Optery vs DeleteMe – A Comprehensive Buyer’s Comparison

DeleteMe advertises removal from 850+ data brokers. Optery claims 635+ sites.

On paper, DeleteMe looks like the winner.

But here’s the catch: numbers can be misleading when you’re shopping for data removal services.

The real question isn’t just how many sites a service lists—it’s how many they’ll actually handle for you automatically.

Let’s dig into what these services really offer.

In short, Optery vs DeleteMe:

DeleteMe lists 850+ sites, but only 85 receive automatic removals. The remaining 765+ require manual requests, capped at 40–60 per year, or higher-tier plans. Optery offers 635+ automated removals (or 390+ without Expanded Reach), with unlimited manual requests on the Ultimate plan after a 30-day waiting period. Both services handle major people search sites well, but differ significantly in their approach to coverage and custom removals.

Disclaimer:

This review was written by the team at Incogni—a data removal product that competes directly with the services featured in this comparison. 

We’ve done our best to keep things accurate and fair, but since we have a direct interest in Incogni’s success, this comparison might be a bit more critical than others. 

We always recommend doing your own research and checking out a few other sources before making a final decision.

Category	Optery	DeleteMe
Total broker coverage for automated removals	✔️ 635+ advertised broker coverage, breaking down to:   ▶️ 125–390 brokers covered in different plans  ▶️ 240+ brokers included with the Expanded Reach feature	✔️ 850+ advertised broker coverage, breaking down to:   ▶️ 85+ brokers covered by automated removals   ▶️ 560+ unique domains handled through custom removals   ▶️ 200+ brokers available in higher-tier plans
Broker coverage on the cheapest plan	Optery Core:  💲 $39.00 per year  ✔️ 125+ data brokers (or 370+ with Expanded Reach)	DeleteMe Standard:  💲103.20 per year  ✔️ 85+ data brokers
Pricing for full/best protection	Optery Ultimate:  💲 249.00 per year, which is  💲 20.75 per month	DeleteMe Premium:  💲 180.00 per year, which is  💲 15.00 per month
Custom removals	✔️ Yes, unlimited (Ultimate plan only)  ▶️ Available after 30 days  ▶️ Primarily for people search sites	✔️ Yes, but limited  ▶️ 40 requests for Standard Protection  ▶️ 60 requests for Premium Protection  ▶️ Primarily for people search sites
Follow-up scans	⌛ 30 days for paying customers  ⌛ 90 days for free users	⌛ 90 days for standard users  ⌛ 60 days for premium users
Support	✔️ 24/7 live chat ✔️ 24/7 email  ✔️ FAQs  ✔️ Support center	✔️ Email (office hours) ✔️ Live chat (office hours) ✔️ Phone (office hours) ✔️ FAQs  ✔️ Support center
Risk-free trial	✔️ 30-day, money-back guarantee	✔️ Until first Privacy Report (typically ~7 days)
Detailed review	DeleteMe review	Optery review

A breakdown of what’s included with each service

Broker coverage is definitely the most important factor in choosing a data removal service, so let’s start there.

First, we’ll look at what each service claims in their advertising and then break those numbers down to see what’s actually offered.

Advertised number of brokers:

• DeleteMe: 850+  
• Optery: 635+.

Does this mean DeleteMe is the obvious winner? 

Let’s wait before jumping to any conclusions and take a closer look at those numbers.

Fortunately, both DeleteMe and Optery list all the brokers they cover. 

If you want to check for yourself, here’s DeleteMe’s list and here’s Optery’s list.

Let’s talk about what those coverage numbers actually mean

So, what does this look like for DeleteMe?

Not too great. 

As soon as you enter the site, you’ll notice that each data broker has an annotation next to it. Each one stands for a different type of removal.

We did a quick breakdown, and here are the results.

Out of DeleteMe’s advertised 850 covered brokers:

• Only 85 brokers are included in automated removals.
• Over 560 brokers require custom manual removal submissions.
• More than 200 brokers are available only on higher-tier plans, like Premium, VIP, Diamond, and others.

What does this mean for you?

If you want a true “set-and-forget” service, DeleteMe will only remove your data from 85 brokers. 

That’s arguably the lowest number among removal services.

If you’d like to learn more about other data removal services, here’s a roundup of reviews:

• Incogni review
• Kanary review
• Onerep review.

How does Optery compare?

Optery does better here, but it’s not perfect either.

Optery’s coverage of 635 brokers breaks down as follows:

• The baseline coverage in the Ultimate plan: 390+ brokers
• Brokers added through the Expanded Reach feature: 240+ brokers.

It’s important to point out that the Ultimate plan is Optery’s most expensive option. 

Lower-tier plans, like Core and Extended, provide coverage for 125 and 295 brokers, respectively (more about that in the section dedicated to plans).

Now, what’s the deal with Expanded Reach?

The Expanded Reach feature is optional and adds brokers that “don’t yet meet Optery’s strict removal verification standards.” 

It’s a bit unclear what this really means—it could be brokers with private databases, ones that are unresponsive, those who refuse to comply, or something else.

Optery doesn’t spell out why certain brokers are in this category or explain exactly how it handles these requests—whether it monitors your profiles the same way as on its standard coverage or if it follows up with the brokers regularly.

That’s why we’re hesitant to treat these brokers the same as those included in the baseline number.

Although Optery’s realistic coverage drops from 635 to 390, that’s still much better than DeleteMe’s drop from 850 to just 85.

What types of sites do these services actually cover?

In short

Both services focus primarily on people search sites, with limited coverage of private-database brokers. DeleteMe covers fewer than 20 private brokers, while Optery’s Expanded Reach feature adds over 100.

When most people think “data broker,” they picture people search sites.

These are the sites where anyone can Google your name and find your address, phone number, and that house you lived in back in 2008.

But people search sites are just the visible part of a much bigger industry.

Behind the scenes, there are private-database brokers (sometimes referred to as private brokers). 

These companies don’t publish your info on searchable websites. Instead, they sell it to other businesses—like marketers, insurance companies, landlords, and employers.

You’ll never see your profile on these sites because they don’t have public directories for you to browse. But they have your information, and they’re making money from it.

Both DeleteMe and Optery put most of their energy into people search sites.

DeleteMe explicitly covers fewer than 20 private-database brokers.

Optery doesn’t specify their private broker coverage. 

Based on their broker directory, most listings appear to be people search sites, with some marketing, risk-mitigation, and other categories included in the Expanded Reach feature.

Types of data brokers covered	Optery	DeleteMe
People search sites (public database)	✔️	✔️
Marketing data brokers (private database)	✔️	✔️
Risk-mitigation brokers (private database)	✔️	❌
Recruitment data brokers (private database)	✔️	❌
Financial information brokers (private database)	✔️	❌

What happens when you want to remove data from a site they don’t automatically cover?

In short

DeleteMe offers 40 custom removal requests on their Standard plan and 60 on Premium. Optery’s Ultimate plan includes unlimited custom requests, though there’s a 30-day waiting period after signup. Both services focus custom removals primarily on people search sites.

Custom removals let you submit a URL to a website that’s exposing your information and have it manually taken down by a team of experts. 

Every data removal service has its limitations, and it’s impossible to cover all brokers through automated processes—custom removals help fill those gaps.

Both DeleteMe and Optery offer custom removals, but there are some differences in how they work:

• DeleteMe limits the number of custom removal requests each user can make: 40 for standard users and 60 for premium users.
• Optery offers unlimited custom removals from people search sites not already covered by their automated removals.

Now, here’s something important to keep in mind.

DeleteMe advertises coverage of 850+ data brokers. 

That number includes both automated removals and nearly 600 websites that fall under their custom removals.

So, to get your data removed from all these sites, you’d need to submit about 600 custom removal requests. 

However, DeleteMe limits the number of requests you can make: 40 for the Standard plan and 60 for the Premium plan.

To make things more confusing, DeleteMe doesn’t clarify whether this limit resets. 

It’s not clear if the limit is per month, per billing period, or per account.

• If it’s per month, it would take about 15 months to use up 600 requests.
• If it’s per billing period (like a year), it would take 15 years.
• If it’s per account and doesn’t reset, you’d never reach all 600.

On top of that, around 200 of the data brokers covered by DeleteMe are only available through higher-tier plans like Business Gold, Diamond, Platinum, and VIP—the VIP plan alone costs $5,000 per year.

Incogni is a service that takes a different approach. 

Its custom removals feature offers unlimited requests and works with general websites, not just data brokers. You can submit a link to your exposed data on nearly any type of site.

For more details on custom removals, check out our full Incogni review.

Custom removals: scope of sites	Optery	DeleteMe
People search sites	✔️	✔️
Private-database brokers	✔️	❌
General websites*	❌	❌
Search engines	✔️/❌**	❌
Social media	❌	❌
Public records	❌	❌
Forums	❌	❌

How do they make sure your data stays removed?

In short

Both services check back regularly to see if your data has reappeared. Optery checks every 30 days for paying customers (every 90 days if you’re using their free version). DeleteMe checks every 90 days for Standard users and every 60 days for Premium users.

Getting removed once isn’t enough.

Here’s the frustrating reality: opting out doesn’t always mean your data stays gone.

In many jurisdictions, data brokers can legally re-collect your information—especially from public or permitted sources—unless privacy laws explicitly prevent this or require ongoing suppression.

That means your data keeps becoming public. 

You sign up for a newsletter. You update your LinkedIn. You buy a house (that goes into public records). A company you do business with sells your data to another company.

Suddenly, you’re back in the limelight.

That’s why data removal services don’t just delete your data once and walk away. They keep checking back.

Optery checks every 30 days if you’re a paying customer. If you’re on their free plan, they check every 90 days.

DeleteMe’s schedule depends on which plan you have. Standard users get checked every 90 days, Premium users get checked every 60 days.

Neither service monitors the custom removal requests you submit. Once they handle those, they’re done—there’s no ongoing monitoring.

Follow-up scans	Optery	DeleteMe
Follow-up scans	✔️	✔️
Frequency of the follow-up scans	⌛ Every 30 days (paid plans)  ⌛ Every 90 days (free users)	⌛ Every 90 days (Standard plan)  ⌛ Every 60 days (Premium plan)
Follow-up scans for custom removals	❌	❌

The free plan difference that actually matters

Here’s a major differentiator that often gets overlooked:

Optery offers free, ongoing monitoring. DeleteMe doesn’t.

With Optery’s Free Basic plan, you get continuous monitoring of people search sites—they check every 90 days and send updated reports showing which sites exposed your data. 

This isn’t a one-time scan. It’s a recurring check of your digital footprint.

DeleteMe offers a tool called Scan that’s more limited. 

You get a one-time report showing which people search sites are exposing your data. 

From there, you can either follow their opt-out guides yourself or pay for their service to handle it. 

But there’s no free, ongoing monitoring—that report is a snapshot, not a continuous service.

Transparency: seeing proof that your data was actually removed

Here’s one more element that separates these services: how they prove their work.

Optery provides before-and-after screenshots showing your actual profile on data broker sites, then showing it’s gone after removal. You get visual evidence that the work was done.

DeleteMe uses a simplified dashboard that shows removal status without the visual proof. They’ll tell you a site has been handled, but you won’t see screenshots of your data before and after.

For some people, that’s fine. They trust the process.

For others those screenshots matter. They’re tangible evidence that something actually happened.

A look at the plans and pricing options for each service

In short

Optery’s plans differ by broker coverage: Core (125+ sites), Extended (295+ sites), and Ultimate (390+ sites). Expanded Reach can be added to any plan for additional coverage. DeleteMe’s plans differ by the number of people covered and service tier (Standard, Premium, Diamond, Platinum, VIP). All DeleteMe’s basic plans include the same 85+ automated brokers.

Optery and DeleteMe structure their plans completely differently.

Optery says: “How many data brokers do you want covered?”

DeleteMe says: “How many people need protection?”

Let’s look at each one.

What Optery offers

Optery has three main tiers: Core, Extended, and Ultimate.

The difference is in how many data brokers they cover automatically.

• Core: 370+ brokers (125+ if you skip Expanded Reach)
• Extended: 540+ brokers (295+ without Expanded Reach)
• Ultimate: 635+ brokers (390+ without Expanded Reach)

The Core plan has a limitation: one name and one city/state per person. 

Extended and Ultimate let you add unlimited name variations (maiden names, nicknames, etc.) and unlimited past addresses.

Ultimate is the only plan that includes unlimited custom removal requests and a tool for removing outdated links from search engines like Google.

Basic	Core
Free	$3.25 per month
➡️ 1 person ➡️ No automatic removals ➡️ You do the work yourself ➡️ Shows you where your data is exposed	➡️ 1 person ➡️ 125+ sites (370+ with Expanded Reach) ➡️ Checks monthly ➡️ Only 1 name and 1 location
Extended	Ultimate
$12.42 per month	$20.70 per month
➡️ 1 person ➡️ 295+ sites (540+ with Expanded Reach) ➡️ Multiple names and locations ➡️ Human reviewer assigned	➡️ 1 person ➡️ 390+ sites (635+ with Expanded Reach) ➡️ Unlimited manual requests (after 30 days) ➡️ Search engine cleanup tool ➡️ Faster support

All prices are up to date as of December 31, 2025, based on information published at optery.com, assuming the purchase of an annual subscription.

What DeleteMe offers

DeleteMe keeps the broker coverage the same across all plans (85+ sites automatically).

Instead, they charge based on how many people you’re protecting.

They also have a Premium upgrade for individuals that adds 15 more brokers and 20 more manual requests.

Standard	Premium
$8.60	$15 per month
➡️ 1 person ➡️ 85+ brokers in automated removals ➡️ 40 custom removal requests	➡️ 1 person ➡️ 100+ brokers in automated removals ➡️ 60 custom removal requests
Couple	Family
$17.20 per month	$20.70 per month
➡️ 2 people ➡️ 85+ brokers in automated removals ➡️ 40 custom removal requests	➡️ 4 people ➡️ 85+ brokers in automated removals ➡️ 40 custom removal requests

Comparing the top-tier plans head-to-head

In short

DeleteMe Premium costs $15/month and covers 100+ sites automatically, plus 60 custom requests per year. Optery Ultimate costs $20.70/month and covers 635+ sites automatically (or 390+ without Expanded Reach), plus unlimited custom requests after 30 days.

The value propositions of Optery and DeleteMe differ slightly.

Both are essentially data removal services—that’s their core functionality. 

However, Optery is only a removal tool. It does one thing: removes your data from brokers. No extras, no bundled tools, just removals.

DeleteMe throws in a little extra. Along with data removal, it includes email and phone masking—tools that let you create disposable email addresses and phone numbers when signing up for things online. 

This keeps your real contact info private.

Now, let’s put the premium plans side by side.

Your money’s worth	Optery Ultimate	DeleteMe Premium
Price (per month)	$20.70	$15.00
Total number of data brokers in automated removals	390+ (or 635+ with Expanded Reach)	100+
Number of people search sites included	~390	100+
Number of private-database brokers included	100+ (Not clearly specified)	Fewer than 20
Unlimited custom removals	✔️	❌ (60 per year)
Removals from general websites	❌	❌
Before/after screenshot proof	✔️	❌
Extra tools	❌	✔️
Independent verification of claims	❌	❌

DeleteMe looks cheaper at first glance.

But you’re getting just around 100 sites covered automatically versus Optery’s 390+.

If automated coverage is your priority, Optery gives you more. If price matters most and you’re okay with fewer sites, DeleteMe costs less.

What if you want your money back?

In short

DeleteMe gives you until they send your first report (usually about a week) to cancel and get your money back. Optery gives you 30 full days to try the service and request a refund if you’re not satisfied.

Refunds and cancellations	Optery	DeleteMe
30-day, money-back guarantee	✔️	❌
Free trial period	❌	❌
Full access to features during the first month	❌	✔️
One-click subscription-renewal cancellation	✔️	✔️

Both services let you cancel your renewal anytime.

That’s actually required by law now and is not the same as a refund. When you cancel your renewal, it means you won’t be charged again—but your current subscription stays active until it expires.

Refunds work differently:

Optery gives you 30 days to try everything and decide. Change your mind anytime in that month and get your money back, regardless of how much work they’ve already done.

DeleteMe only refunds you if you cancel before they send your first Privacy Report. That report usually arrives within a week.

Important distinction here:

• Canceling your account (during the trial period) = you get a refund
• Canceling your renewal (after the trial) = you just stop future charges, no refund.

How customer support works for each service

In short

DeleteMe offers phone support during business hours (weekdays, 9am–8pm Eastern), plus email and chat. Optery provides email and chat support 24/7, but doesn’t offer phone support. Both have FAQ sections and how-to guides.

Here’s how you can get help from each service:

Customer support	Optery	DeleteMe
Available 24/7*	✔️	❌
Live chat	✔️	✔️
Email	✔️	✔️
Phone	❌	✔️
Social media	✔️	✔️
Reddit community	✔️	❌
Self-help resources (like opt-out guides and FAQs)	✔️	✔️

Both services have organized help centers with FAQs and tutorials.

Beyond that, both maintain blogs with practical guides: how to opt out of specific sites manually, how to reduce spam, how to spot scams, and general privacy tips.

These guides can be useful even if you’re not using their paid services.

A closer look at business and enterprise options

In short

Both services offer business plans. DeleteMe and Optery both provide scaled-up versions of their consumer services—protecting employees and executives from people search sites, mainly through the same automated removal process.

Companies often need data removal services for their executives and employees.

Both services offer business solutions, structured similarly to their consumer plans.

Optery for Business uses a similar tier system (Core, Ultimate, Enterprise). Businesses pick which level of protection they need and how many employees to cover. The service works the same way—automated removals with optional custom requests.

DeleteMe’s business offering takes a similar approach. They scale up their consumer service to cover multiple employees. The focus stays on people search site removals.

Neither service offers specialized, customized solutions for businesses with unique security needs. What you see in the consumer plans is basically what businesses get, just for more people.

For a case-by-case approach, Ironwall by Incogni is currently the only data removal service that focuses exclusively on protecting businesses and institutions.

Both Optery and DeleteMe can protect:

Tailored protection*	Optery	DeleteMe
Companies	✔️	✔️
Courts	❌	❌
Law enforcement personnel	❌	❌
Human services professionals	❌	❌
Healthcare institutions	❌	❌
Government agencies	❌	❌

Exploring bundle deals and packaged services

In short

Neither Optery nor DeleteMe offer bundles with other privacy tools. Both operate as standalone data removal services.

Removing your data from brokers is a solid privacy step—it can cut down on spam, reduce your risk of identity theft, and give you more control over your information.

But comprehensive privacy usually requires more than just data removal. Most people also use VPNs, encrypted email, password managers, and other tools.

As of December 2025, neither Optery nor DeleteMe can be bundled with any of these other privacy tools.

You’re buying data removal services, period.

However, some data removal services come bundled with other privacy tools, like VPNs, antivirus software, and data breach alerts. 

Take Surfshark One+, for example. It combines a premium VPN, antivirus, breach alerts, and more with Incogni’s data removal service—covering 420+ data brokers and offering unlimited custom removals from both brokers and general websites.

Aura offers a similar bundle, though its scope and capabilities are more limited compared to Surfshark and Incogni’s.

Can you trust what these companies say?

DeleteMe’s “850+ brokers” claim isn’t wrong—but it’s misleading.

They list 850+ sites, but only 85 of them are covered through automatic removal. The other 765+ require you to submit custom requests—and you only get 40–60 of those per year—or get a higher subscription tier.

Technically true. Practically misleading.

The problem is bigger than just DeleteMe. The whole industry lacks standards. No independent organization checks whether these companies are being honest about their coverage numbers.

You’re basically taking their word for it.

Optery is more transparent about how they count. They clearly show which brokers are in Core, Extended, Ultimate, and Expanded Reach. Their pricing page breaks down exactly what you’re getting.

You can actually see which brokers are included in each tier instead of hunting through footnotes.

DeleteMe requires more detective work. You have to examine their coverage page carefully, notice the different symbols, and figure out what’s automatic versus manual. Most people won’t bother—they’ll just see “850+” and assume it’s all automatic.

Both companies have positive customer reviews. But without industry-wide verification, you’re trusting self-reported data either way.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. There’s a service with independently verified claims—Incogni.

As of now, Incogni is the only data removal service to have undergone an independent third-party review. 

The examination verified Incogni’s main claims, including the number of brokers covered and how your data is handled.

You can read more about it here.

Wondering how Incogni compares? Check out these articles:

• Incogni vs DeleteMe
• Incogni vs Optery

So which one should you choose?

Both DeleteMe and Optery are solid data removal services.

While DeleteMe has a relatively small number of brokers covered by automated removals, it does include most of the major players, like Whitepages, Intelius, and Spokeo. 

Plus, DeleteMe offers extra features like email masking.

Optery covers a much larger list of brokers, but you’ll pay more—over $20 per month for their top-tier protection.

So, is there a clear winner?  

It’s hard to say. 

Here’s one way to think about it:

• Choose DeleteMe if: You mainly care about the big people search sites (Whitepages, Spokeo, etc.), you want a lower price, and you’re okay with fewer automated removals. Their Standard plan at $103/year hits the sites that matter most to average users.
• Choose Optery if: You want maximum automated coverage and you’re willing to pay more for it. Their Ultimate plan at $249/year covers significantly more sites automatically and offers unlimited manual requests (after 30 days).

Before you decide, consider reading other comparisons and reviews. We’ve tried to be fair, but more perspectives are always helpful when making a purchasing decision.

---

---

FAQ