The Best Data Removal Services 2024 (2024)

Data brokers are constantly collecting your personal data to sell for people searches, marketing purposes, and basically to anyone who wants to pay for it. Data removal services can help you track down the broker databases and simplify the removal process.

Some services like Aura come with full identity protection as well as data broker services, while others like Surfshark'sIncogni can be bundled with tools like a virtual private network (VPN). We also like DeleteMe for reducing phone and email spam, HelloPrivacy for its low-maintenance approach, and Optery for its freemium service that can help your DIY data removal efforts.

If you want to reduce spam, decrease the risk of identity theft, and clean up your online presence, the best data removal service can help. But which one of these is going to be the best for you?

The best data removal services 2024

While data brokers aren’t illegal, they are legally required to delete your information if requested. Unfortunately, not all of them comply with data removal requests, so a removal service like one of the five below can go to work battling the brokers to give you more online anonymity.

Data privacy is important. It can help reduce the spam clutter in your life and help you avoid becoming a victim of identity theft.

• DeleteMe:Best for bundling with phone and email protection
• Incogni: Best for hands-off data removal
• Aura: Best for bundling with identity theft protection services
• HelloPrivacy: Best for low-maintenance use
• Optery: Best for DIY data removal

Comparing the top 5 ways to remove your personal data from the internet

DeleteMe: Best for bundling with phone and email protection

What we liked

Have you ever gotten an early morning call that turned out to be a telemarketer? DeleteMe can help with that. In addition to personal data removal services, DeleteMe offers email, phone, and credit card masking.

That way, you can still browse the internet doing things you want but with the added security of having your information masked. Who doesn’t want less spam, fewer text messages, or to not be bothered by calls asking about your car’s extended warranty?

DeleteMe contacts over 750 data brokers to remove your personal data, which is the most data brokers we’ve seen on this list. Its commitment to privacy and data removal is really impressive.

That commitment is extended for the entire life of your subscription with DeleteMe continuing to remove data every three months. Over time, you’ll notice less spam as the service continues to remove your sensitive data from the internet.

What we didn’t like

The phone, email, and card masking are such great features that can really reduce spam. The phone masking, however, comes with a $7.00 one-time fee. It’s not a deal-breaker, but since you’re paying for the service already, it could be included.

We also noticed that in addition to email and phone support, there’s a chatbot on the customer service page, but it’s only active from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern time. If you need assistance outside those hours, you’ll have to wait for a reply email. Phone support is available from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern time.

DeleteMe specs

Incogni: Best for hands-off data removal

What we liked

Incogni lists all the sites it contacts on your behalf and what personal data those sites collect. It checks 120 data broker websites and 60+ people search sites. This gives you a well-rounded overview of how you’re being indexed online.

Something else you’ll find throughout your dashboard is helpful tips or general information regarding data removal. All of it goes together to give you not only a good product but also a better understanding of how these data brokers work.

Incogni is owned by Surfshark, the powerful VPN service that offers many online safety features. At first, Surfshark didn’t offer a bundle plan that included Incogni, but now it offers Surfshark One+, which includes Incogni. We like having the option to purchase the service by itself or wrap it into Surfshark’s VPN, antivirus, and identity protection services.

What we didn’t like

Incogni doesn’t include email privacy services, privacy reports, or real-time alerts. You’ll have to keep logging in to your dashboard to check progress. While this isn’t a deal breaker, it’s still a little annoying.

You can get these services if you bundle Incogni into a Surfshark One+ subscription, but that can be pricey if you're not interested in a full cybersecurity suite.

Incogni specs

Aura: Best for bundling with identity theft protection services

What we liked

Auraoffers a service that's useful for the entire family. We liked that it monitored our spending based on the threshold we set, which can be helpful when teaching teens with jobs about money management.

Also, Aura provides parental controls and identity protection for even the youngest family members. If you're living a child-free life, the tools are just as effective for singles and partners, with the ability to monitor the dark web for your data and request data removal from brokers.

Admittedly, Aura isn’t just a personal data removal service. That’s why it’s great for people bundling their data removal services with identity protection services. Aura asks some questions when you first sign up to make sure it covers all of the things that are important to you. If you aren’t sure what aspects of your data protection you want to cover, Aura can help you figure that out. We were fans of how comprehensive this service is for anyone.

What we didn’t like

Aura can be expensive, and you can’t purchase services a la carte. If you’re looking for data removal and nothing else, this is likely not the service for you.

Also, we would have liked it to provide both VantageScore and a FICO score. We only received our VantageScore, which could make it difficult to gauge what you need for a new purchase, depending on your lender.

Aura specs

HelloPrivacy: Best for low maintenance use

What we liked

There’s a dark web scanner built into HelloPrivacy as well as the data broker scanner. It also offers advice and templates on how to request your personal data be removed from sites that don’t respond to its efforts. Finally, if the data broker continues to retain your information, HelloPrivacy walks you through how to file a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to have your information removed.

The dark web scanner allows you to scan multiple email addresses for potential data leaks. You can scan up to five separate email addresses, which means you can cover all your accounts or multiple people’s accounts. If you find your email on the dark web, HelloPrivacy walks you through the next steps.

What we didn’t like

There are no other features offered other than the dark web scanner and the data removal services. Also, it’s not the most robust in terms of the number of data brokers it scans. While DeleteMe checks over 750 data brokers, HelloPrivacy checks just over 50.

HelloPrivacy specs

Optery: Best for DIY data removal

What we liked

Out of all of the data removal services, we like Optery for its free plan that shows you (most) everywhere your personal data is listed online. This is helpful for people who want to reduce their online footprint but may not have it in their budget to include another monthly subscription.

Optery aggregates the data so you can begin to request removal yourself. The process takes more effort when you DIY data removal, but Optery provides a welcomed first step.

Optery’s free plan sends you a report every 90 days. If you choose to pay for an upgrade, you’ll receive monthly automated scans and other features like the ability to opt out of new data broker sites. We love the ability to choose between upgrading or sticking with a free plan.

What we didn’t like

Optery doesn’t always use AES-256-bit encryption. If you aren’t familiar, this is military-grade encryption used to secure data. Any data stored in Optery’s coffers is encrypted with AES-256, but any data in transit (like a request to remove your information) only uses TLS, which isn’t as secure. While we don’t love this, it could be acceptable if you’re doing the removal requests yourself.

Optery specs

Honorable mentions

We’ve done the rounds checking out the data deletion services available. The five data removal services we chose for this piece aren’t the only ones we’ve had the chance to review. Bitdefender, Hogo Privacy Defense, and Privacy Bee all offer data removal. If none of our prior suggestions fit your bill, try:

• Bitdefender Digital Identity Protection
• Hogo Privacy Defense
• Privacy Bee

How we tested the best data removal services

Our expert writers tested and reviewed each service for features, price, usability, and convenience. Based on our testing, we chose the top five data removal service providers and included a nod to three others we found useful (but didn’t quite make the cut).

When looking at a data removal service, you’ll want to make sure it has some key aspects. Since there are so many data broker websites, you’ll want to make sure the one you choose sends requests to a lot of them, as well as follows up and searches for more. Some key points to look out for include:

• Follows up to make sure personal data stays gone
• Searches for new brokers regularly
• Offers templates or guides when you have to request the removal yourself
• Automatically removes as much sensitive information as it can without requiring too much effort from you
• Credit monitoring
• Dark web monitoring
• Money-back guarantee
• Fraud monitoring with easy access to changing passwords for accounts with weak, compromised, or reused passwords
• Monitors social media accounts or other online accounts that hold a lot of personal info

Are data removal services worth it?

Data removal services are worth it for several reasons. First, they can help reduce the amount of annoying spam you receive in the form of phone calls, emails, and text messages.

They’re especially worthwhile if you’ve ever been the victim of a phishing scam. Phishing scams like credit card number grabbers or fake tech support scams aren’t just from data breaches.

Additionally, data removal services can increase your peace of mind by increasing your online privacy. You also lower your chances of becoming a victim of identity theft or cybercrime. Criminals are looking for fast, easy targets. If they have to hunt down information about you, they’re more likely to move on to a person who requires less effort.

What is a data broker and how do they get my information?

A data broker collects information from all over the web and pieces it together to create a complete (and very creepy) picture of you. Data brokers collect information from what’s free and available online, as well as purchasing it from other sources.

Ever sign up for a new internet service provider (ISP) and suddenly notice your spam emails shoot up? That’s because that company double-dipped by charging you for your service and selling your info to a data broker. Data brokers, in turn, sell your data to people search sites, marketing lists, and anyone else willing to pay for it.

Social media sites, public records, loyalty programs, mobile apps, and anywhere else you share something personal about yourself can sell that data to a broker. Websites track you online, and all of this is compiled into little virtual folders of information on you just waiting to be sold. It’s all completely legal because the information is usually public record, so you should be cautious about how and what you share online. And, unfortunately, these data broker websites are just as susceptible to a data breach as any company.

One of our favorite episodes of Parks and Recreation is when Leslie Knope finally finds out Ron Swanson’s birthday. Ron couldn’t resist a free scoop of Rum Raisin he received by signing up for a birthday club, and Leslie could track it down. Next time you share something online, consider whether that proverbial scoop of Rum Raisin is worth it to give up your data.

Best data removal services FAQs

Bottom line: The best data removal services

In all our testing, we haven’t found a truly horrible, worthless data removal site. We chose these five for the features they include or the simplicity offered. Whether you’re looking to DIY your data removal and need some help getting started with such a time-consuming activity or want a full-fledged data removal powerhouse behind you, you’ll find that with one of these services.

5 best data removal services 2024