How Much Does PHP Source Recovery Cost?

Cost is a fair thing to nail down before you commit to anything, and recovering source for software you own should not come with a mystery bill at the end. This article gives an honest look at what actually drives the price, how to think about per-file versus plan-based options, how the refund path protects your spending, and how to weigh cost against the value of getting your code back. Rather than quote specific numbers that belong on the live pricing page and can change, the focus here is on the factors and the reasoning so you can make a sound decision for your situation.

What Actually Drives the Cost

A handful of factors shape what you pay, and understanding them lets you estimate your own case:

• How many files you recover. This is the single biggest lever. One lost file costs less than a full project, and volume is the main thing that moves your total.
• Which plan fits your usage pattern. Occasional single-file needs and ongoing, larger-scale recovery are genuinely different use cases, and they suit different plans.
• File complexity, within reason. Most files fall into a normal range. Unusual ones that require manual review are handled through the standard path rather than through surprise charges.

One thing that is not the main driver is the encoding format itself. Whether a file came through the ionCube decoder or the SourceGuardian decoder path is not what determines your cost. Volume and the plan you choose are the factors that matter.

Per-File Thinking vs Plan Thinking

The right structure depends on the shape of your need:

If you have a single lost file — one script, one module you own and need back — a small, one-off recovery is the natural fit. You pay for the thing you need and nothing more. This is the common case for someone who lost a specific file and wants it recovered without any ongoing commitment.

If you are bringing back an entire codebase you own, or you expect to recover files repeatedly over time, a plan that covers more volume is usually the better value. Recovering a large project one file at a time on single-file pricing rarely makes sense when a plan is designed for exactly that scale. The pricing page lays out the current options so you can match a plan to how much you actually need to recover and how often.

The Refund Path Protects Your Spending

Pricing is only fair if you are not paying for nothing. Files that genuinely cannot be recovered follow a refund path — you are charged for usable source, not for a failed attempt. This is an important part of the cost picture, not a footnote.

The way it works in practice: difficult files first go through manual review, where a person tries to make them usable. Only files that are truly unrecoverable even after that review fall back to a refund. This structure keeps your spending tied to results. You are paying for source you can actually use, which is exactly how it should be, and it removes much of the risk from trying a file whose recoverability you are unsure about.

Weighing Cost Against Value

The most useful way to judge cost is to compare it against your alternatives. Consider what recovering readable, functionally equivalent source for code you own would otherwise require: reconstructing lost work from scratch, or paying a developer by the hour to reverse-engineer behavior by hand. Both of those can be dramatically slower and more expensive than recovery.

That comparison is where the value becomes clear. You are paying for working, maintainable source through the PHP decompiler — code you can read, understand, and modify — rather than for weeks of manual rebuilding. For a business that depends on the software, getting usable source back quickly can be worth far more than the recovery cost itself.

Keep expectations honest, though. Output aims to be readable and functionally equivalent but may not be byte-identical, since comments and formatting can differ. You are paying for functional, maintainable source, not a perfect replica of the original author's exact file. For maintenance and continuity, that is precisely what has value.

Ways to Keep Costs Predictable

A few practical habits help:

• Test before you scale. A free trial or a single-file recovery lets you see results on your own code before committing to a larger plan.
• Match the plan to real volume. Estimate how many files you actually need to recover, then pick the option built for that scale rather than over- or under-buying.
• Submit clean files. Avoiding failed uploads due to corruption keeps your recoveries efficient. The refund path covers genuine failures, but clean submissions simply go smoother.
• Recover only what you own. Beyond being required, this keeps your spending focused on code that is actually yours to bring back.

FAQ

Is there a free way to test it first? Yes. A free trial lets you see results on a file before committing to a paid plan, which is the best way to judge value for your specific code.

Do I pay if a file fails? Unrecoverable files follow the refund path, so you are not charged for output you cannot use. You pay for usable source, not for attempts.

Does a bigger project cost proportionally more? Generally yes, since volume is the main cost driver. That is exactly why plans with larger allowances exist for full-codebase recovery.

Does the protection format change the price? No. Whether a file was protected with ionCube or SourceGuardian is not the main driver. Volume and plan are.

Is per-file or a plan cheaper for me? For a single lost file, per-file is usually the sensible choice. For a whole codebase or repeated needs, a plan typically offers better value. Compare on the pricing page.

Can I start small and scale up? Yes. Testing with a trial or a single file first, then moving to a plan if you need more, is a reasonable and low-risk way to approach it.

See What Fits Your Needs

Recovery is for software you own or are authorized to recover. If that is your situation, the clearest way to judge cost against value is to look at the current options and then try a real file. Check the plans on the pricing page, then start a free trial or create an account to run one of your own files and see the result for yourself.