Data Broker Removal Services Reviewed: DeleteMe, Incogni, Optery, and the Free Routes
Search your own name and you may find a site listing your home address, phone number, age, and relatives. Those sites are data brokers: companies that collect public records and purchase data, then sell or publish profiles. Scammers use these profiles to make calls and emails sound believable. Removal services send opt-out requests to brokers on your behalf and repeat them when your information reappears.
This review is part of our Privacy Toolkit. We reviewed three paid services and the free options using company pages, California’s privacy agency, and independent comparisons, checked October 6, 2026. Prices change often in this category, so confirm the current price before you buy. We don’t earn a commission from links in this review.
At a glance
- Best for: People who have been targeted by scams, stalking, or harassment; public-facing workers; anyone who wants their home address off people-search sites.
- Price: Free if you opt out yourself. Californians can use the state’s free DROP tool. Paid services run from about $39 to about $130 a year for one person.
- Our verdict: Situational. Try the free routes first; pay if you don’t have time or have a safety reason.
The free routes
California’s DROP
If you live in California, the state’s Delete Request and Opt-out Platform lets you send one deletion request to every registered data broker at once. It is free at privacy.ca.gov/drop. Residents could sign up starting in January 2026, and since August 1, 2026, registered brokers must check the system and process requests at least every 45 days. You verify residency by entering personal details or linking a Login.gov account, and you get a DROP ID to track your request.
Do it yourself
Anyone can opt out of the largest people-search sites directly. Search your name and city, find the site’s opt-out page (usually linked at the bottom), and follow the steps. It takes time, and many sites ask you to confirm by email, which is a good use for an email alias. Google also offers a “Results about you” tool that lets you ask it to remove search results showing your phone, home address, or email. That hides the result in Google; it doesn’t delete the broker’s page.
The paid services compared
DeleteMe
One of the oldest services. Real people send opt-out requests to several hundred sites and you get privacy reports each quarter showing what was found and removed. About $129 a year for one person, with plans for couples and families. No free tier.
Incogni
Fully automated and hands-off: it sends requests to hundreds of brokers shortly after signup and keeps re-sending them. A dashboard shows request status. Plans start around $8 a month on a yearly plan, with family options.
Optery
Offers a free exposure scan that shows where your information appears, with screenshots, before you pay. Paid tiers start around $39 a year and cover more sites at higher tiers. Mostly single-person plans.
Where all of these fall short
- Nobody removes everything. Court records, property records, and voter files are public and stay public. Some brokers ignore requests.
- Listings come back. Brokers buy fresh data and relist people. That is why services charge yearly.
- Coverage numbers are claims. A service that lists “500 sites” is telling you where it sends requests, not proving the data was deleted. Look at the reports.
- You share data to remove data. The service needs your name, addresses, and birth date to find you. Read its privacy policy.
How to get off data broker sites
- Search yourself. Try your name with your city and your phone number. Note which sites show your address.
- If you live in California, file a DROP request at privacy.ca.gov/drop.
- Opt out of the top sites yourself, or run Optery’s free scan to see the scope first.
- If you pay, start with one year and read the first report. Confirm listings actually came down.
- Check again every few months. Put a reminder on your calendar.
Tips for families and older adults
- Older adults are frequent targets of scam calls built from people-search profiles. Removing a parent’s phone number from those sites pairs well with the steps in Stop Scam Calls on a Parent’s Phone.
- If you are dealing with stalking or domestic violence, contact a local advocate. Many states have address confidentiality programs that go further than any removal service.
- Be wary of anyone who calls offering to “remove your data” for a fee. Choose a service yourself.
Our recommendation
Californians should file a free DROP request first. Everyone else: run a free scan, opt out of the biggest sites yourself, and pay for a service only if you lack the time or have a safety concern. DeleteMe suits people who want human handling and reports; Incogni suits people who want automation; Optery suits people on a budget.
FAQ
Is it legal for these sites to list my address?
In most of the United States, yes, because much of the information comes from public records. Several states now give residents the right to request deletion.
How long does removal take?
Some sites remove listings within days; others take weeks. Under California’s DROP, brokers have set deadlines after they receive requests.
Will this stop spam calls?
It can reduce them over time but won’t stop them entirely. Combine it with your carrier’s call-blocking tools.
Sources
- California Privacy Protection Agency, “Delete Request and Opt-Out Platform (DROP),” cppa.ca.gov/data_brokers, accessed October 6, 2026.
- Cloudwards, “California Launches DROP, a Free Data Broker Information Deletion Platform for Residents,” 2026.
- Malwarebytes, “Californians can tell data brokers to DROP their information,” August 2026.
- PCrisk, “Best Personal Data Removal Services,” February 18, 2026, for price and coverage comparisons.
Photo: Mizuno K via Pexels. Pexels License.
This review is general information, not legal advice. None of these companies reviewed or paid for this article. Check each service’s current price and coverage before you buy.
