Driver Reviver review

Driver Reviver is the brainchild of ReviverSoft, an American software developer. ReviverSoft is a subsidiary of Corel, a Canadian software giant that acquired it in 2014. 

We’re reviewing Driver Reviver, a driver updater tool to optimize PC drivers for excellent performance. It has been around for over a decade, with regular updates from ReviverSoft. ReviverSoft develops a broad range of PC optimization and security software programs with the “Reviver” brand plastered on most. 

Among the tools developed by ReviverSoft are antivirus software like Security Reviver, hard drive optimization tools, and privacy-focused solutions. This review, however, will focus on Driver Reviver, the driver updater tool from ReviverSoft. We'll base our appraisal on varous criteria, including features, pricing, customer support, ease of use, compatibility, and so on. 

Driver Reviver: Plans and pricing

There’s a free version of Driver Reviver you can download directly from the official website. However, this version grants access to just a few features. You’ll need to pay for the premium version to unlock access to all Driver Reviver’s functionalities and make the most of it. For example, the free version doesn't come with a one-click install of all driver updates, early access to new drivers, or dedicated email support

Users shouldn't be especially surprised that the free version comes with a few limitations. You see this with all kinds of business software, whether it's a free CRM, free video editing software, or a free VPN. However, the limitations may still mean that some individuals want to stump up for the paid version.

The premium package for Driver Reviver costs roughly $32 and grants access to the software’s full features for one year on a single PC. You can pay directly on ReviverSoft’s website through PayPal or with a credit/debit card. 

ReviverSoft also offers a couple of packages so individuals can download Driver Reviver alongside some of the company's other related tools. For instance, the most popular package is PC Reviver, which includes all Driver Reviver features, plus more than 10 additional system tools to clean, protect and speed up your device, for $43 a year. Alternatively, there's Total PC Care, which is available for $107 annually. This comes with several extra products to speed up and protect your PC, unlimited product updates, and unlimited access to support.

It's worth noting that ReviverSoft also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee for every purchase, so you don't necessarily have to commit yourself financially.

Features

Driver Reviver’s main feature is the Driver Scan. It runs an extensive scan on your PC and reports outdated drivers. It checks your PC’s drivers against a live database of over 4 million drivers. This vast database can rightly determine which ones are not up-to-date. 

ReviverSoft claims that this could deliver significant productivity benefits. Instead of individuals spending hours tracking down drivers for each piece of hardware connected to your PC, you can conduct a scan in minutes.

The scan covers your video, audio, network, chipset, and other essential drivers. In our test, the scan didn’t even take up to a minute. It found 17 outdated drivers on our HP laptop that we could update right from the app. You can update them individually or collectively through the click of a button. 

After scanning, Driver Reviver reports the results in a tabular format showing you all your PC drivers and which ones are outdated or updated. It places all the obsolete drivers before the up-to-date ones on the table for easy identification.

Driver Reviver also has a Driver Backup feature that lets you create a complete or individual backup of your system drivers and restore them where needed. This feature is helpful because some driver updates can cause malfunctions in your computer. In such a case, you just need to restore the backup drivers and make your PC function as usual. You see a similar ability to turn back the clock with the versioning that comes with some cloud storage solutions. 

You can also set Driver Reviver to begin an automatic scan whenever your computer boots up or you launch the app so you never need to worry about forgetting to check for driver updates. You can also create System Restore points before updating any drivers, creating snapshots of your computer's configuration at a specific time.

Interface and in use

We found it easy to download, install, and use Driver Reviver. The setup file is readily available to download at ReviverSoft’s official website. Afterwards, we ran it on our PC, with installation taking around one minute. We began using the app immediately after the installation.

There are automatic backups, a restore wizard, exclusions, and a scheduler to make using Driver Reviver as seamless as possible. There's also a clear online guide explaining how to use Driver Reviver to update your drivers. This explains that you must wait for one driver to finish updating before beginning the update for the next one and that you be shown a dialog informing you when each update is complete.

Driver Reviver is programmed to start a PC-wide scan immediately after launching the app. It then reports back which drivers are outdated and need updates. You can update them all within the app.

Support

A detailed FAQ page/user guide for Driver Reviver is available on ReviverSoft’s website, including common queries, such as how to upgrade to the latest version of Driver Reviver, how to register the program, and how to uninstall it. If it doesn’t satisfy your needs, you can contact the company directly through email or telephone. The specific emails or phone numbers to contact depending on your region are published online. However, email support is one of the functionalities that only comes with the paid version, which is a black mark against the program. 

The competition

We've also reviewed some common Driver Reviver alternatives, including IObit Driver Booster and AVG Driver Updater. They are more versatile than Driver Reviver because they have a broader range of features in addition to the driver update and backup/restore functionalities. Admittedly, Driver Updater is also one of the pricier options on the market but it does come with support for a wide number of languages.

Final verdict

ReviverSoft’s Driver Reviver performs its core function of identifying outdated drivers and updating them well. However, it’s pretty limited compared to rivals when considering additional features. 

We've also highlighted the best driver update software