Review · Data removal
Incogni review: the best value for hands-off data removal
Incogni is the "just handle it for me" option — fully automated removal from 420+ data brokers at a fair price. Here's exactly what you get, where automation is a strength and where it isn't, and when you shouldn't pay for it at all.
Last updated: July 10, 2026 · Researched by the Privacy Intact team. We don't run removal services through a hands-on test harness, so this is a research-based assessment of documented coverage, pricing and independent reviews — not a fabricated trial. See how we review.
Our take
Best value for set-and-forget removal
For most people who want their data gone without managing the process, Incogni is the easiest recommendation: cheap, automated, broad, with a 30-day refund if it's not for you. It loses to DeleteMe only on human thoroughness and to Optery only on having a free tier — and to California's free DROP platform if you're a resident who'll do it yourself.
Good fit if you want
- • Zero effort — fully automated
- • Broad coverage at a low price
- • Ongoing monitoring and re-removal
Look elsewhere if you want
- • A human checking each removal → DeleteMe
- • A free tier to test first → Optery
- • A free option in California → DROP
Our editorial rating for Incogni, scored on the criteria in How We Review — not user reviews.
What Incogni is
Incogni, from Surfshark, is a subscription data-removal service. You give it your identifying details, it acts as your authorized agent under privacy laws, and it sends opt-out and deletion demands to data brokers and people-search sites — the companies that compile and sell profiles of you. Then it keeps re-checking, because those listings reappear.
The pitch is simplicity: there's almost nothing for you to do after sign-up, and a dashboard shows requests in progress, sent and completed.
How it works — and the one trade-off
Incogni is fully automated. That's its biggest strength and its single real limitation, so it's worth being clear-eyed about both:
- Why automation is good here: it's why Incogni is inexpensive, why it scales to hundreds of brokers at once, and why you do essentially nothing. For the large majority of listings, an automated opt-out works fine.
- Where it gives ground: some brokers intentionally build clumsy, multi-step opt-out processes to defeat automation. A human-assisted service like DeleteMe puts a real person on those. If maximum thoroughness on the stubborn sites matters more to you than price, that's the trade.
Pricing — and which plan to pick
| Plan | Price (billed yearly) | Covers | Custom removals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | $7.99/mo · $95.88/yr | 420+ | No |
| Unlimited | $14.99/mo · $179.88/yr | 420+ | Yes |
| Family | $15.99/mo · $191.88/yr | 420+ (up to 5 people) | No |
Which to choose: the Standard plan is the right call for most people — 420+ brokers covers the listings that matter. Step up to Unlimited only if you want the custom-removal feature, which chases the long tail of 2,000+ additional broker sites. Households should price the Family plan, which covers up to 5 people and works out cheaper per person. The figures above are the annual rate, paid up front for the year — there's also a pricier month-to-month option ($15.98/mo on Standard) — and every plan carries a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Prices verified from Incogni in July 10, 2026 and subject to change — check the current figure before subscribing. Surfshark also bundles Incogni with its VPN and other tools, which can be cheaper than buying it alone if you want those too.
What to realistically expect
Removals take weeks, not days — brokers have their own timelines, and legal deadlines vary by state. You'll see steady progress on the dashboard rather than an overnight clean slate. And like every service, Incogni can't remove public records (court, property, voter data) or guarantee a site never re-lists you; the ongoing monitoring exists precisely because re-listing is normal. Bought as continuous upkeep, it delivers; bought as a one-time magic wipe, nothing in this category will satisfy you.
Pros and cons
Pros
- +Best-value automated removal — set it and forget it
- +Removes you from 420+ broker sites with ongoing monitoring
- +30-day money-back guarantee
- +Made by Surfshark, a known privacy company
Cons
- −No free trial — you pay the year up front (the guarantee is a refund)
- −The first wave of removals takes a few weeks
- −No service clears 100% of sites
- −Coverage is US-focused — thinner in the UK, EU and Canada
Verdict
Incogni earns our "best value" pick for one honest reason: it does the boring, repetitive work of broad data removal automatically, cheaply, and with a refund window, which is exactly what most people want. It isn't the most thorough (DeleteMe's humans are), it doesn't have a free tier (Optery does), and Californians have a free legal route worth trying first. But weigh effort, coverage and price together and it's the easiest service to recommend to a friend.
FAQ
Incogni, answered
Is Incogni legit and safe?
Yes. Incogni is made by Surfshark, an established privacy company, and holds a high-volume public Trustpilot rating (check the current score before buying). To remove your data it has to act as your authorized agent, so it collects the details needed to identify your listings (name, addresses, email) and uses them only to file opt-outs. Its business model is the subscription, not selling your data.
Does Incogni use real people or just automation?
It's fully automated — that's the trade-off. Automation is why it's cheap and effortless and scales to hundreds of brokers, but unlike a human-assisted service it won't manually outwit brokers that build deliberately awkward opt-out flows. For most listings that doesn't matter; if you want a person checking each one, DeleteMe is the human-handled alternative.
How much does Incogni cost?
The Standard plan is $7.99/mo billed annually ($95.88/yr) and covers 420+ brokers. Unlimited is $14.99/mo: it keeps the 420+ automated list and adds custom requests reaching 2,000+ more brokers. There's also a Family plan for up to 5 people at $15.99/mo. Every plan has a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Should I buy Incogni if I live in California?
Try the free route first. California's DROP platform lets residents send one deletion request to 500+ registered brokers at no cost, with brokers required to comply from August 1, 2026. Incogni still adds value — it covers people-search sites beyond the registry and keeps re-removing you automatically — but start with what's free and legally backed.