Best overall
1
Optery
Independent (Optery, Inc.) · no data-broker ties
Green
The rare service that scores well on both trust and results: independently owned,
SOC 2 Type II audited, and ranked the single most effective consumer service
in Consumer Reports' 2024 study. It even has a genuinely free tier.
FromFree / $3.99–$24.99 mo
OwnerIndependent, US
Independent test68% removed (CR, best of 13)
Best forMost people who want hands-off
Strengths
- Best independently-measured removal rate
- No data-broker conflict; SOC 2 Type II
- Free scan + free tier; publishes its site list
Watch-outs
- Still leaves ~1/3 of exposures after 4 months
- Policy allows retargeting ads (CCPA "sale"), opt-out-able
2
EasyOptOuts
Independent, founder-owned · no affiliate program
Green
The best value here, and the right choice for most budgets. $19.99 a year, ties
Optery for the best measured effectiveness, asks for the least data of anyone here,
and runs no trackers. It pays no commission to this page - and it's ranked here anyway, on merit.
Price$19.99 / year
OwnerIndependent, US (2 people)
Independent test65% removed (CR); 73–90% (Privacy Guides)
Best forBest value; the privacy-minded
Strengths
- Cheapest here, effectiveness tied for best
- No SSN/ID; no third-party trackers; never sells
- 150-day refund guarantee
Watch-outs
- Bot-only; misses PeopleConnect sites (Intelius etc.)
- No security certs (self-reported); tiny team
- No family plan; keeps billing email indefinitely
3
Kanary
Independent (Kanaries Inc.) · Mozilla/Y Combinator-backed
Green
The cleanest ownership story on the page: an independent startup backed by
privacy-aligned investors, a short plain-English "we never sell your data" policy,
a genuinely free tier, and extra focus on doxxing and high-risk exposure.
FromFree / $9.99–$50 mo
OwnerIndependent, US
Independent testMid-tier (CR)
Best forTrust-first; doxxing/high-risk
Strengths
- Independent; Mozilla/YC investors; no conflict
- Free ongoing tier; strong on high-risk removals
- Blunt, minimal privacy policy
Watch-outs
- Only mid-tier effectiveness in CR's test
- Fully-managed removals cost $50/mo
- SOC 2 self-reported; not ISO 27001
4
DeleteMe
Independent (Abine, Inc.) · since 2010
Orange
The oldest and best-known name, with the strongest security paperwork here (SOC 2
since 2021, ISO 27001) and no data-broker conflict. The catch is results: Consumer
Reports measured only ~27% removal in four months, for a not-cheap annual price.
Price~$129/yr (annual only)
OwnerIndependent, US
Independent test~27% removed (CR, mid-tier)
Best forBrand trust + human review
Strengths
- Longest track record; no conflict of interest
- SOC 2 + ISO 27001; human-assisted removals
- SSN never required; refund policy exists
Watch-outs
- Mediocre measured removal for the price
- No free trial; annual commitment
- Sibling product Blur had a 2019 data exposure
5
Incogni
Surfshark / Nord Security (Tesonet family)
Orange
Cheap, slick, and Deloitte-audited on process - but the ownership deserves a
second look. The same corporate family behind it (via Surfshark/Nord) also backs
Oxylabs, one of the world's largest web-scraping/residential-proxy operations.
From$7.99–$14.99 mo (annual)
OwnerNord Security group (EU)
Independent testNot in CR study
Best forCheap automated coverage
Strengths
- Low price; large custom-removal reach
- Deloitte-verified removal process (2025)
- States it does not sell your data
Watch-outs
- Owner's group also runs scraping firm Oxylabs
- Shares data with "affiliated group companies"
- No independent effectiveness data; wants your DOB
6
Privacy Bee
Independent, founder-owned (Harry Maugans)
Orange
Bootstrapped, a PCMag Editors' Choice, with a free scan and the widest advertised
coverage. Two things temper it: the founder built and sold an ad-intent data
company, and independent testers find far fewer sites covered than advertised.
FromFree scan / ~$8–$67 mo
OwnerIndependent, US
Independent testNot in CR study
Best forFree exposure scan
Strengths
- Founder-owned; PCMag Editors' Choice
- Free scan; states it doesn't sell data
- Human analysts on higher tiers
Watch-outs
- Founder's prior firm was an ad-data business
- Coverage far below advertised in one long-term test
- Policy allows aggregated data for marketing
7
Aura
Aura Sub, LLC (VC-backed, WndrCo/General Catalyst)
Orange
A polished all-in-one identity-protection suite that bundles broker removal into
every plan. Fine if you want the whole kit - but it wants your SSN, disclosed a
~900k-record breach in March 2026, and draws heavy billing complaints.
From~$9–$12/mo (annual)
OwnerVC-backed, US
Independent testNot in CR study
Best forAll-in-one ID protection
Strengths
- Removal bundled in every tier; not a broker
- Broad suite (credit, VPN, antivirus, insurance)
- 60-day guarantee; 14-day trial
Watch-outs
- Requires SSN/ID - a big data footprint
- March 2026 breach (~900k records)
- Heavy billing/cancellation complaints
8
IDX
Identity Theft Guard Solutions · owned by Kingswood Capital (PE)
Orange
A long-running identity-protection firm (the one governments hire after breaches)
with human-assisted removal and no broker conflict. But it wants your SSN, has
changed owners three times in three years, and has no independent effectiveness data.
From~$12.95/mo for removal tier
OwnerPrivate equity, US
Independent testNot independently tested
Best forFull ID-theft protection
Strengths
- No data-broker conflict; owner's portfolio is clean
- Human-assisted "ForgetMe" removals
- Deep enterprise/government track record
Watch-outs
- Requires SSN for core monitoring
- Three owners in under three years
- No independent test; support/cancel complaints
9
HelloPrivacy
Owned by fintech Array (array.com)
Orange
The removal product works, but the ownership is the story. HelloPrivacy is now owned
by Array, a fintech whose core business monetises members' financial profiles - and
its predecessor ran paid referral deals with people-search sites (per rival
Optery; reportedly ended around 2023). Read the ownership section closely.
FromFree / ~$8.33 mo
OwnerArray (fintech), US
Independent testNot in CR study
Best for-
Strengths
- Free tier; broad dark-web email monitoring
- Mostly-automated recurring removals
- Historical broker ties reportedly ended
Watch-outs
- Parent's core business monetises personal data
- Documented past referral ties to people-search sites
- No published site list; no certs; unauditable site
10
ReputationDefender
Owned by Gen Digital (Norton / Avast / LifeLock)
Red
A big, well-capitalised name that, on the one independent test that included it,
removed just 6% of test data in four months - near the bottom of the
field. Its parent's sibling brand, Avast, was FTC-banned for selling browsing data.
PriceOpaque; ~$99/yr to $10k/yr
OwnerGen Digital (NASDAQ: GEN)
Independent test6% removed (CR, near-worst)
Best for-
Strengths
- Large, financially stable parent
- Doesn't collect SSN for the removal profile
- Human oversight on removals
Watch-outs
- Only 6% removal in CR's controlled test
- Sibling brand Avast FTC-banned for data selling
- Opaque pricing, hard-sell & cancellation complaints
11
OneRep
Founder-owned (Dimitri Shelest)
Red
The textbook "fox guarding the henhouse." KrebsOnSecurity documented in 2024 that
OneRep's founder also built dozens of people-search sites - and still holds a stake
in one (Nuwber) - the exact kind of site OneRep charges you to escape. Mozilla dropped it.
Price~$8.33–$15.95/mo
OwnerFounder-owned; ops in Belarus/Cyprus
Independent testNot in CR study
Best for-
Strengths
- Functional removals + monthly re-scans for many users
- Now claims SOC 2 Type II (2025)
- Responded on the record to the reporting
Watch-outs
- Confirmed "both ends" conflict (Krebs, 2024)
- Founder retains a stake in a people-search site
- Mozilla ended its partnership over it