DeleteMe Review and Pricing 2024
Your private online date is important, and DeleteMe will help you keep it away from prying eyes. Our experts tested it, and here’s what we found.
What We Like
- Thorough, Human-Based Research: All of DeleteMe’s privacy reports are human-run and subjected to an extensive examination of over 700 data brokering sites.
- Clean and Easy-to-Navigate Dashboard: The main dashboard that DeleteMe subscribers will be using is simple without being overly dumbed down.
- Consistent Customer Service: Most of your questions can be answered in DeleteMe’s extensive Q&A section. If not, then the company can be easily reached through email, phone, and chat.
What We Don't Like
- Thorough Research Takes Time: The main downside to DeleteMe’s research being almost entirely manual is that it does take some time, with a minimum of seven days required for the first privacy report.
- Limited Pricing Plans: There’s a lack of variety in the four payment plans, with the only variables being the number of people involved and how long you want to stay subscribed to the service.
- No Free Trial: Unlike its competitors, DeleteMe doesn’t offer any free options or trials apart from a limited preliminary scan of what brokers have your data.
Bottom Line
DeleteMe offers an excellent level of efficiency when searching the web for your private information. While the process does take a bit of time, the end result makes the wait well worth it. On the off-chance something is confusing, DeleteMe’s stellar customer service should answer any and all of your questions — yes, you can speak to a real human. Overall, it’s one of the most efficient data broker removal services we’ve tested.Have you ever gotten a bizarre robocall from a company you don’t recognize asking about your student loans? Perhaps you received a strange email from someone of great political standing needing an urgent loan? Many of these scams are more convincing than others; however, the question remains of how these shady organizations got a hold of your personal phone number, email, and more to begin with.
Data broker databases, like Radaris, are websites that relish giving your information out to pretty much anyone who is willing to pay for it. There are hundreds of brokers out there; plus, through minimal searching through whatever search engine you can think of, so much of your sensitive information is accessible. Needless to say, this puts your personal digital security at risk.
Pro Tip: Your information is only as safe as your password. Add another layer of security by using our password generator to create a randomized password; then you can test its security levels with our password strength checker.
Thanks to services like DeleteMe, most of these worries can be wiped away. Through some truly extensive internet sleuthing, DeleteMe goes through over 700 of these broker sites to remove your information. It’s truly one of the top services in the game, and, in this article, we’ll happily tell you why. We’ll also cover how DeleteMe works, how much it costs, a few of its competitors, its security level, and our biggest takeaways.
How Much Does DeleteMe Cost?
The pricing plans for DeleteMe can vary depending on how long you want the service to continue and how many people you want on a single account. Here’s an overview of DeleteMe’s pricing:
1 Person | 2 People | |
---|---|---|
1 Year | $10.75 per month / $129 per year | $19.08 per month / $229 per year |
2 Years | $8.71 per month / $209 per 2 years | $14.54 per month / $349 per 2 years |
All plans are billed annually for one-year plans and biannually for two-year plans. DeleteMe also offers various business plans that require custom quotes based on the size of the organization.
What Do Competing Products Cost?
Of all the data brokering removal services out there that we’ve used and reviewed, one of DeleteMe’s biggest competitors is certainly Optery. Where DeleteMe offers relatively flat rates for a single plan, Optery does admittedly have more varied options; these include a base free plan and the option to pay either monthly or annually. Here’s a quick rundown of Optery’s paid plans and prices:
- Core at $3.99 per month or $39 per year ($3.25 per month)
- Extended at $14.99 per month or $149 per year ($12.42 per month)
- Ultimate at $24.99 per month or $249 per year ($20.70 per month)
>> Compare: DeleteMe vs. Optery
The caveat for more varied options is that the plans have more restrictions. Also, the only plan to match DeleteMe’s features costs around $25 per month, which is quite a bit more than any of DeleteMe’s plans.
DeleteMe has more stringent payment options and no free trial or free subscription plan. However, there is a seven-day money-back guarantee before the arrival of your first privacy report. If you are looking for a free trial, maybe data-removal service Kanary is a better fit.
You can also get a free preliminary report that offers just a taste of how much of your private data is freely available on the internet. That’s pretty typical of these types of services and can even be seen in the best free antivirus software.
As far as the actual base subscription price itself compared to its competitors, DeleteMe falls somewhere in the mid-level range in terms of cost. The service may not have a lot of the same amenities and options that some competitors may have, but it still is the most thorough in its central promise to find and purge your online data.
FYI: Incogni, DeleteMe, and Kanary round out our list of the best data removal services. Compare DeleteMe and Incogni, as well as DeleteMe and Kanary to find the best option for you.
What Plans Does DeleteMe Offer?
All of DeleteMe’s payment plans offer the exact same benefits, with the only real differences being how long you want the service for and how many people you want on your plan. Paying for two years as opposed to one will get a reduced monthly rate.
However, all the plans are billed annually or biannually instead of monthly, so definitely keep that in mind when you first sign up. Paying for two people’s data removal will also give you a slightly reduced rate.
The “Standard Protection” plan for one year and one person costs $129 per year; the “Multi-Year Protection” plan for two years and one person costs $209 per two years; the “Most Popular” plan for one year and two people costs $229 per year; and the “Best Value” plan for two years and two people costs $349 per two years.
DeleteMe Feature Overview
Once you pick a plan to your liking, all subscribers will get access to:
- Unlimited removal of names, aliases, and email addresses — both current and prior.
- Enhanced privacy tools to protect your data, like the masking of email addresses and phone numbers.
- Customized removal requests in addition to automated services.
- Consistent customer support over email, chat, and phone.
As we said, every plan offers the same benefits, with the only differences being how long you want the service to last and how many people you want the service for. DeleteMe is correct in that the two years for two users plan is the best value, even though a nearly $350 price tag is a fairly steep price point.
Still, it is worth noting that once you pay for a DeleteMe plan, it isn’t just a one-and-done sweep of all your data. DeleteMe will send you regular updates on the removal of your data for the entirety of your subscription. You should expect reports every quarter — the same frequency as you’d expect credit reports from the best identity theft protection services with credit monitoring. Of course, this seems to be a standard practice among most of the top data removal services that we’ve tested.
>> Read More: Best Identity Theft Protection 2024: Expert Reviews
DeleteMe Data Removal Process
In a digital world — especially one where artificial intelligence is becoming more and more commonplace — it would be fair to assume that data removal sites like DeleteMe would heavily rely on automated processes to find your data from brokers.
Well, that’s actually not entirely the case for DeleteMe — much of the service’s process for finding who has your data and removing it is entirely manual. That means real people are looking for and removing your private data, ensuring a more thorough process. This is definitely something we appreciate about DeleteMe, as other data removal services only offer human help at higher-priced plans.
Did You Know: Data removal services aren’t the only way to keep your personal information offline. Using a VPN can help increase your privacy and security dramatically. Check out our Surfshark VPN review to learn more about one of our favorite VPNs. Or, check out our guide to comparing VPN providers and learn how to pick the perfect VPN for you.
The first thing we did to get our data wiped was to submit to DeleteMe all the information we wanted to be removed. So, as soon as we created the account and paid for the subscription, we were asked to fill out our name, phone number, email, and more into its datasheet.
After that, DeleteMe was able to begin its epic quest of removing as much data off these broker sites as possible. They did give us an estimate of around seven days for the entire process to be fully completed. We were also told to expect a comprehensive report once all was said and done.
The report provides a detailed breakdown of everything the DeleteMe team discovered about our data exposure. It also includes a personalized note from a DeleteMe advisor, a summary of what’s been done so far, progress reports on what data has been removed, what data removal is still in progress, and more.
What Data Does DeleteMe Remove?
The data that DeleteMe deletes is primarily attached to personal, private data. That includes information companies collect from you, contact information, addresses, relatives, social media activity, employment and educational history, criminal history, marriage licenses, real estate information, online purchases, and so much more.
Some of the few things DeleteMe can’t remove are queries in search algorithms like Google. However, the removal of the data broker sites’ information on you will do a lot to slow those types of searches down.
>> Learn About: How To Delete Personal Information from Google
DeleteMe Data Monitoring and Reappearance Removal
The first weekly report of your DeleteMe subscription is just the beginning of the service’s perks. DeleteMe will actually keep updating you with new reports for the next year or two — depending on which plan you select. The process of getting your personal, private information off of as many data brokering websites as possible is an ongoing one that will take at least a year.
FYI: According to our study, only 6 percent of American adults have used data removal services before even though data privacy continues growing as a concern. So, if you’re considering a data removal service, you’re already ahead of most Americans when it comes to securing your confidential personal data.
If new information comes to light that you want to be scrubbed from the internet — or you simply want to add more information to your datasheet — you’re free to do so at any time. Just like that, your preferences and data searches are updated and will be taken into consideration for the ongoing process. The longer you remain subscribed to DeleteMe, the more likely your data will get scrubbed from unsolicited websites.
DeleteMe Data Broker Opt-Out Process
Having your information taken off of data broker websites will do a great deal to prevent your personal information from being stolen. Each data broker is different as most are from completely different parts of the world. Plus, 47 states have weak or nonexistent consumer data privacy laws, so you’re not protected just because you live in the U.S. Luckily, DeleteMe performs the opt-out process for you from over 750 databases. That’s one of the higher numbers we’ve seen, as most competitors will target in the lower hundreds — even with a higher-priced plan.
If you’re curious, DeleteMe shares the list of all the different data brokers they target.1 Not only do they get bonus points for being so transparent, but we also noticed the list appeared to be updated recently.
Of course, when you pay for DeleteMe, they take care of the opt-out process for you. However, if you’re still unsure about committing to a paid plan, DeleteMe has a free guide for opting out of almost every major data broker site yourself.2
DeleteMe Customer Support Overview
Thankfully, DeleteMe’s customer support is very easy to access with a variety of methods to reach a company representative. DeleteMe can be reached through email, phone, or even through a live chat function. The text chat feature in particular can be accessed even if you aren’t currently a DeleteMe subscriber.
>> Learn More: Staying Safe from Chatbot Scams: Your Ultimate Guide
Of course, when you use the chat feature, you’ll be helped by a chatbot. We asked if we could speak to a real person, and surprisingly it gave us a phone number and the best available times to call. Kudos again for the transparency and clear directions.
Pro Tip: If you lost a mobile device recently, you can still maintain data security. We made an entire guide that goes through every step you need to take to protect your personal data after you’ve lost a mobile device.
DeleteMe Company Overview
DeleteMe was first founded in 2011 after being originally conceived in 2010. The goal of the company is to keep a hold of the world’s ever-changing conquest through the digital age — especially when it comes to the amount of data that finds its way into the clutches of online brokers.
DeleteMe proudly boasts its mission statement as “Privacy is at our core.” Their goal, of course, is to make the internet a safe place for people regardless of how much time they spend online. Their program seeks to tackle the removal of any content that you may not want to be easily accessible online, including:
- Name
- Age
- Location
- Photos
- Address
- Phone number
- Relatives
- Social media accounts
- Occupation
- Marital status
- Property value
- And so much more
DeleteMe’s Security Measures
As security experts who’ve tested several data removal services, we expect a company that provides these tools to value that very same sense of security. Providing personal details that you’re hoping to remove from other websites to a single one is definitely a rational concern.
In fact, it’s one of the first things we consider when reviewing services related to cybersecurity. Thankfully, DeleteMe puts those fears to rest by providing around-the-clock monitoring of potential security threats. To use its own words, DeleteMe maintains a strong, secure environment by enforcing the following:
- Regular compliance and auditing procedures
- Strong data protection and encryption protocols
- Repeated and continuous monitoring of potential threats
- Risk management through reputable third-party platforms
- Updated and secure development practices
- Thorough employee training on security conditions
- Orchestrated responses when incidents do occur
- Data recovery and data backups
- Governance and accountability for security platforms
- Transparent and continuous updates on security protocols
That’s just scratching the surface of the long list of security practices in place for DeleteMe users — in our opinion, it’s the list of a reputable platform.
DeleteMe’s Privacy Policy
Now that we’ve gone over how DeleteMe effectively protects one’s data, the question begs, what data specifically are they collecting? Well, most of it is stuff that you personally put into the database’s datasheet when you get started. DeleteMe doesn’t make it much of a secret that there may be other private data that comes to light once they begin their search through data brokering platforms.
As far as the data you will enter goes, it includes:
- Contact information
- Profile information
- Datasheet information
- Feedback or correspondence information
- Usage information
- Marketing information
Once DeleteMe begins its search through the interweb for your data, it may also come across other details that you did not initially input into the website. That said, the information not entered into the site will not be shared with any other third parties.
However, the same information is subject to be seen by professional advisors, government audits, and more. To protect yourself as much as possible from entities that are legally allowed to view your information, DeleteMe does offer a few tips and suggestions:
- Keep your information up to date
- Opt out of marketing methods
- Keep managing your cookies and browser storage
- Configure your browser settings to “Do Not Track” and/or “Global Privacy Control”
- Limit the sharing of your personal information as much as possible
- Be wary of what information is publicly available on your social media accounts
For more privacy information, we suggest taking a look at DeleteMe’s official privacy page. It does offer a lot more information to be aware of if you live in California, Nevada, Europe, etc.
FYI: Most of us live and take part in a consumer society. Read our guide on consumer data security to stay protected every time you shop.
See how DeleteMe stacks up against other brands
Wondering if DeleteMe is right for you? We squared it up with the best systems available to help you make a smart decision.
Bottom Line
When we first signed up for DeleteMe, we immediately felt the quality of its services shine through. The platform was easy to navigate, packed with useful information, and secure. Although we didn’t need to contact customer support for anything specific, whenever we tried to test out how responsive they were they did not fail to get back to us. Similarly, when we called customer support, we were able to get through to a real human. That alone told us how beginner-friendly this service is: no tech savviness required.
>> Compare DeleteMe: DeleteMe vs. Onerep
The thorough reporting, the ease of use, and the solid customer service options are just some of the valid excuses to use DeleteMe. Compared to other data removal sites that we’ve tried out, the limitations of DeleteMe are so minuscule compared to the vast benefits it offers. With a little bit of patience and time spent filling out the datasheet, you get so much more in return.
Overall, if you’re serious about taking control of your data security, we suggest trying out DeleteMe. Using a data removal service helps maximize your privacy and mitigate risks like spam, data breaches, unsolicited communications, fraud, and more. It can even help prevent identity theft. Remember, leaving your personally identifiable information (PII) online makes it easy to be misused.
>> Expand Your Knowledge: Five Easy Opt-Outs to Protect Your Identity and Privacy
FAQs
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How long does a DeleteMe subscription last?
That depends entirely on whether you pick a one- or two-year plan. Either way, you’ll have consistent coverage of the service for that entire time frame.
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Why can’t DeleteMe remove search engine results like Google?
Since search engines like Google are not the primary source of your information, DeleteMe cannot practically prevent your information from those search engines. They can only remove information from data brokering sites.
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Can more than one person be attached to a DeleteMe account?
Up to two people can be subject to a single DeleteMe account, but more people means a higher price point.
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How long does it take to fill out DeleteMe’s datasheet?
This will vary depending on how much data you want to remove from these data brokering sites. During our time with the service, we were able to have all our data inserted in less than an hour.
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How long does it take to get a DeleteMe report?
Your first DeleteMe report will be ready for review within a week of your datasheet submission, with new reports filed every seasonal quarter.
DeleteMe. (2024). Sites We Remove From.
joindeleteme.com/sites-we-remove-from/DeleteMe. (2024). Opt-Out Guides.
joindeleteme.com/blog/opt-out-guides/