Price Tables by Device Type

Hard Disk Drive (HDD) Recovery

Failure Type	Description	Price Range (+ IVA)
Deleted files / Formatted	Accidental deletion, quick format, partition loss	150 - 300 EUR
File system corruption	RAW partition, corrupted NTFS/ext4, power loss damage	200 - 350 EUR
Bad sectors / Degraded	Drive detected but slow, clicking occasionally, many bad sectors	250 - 450 EUR
Head crash / Head replacement	Clicking, grinding, requires cleanroom + donor heads	350 - 700 EUR
Motor failure	Drive doesn't spin, beeping sound, motor seizure	400 - 800 EUR
Firmware corruption	Drive detected with wrong capacity, not recognized, BSY state	250 - 500 EUR
PCB / Electronics failure	Burnt PCB, power surge damage, component failure	200 - 400 EUR

SSD Recovery

Failure Type	Description	Price Range (+ IVA)
Logical (deleted/formatted)	If TRIM hasn't wiped the blocks yet	150 - 350 EUR
Controller failure	SSD not detected, requires controller-level access	400 - 800 EUR
Chip-off recovery	NAND chips desoldered and read individually	600 - 1,200 EUR
Firmware issue	SSD detected with 0 capacity, read-only mode	300 - 600 EUR

NAS and RAID Recovery

Scenario	Price Range (+ IVA)
Logical RAID recovery (file system, metadata)	300 - 600 EUR
RAID reconstruction (2-4 drives, no physical damage)	500 - 1,000 EUR
RAID + physical damage (cleanroom per drive)	800 - 1,500 EUR
Large arrays (8+ drives, enterprise)	1,200 - 3,000 EUR

What Determines the Cost?

Four main factors drive data recovery pricing:

1. Type of failure (logical vs. physical) — Logical recovery requires software tools and expertise. Physical recovery requires a cleanroom, specialized hardware (PC-3000, DeepSpar DDI), and donor parts. The infrastructure cost difference is enormous.
2. Device type and complexity — A single HDD is simpler than a 6-drive RAID 6 array or a soldered M.2 NVMe SSD. More complexity = more time and specialized tools.
3. Donor parts needed — Head replacement requires a compatible donor drive. For common models (Seagate Barracuda, WD Blue), donors are readily available. For rare, old, or enterprise models, sourcing the right donor can take days and cost more.
4. Urgency — Emergency service (24/7 turnaround) typically costs 50-100% more than standard turnaround times.

Red Flags: When a Quote Is Too Good to Be True

• Fixed price without diagnosis — Any company quoting a specific price before examining your drive doesn't know what's wrong. They'll either inflate the price later or lack the capability for complex cases.
• "Starting from 49 EUR" — These low starting prices are bait. The "starting from" price typically applies to the simplest case imaginable (e.g., undeleting one file from a working drive). Real recoveries will cost much more.
• No cleanroom mentioned — If a company claims to do physical recovery but never mentions a cleanroom or ISO certification, they either don't have one (dangerous) or are outsourcing to another lab (added cost and risk).
• Diagnosis fee — Reputable labs offer free diagnosis. Charging for diagnosis is a sign the company either lacks confidence or is padding revenue.
• No "no data, no fee" guarantee — If a company doesn't offer this guarantee, they have no incentive to actually recover your data. They get paid regardless.
• Pressure to decide immediately — "If you don't approve today, the price goes up" is a high-pressure sales tactic with no technical justification.

How to Compare Quotes Properly

• Get at least 2-3 quotes from labs that offer free diagnosis.
• Ask specifically: Do you have a cleanroom? What ISO class?
• Ask: What hardware tools do you use? (PC-3000, DeepSpar, MRT are the industry standards).
• Confirm the quote is all-inclusive (no hidden charges for media, shipping, or "additional complexity").
• Verify the "no data, no fee" policy and get it in writing.
• Check Google reviews — look for reviews that mention specific recovery scenarios, not just generic praise.

Is DIY Software Recovery Worth Trying First?

For logical failures on a healthy drive (deleted files, formatted partition), yes. Tools like R-Studio, DMDE, or Recuva cost 0-80 EUR and can often recover files without professional help. However:

• If the drive has any physical symptoms (clicking, slow, not detected), software recovery can make it worse.
• For SSDs with TRIM enabled, the window for software recovery is very narrow — TRIM may have already zeroed the deleted blocks.
• If the first attempt fails, stop. Multiple scans on a failing drive reduce recovery chances with each pass.

FAQ

How much does data recovery cost in Spain?

Prices range from 150 EUR for simple logical recoveries to 900+ EUR for complex physical repairs. RAID recovery can reach 1,500 EUR for multi-disk arrays. Most reputable labs offer free diagnosis and no-data-no-fee guarantees.

Why do prices vary so much between companies?

Infrastructure differences. Labs with ISO Class 5 cleanrooms, PC-3000 hardware, and donor inventories have significant overhead. Very low quotes may indicate lack of proper equipment, outsourcing, or bait-and-switch pricing tactics.

Should I pay for diagnosis?

No. Reputable labs in Spain offer free diagnosis within 24-48 hours. Charging for diagnosis is a red flag or at minimum indicates low confidence in conversion rates.

Is SSD recovery more expensive than HDD?

For physical failures, yes. SSD recovery requires specialized chip-off techniques or controller-level access. Logical SSD recovery (deleted files, formatting) costs the same as HDD, but TRIM can make SSD recovery impossible.