Hi friend! As an experienced cybersecurity professional and identity theft victim myself, I know how confusing it can be to navigate the increasingly crowded market for online privacy services. You‘re smart for taking your digital security seriously in 2023.
In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll be comparing two of the top services – Incogni and Aura – to help you determine which one aligns best with your specific privacy needs and budget. I‘ve broken things down across a range of factors like features, pricing, and use cases.
Let‘s dive in!
Why Online Privacy Matters Now More Than Ever
Before we compare Incogni and Aura directly, it helps to understand why online privacy services are so critical in today‘s digital landscape.
As headlines constantly remind us, identity theft and data breaches are surging:
In 2022 alone, there were over 1,800 publicly reported data breaches exposing over 22 billion records.
Identity theft topped $52 billion in victim losses last year.
1 in 20 Americans were victims of identity theft just in the past year.
Cybercriminals are getting increasingly sophisticated in how they exploit our personal information found online or stolen from vulnerable databases. Ensuring this data can‘t be accessed is the only way to minimize the risk of becoming a victim yourself.
That‘s where a service like Incogni or Aura can make all the difference when it comes to safeguarding your identity and peace of mind.
An Overview of Incogni and Aura
Before diving into the details, let‘s quickly recap what each service does at a high level:
Incogni
- Founded in 2021
- Focus on finding and deleting personal info from data brokers/people search sites
Aura
- Founded in 2019
- Broader identity theft and malware protection suite
Now that we‘ve covered the basics, let‘s compare how they stack up across the categories that matter most:
Data Removal Capabilities
When it comes to actually finding and deleting your personal info from people search sites, data brokers, and other shady data companies, Incogni specializes in automated data removal requests.
Some key advantages:
130+ data brokers covered: Incogni has a constantly updated list of data brokers they scan and submit opt-out requests to on your behalf.
Pre-lookups: Incogni will first search for your info on people search sites before sending removal requests. This pre-lookup maximizes the effectiveness of each request.
Customization: You can customize removal requests based on your comfort level for certain types of data removal.
Verification: Incogni verifies that your personal info was actually removed by each data broker.
Dashboard: You get access to a dashboard that tracks the status of all your data deletion requests and opt-outs.
Aura focuses more on general identity protection services, with limited capabilities related to finding and removing your personal information from unscrupulous data companies.
For fast, automated data deletion, Incogni is the superior choice here.
Identity Protection Services
When it comes to providing services that proactively monitor for threats and protect your identity, however, Aura dominates in this category:
Dark web monitoring: Aura scans black market sites and criminal forums for your info.
VPN: Encrypts browsing and masks IP address.
Antivirus software: Monitors and removes malware.
Firewall: Prevents unauthorized access attempts.
Credit/identity monitoring: Alerts you to suspicious credit activity.
Identity restoration: Helps recover compromised accounts.
Incogni‘s focus is exclusively on data removal, with no offerings when it comes to broader identity protection services.
If you want a full suite of identity protection tools, Aura is the winner here.
Ease of Use
Privacy services only work if you use them consistently, so simplicity and convenience are crucial factors to consider as well.
Incogni
Incogni‘s interface is clean and focused specifically on data removal. The straightforward dashboard clearly outlines available opt-outs and removal request status. Even those less technically-savvy can easily submit and track data deletion requests.
Aura
With many different suite components from VPN to antivirus software, Aura‘s interface can feel overwhelming. Managing all the tools takes more time and technical proficiency. Those wanting a simple set-it-and-forget-it experience may find Aura less user-friendly.
Incogni‘s laser focus on data removal makes for the simpler user experience of the two services.
Platform Compatibility
To maximize convenience, you want a privacy service that works across all your devices.
Incogni
Incogni offers excellent cross-platform compatibility, with support for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and all major web browsers. This flexibility makes it easy to use Incogni protection on whichever device you need it.
Aura
Aura is more limited when it comes to supported platforms – while it works on Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android, there is no Linux version. The lack of Linux support can be frustrating for users of that OS.
Incogni once again wins out when it comes to platform compatibility.
Cost Comparison
Of course, cost often plays a significant role in choosing any software service. Let‘s look at how Incogni and Aura compare in terms of pricing models.
Incogni
- Monthly: $12.99
- Annual: $77.88 ($6.49/month) – 40% savings
Incogni keeps pricing simple with just two tiers. Yearly plans offer nice savings for long-term use. At around $7-13 per month, Incogni provides robust value.
Aura
- Basic: $12/month
- Advanced: $22/month
- Premium Family: $45/month – covers 5 people
With multiple plan levels, Aura‘s pricing can get expensive fast. While competitive for a full identity protection suite, less cost-conscious users may find the $22+ monthly plans hard to stomach long-term.
Incogni wins out again for those wanting reliable data deletion without breaking the bank.
Final Thoughts
So in summary, when it comes to…
- Automated data removal requests – Incogni is best
- Full identity protection suite – Aura is superior
- Ease of use and compatibility – Incogni wins
- Affordable pricing – Incogni is the choice
Neither Incogni or Aura is objectively "better" – it ultimately depends on your specific privacy priorities for 2023.
I‘d recommend Incogni if you just want to delete your personal information from people search sites and data brokers. But if you‘re looking for robust antivirus, firewalls, VPN, and other security tools, Aura may be the better fit.
Whichever route you choose, I applaud you for taking control of your online privacy! Feel free to reach out if you have any other cybersecurity questions. Stay safe out there!
