Data Broker Removal Service vs DIY Opt-Out Tools
Short answer. A paid removal service saves you time on a long, repetitive list. Free tools cover much of the same list if you’ll spend the hours. Neither gets everything, and neither is a one-time fix, because records come back. What you’re buying is time and follow-through, not a result.
I work as a privacy broker, so I have an interest in this question. I have no financial relationship with any service named here. Prices below are from October 22, 2026.
What a removal service does
You give it your details. It finds listings on data broker and people-search sites, files opt-out requests, and rechecks later. Cheaper plans are automated. Pricier ones add a human who handles special cases. The limit is that some opt-outs need you to confirm by email or phone, which no intermediary can do for you, and the service’s coverage list only covers the sites it chose to include.
Listed prices, October 22, 2026
| Service | Price | Coverage as the vendor states it | Human involved? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Incogni Standard | $7.99/mo, $95.88 billed annually | 420+ broker sites | Automated |
| Incogni Unlimited | $14.99/mo, $179.88 billed annually | 420+ plus 3,000+ more via custom removals | Custom removals by specialists |
| Incogni Family (up to 5) | $15.99/mo, $191.88 billed annually | 420+ sites | Automated |
| Optery Core | $39/year | 380+ sites | No assigned agent |
| Optery Extended | $149/year | 555+ sites | Assigned human agent |
| Optery Ultimate | $249/year | 625+ sites | Assigned human agent |
| Optery Basic | Free | Self-service scans | No |
| Kanary Core | $250/year, family members $125 | Not stated as a count | Managed removals listed |
| Kanary Advanced | $500/year, family members $250 | Not stated as a count | Managed removals listed |
| EasyOptOuts | $19.99/year | 200+ sites | Automated |
| Privacy Bee | About $8, $16 or $67 a month on the three tiers, as the vendor states, billed annually | 607 to 1,437 sites depending on tier | Analysts on higher tiers |
| DeleteMe | $129/year for one person, per security.org (updated October 2, 2026) | Vendor gives no count | Every plan includes an assigned expert |
Prices change. Double-check them on each vendor’s page before you buy.
Free and DIY options
- California DROP. If you live in California, one request goes to every registered broker. It’s free. The state’s agency says brokers must begin processing requests on August 1, 2026. See privacy.ca.gov/drop and the agency’s broker page.
- Google’s Results about you. It hides listings with your contact details from Google Search. It doesn’t remove them from the source. See de-indexing and Google’s help page.
- A maintained opt-out list. The community-maintained Big-Ass Data Broker Opt-Out List walks through sites one by one. Its README says it was last updated September 27, 2026.
The real cost of DIY
Hours, mostly. The list is long, each site has its own form, some want confirmation, and you need to come back to recheck. A person who does this once and stops will find listings reappearing within months. If your time is worth more than the service fee and you’re not in a high-risk situation, paying is reasonable.
Choose DIY when
- You live in California and can use DROP.
- You’re low-risk: no one in particular is looking for you.
- You like checklists, and you will actually return and recheck.
- You want to start with the highest-impact sites and see how it goes.
Choose a paid service when
- You want the repetitive work and rechecking handled for a flat annual fee.
- You have a household to cover and a family plan fits.
- You’d otherwise do nothing.
Choose a human when
- You’re a target: public profile, a legal dispute, a threat, or an address that someone wants.
- Listings keep returning, and the cheap tools aren’t keeping up.
- You need coordination between removal, search results and account security.
In that last case the cost is different in kind. Adelmann Cybersecurity quotes per engagement and publishes no prices. The comparison with a general security consultant lists third-party rates.
What none of them can promise
Anyone offering you a guarantee is either ignorant or deceitful. My own view, from the kidnapping article, is that software companies “will not get everything.” If someone hires a professional firm to do removals, the firm will need some participation from you. If not, you are being taken advantage of.