Incogni vs. Optery: Which data removal service fits you best?

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There’s no point denying that nothing is private anymore, especially online. Your personal information is being collected, stored, and traded, usually without your knowledge or direct consent.

Data brokers gather pieces of your identity from public records, online forms, social data, and more. Once it’s in their hands, it flows through marketing pipelines, risk assessments, and profiling systems.

Services like Incogni and Optery were created to address this issue. They send deletion requests to brokers on your behalf and work to keep watch so that your data stays private.

However, each provider takes a different approach regarding automation, coverage, visibility, complexity, and ease of use.

In this comparison, we dig into how they compare so that you can choose the one that best fits your needs.

At a glance: Incogni vs. Optery

Feature	Incogni	Optery
Price	From $7.99	From $3.99 (there’s also a free self-service option)
Automation Level	Fully automated, recurring removal cycles	Hybrid: automated + manual control
Broker Coverage	420+ public & private brokers	Varies heavily by plan; up to 645+
Transparency & Visibility	Dashboard with tracking, logs, less public-facing proof per request	Generates links, screenshots, more detailed removal evidence
Verification / Audit	Independent limited assurance by Deloitte	None
Support	Email, live chat for subscribers, phone support on Unlimited & Family Unlimited	Email, live chat, help center
Best Use Case	“Set-it-and-forget-it” with deeper broker reach	Users who prefer visibility, more control, and granular reporting

How each service operates

Incogni is designed to limit the assistance needed from you to operate.

When you sign up and verify your identity, it sends deletion requests automatically, then tracks responses, and even resubmits requests on a schedule (every 60 or 90 days, depending on broker type) to make sure your data doesn’t start circulating again.

Its goal is continuous suppression across both public and private brokers.

Optery offers a mixture of automation and manual control.

Depending on the plan you choose, it may take care of sending opt-out requests for you, but it also gives you a glimpse of discovered profiles (with links or screenshots) and allows you to intervene manually.

This hybrid model is preferred by users who want more insight into what is being removed.

Coverage and broker reach

Coverage is a key battleground.

Incogni was assured by Deloitte to actually manage removals from the claimed 420+ brokers, including both public people-search and private data sources like marketing, recruitment, and risk databases.

Its major advantage is surely the deeper reach into private brokers, as many of them don’t show up in public search results, while they are responsible for a considerable share of data trading.

Optery advertises an even higher potential broker count.

With its “Expanded Reach” mode, it claims to cover 645+ brokers. However, actual coverage depends heavily on how much you pay: some public sites are gated behind higher tiers.

The difference: Incogni emphasizes depth and consistency (especially private brokers), while Optery emphasizes breadth and transparency in public broker exposure.

Transparency and reporting

One of Optery’s biggest strengths is deep visibility. It offers users screenshots and direct links to the profiles it finds, which allows you to see what’s being removed.

This level of proof can be satisfying if you always need to know what’s going on.

Incogni’s transparency is strong too, but different: you have dashboards with request status, logs, confirmations, and tracking of recurring removals.

It doesn’t always offer proof, but it’s simply because many private brokers can’t share that.

Where Incogni shines is in its third-party verification – a Deloitte limited assurance review checked that its processes work as claimed. That kind of independent accountability is rare in privacy tools. 

If you want proof for each removal, Optery has an edge. But if you look for a trusted, verified system doing the work quietly, Incogni is the way to go.

Pricing and plans

As usual, pricing depends on tier, features, and region, but here’s a general comparison:

• Incogni advertises a base price (annualized) of $7.99/month and more expensive plans with expanded features like unlimited custom removals and multi-user/family options.
• Optery offers a free tier for scanning, then paid ones starting at $3.99/month that unlock more broker coverage and removal features. Its “Expanded Reach” option boosts impressive broker coverage (to 645+) for more expensive plans.

In real-world usage, Incogni’s pricing tends to be more predictable and less fragmented: the essential protections are included by default with the cheapest plan. In contrast, Optery’s base plans often leave out advanced capabilities until you upgrade. 

The balance: Optery offers flexibility and a low barrier to entry (free scan), but jumps in cost for full power. Incogni offers consistency, fewer surprises, and wider coverage.

Usability and support

Ease of use affects whether users decide to stick with a tool.

Incogni is designed for minimal intervention. Users report that once setup is done, it runs on its own, and you can forget it. It’s praised for onboarding simplicity.

Incogni has a less mobile-centric support and it also lacks a dedicated mobile app in some regions and has no iOS app.

Optery, on the other hand, focuses on visibility and control. Users can see exactly the profiles that were found, and intervene if needed.

Its support is more responsive in interactive channels, while the interface leans more toward letting users verify and compare results.

If you prefer to avoid day-to-day decisions, Incogni’s hands-off design seems appealing. If you like to verify each action, Optery may feel more satisfying.

Pros and cons

Here’s a quick view of what you gain and what you might have to give up with each provider.

Incogni

Pros	Cons
Full automation of removal and renewal cycles	Less granular public proof per removal
Deeper coverage of both public and private data brokers	No free plan/scanning before purchase
Independently assured by Deloitte	In some markets, fewer mobile-specific support options
Predictable pricing and baseline features

Optery

Pros	Cons
Strong visibility with screenshots and profile links	Full coverage requires higher-tier plans
Flexible plan structure and entry-level options	No known independent verification of the process
Transparent reporting for each discovered item	The hybrid model demands more involvement from you

Who each service is best for

If you’re someone who…	Choose Incogni if…	Choose Optery if…
Prioritizes automation vs. control	You want a true “set-it-and-forget-it” system with minimal involvement	you prefer visibility and hands-on control over the removal process
Concerned about both visible and invisible data.	You want deeper protection across both public and private brokers	You mostly care about removal from public people-search sites
Wants clear evidence of removals	You just need dashboard tracking and third-party verification	You prefer screenshots and direct links to each discovered profile
Has specific budget considerations	You want predictable pricing with all brokers covered in every plan	You want flexible options including a free tier

Final verdict: Which one should you pick?

Both Incogni and Optery try to solve the same problem for you: take your personal information out of data brokers’ hands and keep it that way.

The difference lies in how they do it and how much work you want to put in.

Optery appeals to people who want to know what’s happening under the hood. Its reports, screenshots, and links make the process as transparent and interactive as possible here.

If you like to stay informed and confirm every step yourself, this visibility can be reassuring.

Incogni, conversely, goes for scale and simplicity. It automates the heavy lifting across hundreds of both public and private brokers, resends requests on schedule, and backs its performance with an independent Deloitte assessment.

This way, you don’t have to worry about tracking links or checking deadlines – it just works in the background.

In short:

• Choose Optery if you seek hands-on control.
• Choose Incogni if you value lasting protection, high automation, and verified accountability.

For most people, the convenience and depth of coverage make Incogni the more practical long-term privacy partner. It’s the closest you can get to truly set-and-forget effective data protection.