DeleteMe data removal service review
DeleteMe is one of the best data removal services out there right now, helping you keep your personal data from data brokers and other internet parties easily.
In 2024, making sure your personal data is safe is hard, which is one of the reasons we recommend using a password manager, antivirus, and a VPN, and with the prevalence of social media, data brokers, and most jobs requiring an internet presence, it's a hard world out there.
Responding to this situation, data removal services have sprung up, letting users quickly and painlessly remove their data from Google, social media, and the internet at large with the click of a few buttons.
One of the leading services, and the subject of this review, is DeleteMe, a US-based service that deals with name, age, location, email, addresses, and much more, stored by over 750 data brokers across the US.
DeleteMe says the service completed over 50 million opt-out removals by 2022, after its parent company Abine launched DeleteMe in 2011, long before most people had ever heard of a data broker.
The service has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, CNBC, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, and now, of course, TechRadar Pro, a sign that your data is safe and secure with its experts.
Let's dive into the DeleteMe data removal service review.
DeleteMe: Pricing and plans
As we mentioned above, DeleteMe is sadly only available in the US right now, meaning that users in Europe, Asia, and elsewhere will be missing out.
The company offers plans across one or two years, with the latter being cheaper on a per monthly or yearly basis, and for one or two users.
One year and one person costs $10.75 per month, billed as $129 per year, while one person and two years costs $8.71 per month, billed as $209 over two years, or $104.50 per year.
For two users, the price naturally rises, to $19.08 per month, or $229 per year as billed, for one year, or $14.52 per month, or $349 across two years.
Which level you chose depends on your needs, and it's worth reiterating that all of these planned are billed annually, so the true cost to use DeleteMe is $129. Of course, they are paying a team of experts to do the work, but that might be too steep for some users.
DeleteMe: Basic features
DeleteMe works by using four simple steps: users submit their information (think age, location, emails, phone numbers, and so on), which is then searched for by the company's experts. For some data, DeleteMe requires a government or state ID.
After that process, DeleteMe then sends you a detailed report (see an example) of your data from across the whole internet, which might be a little disconcerting, but it's better to know than not.
Once you've received the report, DeleteMe then begins scanning the internet for your information and deleting it, before continuing the scan and delete every six months for the term of your year contract.
DeleteMe removes data from over 750 data brokers, and there's a complete list of them on the website. In today's surveillance age, data brokers are one of the key ways that dangerous (and harmless) actors can obtain your data. It's worth noting that some competitors cover more data brokers.
The process means that almost everything is handled by the company itself, which is a big bonus and part of the reason that the $129 cost is there: paying for expert data removal specialists isn't cheap.
DeleteMe has a really useful dashboard that shows a range of information and, as you use the service over months and years, analytics for how your data is faring out in the big bad world. The service shows you how many data brokers have your data, and the number of removal requests, among other things.
Finally, one neat feature is that users can make custom requests for removals to DeleteMe, whose experts will then assess the request and carry it out, a nice touch.
DeleteMe: Enterprise features
Alongside being able to remove personal data, DeleteMe also has an enterprise level that is used by Google, Pinterest, ProPublica, Yahoo, and other big US brands to help stop executive and employee exposure.
DeleteMe helps with the data of public-facing employees, executives and board members, and individual contributors to your business.
Pricing is available on application, so if you're representing your business make sure to get in touch with DeleteMe.
DeleteMe: Support
DeleteMe offers a fully fledged online portal with tons of information to help users across a huge array of topics. Everything from password changes to pricing, two-factor authentication, data security, and more is covered.
In addition, DeleteMe also publishes some really helpful DIY Opt-Out Guides, in the interest of ensuring that all users – and not even just DeleteMe users – can help keep their personal data out of the wrong hands.
There are extensive guides on removing data from an array of different data brokers, as well as general guidance on best practices, all written by experts. It's a really handy resource, even if you don't ultimately get DeleteMe.
DeleteMe: The competition
DeleteMe has competition from a wide array of services, including the likes of Mozilla Monitor Plus, Kanary, PrivacyBee, and OneRep.
VPN provider Surfshark, which might be a familiar brand, has a service called Incogni that can do a similar job to DeleteMe, but starts at $12.99 per month, and doesn't need to be paid for a full year before signing up. The service is also available outside of the US, including in the UK, the EU, and Canada.
We recommend checking out as many services as you can to find the right fit, especially if your needs are more specific and niche.
DeleteMe: Final verdict
DeleteMe, released in 2011, is one of the most long-running and well-respected data removal services out there, and with good reason. Across its personal and business editions, the service delivers everything you want in a quality package.
Having experts on hand to help sift your data, and the tools available to find tune the kind of data you want removed, is really handy, and ensures that a) a machine won't muck something up and b) your data is in safe hands.
While having to pay yearly is a slight drawback, and reports are only generated every quarter rather than monthly, DeleteMe is a comprehensive service for removing your data from data brokers.
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