Incogni vs DeleteMe (2026): Which Data Removal Service Fits You?

Search your own name online and you'll often find your home address, phone number and relatives listed on people-search sites you've never heard of. That data comes from data brokers, and getting it removed one site at a time takes hours. Incogni and DeleteMe both promise to do that job for you. They go about it in different ways, and the right one depends on where you live and how hands-on you want to be.

What a data removal service does

Data brokers collect personal details from public records, apps, loyalty schemes and online activity, then sell or publish them. A removal service sends opt-out or deletion requests to those brokers on your behalf, checks whether they complied, and repeats the requests because brokers often add people back over time. It won't scrub your name from news sites, social media or search results you control, and it can't remove public court records.

Incogni and DeleteMe side by side

	Incogni	DeleteMe
Who runs it	Surfshark, the VPN company	Abine, a US privacy company founded in 2010
Where it works	The US, the UK, the EU and several other countries	Mainly the US, with a separate international service
How it works	Automated requests to a large list of brokers, repeated on a schedule	A mix of automated and manual removals by privacy staff
What you see	A dashboard showing request status by broker	Regular privacy reports listing what was found and removed
Custom requests	Some plans let you ask for removal from specific sites	You can ask the team to look at sites not on their standard list
Best for	People outside the US, or anyone who wants a set-and-forget service	US residents who want detailed reports and human help

Both services change their coverage and plans, so check each one's current page before you subscribe.

Round one: where you live

This is the deciding question for most people. If you're in the UK or Europe, Incogni is built around the deletion rights in UK GDPR and EU GDPR, and it covers brokers in those regions. DeleteMe's main product focuses on US people-search sites, which is where it's strongest. US readers can choose either, while UK and EU readers will usually find Incogni a better fit.

Round two: automation or human review

Incogni leans on automation. You sign up, give permission for it to act for you, and it sends requests and follows up on its own. That's efficient and you barely need to think about it. DeleteMe uses people as well as software, which helps with awkward sites that need a phone call, a form with a captcha or proof of identity. If you've had a specific problem, such as a stalker or harassment, that human element can be worth more.

Round three: reporting

Incogni shows a live dashboard, so you can see which brokers have received requests and which have confirmed removal. DeleteMe sends detailed reports that list the sites where your data was found and what happened. Some people like the dashboard because it's always there. Others prefer a report they can read and keep.

Round four: who it covers

Both services offer family plans so you can protect a partner or parents too. That's worth thinking about, because data brokers link relatives together. Removing your own listing helps less if your address still shows up on a parent's profile.

Questions to ask before you sign up

1. Which countries does it cover, and does that include where you live now and where you've lived before?
2. Does it handle people-search sites, marketing brokers or both?
3. How often does it repeat requests, and what happens when a broker ignores one?
4. Can you add custom sites where you've spotted your details?
5. How easy is it to cancel, and what happens to the information you gave it?

Give these answers more weight than the size of a broker list on a sales page. A long list means little if the sites showing your home address aren't on it. I'd also keep your own short list of the five or six sites where you found yourself, so you can check the service's work rather than take its dashboard on trust.

Can you do it yourself for free?

Yes, and it's worth knowing how. Most people-search sites have an opt-out page, usually linked in the footer. You search for your listing, submit the URL and confirm by email. In the UK and EU you can send a written request to erase your data under data protection law. In California, residents have extra deletion rights and a state-run tool for sending one request to registered brokers. The catch is time. There are hundreds of brokers, and many relist people after a few months, so a DIY approach needs a spreadsheet and a reminder in your calendar.

Other ways to shrink your footprint

• Use a separate email address for shopping and sign-ups.
• Turn off ad personalisation in your Google and Apple accounts.
• Lock down social profiles so your address, birthday and family aren't public. My privacy audit for your X account walks through one platform step by step.
• Use a password manager so one leaked password doesn't open everything. I compare the options in my guide to the best password managers for small businesses.
• On public wifi, consider a VPN. My best VPN for business guide explains what to look for.

My take

If you live in the UK or Europe, start with Incogni. If you're in the US and want a person to help with stubborn listings, DeleteMe is the stronger choice. Either way, run a quick search of your own name first, note the sites that show your details, and check them again after a couple of months to see what's gone.

Frequently asked questions

Is Incogni or DeleteMe better?

Incogni suits people in the UK, the EU and other regions it covers, and anyone who wants an automated service. DeleteMe suits US residents who want human help with stubborn listings and detailed reports.

Do data removal services work?

They do reduce how many people-search sites show your details, but they can't remove news articles, social media posts or public court records. Brokers often relist people, which is why these services repeat requests over time.

Can I remove my data from data brokers myself?

Yes. Most people-search sites have an opt-out page, and in the UK and EU you can make a written erasure request. It's free but slow, because there are hundreds of brokers and many relist people after a few months.

Does DeleteMe work in the UK?

DeleteMe's main service focuses on US people-search sites. It runs a separate international service, so check its current coverage. Many UK readers choose Incogni because it's built around UK and EU deletion rights.