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Optery vs DeleteMe vs Incogni

Facts last checked Oct 2026 against each company's own pages (sources at the bottom). Prices are in US dollars for US customers unless noted, and companies change them often.

Disclosure: some links to Optery, DeleteMe and Incogni on this page are affiliate links. If you buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. That doesn't change our verdicts, and doing it yourself is always free. More.

Optery, DeleteMe and Incogni are the three paid data removal services people ask us about most. They all send opt-out requests to data brokers for you and keep re-sending them. They differ a lot in price, in which sites they actually handle on the cheapest plan, in how much proof you get, and in where they work. Here is what each company's own pages say, plus the one independent test we trust.

At a glance

The site counts aren't measured the same way, so don't compare them directly. A bigger list doesn't mean more of your listings get removed.

Which plan covers the big people-search sites?

Total site counts matter less than whether a plan covers the sites that actually show up when someone searches your name. Here is where the biggest US people-search sites fall on Optery's and DeleteMe's published lists. Incogni says about 100 of its 420+ brokers are people-search sites and covers them on every plan^[12], but it doesn't break its list down by plan, so it isn't in this table.

From each company's published site list, read Oct 2026. Optery lists each site under the cheapest plan that covers it, and higher plans include everything below them. DeleteMe marks sites in the Standard plan, business and VIP tiers, or "custom requests". Intelius, TruthFinder and Instant Checkmate all share the free PeopleConnect opt-out.

This is the biggest catch in the comparison. Optery's $39 Core plan does not list Whitepages, TruePeopleSearch, FastPeopleSearch or the PeopleConnect sites. Those are on Ultimate. DeleteMe's Standard plan covers most of them, except the PeopleConnect group.

Optery

Optery's main advantage is that it shows you its work. The free plan scans people-search sites and shows screenshots of where you appear, so you can decide whether to pay, or just use our free guides. Paid plans submit opt-outs automatically and record before-and-after screenshots^[3]. Core ($39/year) covers one name and location. Extended adds unlimited name variations and past cities, human privacy agents, and removal reports. Ultimate adds unlimited custom removal requests^[1].

Watch for this: the larger site counts include Expanded Reach. That's an optional, free add-on that sends opt-outs to brokers whose removals Optery can't verify with screenshots. To send them, Optery may pass your name and city to brokers that didn't have your data before, and you have to sign a limited power of attorney to turn it on^[3].

• Pros: real free tier, cheapest paid entry, screenshot proof, best result among the services in Consumer Reports' 2024 test^[14].
• Cons: Core doesn't list Whitepages, TruePeopleSearch or FastPeopleSearch (you need Ultimate for those); Core is fully automated with one name and location; the bigger coverage numbers rely on Expanded Reach; no UK/EU coverage^[2].
• Best for: anyone who wants to see the problem first, and US/Canadian individuals on a budget.

Try Optery's free scan

DeleteMe

DeleteMe has been around since 2010 and runs as an annual, human-assisted service: you tell it what to remove, and its privacy experts handle opt-outs and send quarterly reports^[7]. Every plan includes unlimited aliases, previous names and email addresses, email and phone masking, and custom removal requests^[4]. Household pricing is good value: a 4-person plan is $329 a year^[4].

Watch for this: the headline "969 data brokers" is the whole list, including sites handled only on business or VIP tiers or by custom request. Only 91 entries on that list are marked as included in the Standard plan^[5]. DeleteMe's own help center says "850+"^[6]. We've seen reviews mention a yearly cap on custom requests, but we couldn't confirm a number on DeleteMe's own pages, so we don't give one.

• Pros: human privacy advisors, unlimited aliases, family plans, long track record, plans in 12 countries outside the US^[7].
• Cons: most expensive entry price, no monthly or free plan, smaller Standard-plan list than the headline suggests, and lower removal rate than Optery in Consumer Reports' test^[14].
• Best for: households and people who'd rather have a person on their case than a dashboard.

See DeleteMe plans

Incogni

Incogni, a Surfshark product^[13], is the most hands-off of the three. It sends removal requests to 420+ brokers on every plan. That includes private data brokers that never show your listing publicly, not just people-search sites. Requests repeat every 60 or 90 days, according to a Deloitte limited-assurance review Incogni published in 2025^[11]. The Unlimited plans add custom removals from 3,000+ more sites and phone support^[9].

Watch for this: of those 420+ brokers, Incogni says about 100 are people-search sites, and it only scans those for US users^[12]. Also, its pricing page lists monthly progress reports, not screenshot proof like Optery's. Mostly you're trusting the request status in its dashboard. It wasn't part of Consumer Reports' 2024 test^[14].

• Pros: low price for 420+ brokers, covers private brokers, widest country list (UK and all EU)^[10], family plan for up to 5 people.
• Cons: no free tier, less visible proof, no independent removal-rate test we can point to.
• Best for: people who want broad, set-and-forget coverage, and anyone in the UK or EU.

See Incogni plans

Verdict

There's no single best service. It depends on what you want:

• To see where you're listed first: Optery's free scan. Then decide.
• Broad, hands-off coverage at a low price, or you live in the UK or EU: Incogni. Standard is $7.99/mo billed yearly for 420+ brokers.
• The big US people-search sites with human help, or a family plan: DeleteMe. Standard ($129/yr) lists most of them, and 2- and 4-person plans are good value.
• The most complete coverage and proof, if price isn't the issue: Optery Ultimate ($20.70/mo billed yearly). It lists every big site in our table and scored best in Consumer Reports' test.
• On a tight budget: Optery Core ($39/yr) plus free opt-outs for Whitepages, TruePeopleSearch, FastPeopleSearch and PeopleConnect, which Core doesn't list.

Whichever you pick, check the results yourself. In Consumer Reports' test, even the best service left about a third of profiles up after four months. Manual opt-outs removed about 70%^[14]. The free way is still the most effective: see how to remove yourself for free, or start with Whitepages, Spokeo and BeenVerified.

FAQ

Which is cheapest: Optery, DeleteMe or Incogni?

Optery Core is the cheapest paid plan of the three at $39 billed yearly (or $3.99 month to month), but it doesn't list Whitepages, TruePeopleSearch or FastPeopleSearch; those need Optery Ultimate. Incogni Standard is $7.99/month billed yearly ($95.88). DeleteMe starts at $129 per year for one person. Optery also has a free plan that scans but does not remove.

Do any of them have a free plan?

Optery has a free Basic plan with an exposure report and self-service removal tools. DeleteMe offers a free one-time scan of about 30 sites and free opt-out guides, but no free removal plan. Incogni lists no free plan; it offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Which one covers the most sites?

The headline numbers are not directly comparable. DeleteMe's list says 969 data brokers, but most require custom requests or higher tiers; 91 sites on that list are marked as included in the Standard plan. Incogni says 420+ brokers on every plan. Optery Core says 380+ sites with its optional Expanded Reach feature turned on, rising to 625+ on Ultimate.

Which works outside the US?

Incogni covers the US, Canada, the UK, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and all EU countries. Optery serves the US, Canada (excluding Quebec), Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. DeleteMe's US plans are for US residents; it sells separate plans in 12 other countries listed on its International page.

Do these services remove everything?

No. In Consumer Reports' 2024 test of seven removal services, only 35% of the people-search profiles found were removed within four months across all services. Optery did best at 68% and DeleteMe removed 27%; Incogni was not in that test. Manual opt-outs removed about 70%.

Does Optery's cheapest plan cover Whitepages?

No. On Optery's published site list (checked October 2026), Whitepages, TruePeopleSearch, FastPeopleSearch, Intelius, TruthFinder and Instant Checkmate are listed under the Ultimate plan, not Core or Extended. DeleteMe's Standard plan includes Whitepages, TruePeopleSearch and FastPeopleSearch.

Sources

All checked Oct 2026. If something here is out of date, the company's page is the authority.

1. Optery: Pricing (plans, prices, site counts), last checked Oct 2026
2. Optery Help: Does Optery work in other countries than the United States?, last checked Oct 2026
3. Optery Help: How does Expanded Reach work?, last checked Oct 2026
4. DeleteMe: Pricing (US plans and what every plan includes), last checked Oct 2026
5. DeleteMe: Sites We Remove From (updated 09/17/26), last checked Oct 2026
6. DeleteMe Help: How many sites does DeleteMe remove PII from?, last checked Oct 2026
7. DeleteMe: International (countries served), last checked Oct 2026
8. DeleteMe: Free scan, last checked Oct 2026
9. Incogni: Pricing (plans, prices, FAQ), last checked Oct 2026
10. Incogni Help: In which countries is Incogni available?, last checked Oct 2026
11. Incogni: Deloitte independent limited assurance report (Aug 2025), last checked Oct 2026
12. Incogni Help: Does Incogni remove personal data from people search sites?, last checked Oct 2026
13. Incogni Help: What is Incogni?, last checked Oct 2026
14. Consumer Reports & Tall Poppy: Data Defense: Evaluating People-Search Site Removal Services (Aug 2024, PDF), last checked Oct 2026

More comparisons and guides

• Optery vs DeleteMe
• Incogni vs DeleteMe
• Is a data removal service worth it?
• Remove yourself from people-search sites for free
• Start here: top sites to opt out of

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