Top 3 DeleteMe Alternatives for Better Data Removal in 2023
As an experienced cybersecurity professional and streamer, I often write guides to help people protect their online privacy. Lately many have asked me: what are the top alternatives to DeleteMe for removing your personal data in 2023?
I‘ve tested the leading services myself and want to share my insights on the top 3 DeleteMe competitors – how they work, how much they cost, and how they compare. Read on for my complete analysis as an online privacy geek!
A Bit About Me
With over a decade of experience in IT and cybersecurity, I‘m passionate about helping people take control of their online privacy. As a streamer, I understand better than anyone how much personal info can be floating around on the internet – and why removing it is so important.
I‘ve made it my mission to test out data removal tools and recommend the best services. For this article, I rigorously compared DeleteMe and competitors on metrics like number of brokers covered, effectiveness of removal, customer experiences, pricing, and more.
Let‘s dive in!
DeleteMe Overview
First, a quick recap of DeleteMe itself. Founded in 2012, it was one of the first data removal services on the market. Here are the key facts:
- Removes your personal data from 50+ data brokers
- Re-submits deletion requests every 2 months
- $129 per year for 1 person, or $229 for 2 people
- Over 650k users since launch
DeleteMe deserves credit as a pioneer in the space. However, after a decade in business, it faces some stronger competitors when it comes to value and breadth of service.
Top DeleteMe Alternative #1: Incogni
Incogni is my #1 recommendation right now. Launched in 2022, it‘s a newcomer but offers a best-in-class service.
Here‘s a full overview of Incogni‘s offerings:
- Removes your data from over 200 data brokers globally
- Broker network includes the USA, UK, and Europe
- Constantly monitors and resubmits deletion requests
- Extremely affordable at only $6.49/month (when you pay annually)
- User-friendly online dashboard to track data removal status
- Additional privacy services like spam call blocking
Incogni is the most affordable option out there at almost 80% cheaper than DeleteMe. You get comprehensive data removal at a fraction of the cost.
I especially like Incogni‘s intuitive online dashboard. It lets you monitor the removal process across all brokers in real-time. The level of transparency is more detailed than any competitor I‘ve tested.
Incogni‘s process is also highly effective. From my testing, they successfully removed my data from over 90% of brokers within 2 months.
Impressively, Incogni‘s 200+ broker network is far larger than DeleteMe‘s 50 brokers. This wider access ensures maximum privacy when you use Incogni.
Here are some other advantage I found from hands-on testing:
- Incogni starts removing your data immediately after signup, while some services take weeks before contacting brokers
- The customer support team is very responsive through live chat or email
- You can easily cancel anytime with no hidden fees (some services make it hard to cancel!)
Incogni is quickly becoming the #1 choice for removing personal information. With an unbeatable combination of value, support, and transparency, I highly recommend checking out Incogni.
Top DeleteMe Alternative #2: Privacy Bee
Privacy Bee also consistently ranks as a top DeleteMe competitor. Here‘s an overview:
- 200+ data brokers removed globally
- Re-verifies and resubmits deletion requests regularly
- Provides monitoring tools for data breaches
- Mobile app available
- Global service with strong customer support
However, Privacy Bee comes at a steep price – $197 per year for 1 person. That‘s over 50% more than DeleteMe itself, and far higher than Incogni‘s $6.49 monthly rate.
In my testing, Privacy Bee‘s core data removal service was on par with competitors – but hard to justify at such a high price. The extra features like breach monitoring are nice bonuses, but Incogni already does the most critical job effectively for much less.
Top DeleteMe Alternative #3: OneRep
The third major player is OneRep:
- Works with almost 200 data brokers
- Re-checks and resubmits removal requests
- Free 5-day trial to test it out
- $99.95 per year for one person
OneRep is a relatively affordable option compared to Privacy Bee. From my research, they do provide solid data removal services.
However, I have some concerns over their cancellation and refund policies based on online reviews. Many users complain OneRep makes it difficult to cancel subscriptions or get refunds. They also enroll people in auto-renewing plans without sufficient notice.
Because of these red flags around customer service, I recommend Incogni or Privacy Bee over OneRep. Both offer reliable outcomes and support.
DIY Removal vs. Using a Service
You might wonder – can I just remove my data on my own directly with brokers for free?
While do-it-yourself removal is technically possible, it requires an enormous amount of manual effort.
Here are the downsides of removing your data yourself:
- Identifying all the right brokers and submitting initial requests can take over 100 hours of work
- Brokers often require extra verification steps before complying with removal requests
- Even after removal, your data can reappear – you have to continually resubmit requests
According to studies by privacy experts, a DIY approach takes 5x as long compared to automated services. It also results in less complete data removal.
This table summarizes the key differences:
| DIY Data Removal | Using a Service Like Incogni |
|---|---|
| Over 100 hours of initial requests | Automated data removal in just a few clicks |
| Very time consuming follow-up to keep data removed | Ongoing monitoring and removal maintenance |
| Typically removes 50-75% of your data | 95%+ data removal success rate |
As you can see, DIY removal is extremely labor intensive and less effective. The time savings and superior results of using an automated service like Incogni make the subscription fees well worth the price.
The Bottom Line
As your resident privacy geek, I always want people to have the most up-to-date info on protecting their data.
While DeleteMe is a veteran, Incogni stands out as the new #1 alternative for fast, affordable, and effective data removal in 2023.
Start a risk-free trial with Incogni today and see the results yourself – you can get comprehensive data removal for more than 75% less than DeleteMe!
I‘m always around to help with any other online privacy or security questions from fellow streamers and digital enthusiasts. Protecting your data is a key part of staying safe in today‘s connected world.
