Optery vs Kanary: Which Data Removal Service Wins in 2026?
Kanary blends a do-it-yourself guided app with automated removals. Optery automates from the first dollar. Here’s how that difference plays out.
Quick Verdict
Optery is the better value for hands-off removal: $3.99/month starts full automation across 380+ sites, versus $16.99/month for Kanary’s equivalent automated tier, and Optery’s screenshot proof, human agents on upper tiers, and five straight PCMag Editors’ Choice awards give it the stronger evidence trail. Kanary suits people who want to stay hands-on: its guided mobile app turns privacy cleanup into small tasks you complete yourself, and its scanning surface is broad. If you’d rather do some of the work to save money, or you live in your phone, Kanary’s approach has real appeal.
Start With Optery’s Free Exposure ReportAt a Glance
| Optery | Kanary | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price (automated) | $3.99/mo ($39/yr) | $16.99/mo, or $14.99/mo billed annually |
| Guided/DIY tier | Free tier with self-service tools | Free limited mode; $9.99/mo Copilot app |
| Coverage | 380+ / 555+ / 635+ sites automated, 950+ with custom | Scans 1,000+ sites; automated removals in the low hundreds |
| Proof of removals | Systematic before-and-after screenshots | Progress dashboard with completion evidence |
| Human help | Assigned privacy agents on Extended/Ultimate | App-guided self-service; support by email |
| Family option | Family plans with per-member pricing | +$4.99 per added user per month |
| Public review footprint | 215 Trustpilot + 78 BBB + 300 app-store reviews | Minimal presence on major review platforms |
| Expert awards | PCMag Editors’ Choice 2022–2026; CNET Editors’ Choice 2026 | — |
Pricing and coverage as published August 2026; both change over time.
Automation Economics
The price gap is really an automation gap. Kanary’s cheapest plans assume you’ll do guided work in its app; full automation costs $16.99/month. Optery’s $3.99 Core plan is already fully automated across more sites than Kanary’s automated tier handles, and $14.99 Extended adds a human privacy agent and screenshot reporting for less than Kanary’s automation alone. If your time is the scarce resource, Optery delivers more of it back per dollar.
Where Kanary Wins
- Guided mobile experience: the Copilot app makes self-service cleanup genuinely approachable.
- Scanning breadth: monitoring 1,000+ sites casts a wide detection net, including social platforms.
- Cheap family add-ons: $4.99 per additional user is simple and inexpensive.
More Comparisons
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Optery or Kanary cheaper?
Optery Core is $3.99/month for automated removals from 380+ sites. Kanary's fully automated tier (Kanary Cloud) runs $16.99/month, or $14.99/month billed annually, with a guided-app tier at $9.99/month and a limited free mode. At comparable automation, Optery costs less.
How is Kanary's approach different?
Kanary leans on a mobile app (Copilot) that walks you through privacy tasks yourself, with a higher tier doing removals for you. Optery is automation-first at every paid tier, with human privacy agents added on Extended and Ultimate.
Which covers more sites?
Kanary says it scans 1,000+ sites, with automated removal coverage in the low hundreds. Optery automates removals across 380+ to 635+ sites by plan, plus unlimited custom removals for 950+ sites total on Ultimate.
Does Kanary show proof of removals?
Kanary's dashboard shows removal progress and evidence of completions. Optery goes further with systematic before-and-after screenshots on Extended and Ultimate plans, which PCMag has repeatedly singled out.
Automation Should Start Free
Optery’s free exposure report shows your data broker listings, with screenshots, before you decide between DIY and automation. Use code SUMMER2026 for 20% off if you upgrade.
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