Incogni vs. DeleteMe: Which One Offers More Efficient Data Removal?

Incogni and DeleteMe are popular data removal services that claim to delete your personal information from hundreds of online sources. While both specialize in the same area, these tools offer unique features that directly shape your experience, so one may be a better fit for you than the other.

In this Incogni vs. DeleteMe comparison, we’ll analyze both services in detail to highlight their similarities and differences, helping you pick the one that aligns with your privacy priorities. We’ll also discuss a way to further enhance your online security and protect your data.

What Is Incogni?

Incogni is a data removal service that automatically identifies online sources with your personal information and sends removal requests on your behalf. It was publicly launched in 2022 by Surfshark, a company best known for its virtual private network (VPN) service.

Despite being a relatively new service, Incogni has already established its reputation as a reliable data removal platform due to its broad coverage and detailed reporting features.

Using Incogni is easy and involves the following steps:

1. 1. Setting up your profile: You provide information such as your name, email, and home address to enable Incogni to locate your data online.
2. 1. Allowing Incogni to act on your behalf: You sign an online authorization form to let Incogni contact data brokers on your behalf and ask them to remove your information.
3. 1. Tracking progress: You can use the platform’s dashboard to track new listings and the progress on automatic removals.

Bonus: How effective is Incogni compared to other data removal services? Read our guides to find out:

• • Incogni vs. Aura
• • Incogni vs. Optery

What Is DeleteMe?

DeleteMe is a privacy service that deletes your personal information from hundreds of online sources, including data brokers and people search websites. The platform was launched in 2010, and since then, DeleteMe has removed over 100 million personal listings for thousands of users.

DeleteMe offers automatic data removal as well as DIY opt-out guides for its free-tier users. That said, manual opt-outs take time, and keeping track of the progress can be overwhelming, so most users prefer automated removals.

To use DeleteMe, you must:

1. 1. Submit information: Provide your name, location, phone, or social media profiles to DeleteMe.
2. 1. Wait: DeleteMe will use your information to find your profile on various websites and send removal requests.
3. 1. Receive a report: You’ll get your first report within seven days of signing up. The report provides an overview of the progress in data removal.
4. 1. Monitor progress: DeleteMe constantly monitors sources for your information, so you’ll see removals throughout the year.

DeleteMe vs. Incogni: A Side-by-Side Comparison

To compare the two data removal services, we’ll focus on:

1. 1. Data removal features and coverage
2. 1. Reporting capabilities
3. 1. Pricing plans
4. 1. Customer support

1. Data Removal Features and Coverage

Both DeleteMe and Incogni offer automated data removal across hundreds of online sources. Once they identify a particular data broker that has your information, these services will send removal requests on your behalf.

The two services are transparent regarding the sources they cover for automated removal, and you can find this information on their respective websites. Both also offer custom data removal services. If you find your information on websites outside the services’ automated sources, you can request the deletion manually.

In terms of coverage, both services display impressive numbers:

At first glance, DeleteMe appears to be the clear winner in terms of coverage. However, the advertised numbers can be a bit deceiving because the coverage depends on the selected plan. Plus, to delete your information from certain sources, you must use custom data removals as DeleteMe doesn’t cover them by default, even though they’re listed in the coverage section.

For example, the most affordable plan covers ~150 data brokers without custom requests, which is significantly lower than the advertised number. On the other hand, Incogni offers the same coverage across all plans, and the custom data removal option is separated to avoid confusion among users.

Overall, both platforms offer efficient data removal, but Incogni provides greater transparency and clarity regarding coverage.

2. Reporting Capabilities

Both DeleteMe and Incogni provide reports that allow you to track the progress of the data removal process, but with different approaches to reporting.

DeleteMe offers detailed reports that cover the following:

• • Number of listings that were reviewed and removed
• • Data brokers that have your information
• • Total personally identifiable information (PII) that was found
• • Number of removals in progress
• • Amount of time you’ve saved by using DeleteMe

You’ll get a new report every three months, but DeleteMe checks data brokers for your information several times within this period. The website offers an example report, so you can determine whether the format meets your needs.

Incogni sends monthly reports, but they emphasize different specifics. You’ll see information on the number of requests that were sent and completed, as well as those that are still in progress. You also get insight into the level of risk associated with specific data points found across data brokers.

Overall, if you prefer more frequent updates, you’ll value Incogni. DeleteMe is a better option if you like what its reports cover.

3. Pricing Plans

Incogni and DeleteMe both offer four pricing options.

Here are Incogni’s plans:

1. 1. Standard: $7.99/month
2. 1. Unlimited: $14.99/month
3. 1. Family: $15.99/month
4. 1. Family Unlimited: $22.99/month

All plans cover 420+ data brokers. The two unlimited plans offer additional features such as custom data removal from over 2,000 sites and live phone support. Both Family plans support up to five members and offer convenient family account management. You also get a 30-day money-back guarantee.

According to DeleteMe’s pricing page, its plans are:

1. 1. One person: $10.75/month
2. 1. Two people: $19.08/month
3. 1. Family (four people): $27.42/month
4. 1. Business: Custom pricing

In DeleteMe’s coverage section, standard, gold, platinum, VIP, and diamond options are also mentioned. These divisions seem to apply to business plans, but DeleteMe doesn’t offer a clear distinction on its website. Considering the coverage you’ll get largely depends on the selected plan, the platform’s pricing structure should be more transparent.

DeleteMe also offers a money-back guarantee, but only if you haven’t received your first privacy report. Beyond that point, you can claim a pro-rated refund for the unused time left in your subscription.

4. Customer Support

Both platforms have customer support teams you can reach via live chat, online form, or email. DeleteMe is also available by phone, whereas Incogni doesn’t offer this option.

Incogni has a comprehensive help center where you can find answers to FAQs and learn more about the platform. DeleteMe doesn’t have a help center but a blog covering data privacy and tips on improving it.

User reviews confirm that both platforms have helpful and responsive customer support teams. For DeleteMe, reviews mention that the team offers superior service and responds promptly to questions and concerns. Incogni clients report that the team is patient, kind, and efficient.

How Do Customers Feel About DeleteMe and Incogni?

For the most part, users are happy with what DeleteMe and Incogni offer. Although Incogni has been around much less than DeleteMe, it has significantly more customer reviews, which suggests that the platform is more popular or that it simply has better marketing.

Efficiency is the most frequently mentioned strength of both platforms. Many DeleteMe users report being satisfied with the amount of information the service was able to delete from online sources, and the same applies to Incogni.

Interestingly, most negative reviews for these two services also focus on efficiency, or a lack thereof. Some DeleteMe users state that they haven’t noticed a reduction in the appearance of their name and other information in online sources and that the amount of spam remained the same as before using the service. A few Incogni users also mention that the platform doesn’t deliver on its promises and that they feel it was a waste of money.

The Final Verdict: Which Platform Is the Better Choice?

The key difference between Incogni and DeleteMe lies in their coverage and reporting capabilities.

DeleteMe is an excellent option if you:

• • Prefer detailed reports
• • Don’t mind compromising on coverage or paying for the most expensive plan

On the other hand, Incogni may be a better fit if you:

• • Prioritize monthly reports
• • Need a transparent and comprehensive approach to coverage

Unlike DeleteMe, Incogni also covers brokers that focus on financial and health information, as well as risk mitigation, which can be useful for some users.

Whatever you choose, keep in mind that platforms like Incogni and DeleteMe should only be part of your strategy for enhancing online privacy and security. If you don’t take action to minimize the risk of your information spreading across the internet in the first place, you’ll be stuck in a never-ending circle of data removal.

A crucial step in elevating your digital privacy and security to a new level is switching to a privacy-first mobile carrier, such as Cape.

Meet Cape: The Secure Carrier Designed for Today’s Threats

Cape is a mobile carrier, providing premium, unlimited, and nation-wide call, text, and data, just like any other cell phone service provider. What makes us different is that our service is built from the ground up with privacy and security at its core.

At Cape, we collect the minimum amount of information to provide you with service. Any information we do collect is retained for the shortest time possible. For instance, call data records (CDRs) are stored for just one day, while other carriers typically store CDRs for years, if not indefinitely. We also have a commitment to never sell your data. Our business model centers around providing our subscribers with secure cell service, rather than subsidizing cell phone plans by monetizing user data instead.

The security-first features of Cape include:

1. 1. Minimal Data Collection and Retention: Cape doesn’t ask for your name, address, or Social Security number. We only collect the information necessary to provide our service, and we retain that information for the minimum possible time.
2. 1. Identifier Rotation: Traditional carriers rely on a fixed International Mobile Subscriber ID (IMSI) to connect your device to cellular networks. This creates a vulnerability that lets carriers, advertisers, and bad actors identify and track your device. Cape lets subscribers automatically rotate their IMSI every 24 hours, making it infinitely more difficult to track you or your device.
3. 1. Secondary Numbers: Many services ask for your phone number, but sharing it exposes you to spam, scammers, data brokers, and a variety of other risks. VoIPs, on the other hand, don’t work with 2FA, cost extra, and aren’t encrypted. With Cape, you get two free additional SMS/MMS lines that are middle-to-end encrypted.
4. 1. Disappearing Call Logs: Most U.S. carriers store your call and text metadata for years, sometimes indefinitely. Cape is built to forget, so call and text records are deleted after just 24 hours.
5. 1. Last-Mile Encrypted Texting: One-time passwords (OTP) can be intercepted by bad actors if SMS messages aren’t encrypted, exposing your bank accounts and other sensitive data. With Cape, you can encrypt and route all SMS/MMS messages through the Cape app, so even if they’re intercepted, no one can read them.
      Note: This feature is currently only available on iPhone; Android coming soon.
6. 1. SIM Swap Protection: Cape nullifies the threat of SIM swapping by completely removing humans from the loop. During signup, you receive a 24-word phrase that generates a private key tied to your number. This effectively means that no one (but you) can move your number to a new carrier or device, not even Cape.
7. 1. Network Lock: Legacy network protocols, like SS7, leave you vulnerable to hackers that can track your location, intercept your calls and texts, and steal sensitive information. Cape’s Network Lock relies on a proprietary signaling proxy to verify that your device’s physical location matches the network it’s trying to attach to. If we detect anything out of the ordinary, Cape automatically blocks the connection, nullifying the potential threat.
8. 1. Encrypted Voicemail: Traditional voicemail systems are outdated, unencrypted, and another security hole bad actors can exploit to gain access to your sensitive information. Cape encrypts all voicemails, ensuring only you can access them.
9. 1. Secure Global Roaming: While roaming, your phone connects to local telecom providers to enable service. But, who knows who might be listening on the other end. Cape provides you with peace of mind by routing your traffic through our U.S.-based mobile core, ensuring your identity, data, and communications remain private and secure.
10. 1. Private Payment: Cape doesn’t ask for your name or billing address. Payments are tokenized through Stripe, with financial records stored completely separate from your account information, so your identity can’t be linked to your subscription.

All of these features can only exist because Cape, uniquely, is a “Heavy” Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO). While other MVNOs (such as Mint Mobile, Cricket, etc.) simply ride on top of the mobile core, SIMs, and physical infrastructure of their underlying MNO partner, we actually own our mobile core and provision SIMs independently.

By owning and operating our own mobile core, we are able to have more control over how accounts are authenticated, what data we do and don’t collect, how long we retain it for, as well as build proprietary features like Identifier Rotation. No other carrier on the market has this capability.

Get the Cape-Level Protection To Secure Your Communications

You can sign up for Cape here.

We’ve partnered with Proton to help you build a privacy-first ecosystem. As a Cape subscriber, you can choose between Proton Unlimited and Proton VPN Plus for just $1 for six months.