Best PC & Phone Utilities in 2026
Quick answer: The right utility depends on the job. AOMEI fits Windows backup and disk cloning and has free editions, Paragon Software lets a Mac write to Windows NTFS drives, Bandicam records screens and games, and AnyTrans manages iPhone backups and transfers from a computer. Most vendors in this group sell each tool separately, so pick by the single task you need done.
Our picks by need
- Best for free Windows backup and disk cloningAOMEI: AOMEI Backupper Standard is free and covers basic backup, restore and clone on Windows PCs. Backupper Professional costs US$39.95/year or US$69.95 for a lifetime license, with a 90-day money-back guarantee.
- Best for using Windows drives on a MacParagon Software: Microsoft NTFS for Mac by Paragon gives full read and write access to Windows drives on a Mac and has a 10-day free trial. The Mac ToolBox bundle with NTFS for Mac and three other tools is $54.99.
- Best for recording gameplay and tutorialsBandicam: Bandicam has a game recording mode and a webcam overlay, and its free version records without a watermark for up to 5 minutes per recording. A personal license for 1 PC is $33.26/year or $53.90 one-time.
- Best for iPhone backups and transfers without iTunesAnyTrans (iMobie): AnyTrans moves photos, music and messages between an iPhone and a computer and makes full or incremental backups. One license covers unlimited devices on 1 computer, at a sale price of $39.99 for a year or $59.99 one-time.
- Best for repairing a stuck iPhoneTenorshare: Tenorshare ReiBoot repairs common iOS and iPadOS system issues and starts from US$24.95. Purchases come with a 30-day money-back guarantee, with conditions.
- Best for mirroring a phone to a PCApowersoft: ApowerMirror mirrors Android and iPhone screens to a computer and starts from US$19.95. The Apowersoft Unlimited bundle covers 13 products for US$59.95/year.
- Best for lightweight malware protectionEmsisoft: Emsisoft Anti-Malware Home uses a dual-engine scanner with anti-ransomware monitoring on Windows and Mac. It costs €59.95/year for 3 PCs and has a free 30-day trial.
PC & Phone Utilities compared
| Product | Best for | Starting price | Free plan / trial |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aiseesoft | Home users needing media and recovery tools | Video Converter Ultimate from $14.50/month | Free trial versions with limits; some free tools |
| AnyTrans (iMobie) | iPhone users moving data or making local backups | $39.99/year (sale price) | Free download to try |
| AOMEI | Home users and IT techs who need backup, cloning or partition tools | US$39.95/year (Backupper Professional) | Free editions of Backupper, Partition Assistant, Cloner and more |
| Apowersoft | Recording screens and mirroring phones to a PC | From US$12.95 (varies by product) | Free online tools available |
| Bandicam | Recording gameplay, tutorials and webcam videos | $33.26/year (personal, 1 PC) | - |
| Coolmuster | Phone users who need backup, transfer or recovery | From $9.95 (small PDF tools); phone tools from $19.95 | - |
| Emsisoft | Home users who want simple, light protection | Priced per PC per year (e.g. €59.95/yr for 3 PCs) | Free 30-day trial |
| iMobie | People switching phones or recovering lost phone data | Varies by product (e.g. AnyTrans from $39.99/year) | Free downloads to try most tools |
| iMyFone | Phone users fixing or recovering devices | From about $14.99 (AnyTo); most tools $29.99-$49.99 | - |
| iToolab | Fixing, moving or recovering phone data | From $9.95/month (varies by tool) | - |
| Paragon Software | Mac/Windows users moving data between drives | Hard Disk Manager Advanced from $19.95 first year | Free Partition Manager CE; 10-day NTFS for Mac trial |
| Tenorshare | Fixing or recovering data on iPhones and Android phones | From US$19.95 (varies by product and license) | Free downloads for some tools; 7-day trial for iAnyGo |
Prices as listed on each official site, checked November 14, 2026. Prices change, so confirm before you buy.
How to choose
- Most of these vendors sell each tool separately, so the cost adds up if you need several; Apowersoft Unlimited (US$59.95/year for 13 products) and the iMyFone 6-in-1 Bundle ($129.95/year) are the bundle options.
- License types differ: AOMEI, Bandicam, AnyTrans and Aiseesoft offer one-time or lifetime licenses, while iToolab mostly sells short monthly licenses that renew automatically.
- Check the platform first, because AOMEI is mostly Windows-only, AnyTrans is mainly for Apple devices, and the phone tools from Tenorshare, iMyFone, iMobie and Coolmuster run on a Windows or Mac computer.
- Free versions have clear limits: Bandicam caps recordings at 5 minutes, Aiseesoft trials convert only the first 5 minutes, and AOMEI keeps system migration for paid editions.
- Refund windows range from 30 days at Tenorshare, iMyFone and Coolmuster to 60 days on AnyTrans yearly and lifetime plans and 90 days at AOMEI.
- Many listed prices are sale or starting prices, and the license term behind them is not always shown, so confirm the term on the product page before you buy.
Each option in one line
Aiseesoft
Desktop software for video conversion, screen recording, data recovery and phone tools. Starting price: Video Converter Ultimate from $14.50/month. Free plan / trial: Free trial versions with limits; some free tools. Best for: Home users needing media and recovery tools.
AnyTrans (iMobie)
Desktop iPhone manager for transferring, backing up and organising phone data without iTunes. Starting price: $39.99/year (sale price). Free plan / trial: Free download to try. Best for: iPhone users moving data or making local backups.
AOMEI
Windows backup, cloning, partition and data recovery tools, with free editions of most apps. Starting price: US$39.95/year (Backupper Professional). Free plan / trial: Free editions of Backupper, Partition Assistant, Cloner and more. Best for: Home users and IT techs who need backup, cloning or partition tools.
Apowersoft
Desktop and online tools for screen recording, phone mirroring, video conversion and PDF editing. Starting price: From US$12.95 (varies by product). Free plan / trial: Free online tools available. Best for: Recording screens and mirroring phones to a PC.
Bandicam
Lightweight screen, game and webcam recorder for Windows and Mac with a free version. Starting price: $33.26/year (personal, 1 PC). Best for: Recording gameplay, tutorials and webcam videos.
Coolmuster
Desktop tools for backing up, transferring, recovering and erasing data on Android and iPhone. Starting price: From $9.95 (small PDF tools); phone tools from $19.95. Best for: Phone users who need backup, transfer or recovery.
Emsisoft
Lightweight anti-malware for Windows and Mac with a dual-engine scanner and ransomware protection. Starting price: Priced per PC per year (e.g. €59.95/yr for 3 PCs). Free plan / trial: Free 30-day trial. Best for: Home users who want simple, light protection.
iMobie
Maker of desktop tools for phone data transfer, recovery, unlocking and cleanup on iPhone and Android. Starting price: Varies by product (e.g. AnyTrans from $39.99/year). Free plan / trial: Free downloads to try most tools. Best for: People switching phones or recovering lost phone data.
iMyFone
Software for iPhone and Android data recovery, system repair, transfer, unlocking and location changing. Starting price: From about $14.99 (AnyTo); most tools $29.99-$49.99. Best for: Phone users fixing or recovering devices.
iToolab
Suite of phone utilities for WhatsApp transfer, data recovery, iOS repair, unlocking and GPS changing. Starting price: From $9.95/month (varies by tool). Best for: Fixing, moving or recovering phone data.
Paragon Software
Disk, backup and file system tools, like NTFS for Mac and Hard Disk Manager, for home and business. Starting price: Hard Disk Manager Advanced from $19.95 first year. Free plan / trial: Free Partition Manager CE; 10-day NTFS for Mac trial. Best for: Mac/Windows users moving data between drives.
Tenorshare
A family of phone and PC tools for iOS repair, data recovery, transfers, unlocking and PDF editing. Starting price: From US$19.95 (varies by product and license). Free plan / trial: Free downloads for some tools; 7-day trial for iAnyGo. Best for: Fixing or recovering data on iPhones and Android phones.
Head-to-head comparisons
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest PC or phone utility?
Several tools are free: AOMEI Backupper Standard, Paragon Partition Manager Community Edition and the Bandicam free version. Among paid tools, Paragon Hard Disk Manager Advanced is $19.95 for the first year and then $24.95 a year, and iToolab AnyGo for Android is $9.95/month. Prices vary by product, so compare the specific tool you need.
Which backup and disk tools have a free version?
AOMEI has free editions of Backupper, Partition Assistant and Cloner. Paragon Software offers the free Partition Manager Community Edition for basic partition management on Windows. Features such as system migration in AOMEI need a paid edition.
Is Tenorshare or iMyFone better for fixing an iPhone?
Both repair iOS system problems and both have a 30-day money-back guarantee. Tenorshare ReiBoot starts from US$24.95, while iMyFone Fixppo was listed at $29.99. iMyFone also sells a 6-in-1 Bundle at $129.95/year that includes Fixppo, D-Back and LockWiper, which can suit people who need several tools.
How can I move WhatsApp chats between Android and iPhone?
Several tools do this from a computer. Tenorshare iCareFone Transfer starts from US$19.95, iToolab WatsGo for Windows is $16.95/month, and iMyFone iMyTrans was listed at $29.99. AnyTrans also transfers and backs up WhatsApp chats as part of its iPhone manager.
Can a Mac write to a Windows NTFS drive?
macOS can read NTFS drives without extra software, but it needs a driver to write to them. Microsoft NTFS for Mac by Paragon Software gives full read and write access and supports Apple Silicon. It has a 10-day free trial.
What is the best screen recorder for games?
Bandicam is built for it, with a game recording mode that detects the running game and an FPS overlay. The free version limits each recording to 5 minutes, and a personal annual license is $33.26/year for 1 PC. Apowersoft ApowerREC is another screen recorder, starting from US$19.95.
We summarise each product from its official website, pricing page and documentation. We don't run hands-on tests or give star ratings. Some links on this site may be affiliate links. See our affiliate disclosure.