Incogni vs. DeleteMe: Which data removal service is right for you?

Disclaimer: The trademarks shown are for illustrative purposes only. NordVPN and Incogni are developed by related entities, both part of the same corporate group.

Incogni overview: Key features and how it works 

Incogni, backed by Surfshark, scans the web to find where your personal information is exposed, sends removal requests to get it taken down, and keeps monitoring so your information doesn’t resurface. Below, we explore Incogni’s key features and how it works.

Key features

Key features of Incogni include:

• Active exposure scanner. Incogni searches the web to find where your personal information is exposed before you think to look. You get a clear picture of what’s out there and what’s already been removed.
• Advanced removal engine. Incogni sends removal requests to websites that sell or expose your personal information — including phone numbers, home addresses, and financial details — and follows up to make sure they comply.
• Personal risk reporting. Incogni shows you how your privacy risk changes over time — as new exposures appear and existing ones are removed. You get a measurable view of your data privacy progress, not just a list of requests sent.
• Proof it works. You don’t have to take Incogni’s word for it. Its results are independently verified by Deloitte, it holds an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau, and it has earned Editors’ Choice awards from PCMag and PCWorld. When Incogni says your data is gone, you can trust it’s gone.
• Complete profile removal. Incogni starts with your name, address, and email, then removes all the information tied to you, including your financial history, employment details, and family connections. No information is left behind for strangers to piece together.
• Plans that fit your life. Choose the level of protection you need, whether it’s just for you or your whole family — Standard, Unlimited, Family, and Family Unlimited. With Family and Family Unlimited plans, you can keep up to five family members’ personal information off the web under one subscription.
• Coverage for organizations, too. For businesses and governments, Incogni offers Ironwall — a separate service where a dedicated privacy agent keeps organizations and their staff protected.
• Go after any site, not just the usual ones. On the Unlimited plan, you can send unlimited removal requests to sites beyond Incogni’s standard coverage, including social media, forums, and lesser-known sites where your information turns up.
• Protection wherever you are. Incogni covers you across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, the European Union, the Isle of Man, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein.

The information about Incogni in this comparison was verified on its official website as of August 21, 2025. This information is subject to change.

How it works

Incogni handles the entire process of finding and removing your exposed information. The steps below explain how the service works from start to finish:

1. 1.You sign up and give permission. Create an account and authorize Incogni to act on your behalf. Doing so lets Incogni legally contact sites that hold your sensitive information and request its removal.
2. 2.Incogni scans for your exposed information. Incogni searches the internet to find where your personal information — like your name, address, and phone number — is publicly accessible.
3. 3.Incogni tells those sites to remove your data. It contacts each one and follows up until your information is taken down.
4. 4.Incogni keeps watching. Incogni keeps checking for new exposures on sites that sell or publish personal information and removes them before scammers or stalkers can use them.
5. 5.Incogni shows you your risk progress. You receive regular reports that show how your privacy risk has changed — which exposures were removed, which new ones appeared, and what that means for your personal safety.

DeleteMe overview: Key features and how it works

Since its founding in 2010, DeleteMe has been a leader in data privacy. Combining automation with human expertise, DeleteMe sets itself apart by offering a highly personalized data removal service.

It caters to users who value thorough manual processes and detailed reporting to protect their online privacy. Below, we explore its key features and how it works in more detail.

Key features

Key features of DeleteMe include:

• Manual plus automated data removal process. While automated systems handle standard removals, the DeleteMe data removal service employs teams of data privacy experts to remove your information from hard-to-reach data broker databases manually.
• Extensive data broker coverage. While DeleteMe advertises coverage of 850+ brokers (872 to be exact), the majority — 566 brokers — require manual custom data removal requests. Only about 80+ brokers are handled through automated removals.
• Removal of multiple types of data. Like Incogni, DeleteMe removes important sensitive data, including your name, address, phone number, and email.
• Quarterly privacy reports. Every three months, DeleteMe provides detailed reports, which highlight which data brokers the company has targeted and what information was removed.
• Family plan. Like Incogni, DeleteMe offers a family plan to ensure every family member’s privacy is covered.
• Limited custom removals. DeleteMe allows users to request manual removals for brokers not covered by its automated system. However, these custom removals are limited. You can submit only up to 10 custom removal requests per quarter.
• Global reach. DeleteMe serves users in the United States and offers coverage in several other countries, including Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Singapore, and the United Kingdom.

The information about DeleteMe in this comparison was verified through its official website or customer support as of August 21, 2025. This information is subject to change.

How it works

DeleteMe’s step-by-step approach ensures thorough and consistent protection of your personal details: 

1. 1.You sign up and submit your information. After purchasing a subscription, you’ll create a personal profile and complete a data sheet with the information you want to remove, such as names, addresses, date of birth, and other identifiers.
2. 2.DeleteMe experts search for your data. DeleteMe’s team finds your information on data broker sites and begins the removal process. They identify where your details are stored and prepare opt-out requests on your behalf.
3. 3.You receive your first privacy report. Within seven business days of signing up, you’ll receive your first detailed privacy report. This report lists the data brokers that had your information, what was removed, and any ongoing removal progress.
4. 4.DeleteMe monitors for data reappearance. After sending the requests, the data removal service routinely follows up and checks whether your information reappears on brokers’ sites.
5. 5.You receive quarterly privacy reports. Every three months, members receive a comprehensive privacy report detailing which brokers deleted their data and pending removal requests.

Incogni vs. DeleteMe: A thorough comparison

Choosing the right data broker removal service can feel overwhelming. To make your decision easier, we’ve prepared an Incogni vs. DeleteMe comparison that looks at eight key aspects:

1. 1.Data broker coverage and effectiveness
2. 2.User experience and ease of use 
3. 3.Pricing and value for money
4. 4.Custom removal requests 
5. 5.Reporting and transparency
6. 6.Customer support 
7. 7.User reviews
8. 8.Additional features

But before we go ahead, here’s a detailed view of their key differences:

* The figure represents the number of unique domains from which Incogni has successfully removed data. This number increases over time as the service adds new removals.

** Unlike Incogni, which covers all regions under one subscription, DeleteMe requires a separate plan for each region.

^ Monthly price when billed annually.

The information about Incogni and DeleteMe in this comparison was verified on their official websites as of August 21, 2025. This information is subject to change.

Data broker coverage and effectiveness 

Incogni finds and removes your personal information from 420+ data brokers and other websites, including people search sites, marketing platforms, and financial data sources that expose your name, address, phone number, and other identifying details. This number does not include the 2,000 other unique domains where Incogni has successfully removed data through custom requests.

Unlike DeleteMe, Incogni has its coverage independently verified. On August 6, 2025, Deloitte confirmed that Incogni’s coverage claims hold up and that it has removed personal data on behalf of millions of people, cutting their exposure to scams, identity theft, and unwanted contact.

Meanwhile, DeleteMe claims to cover 872 sites, but that total includes custom removals and leaves out categories like financial and recruitment sources that can also expose your information. Of those, 566 sites require manual removal requests, which can be slow and frustrating. With a limit of 10 removals per quarter, it could take just over 14 years to clear all 566 sites.

Winner: Incogni covers 420+ data brokers and other websites that sell or expose your personal information — all handled automatically, with no manual effort on your part. It’s also independently verified, giving you confidence that removals actually happen.

User experience and ease of use

In our opinion, Incogni makes the setup process simple and quick. You start by creating an account and granting permission for Incogni to act on your behalf. From there, Incogni takes over — scanning for your exposed information, sending removal requests, and monitoring for new exposures.

Incogni’s dashboard is designed for ease of use. It shows you where your information is exposed, what data has been removed, and how your privacy risk is changing — all at a glance. The monthly reports are clear and easy to understand, connecting each removal to the real-world risk it addresses.

DeleteMe also offers an intuitive sign-up and dashboard experience, though it requires more user input compared to Incogni. After registration, you’ll provide the personal details you want removed. From there, the dashboard is straightforward, but you may need to check in more often, especially for custom removal requests.

DeleteMe’s quarterly reports are highly detailed and show which sites were contacted and what information was removed. However, they may feel overwhelming if you’re looking for simple updates.

Winner: In our opinion, Incogni is quicker and easier to set up, and handles the scanning, removal, and monitoring for you, with clear reports that show what has changed and why it matters. While DeleteMe provides detailed and transparent reports, its process requires more user involvement.

Pricing and value for money

When it comes to pricing, Incogni and DeleteMe take very different approaches. Incogni offers several plans with added flexibility, including premium options that provide extra features for those who need them.

DeleteMe lists only its Standard plan on its website, available for one person, two people, or a family. While it offers advanced tiers like Diamond and VIP with expanded coverage, these plans are not part of the standard checkout process and often require contacting the service directly. Additionally, they come at a significantly higher price point.

Your choice will depend on whether you prefer flexible online pricing or specialized coverage.

* Monthly price when billed annually.

All prices are accurate as of August 21, 2025, based on information published on Incogni’s and DeleteMe’s official websites. Higher prices apply to family plans. Pricing reflects the Standard plan tier for both services unless otherwise noted.

In terms of pricing, Incogni starts at $7.99/month — the lower of the two — and scales up to cover families of up to five. For individuals, it’s the more affordable entry point, with no compromise on coverage.

DeleteMe is pricier, particularly for family plans. However, it offers email masking, which may justify the higher cost for users who prioritize additional inbox privacy.

Winner: If you want your exposed information found and removed — without lifting a finger — Incogni is the clear choice. But if you’re willing to pay more for extra privacy tools like email masking, DeleteMe might better suit your needs.

Custom removal requests 

Sometimes your personal information ends up on sites not included in a service’s automated scans. When this happens, custom removal requests fill the gap.

Incogni makes custom removals simple. On its Unlimited plan, you can request removal from sites that aren’t in Incogni’s standard coverage, including corporate databases, lesser-known people search sites, and other places your information might surface. Incogni handles every request with the same thoroughness as its automated removals, with no cap on how many you can send. If your information is out there, you can go after it.

DeleteMe, on the other hand, limits custom removal requests. Depending on the plan, you can submit up to 10 custom requests per quarter, which is significantly fewer than Incogni’s unlimited approach. While DeleteMe’s team of privacy experts manually handles these requests, the cap can become a challenge if your data appears on many sites outside its automated coverage. For users dealing with high exposure or a broad digital footprint, these limits may fall short.

Winner: With Incogni, no site that holds your personal information is out of reach — you can request removal from any of them, with no cap. DeleteMe’s 10-per-quarter limit means some of your exposed information could stay out there longer than it should.

Reporting and transparency

How a service reports its progress can make all the difference when it comes to staying informed about your data removal. Both Incogni and DeleteMe provide updates, but they approach reporting in very different ways.

Incogni focuses on simplicity and impact. Its regular reports show not just which sites were contacted but how your privacy risk has changed as a result — which exposures were removed, which new ones appeared, and what threat was prevented. The information is clear and easy to read, so you spend less time reviewing reports.

DeleteMe, on the other hand, prioritizes depth in its reporting. It provides quarterly reports that cover the removal process in detail. These PDFs specify exactly which sites held your private data, what was removed, and where follow-ups may be necessary. For users who want full transparency and detail, DeleteMe’s reports give you a complete view of your privacy progress.

Winner: It depends on your preference. Incogni stands out for its ease of use and straightforward reports, which make it ideal for users who value efficiency. DeleteMe appeals to those who want detailed, in-depth insights into their removal progress, even if these reports take more time to review.

Customer support 

Good customer support can make or break your experience with any service. Both Incogni and DeleteMe offer multiple ways to contact help, but Incogni has an edge when it comes to availability.

Incogni provides 24/7 live chat support, so you can get help anytime, whether it’s a quick question or a more complex issue. It also offers email assistance and a detailed FAQ section. Unlimited plan users get phone support, too.

DeleteMe also delivers solid customer support with live chat and email options, but it’s only available during business hours, specifically Monday through Friday, 9 am to 8 pm ET. While this coverage is sufficient for most users, it may become a limitation for those needing support outside these hours.

Winner: For users who value flexibility and the ability to get assistance at any time, Incogni is the better choice.

User reviews

Both Incogni and DeleteMe receive overwhelmingly positive feedback, but they excel in different areas based on user needs and expectations.

Incogni holds a 4.4/5 rating on Trustpilot from 2,029 reviews*, with users consistently praising its effectiveness in reducing spam and improving their personal cybersecurity. Many report a significant decrease in unwanted calls and emails, with the added reassurance that their personal information is being actively removed from sites across the web.

However, some reviewers note concerns about customer support, mentioning mixed experiences with the level of assistance provided. While most users find the service effective, a few express doubts about its overall impact on spam activity, citing that the results varied in certain cases. Still, the general sentiment leans positive, with many users seeing Incogni as a worthwhile investment for keeping their personal information off the web.

DeleteMe has a 4.3/5 rating on Trustpilot based on 178 reviews*, and reviewers frequently commend its effectiveness in removing personal data from various websites. Many users highlight feeling safer after using the service, noting a noticeable reduction in spam emails and unsolicited calls.

Despite its strengths, some users express frustration when their information remains accessible in certain databases, even after DeleteMe’s removal efforts. Additionally, a few report issues with customer service responsiveness, particularly over weekends. Some users also mention technical issues with certain features, such as masked emails and custom removal requests, which impacted their experience.

Winner: Incogni wins this category with its higher volume of feedback, broader popularity, and hands-off, automated approach. And while Incogni has a slightly higher customer review score, both services receive high customer satisfaction.

*This data was taken from Trustpilot on August 21, 2025, and is subject to change.

Additional features

DeleteMe stands out with its additional privacy feature, email masking, which safeguards your inbox from spam and phishing. Like Incogni, DeleteMe keeps working to protect your data by sending repeat removal requests to the sites that hold it, which makes it harder for your personal information to resurface.

Incogni also goes beyond data removal. It bundles with Surfshark VPN for secure browsing and antivirus protection, and keeps scanning after your initial removals to catch new exposures as they appear. It’s built for people who want to stay ahead of threats, not just clean up after them.

Winner: No clear winner in this category. Both services deliver unique benefits, but your choice will depend on whether you prioritize an additional privacy tool like a masking feature or prefer an integrated cybersecurity approach with Incogni’s bundle options.

Incogni vs. DeleteMe: Pros and cons of each

Both Incogni and DeleteMe are excellent tools for removing personal data from the internet, but, in our opinion, they cater to different priorities.

Incogni pros and cons

Pros:

• Covers 420+ data brokers and other websites that sell or expose your personal information, including private databases

• Goes after any site that has your information, not just the ones on a standard list

• Helps you see how your privacy risk changes over time

• Provides 24/7 customer support

• Offers multi-tier plans

• Covers the same sites on every plan, regardless of price

• Protects your whole family under one subscription

Cons:

• Reports in less detail than DeleteMe

• Lacks extra privacy tools like email masking

DeleteMe pros and cons

Pros:

• Combines manual and automated removal

• Delivers detailed quarterly reports

• Includes extra privacy tools like email masking

• Offers flexible plans

• Protects your whole family under one plan

Cons:

• Caps custom removals at 10 per quarter

• Limits your plan options

• Requires manual work for custom removal requests

• Costs more than most alternatives

TL;DR: How to choose between Incogni and DeleteMe

If you want a service that finds your exposed information, removes it, and keeps watching so it doesn’t come back — all at an affordable price — Incogni is the better choice. It’s built for people who want genuine privacy protection, not just a list of removal requests.

On the other hand, if you prefer detailed human oversight, in-depth custom reporting, and additional privacy features like email masking, DeleteMe is worth considering.

Ultimately, both services do the same core job — getting your personal information off the web. Whichever data removal service you choose, you’ll take an important step toward protecting your personal information and regaining control of your online presence.

If you’d like more perspective, you can also check our other reviews, including an Incogni vs. Onerep comparison that puts the two services side by side.