data. When the scan is complete, the results can be mounted as a virtual disk, streamlining the recovery process.

The inclusion of the free data protection tools Recovery Vault and Guaranteed Recovery helps you keep your valuable information safe and furnish a simplified recovery method if you accidentally deleted a protected file. The tool is a comprehensive data recovery and protection solution that keeps your files and folders secure.

Free limits: You can preview all recoverable files with the free version of Disk Drill.

Price: $89.00

OS version: Disk Drill supports all versions of the Mac operating system from macOS X 10.5 to macOS Ventura.

2. R-Studio for Mac

This product was developed for data recovery professionals and includes many features that are not usually required for individual use.

Pros:

• Windows Explorer type interface

• Can repair damaged RAID arrays

• S.M.A.R.T. disk monitoring tools

• Recover any file type from any disk-based storage device

Cons:

• Designed for professionals and may be too complicated for average users

• Features can be hard to locate

Download R-Studio

User Experience

R-Studio is a full-featured recovery application that is suitable for professional use. It has an impressive number of features that, in some cases, may over-complicate the recovery process for inexperienced users. The advanced capabilities of the tool include the ability to repair damaged RAID implementations and perform network data recovery. Excellent documentation is available that covers all types of data recovery situations.

You can preview recoverable files with the demo version before making a financial commitment and the application provides a wealth of advanced features. At times, it can be hard to locate specific features in the tool’s interface. It’s worth the effort if you need access to its hexadecimal editor or disk copy module. R-Studio provides an excellent recovery application tailored to the needs of professionals and advanced computer users.

Free limits: File preview of recoverable files is available for free.

Price: $79.99 for the basic version

OS version: macOS X 10.5 through macOS 12 Monterey.

3. iBoysoft Data Recovery for Mac

iBoysoft Data Recovery is a versatile recovery tool for Mac that lets you get back lost and deleted files from a wide variety of storage devices. The application can help you address a Mac that won’t boot or recover files lost from an emptied Trash bin. You can also obtain a version of the software for the Windows platform.

Pros:

• Free 1 GB data recovery

• Compatible with M1 and T2 Macs

• Quick and Deep scans for optimal recovery results

• Free scan and preview of recoverable files

• Scan results can be saved and reloaded

Cons:

• The license model is expensive

Download iBoysoft Data Recovery

User Experience

Recovering data with iBoysoft is simple enough that any Mac user can perform the activity. The software uses a three-step process that scans a device, previews recoverable data, and lets you choose which files you want to recover. A free download lets users recover 1 GB while they test-drive the product.

The tool supports over 1000 different file types and can recover just about any type of data deleted from your Mac. Virtually all disk-based storage devices are supported including SD cards and external USB drives. This software solution can help users recover from multiple data loss scenarios including formatted disks and emptied Trash bins. It offers a simple tool with professional-grade recovery functionality.

Free limits: 1 GB free recovery with the free version of the tool.

Price: A monthly license is $89.95 and a yearly license is $99.95

OS version: macOS all versions, including macOS 13 Ventura.

4. Data Rescue for Mac

Data Rescue 6 is a paid data recovery solution for Mac that supports the newest versions of macOS and machines running the M1/M2 chip.

Pros:

• View previous scan results

• Clone drives to avoid hardware failures

• Quick and deep scan options

• A secure erase tool to protect sensitive data

• A single license provides Mac and Windows support

Cons:

• No phone support is offered

• A professional license is expensive

Download Data Rescue

User Experience

Data Rescue 6 for Mac is a commercial data recovery tool that enables new users to preview recoverable files and folders for free. The solution supports the recovery of hundreds of file formats including all popular types found on your Mac. Users can recover data from all types of disk-based storage devices including internal drives, SD cards, and external disks.

You can clone your hard drive with the software to protect valuable data from hardware failure. Quick and deep scanning options let you control recovery and help locate hard-to-find items. Users can store up to 15 scans for historical comparison. Data Rescue 6 also provides virtual RAID support to assist with recovering data from a failing RAID configuration.

Free limits: Scan and preview recoverable files.

Price: Standard license $79/Professional license $399

OS version: macOS 10.12 through macOS 13 Ventura.

5. PhotoRec for Mac

This freeware recovery tool is compatible with all versions of Mac operating systems and provides a command-line user interface.

Pros:

• Free and unlimited recovery

• Support for Mac, Windows, and Linux operating systems

• Wide-ranging filesystem support

• Supports recovery of many different filetypes

Cons:

• Command-line interface

• Files are recovered with generic names and need to be renamed

Download PhotoRec

User Experience

Users who are not intimidated by a command-line interface will find PhotoRec to be a valuable piece of freeware. It supports all versions of the Mac operating system as well as Windows and Linux systems. The tool supports an impressive array of file types and filesystems, making it ideal for a variety of data recovery scenarios.

The menu-driven, command-line interface does require some knowledge of the underlying system that more intuitive applications keep hidden from users. This can make the tool hard to operate for inexperienced computer users. Another drawback of this tool is that files are recovered with generic names, forcing users to review and rename them after recovery is completed.

Free limits: unlimited free recovery.

Price: Freeware

OS version: all latest versions of macOS are supported.

6. EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard for Mac

EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard provides user-friendly file recovery software for Mac systems.

Pros:

• The tool provides users with an extensive knowledge base to assist their recovery efforts.

• An easy-to-use and intuitive interface makes it possible for anyone to successfully recover lost data.

• This MacBook recovery software produces good recovery results.

Cons:

• The tool can be slow when recovering large files.

• Lack of data protection tools.

Download EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard

User Experience

Recovering files with EaseUS is a simple process that anyone can perform with a few clicks. Select the device to be scanned and the tool will return a list of recoverable data that it can restore. The results can be filtered in multiple ways to make it easier to find the specific files that interest you.

The tool can be a little slower than other paid solutions which could be an issue when recovering a large amount of data. While this may be annoying to some users, the recovery results themselves were very good. A little patience may be required when using this too, but in the end, you should be satisfied with the recovery results.

Free limits: The free tool can preview recoverable files on Mac and restore up to 2 GB of data.

Price: $89.95

OS version: Supports all versions of the macOS operating system.

7. Wondershare Recoverit for Mac

Pros:

• Supports recovery of over 1000 file types

• Supports over 2000 types of storage devices

• 95% successful recovery rate

• Quick and deep scan options

• Repairs corrupted videos

Cons:

• Limited free recovery

• An expensive yearly license is required

Download Wondershare Recoverit

User Experience:

Wondershare Recoverit is a commercial data recovery solution for Mac that supports a wide variety of storage devices and file formats. The tool features a simple user interface that makes it easy for anyone to recover accidentally lost and deleted data. Just a few clicks and you can start recovering lost files and folders.

Recoverit offers users a quick and deep scan option. Usually, it’s best to try a quick scan first and reserve the deep scan for when your files can’t be found. Deep scan performs a signature-based search that may be necessary to recover from drive corruption of formatting. This tool can also repair corrupted videos in various formats including MOV, ACI, and MP4.

Free limits: Free recovery of up to 100MB.

Price: Individual $79.99-$139.99 per year.

OS version: macOS 10.10 through macOS 13 Ventura.

8. Stellar Data Recovery for Mac

Stellar Data Recovery provides a complete macOS data recovery software solution that can recover lost files due to accidental deletion, formatting, or drive corruption.

Pros:

• This Mac recovery software can be used to retrieve files from virtually any portable disk-based storage device that you can connect to your machine.

• Any file extension is potentially recoverable when using this software.

• A nice online guide helps inexperienced users recover their lost data.

• The software can be used to repair corrupted video and image files.

Cons:

• Your Mac needs 8GB of RAM to fully utilize this tool’s features.

• Repairing corrupted images or video files requires the premium version of the tool.

Download Stellar Data Recovery

User Experience

This file recovery software is easy to use and provides advanced functionality that can help recover long-lost files. It’s designed to recover lost files for all users from novices to experienced Mac owners. The tool supports all major file formats and can recover data on virtually any type of disk-based device.

The personal version of the tool is most suitable for recovering internal system files. If you want to recover lost files from USB drives or other storage devices, you should look into the premium versions of this recovery software. The premium tool also can repair corrupt videos and photos. All in all, this file recovery software solution for macOS provides a satisfactory data recovery experience.

Free limits: The free tool can preview recoverable files on Mac and restore up to 1 GB of data.

Price: $79.99 for the personal version, $99.99 premium version, and $149 for the technician version of this macOS data recovery software.

OS version: Supports all versions of the macOS operating system.

9. Mac Free Any Data Recovery

This file recovery software for Mac is an all-purpose tool that retrieves lost data in many different situations.

Pros:

• A 90-day money-back guarantee protects your investment.

• The tool offers free lifetime upgrades.

• Advanced search options are included to make it easy to locate lost files.

• Multi-language 24/7 customer support is provided to resolve issues with the software.

Cons:

• The trial version is only equipped to perform quick scans which may not locate lost data.

• The user interface is not as streamlined as other paid solutions.

Download Mac Free Any Data Recovery

User Experience

The user interface of this Mac recovery software is a little harder to navigate than some competing products. This can make it hard for new users to locate some of its features so they can efficiently recover their lost data. Once users get comfortable with the interface the tool is not difficult to use.

Many different types of files can be recovered with this tool including video and audio formats not found in some other solutions. The recovery performance is good, and files are recovered reasonably quickly. You can use this solution to recover files from your internal hard drive as well as from all types of disk-based storage devices.

Free lifetime updates and a 90-day money-back guarantee are very nice features of this software solution. One potential issue is that payment is conducted through a third-party processor which may discourage some users from purchasing the tool.

Free limits: The trial version of this Mac recovery software can be used to restore up to 2 GB of data.

Price: $59.99 for one computer, $119.99 for unlimited computers.

OS version: Supports all versions of the macOS operating system.

10. DiskWarrior

Pros:

• SMART monitoring to display drive health

• Developed specially for Mac operating systems

• Multiple support options including email and phone

• Patented preview feature to view repaired files before changes are made

Cons:

• Not suitable for individual file recovery

• No free trial is offered

• It does not support Apple File System (APFS) disks

Download DiskWarrior

User Experience:

Disk Warrior is a tool designed to prevent and resolve directory damage to your Mac that can lead to inconsistent performance and instability. The solution rebuilds a disk by recovering data from the original directory. The new directory is optimized for improved performance.

DiskWarrior focuses exclusively on creating error-free directories to recover lost files and prevent disk errors. The tool supports SMART monitoring and can be configured to automatically check drive health so you can address issues before being faced with a hardware failure. DiskWarrior ships on a flash drive that can be used to rebuild the directory of your Mac’s startup disk.

Free limits: No free trial available

Price: $119.95 plus shipping for the included flash drive

OS version: OS X 10.8 – macOS 13 Ventura

Honorable Mentions

We chose to exclude the following software solutions from our list of reliable data recovery tools. While they may work for you, we suggest that you stick to our recommended products for the best recovery results.

• M3 Data Recovery – iBoysoft was previously a white label clone of M3 recovery software. Recently, M3 has become an affiliate of iBoysoft and iBoysoft has now replaced it as the name brand of this recovery solution.

• Ontrack – We did not include this solution on our list of recovery products since it appears to just be a clone of Stellar data recovery. It may also be a dead project that will not offer updates in the future.

• Minitool – The Mac version of Minitool has become Stellar Data Recovery which is why we did not include it as a recommended product. We recommend you go directly for Stellar’s solution if you want to try this recovery tool.

• Recuva for Mac – There is no Recuva for Mac. Clicking on the download link for this product gives you a DMG file that contains the Wondershare data recovery tool. We tend to stay away from applications that use this kind of misleading advertising. The original Recuva is only available on Windows.

• iCare Recovery Data Recovery – When you try to download the iCare Data Recovery solution, you are redirected to Stellar data recovery software. We suggest if you want Stellar, you should go directly to their site rather than using a clone product.

• Safe365 Data Recovery – This program appears to be a clone of EaseUS data recovery software. While it has serviceable data recovery capabilities, you should stick with the original EaseUS product rather than this copy.

• Magoshare Data Recovery Enterprise – If the user interface of this tool looks familiar, it is because this solution is a white label clone of EaseUS data recovery software.

• Card Rescue – You might only get one shot at recovering your lost files. We found the recovery capabilities of this tool lacking as it did not do a good job of getting our files back and are not recommending it to our readers.

• iSkysoft data recovery – We chose not to include iSkysoft because it is simply a clone of Wondershare RecoverIt. In all cases, we prefer to use the original product instead of a renamed clone.

• Softtote – Softtote is a paid tool that offers 1GB of free recovery. The solution provides limited support for new versions of macOS. The tool only supports a limited number of file formats which may make it unsuitable for your recovery situation. The free version of the tool lets you recover as many BMP, JPG, PNG, TIF, or MP3 files as you wish.

• Lazesoft Mac Data Recovery – Lazesoft Mac Data Recovery is a free tool that has not been updated since 2014. You may experience issues when using the tool on modern operating systems. You should exercise caution if you are attempting to recover valuable data. Users can recover lost data from an iPod with this tool. The preview function lets you see what is recoverable while a scan is running.

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