- Best Companies to Remove Data From the Internet - November 23, 2023
- Top Icogni Alternatives Guide – Comparing Other Data Removal Specialists - November 23, 2023
- How to Remove Yourself From the Internet - November 23, 2023
Removing yourself from the internet is no easy task, and it can be difficult to know where to start. First off, it’s vital to understand that the services and tools listed in this guide will not eliminate you from the internet entirely. I’d go as far as to say that that would be an impossible task.
That being said, the services recommended here can significantly improve your digital security, vastly reduce Google search results with your data, decrease the risk of scams, and potentially lower your premiums.
The way these tools work is by targeting data brokers. These pesky businesses scrape publicly available data, often referred to as Personally Identifiable Information (PII), and neatly package it for sale to any company that might deem it valuable. For example, marketing companies.
Ever wonder how those targeted ads seem so oddly specific? This could partly be why. And as annoying as it may be, it isn’t illegal. Fortunately, both US and EU law require these sites to remove your data upon request, meaning the issue can be brought under control. Unfortunately, to request your removal from the overwhelming number of these sites would require hundreds of hours of work. That’s where these services can help you.
| Pricing | Key Feature | Best for | |
| Incogni | From $77.88/year | Strong multi-region support | Simple and easy-to-use |
| DeleteMe | From $129/year | Unmatched custom removal tool | Manual assistance and custom requests |
| Kanary | From $144/year | Solid free plan available | New users |
| IDX | Identity $107.52/year
Privacy $139.92/year Complete $355.32/year | 3 bundles of incredible cyber security tools | All-in-one service |
"DeleteMe" safeguards your online privacy by removing your personal information from online databases and websites, giving you control over your digital footprint and protecting you from identity theft.
Finding the Best Companies to Remove Data from the Internet
This guide will cover my top 4 data removal services in 2023, in no particular order. Deciding on such a small number of recommendations is no easy task, so I have created the following criteria my selections had to meet. I suggest you factor these in when deciding on a service for you, as they will quickly filter out any services that could potentially cause you a headache down the road.
Selection Criteria
- They must offer regular reports and updates
- They must offer something more than just automated removal
- They must offer some sort of accuracy when targeting brokers
- They must offer transparency about how they handle user data
- They must offer decent regional availability
Incogni
Starts at $77.88/year
Key Features
- US, UK, EU, Swiss and Canadian availability
- 30-45 day estimated data removal timeframe
- Free data removal guides
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- Weekly removal updates
Incogni from VPN provider Surfshark, is one of the cheapest options available costing just $77.88 per year. For your money, you’re getting a slick user interface with an incredibly easy-to-understand dashboard and reporting and a generally ok automated data removal tool.
Incogni is the most simplistic tool on this list, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It’s definitely what you could consider a budget option and you are losing some of the great additional features of services like Kanary and DeleteMe. However, for those looking purely for data removal and on a budget, Incogni may be all you need.
It’s currently available to those in the US, UK, EU, Switzerland, and Canada, making it one of the most region-friendly options. They even offer free guides and resources to help you protect your data.
What may deter potential customers is Incogni’s wide-net approach to data removal. Whilst other services employ directness and accuracy, Incogni instead throws everything at the wall and sees what sticks. Everything you provide during the signup process is distributed directly to all of the data brokers Incogni works with. Every single one.
Regardless of whether they hold data on you or not. This seems like a somewhat lazy approach and potentially risky. However, it’s worth noting that despite how sketchy this seems, it is perfectly safe. Data brokers will not be able to retain that information on their sites unless given explicit consent.
You should choose Incogni if: you need a reliable, cheap, no-thrills, easy-to-use data removal tool.
Incogni – Pros & Cons
Pros
- User-friendly interface
- Affordable basic tool
- Made by VPN provider Surfshark
- Makes repeated requests when required
- Decent response tracking
- Checks for personal data on people search sites
Cons
- Slower than average removal process
- Reports can be a bit vague
- Approach to data removal is less than accurate
Read more: Top Icogni Alternatives Guide, Incogni vs DeleteMe Compared.
DeleteMe
Starting at $129/year
Key Features
- Currently US only
- Free DIY guides
- New reports every 3 months
- Masking tools for Phone and Email
- Custom request feature
- Human team can assist if automation fails
DeleteMe, from Abine, is one of the more recent additions to this marketplace and one of the most exciting. I’d go as far as saying it’s my number-one recommendation for US-based users at the moment. However, it is a bit on the pricey side.
For your money, you’re getting an incredibly accurate data removal service with several added bells and whistles. Unlike Incogni’s less-than-precise approach, DeleteMe checks an online database for matches before contacting only the data brokers confirmed to hold your data. This results in your information only being sent to those who already hold it, resulting in some slick pinpoint accuracy as opposed to Incogni’s wide net approach.
DeleteMe comes with the benefit of a human support team. Users can log custom removal requests directly with them, and track the results from the same privacy dashboard and reports as the automated service. Yes, you could use their free DIY Opt-Out guides and attempt this manually yourself, but you’re already paying for the service and you’d save yourself potentially hours by logging the custom request. This flexibility alone sets DeleteMe head and shoulders above much of the competition.
DeleteMe loses a few points when it comes to availability. Currently, the service is only available to those in the US, as a result of the pool of brokers they work with. There’s no given timeframe for the product rolling out to further regions, and if it weren’t for just how good the product is, I wouldn’t be recommending it at all until a wider rollout.
You should choose DeleteMe if: you’re a US resident looking for a more complete service that utilizes more than just automated removal requests to get the job done.
DeleteMe – Pros & Cons
Pros
- User-friendly
- Easy to understand dashboard
- Human team can assist when required
- Option for custom removal requests
- Additional privacy are decent
Cons
- Data reports can be a bit overwhelming to look at
- Reports can be vague and the lack of links to brokers is disappointing
- Quite costly
- Only available in the US
"DeleteMe" safeguards your online privacy by removing your personal information from online databases and websites, giving you control over your digital footprint and protecting you from identity theft.
Read more: DeleteMe Review & Guide: Is DeleteMe Legit?
Kanary
Starting at $144/year for premium. Free plan available
Key Features
- A decent free plan is available
- Checks 500+ data brokers
- Monthly scans
- Google result clean-up
- Solid mid-tier option
- Data breach monitoring
Kanary is most comparable to Incogni, in its simplicity and its user-friendliness. However, it does boast a few additional features that Incogni lacks, such as Data Breach Monitoring, Password Management, and MFA. It also gets to work incredibly quickly, citing a clean-up of Google search results in under 10 minutes and an initial check of 500+ sites in under 2 days. Users can then expect to see results after 48 hours, with weekly removals and further monthly scans.
Kanary is the only option in this list to feature a bonafide free plan. Free users can track up to two names, two addresses, one username or pseudonym, one email account, and one phone number. However, it’s worth noting that free users are capped to 3 automated removals. Despite this, it’s still a great way to test the waters and see if it’s for you. You’ll also get access to a 14-day free trial of the paid plan that will automatically downgrade to the free plan unless you decide to subscribe.
Kanary does come with a few drawbacks, although improvements have been made recently. You may occasionally run into false positives, or have social media accounts or posts flagged for removal, meaning you’ll need to be cautious before confirming removal. This manual approval process does feel like a slight inconvenience for a system that ought to be automated, but until the false positive issue is fully resolved, it’s probably a good thing this failsafe is in place.
You should choose Kanary if: you’re looking for a free solution or a paid service that feels a little more proactive and efficient than Incogni.
Kanary – Pros & Cons
Pros
- Free plan available
- Family plan available
- Optional MFA
- Super clean user interface
- Incredibly clear and transparent explanation of the data removal process
- Fairly affordable
Cons
- The screenshot feature can be buggy
- Not the most accurate service available
- Occasional false positives
IDX
IDX Identity $107.52/year – IDX Privacy $139.92/year – IDX Complete $355.32/year
Key Features
- A suite of digital privacy and security tools
- Quick and efficient data removal
- 3 distinct packages to choose from
IDX is one of the more interesting offerings on this list. Less of a data removal service and more of an all-around digital privacy and security powerhouse. It comes in three distinct packages, IDX Identity, Privacy, or Complete. The latter of the three is a combination of the first two with some additional features thrown in for good measure.
This package model makes it a standout option for those looking to bundle together a bunch of privacy tools from a single provider. If you’re looking for additional features such as a VPN, Password Manager, or Dark Web alerts, IDX has you covered. The price tag may be more palatable when you factor in the pooling together of all of these tools.
Potentially saving you a reasonable sum of money if you opted for one of IDX’s bundles over buying your data removal tool, VPN, and Password Manager from 3 separate providers. However, it does make the service a bit more complicated.
Users seeking a simple, easy-to-use data removal tool should probably steer clear of IDX. It’s incredibly efficient at everything it does, but the sheer amount of services on offer can make the website and experience as a whole feel a little clunky. Especially when compared to the other, more streamlined, services in this guide. However, for those wanting an all-encompassing data privacy and online security service, IDX has all you could want and more.
You should choose IDX if: you’re seeking a more complete digital privacy and security tool or would like to bundle in additional tools such as a VPN or password manager.
IDX – Pros & Cons
Pros
- A complete suite of digital privacy and security tools
- Very good data removal tool
- Privacy package includes VPN and password manager
Cons
- Expensive
- Features list across the three packages can be a bit complicated
- The website can be tricky to navigate
- Not the most user-friendly option
My Recommendation
Hopefully, this guide has given you a clear picture of the best data removal tool for your needs. Picking one from the vast number available can be a challenge.
Despite its regional availability issues, DeleteMe edges ahead of the competition for me, and I can’t wait to see it roll out further. Its database-checking approach gives it a relieving sense of accuracy and it mostly avoids the false flags that bog down Kanary. It has just enough extra features to make it worth the premium price tag without becoming a complicated mess of various tools and packages like IDX.
"DeleteMe" safeguards your online privacy by removing your personal information from online databases and websites, giving you control over your digital footprint and protecting you from identity theft.
Further Reading
FAQs
Question: Can I remove myself from Google?
Answer: None of the services listed in this guide will completely remove you from Google search results. Instead, they target the source of those results, data brokers. By limiting the information data brokers hold on you, you may see reduced Google results, but it’s never a guarantee.
Question: What’s the best company to remove my data from the internet?
Answer: There’s no clear-cut answer to this question, but hopefully this guide has helped you find the one best suited to your needs. There are plenty of things to consider when searching for the right data removal service for you. Price, regional availability, and how it handles data and removal requests should all be factored into your decision.
Question: Are data brokers legal?
Answer: Yes. Annoyingly data brokers are legal. They’re simply scraping publicly accessible information and packaging it neatly for sale to whoever may find the information valuable. Thankfully EU and US law requires these companies to promptly remove user data when requested.