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In today’s era, where digital footprints and virtual identities dominate, safeguarding personal information has become more crucial than ever. As people navigate through the vast landscape of the internet, they unknowingly leave behind traces of their lives in the form of data, which may not always be within their control.
Due to growing concerns about online privacy and the increase in the number of data brokers, services like Incogni have become popular for their promise to reduce the digital trail we leave behind.
These tools can simplify and even automate the process of removing your Personally Identifiable Information (PII) from data broker sites, effectively lowering the risk of your data being sold for malicious purposes.
| Pricing | Key Feature | Best for | |
| DeleteMe | From $129/year | Manual/Custom removal tool | Manual assistance and custom requests |
| Kanary | From $144/year | Decent free plan | New users |
| IDX | Identity $107.52/year
Privacy $139.92/year Complete $355.32/year | Full suite of digital security/privacy tools | All-in-one service |
Introducing Incogni
As more people seek to remove personal information from various online platforms and maintain a private online presence, Incogni has become a popular service.
However, with the increase in demand for such services, many alternatives are now available at varying price points. This guide aims to explore a range of options for individuals who want to regain control over their digital identities.
This guide explores various alternatives to Ingoni, each providing a distinct method for safeguarding data and maintaining privacy.
With a range of comprehensive solutions covering multiple platforms and specialized tools targeting specific online presence aspects, users can now choose from a variety of options to customize their privacy strategies based on their unique requirements.
We will shed light on alternatives that empower individuals to take charge of their online privacy. Whether you are concerned about identity theft, or data breaches, or simply wish to regain control over your personal information, this guide will introduce you to a diverse array of options. Please note that these are in no particular order and that this is not a ranking.
Why Seek an Alternative? The Issue with Incogni
Although it efficiently and cleanly handles automated data removal from a user-friendly interface, Incogni is one of the least feature-rich services available. While it does what it does well, some users may desire additional features.
The approach taken by Incogni may not suit everyone either. Their method of removing data may not seem accurate, as they use a spray-and-pray approach. Although the service requests much less user information than others, you will still need to provide all the necessary details, including your full name and address.
Additionally, you will need to grant a limited power of attorney so that they can act on your behalf. Once you’ve provided this information, Incogni sends it directly to their pool of data brokers to request removal, even if the brokers don’t already have your information.
It is important to note that this process is safe since the brokers are not allowed to take and store this information without your consent. However, it is advisable to be aware of this when considering options for data removal.
Top Picks at a Glance: The Top Incogni Alternatives
- DeleteMe: Best for manual assistance and custom requests
- Kanary: Best for new users
- IDX: Best all-in-one solution
Selection Criteria
"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.
With so many options available to us, let’s break down the specific criteria I recommend seeking when searching for an alternative to Incogni.
- 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
Best Incogni Alternatives
DeleteMe
Starting at $129/year
Key Features
- Available to US residents only
- Free guides for manual data removal
- Quarterly data removal reports
- Phone and email masking tools
- Ability to make custom requests
- Human team can assist if automation fails
Abine’s DeleteMe is a comprehensive privacy protection service that goes beyond the basic features offered by Incogni. With additional add-ons, DeleteMe provides a more robust solution for safeguarding your online presence and personal information. Making it a notable upgrade from Incogni if you’re in the market for something a little more premium.
What sets DeleteMe apart from its competitors is its customer removal request feature. If you come across a data broker that is listing your data and is not a part of DeleteMe’s pool of brokers, you can log a customer removal request.
DeleteMe will take care of this for you, so there is no need for you to contact the broker yourself. This feature also makes it much easier for you to track and manage manual requests.
DeleteMe also comes with additional privacy tools such as Phone and Email Masking, with Card Masking coming in a future update. These features allow users to create disposable email addresses and phone numbers to use instead of personal ones. Offering a fantastic way to reduce the number of spam calls and emails you may receive.
This not only protects your identity but also helps to protect your privacy. In addition, it allows you to control your personal information and decide which data you want to share.
DeleteMe’s Privacy Dashboard provides steady progress updates between your quarterly issued reports and is displayed almost as cleanly as Incogni.
Their quarterly reports, however, leave plenty to be desired. If you’re a data freak you’ll likely enjoy their approach, but for anyone else, endless pages of various data broker names and logos even in the event they bear no relevance, may become slightly irritating.
Despite these shortcomings, DeleteMe remains one of my favorite data removal tools. I can’t wait to revisit it once it expands beyond the US.
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
- Extremely user-friendly
- Squeaky clean user interface
- Human team can assist when required
- Option for custom removal requests
- Additional privacy tools including phone and email masking
DeleteMe 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.
Learn more: How to Remove Yourself From the Internet, DeleteMe Review & Guide: Is DeleteMe Legit? and Incogni vs DeleteMe Compared: Why Incogni Edges It For Me
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 and Incogni have a similar setup in that they both require the same level of initial user information.
Kanary works fast, with a cleanup of Google search results estimated to take less than 10 minutes, and an initial check of its 500+ supported sites (not all data brokers) completed within 2 days. Kanary guarantees results in 48 hours and offers weekly removals and monthly scans.
Kanary offers a free plan with some great features. Free users can track up to two names, two addresses, one username or pseudonym, one email account, and one phone number.
Unlike other tools, Kanary’s free plan includes automation features, making it a valuable option. However, users are limited to only 3 automatic removals.
Other similar services expect free users to remove any personal information themselves. Additionally, free users can try the individual plan for 14 days, which is perfect for those who want to test the service without any financial commitment.
Kanary adds a few additional features that Incogni lacks, including data breach monitoring and password management. There’s also the added benefit of Multifactor Authentication.
Something that should be considered vastly important. Without it, should some nefarious party become privy to your Kanary password, both the data you’ve supplied to Kanary and the data held by brokers suddenly become at risk.
One issue users may run into is with Kanary’s accuracy. It appears Kanary has a bit of an issue with false positives, resulting in users having to intervene and provide some manual operation to get the best results from the service.
This is less than ideal for a tool that’s supposed to be fully automated. Thankfully it has gotten better in recent months. The service used to struggle with social media accounts and things you’re likely going to want to keep public. However, it’s still worth double-checking before you confirm any suggested removals.
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
- Free plan available
- Family plan available
- Optional MFA
- Super clean user interface
- Incredibly clear and transparent explanation of the data removal process
- Fairly affordable
Kanary 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
When compared to the other alternatives in this list, IDX is a bit of a curveball. It is not that IDX is not a valid alternative, but rather that it offers a lot more than the others. IDX is not just another data removal tool, it is a complete package that provides comprehensive protection for your online activities.
However, it is worth noting that IDX comes in three distinct packages, each offering a unique set of features, and being a complete solution, it may get complicated and expensive depending on your needs. IDX is the most complete privacy and security solution among the listed alternatives, but it may not be a suitable choice for everyone.
The aforementioned packages are IDX Identity, IDX Privacy, and IDX Complete. The latter is a combination of the first two, with a handful of additional premium features thrown in for good measure. To unlock a service comparable to the data removal tools on this list, you’ll need to opt for either IDX Privacy or IDX Complete.
With the privacy plan costing £139.92/year, it’s an expensive option to consider. However, you’re getting much more than just what IDX calls their ForgetMe Data Removal tool.
You’ll also gain access to IDX’s VPN, Password Manager, Dark Web Monitoring, and more. Potentially saving you some hard-earned cash if you wanted a complete bundle from IDX rather than cherry-picking these services from other providers.
IDX offers so many incredible tools across its three packages that it’s worth considering if you’re in the market for any of these bolt-ons. Its suite of tools works so well together that if you’re already in the market for a new VPN or password manager, it may be the perfect bundle for you.
Other users who simply wish for a solid data removal tool should probably look elsewhere, however. That’s not to say it’s a bad option. Simply you’d be paying a premium for features you won’t necessarily be using.
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
- A complete suite of digital privacy and security tools
- Very good data removal tool
- Privacy package includes VPN and password manager
IDX 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
If you are searching for a good alternative to Incogni, I highly recommend trying out DeleteMe. It offers a great user experience, and the dashboard is extremely easy to navigate and understand.
Additionally, the added features are fantastic. It may not match the extensive feature list of IDX, but it is also priced reasonably. For users in the US who are not satisfied with Incogni or are looking for other options, DeleteMe is worth considering. Hopefully, the service will expand to more regions soon.
"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: What is the Best Data Removal Tool in 2023?
Answer: There’s no clear-cut answer to this question. Recommendations will come down to your specific requirements, region, and budget. Hopefully, this guide can provide some assistance in picking the right tool for you.
Question: Is Incogni Safe to Use?
Answer: Incogni is completely safe to use and operate following both CCPA and GDPR. Incogni’s approach of sending all of your information directly to data brokers rather than using a more accurate removal process may raise some red flags, but the brokers cannot legally keep that information without explicit consent.
Question: What are the Use Cases for Data Removal Services?
Answer: Data removal services such as those featured in this list are used for a wide variety of reasons. Perhaps you’re concerned by the amount of PII being held on you, or perhaps you simply want to take back control of your digital identity. These tools can help you do just that.