CardRescue
CardRescue: A focused Mac recovery tool with broad card support and a one-time price. Ranked #39 of 44 in Photo Recovery Software by our editors (5.5/10); pricing: Paid; best for mac-only memory-card recovery.
At a glance
- Editor score5.5 / 10
- PricingPaid
- Best forMac-only memory-card recovery
- Free planNo
- Paid from$39.95/user one-time
- Supported platformsMacos
- Founded1998 · Bradenton, Florida, USA
- Facts checked20 Sep 2026
Where it wins
- Recovers photos, videos, and camera RAW files
- Supports quick and full scans with JPEG previews
- Read-only recovery covers many memory-card types
Where it doesn't
- Runs on macOS only
- No free plan; the license costs $39.95 one time
- Saving recovered files requires the full version
Our verdict on CardRescue
CardRescue is desktop photo recovery software for individual users and small organizations working with camera memory cards. It can recover deleted or lost photos and videos from SD, CompactFlash, xD Picture Cards, Memory Sticks, microSD cards, and other card types. The software addresses cards affected by deletion, formatting, corruption, damage, or access problems. Support for common image formats, camera RAW formats, and video files makes it relevant to photographers and anyone trying to retrieve media from a camera card.
The published plan is a Single User License priced at $39.95 as a one-time payment. It includes permanent use, unlimited picture files and memory cards, free upgrades for v6.x releases, and two years of upgrade protection. There is no free plan. The evaluation version can scan and preview files, while saving recovered files requires the full version. That structure lets buyers assess whether recoverable files appear before purchasing, but the usable recovery workflow depends on the paid license.
CardRescue’s strongest fit is focused memory-card recovery on macOS. Quick and full scanning provide two recovery approaches, while thumbnail previews of recoverable JPEG files help with file selection. Read-only recovery is designed not to modify the flash card during recovery. The main limitation is platform coverage: the product is identified as macOS software, while the Windows link leads to the separate CardRecovery product. Choose CardRescue for Mac-based card recovery; users needing Windows coverage should consider that separate product instead.
Your product? Our editors can test CardRescue in depth and publish a review, labelled as paid · from $149/mo →
CardRescue pricing
All 1 CardRescue plans and prices →
CardRescue fact sheet
| Free plan | No |
|---|---|
| Paid from | $39.95/user one-time |
| Supported platforms | Macos |
| Recovery sources | SD, SDHC, SDXC, microSD, microSDHC, CompactFlash, xD Picture Card, Memory Stick, and other memory cards |
| Scan modes | Both |
| Raw photo recovery | Yes |
| Disk image support | Not verified |
| Photo preview | Yes |
| Free recovery limit | Not verified |
| Deployment | Desktop |
| Platforms | macOS |
| Support | Email, Tickets |
| Built for | Solo, Small business (editorial estimate) |
| Pricing | Paid (source) |
| Website | cardrescue.com |
| Facts checked | 20 Sep 2026 |
Alternatives to CardRescue
- PhotoRecA broad, free recovery tool for difficult media, with a less convenient photo-first workflow.9.3
- EaseUS Data Recovery WizardBroad recovery coverage, but the free plan is limited to two files.9.1
- RecuvaA capable free option for recovering deleted photos from Windows and camera cards.9.0
See all CardRescue alternatives →
Used CardRescue? Be the first to review it
The editor score above is our own research. What this page doesn't have yet is a reader's view — what you used CardRescue for, what worked and what didn't. No stars are seeded and no review is paid for; an editor reads every one before it appears.
Write a reviewTwo minutes · verified accounts only · read by an editor before it appears
Featured on iTechGuides
CardRescue is listed in our Photo Recovery Software directory. Add the badge to your site — it links back to this page.
<a href="https://www.itechguides.com/products/cardrescue/"><img src="https://www.itechguides.com/best/badge/cardrescue.svg" alt="Featured on iTechGuides" width="230" height="46"></a>
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.
Last updated · How we research and update