OpteryBest overall
The best paid result in Consumer Reports' 2024 study (68% removed in four months), before-and-after screenshots, a free scan and plans from $39 a year.
Data removal services
A data removal service is a subscription that sends deletion requests to data brokers and people-search sites for you, then repeats them when your details reappear. These data removal reviews compare seven services on independent results, broker coverage, ownership and price.
IncogniBest for UK and EU residents
420+ brokers on every plan across the US, Canada, the UK and Europe, with a repeat-request schedule checked by Deloitte, from $95.88 a year.
Privacy BeeWidest broker coverage
1,229 brokers and custom requests on Pro, rescans every 30 days and customers in almost every country; no independent results yet.
EasyOptOutsBest budget pick
$19.99 a year bought a 65% removal rate in Consumer Reports' study; US only, about 140 direct sites and no custom requests.
DeleteMeBest for hands-on human help
Custom requests, a privacy expert and phone support on every plan, plus detailed quarterly reports; 27% in Consumer Reports' study and $129 a year.
AuraBest bundled with identity theft protection
Removal requests to 425+ brokers included with three-bureau credit monitoring and fraud alerts from $12 a month; no published list or independent removal test.
KanaryBest for public figures and executives
Monitors social media, search and ChatGPT as well as brokers, with human escalation; $250 to $500 a year.
Compare side by side
Every score and price in one table. Select a column to sort. Prices are US list prices; hover a price for the full terms.
| Optery | 8.8 | 9.5 | 9.0 | 8.0 | 7.0 | 9.5 | 8.5 | $3.25/mo | Yes | 30 days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Incogni | 8.3 | 8.0 | 8.5 | 7.5 | 9.5 | 8.0 | 8.5 | $7.99/mo | – | 30 days |
| Privacy Bee | 7.7 | 6.0 | 9.5 | 7.0 | 9.5 | 7.5 | 7.0 | About $8/mo | – | 30 days |
| EasyOptOuts | 7.6 | 9.0 | 6.0 | 8.0 | 5.0 | 6.0 | 10.0 | $19.99 | – | 150 days |
| DeleteMe | 7.2 | 6.5 | 8.0 | 8.0 | 5.5 | 8.5 | 6.5 | $8.71/mo | – | Full refund until your first privacy report |
| Aura | 7.1 | 6.5 | 7.5 | 7.5 | 5.0 | 8.5 | 7.5 | $12/mo | – | 60 days |
| Kanary | 6.5 | 6.0 | 7.5 | 7.0 | 6.0 | 8.0 | 4.5 | $250 a year | – | 30 days |
What does a data removal service do?
It finds your name, address and phone number on broker and people-search sites, files opt-out requests, and files them again when listings return. It can’t erase public records such as property deeds. Think of it as upkeep, not a cleanup.
Results vary a lot. In Consumer Reports’ 2024 study, Optery’s top plan removed 68% of test listings within four months, while DeleteMe managed 27%. Manual opt-outs did best of all, at 70%.
Can you remove your data for free?
Yes, if you have patience. Three free routes cover a lot of ground:
- California residents can use DROP. Since January 1, 2026, one request reaches every registered broker, and since August 1 brokers must check it at least every 45 days.
- Google’s Results about you tool requests removal of search results showing your phone, address or email (Google help). The source page stays online.
- UK and EU residents have a right to erasure; an organisation must normally reply within one month and can’t usually charge (ICO guidance).
Live in California and happy to wait? Don’t bother paying yet. A subscription earns its fee when you want the repeat requests handled for you.
Which data removal service fits you?
Pick on proof first, then on where you live. If you’ve only got one address to protect, skip the premium tiers.
- Best measured results: Optery. Before-and-after screenshots, a free scan, and Core from $39 a year.
- Lowest price: EasyOptOuts, $19.99 a year, scored 65% in that same study. US only.
- UK or Europe: Incogni covers 420+ brokers across the US, Canada, the UK and the EU, with a repeat schedule Deloitte reviewed in August 2025.
- Someone to phone: DeleteMe puts a privacy expert and phone support on every plan, from $129 a year.
- Longest broker list: Privacy Bee Pro reaches 1,229 brokers. No independent results exist yet.
- Already an Aura customer? Removal requests to 425+ brokers come included.
What traps catch data removal buyers?
Big numbers, mostly. Don’t trust a broker count on its own; it says little about how many listings actually disappear.
| Service | Yearly price | Consumer Reports 2024 | Countries |
|---|---|---|---|
| Optery Core | $39 | 68% (Ultimate plan) | US, Canada, Australia, NZ, South Africa |
| EasyOptOuts | $19.99 | 65% | US |
| Incogni Standard | $95.88 | Not tested | US, Canada, UK, EU |
| DeleteMe, 1 person | $129 | 27% | US |
| Kanary Core | $250 | 34% (older consumer plan) | US |
- Inflated site counts. DeleteMe lists 969 sites, yet many are custom-request or business-tier only.
- Ownership. Surfshark’s group owns Incogni and, since September 2026, most of Optery. Onerep isn’t ranked after KrebsOnSecurity reported that its CEO founded people-search sites.
- No finish line. Most people forget that listings come back. Optery repeats requests every 30 days, Incogni every 60 to 90, EasyOptOuts every 4 months.
When you cancel, expect listings to creep back within months.
How should you read our data removal reviews and scores?
Removal results with proof and broker coverage each carry 25% of the research score. Independent evidence counts most, and there’s little of it: the Consumer Reports study and Incogni’s Deloitte assurance report are the main outside checks.
So services without third-party data score lower on proof, whatever their marketing claims. In practice, a free scan is the cheapest way to see your own exposure first. This category sits in our security and privacy section, next to identity theft protection.
How we score data removal services
Every product here is scored 0 to 10 on the same criteria, using published evidence. The overall score is the weighted average.
Removal results & proofIndependent effectiveness tests (Consumer Reports' 2024 study), third-party audits or assurance reports, before-and-after evidence such as screenshots, and how often requests are re-sent.weight25%
Broker coverageHow many brokers are handled automatically on each plan, whether the full list is published, people-search versus marketing and risk brokers, and custom removal requests for unlisted sites.weight25%
Trust & transparencyWho owns the service and what else they own, ties to people-search companies, security certifications, privacy-policy terms, and how much data is shared to make requests.weight15%
Countries supportedWhich residents can sign up: US only, or Canada, the UK, the EU and beyond, and whether requests use local privacy laws such as GDPR.weight10%
Reporting & ease of useDashboard detail, report frequency, proof of removal, free scans, apps, family account management and support channels.weight10%
Price & valueYearly and monthly prices, family and couple plans, what the cheapest useful plan includes, free plans and scans, and refund windows.weight15%
Questions people ask
Do data removal services actually work?
Partly. In Consumer Reports' 2024 study, the best paid service removed 68% of test listings in four months and the weakest far less, while careful manual opt-outs reached 70%. A service saves time and repeats requests, but none removes everything, and listings tend to return.
How long does data removal take?
Expect weeks to months. Consumer Reports measured results over four months, and services repeat requests on a cycle: every 30 days at Optery, every 60 to 90 days at Incogni. Each broker sets its own pace, so a first pass rarely clears everything.
Is it safe to give a data removal service your personal details?
It has to know your name, addresses and phone numbers to find you, so check who owns it. Onerep's CEO founded people-search sites, which is why it isn't ranked here. Privacy Bee holds a SOC 2 Type II report, and Incogni had its process reviewed by Deloitte.