Data privacy and protection should be a top priority for all internet users in 2024. As data breaches and identity theft incidents continue to rise, having robust tools to safeguard your personal information online is more important than ever.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll compare two of the most popular data privacy management solutions—Incogni and Kanary—to help you determine which is the better fit for your needs and budget.
By the end, you’ll have all the information you need to confidently choose the ideal software to take control of your data privacy in 2024 and beyond.
Overview of Incogni and Kanary
Before we dive into the details, let’s briefly introduce both platforms and cover the basics of what each one offers.
What is Incogni?
Incogni is a privacy protection software specifically focused on find and deleting your personal data from people search sites, data brokers, and other online databases.
The tool allows you to remove your personal information from over 180 different data broker sites with just a few clicks. Incogni will submit opt-out requests and repeat them as necessary until your data is confirmed removed.
Incogni also helps users take control of their digital privacy by offering additional features like password management, ad blocking, and anti-tracking.
Overall, Incogni is straightforward data deletion software with an easy-to-use interface. It’s designed to be fast and efficient at finding and eliminating your personal information from unsecured online sources.
Incogni specifically focuses on finding and deleting personal data from unsecured sources, as seen in this Incogni review.
What is Kanary?
Kanary offers a more full-service online privacy protection solution that includes data deletion along with other identity monitoring and theft prevention tools.
In addition to removing your personal information from over 260 data brokers, Kanary also provides dark web monitoring, credit reports and scores, identity restoration services, and AI-powered suspicious activity alerts.
The platform also offers social media privacy checks to identify overshared public posts that could put your privacy at risk.
Kanary aims to provide complete 360-degree protection for your online identity and presence. It has a more extensive feature set than Incogni but requires more time to set up and configure.
For a more in-depth look, see this complete Kanary review.
Now that you understand the basics of each platform, let’s compare them across a few key categories.
Data Deletion and Opt-Out Capabilities
One of the main uses for privacy management software is removing your personal data from unsecured online sources. Let’s examine how Incogni and Kanary stack up when it comes to data deletion powers.
Incogni’s Data Deletion Capabilities
As mentioned earlier, Incogni’s primary focus is finding and eliminating your personal information from data broker sites and shady online databases.
It provides one-click options to submit opt-out requests to over 180 different data brokers and advertising platforms. A few examples include:
- Acxiom
- Cuebiq
- Datalogix
- Equifax
- Experian
- Jumpshot
- Neustar
- Oracle
- PeekYou
Incogni will automatically repeat opt-out requests every 30 days until your data is fully removed from each source. This ensures your information isn’t just temporarily suppressed and then resold later. Incogni focuses specifically on data deletion, while tools like Onerp offer more general privacy protection.
The tool also offers options to remove your data from creepy public people search sites like Spokeo, WhitePages, MyLife, and Radaris.
Overall, Incogni provides robust and automated data deletion powers perfectly suited to eliminating your personal details from unsecured third-party databases.
Kanary’s Data Deletion Capabilities
Kanary also focuses heavily on finding and deleting your data from data brokers and public records sites. It compiles an extensive catalog of over 260 sources and offers one-click opt-outs.
Some of the data brokers covered include:
- Acxiom
- Apollo Data Technologies
- CoreLogic
- Datalogix
- Epsilon
- Experian
- Infutor
- Jumpshot
- LexisNexis
- Neustar
- Oracle
- TransUnion
- Zeta Global
After submitting removal requests, Kanary will follow up every 90 days to make sure your data isn’t resold by brokers.
For people search site removals, Kanary leverages a proprietary technology that identifies all mentions of your name, address, or phone number on sites like Spokeo, PeekYou, MyLife, and others.
In terms of raw data deletion powers, Kanary surpasses Incogni with a more expansive broker list and advanced search algorithms. However, Incogni’s 30 day follow-up schedule is more frequent.
Identity Protection and Monitoring
In addition to removing your existing data, privacy software also helps protect you from future identity theft and account takeovers. Let’s explore the monitoring tools each platform provides.
Incogni Identity Protection Features
Incogni focuses mainly on data deletion rather than identity monitoring. However, it does provide a few useful protection tools:
- Suspicious activity monitoring – Incogni will send email alerts if your personal information appears in suspicious or breached databases.
- Password manager – Generate strong unique passwords and store them securely using Incogni’s built-in password manager.
- Ad blocker – Block ad trackers and malicious scripts to protect your privacy while browsing.
- Anti-tracking – Prevent companies from tracking your activities across sites using cookies, pixels, and fingerprinting.
While useful, Incogni’s identity protection capabilities are fairly limited compared to more full-service privacy platforms. But the core data deletion features make up for any shortcomings.
Kanary Identity Protection Features
Identity protection is one of Kanary’s biggest strengths. The platform provides industry-leading monitoring tools to prevent fraud and account takeovers:
- Dark web monitoring – Get alerts if your information appears on the dark web, chat forums, or breached databases.
- Credit reports and scores – Unlimited access to your Equifax credit reports and VantageScore credit scores.
- Suspicious activity monitoring – AI detection spots risky activity across financial, internet, and credit accounts.
- Identity restoration – $1 million insurance and dedicated case workers for full identity restoration services.
- InstaFreeze – Instantly place a freeze on your credit reports as soon as suspicious activity is detected.
- Public records monitoring – Get alerts for court records, payday loans, bankruptcies and other public documents.
- Sex offender reports – Proactive monitoring for registered sex offenders living near your home address.
Kanary clearly dominates when it comes to around-the-clock identity protection and fraud prevention. The extensive monitoring tools provide complete 360-degree coverage. Tools like Optery provide similar dark web monitoring to Kanary.
Ease of Use and Interface
Privacy software won’t do you much good if it’s difficult and frustrating to use. Let’s compare how Incogni and Kanary stack up when it comes to ease of use.
Incogni’s User Experience
Incogni sports a clean, minimal interface that’s intuitive and easy to navigate right from the start.
The dashboard displays your core protection stats and private data removal status at a glance. Helpful tooltips explain what each section does.
Clicking the “Remove My Data” tab allows you to instantly submit opt-out requests with a single click. Incogni handles sending follow-up emails automatically.
The settings page makes it easy to configure your desired privacy protections and password manager. Useful tutorials explain each feature in plain language.
Overall, Incogni’s simple and streamlined UX makes it easy for anyone to master in under 5 minutes. Even those less tech-savvy can comfortably navigate the platform.
Kanary’s User Experience
Kanary provides significantly more features which does introduce a bit more complexity upfront. The dashboard shows an activity timeline and protection stats across services.
You can dig into each monitoring feature using the side menu bar. The dark web scanner, credit reports, and public records monitors involve a few more steps to enable.
Kanary’s data deletion tool is accessed in the “Opt Outs” section. You can submit removal requests right away, but monitoring reports requires setting up search parameters.
More experienced users will have no trouble navigating Kanary’s powerful tools. However, complete beginners could benefit from the platform’s live onboarding support.
With great power comes more configuration. But overall, Kanary still offers a smooth user experience once you get familiar with the platform.
Pricing and Value Comparison
Your budget often plays a big role in choosing the right software. Let’s break down what Incogni and Kanary each cost across their pricing tiers.
Incogni Pricing Plans
Incogni keeps costs low by focusing specifically on core data deletion features rather than tons of extras. Here are the available pricing packages:
- Free plan – Lets you remove data from 4 sites and get basic activity alerts.
- Monthly plan – $12.99/month.
- Annual plan – $6.49/month or $77.88/year. Opt-out from 180+ sites.
Considering the robust data deletion powers provided, Incogni offers exceptional value at less than $10 per month for unlimited opt-outs.
The free plan allows you to test drive the basic features as well. Incogni is perfect for those wanting reliable data removal without a huge price tag.
Kanary Pricing Plans
As expected, Kanary’s expansive feature set comes at a higher price point. However, frequent discounts are offered. Here are the standard costs:
- Free plan – Very limited data deletion and monitoring capabilities. Up to 3 opt-outs per month.
- Personal plan – $14/month or $144/year. Protection for 1 user.
- Family plan – $27/month or $249/year for up to 3 users.
Given the robust identity protection tools included, Kanary still provides strong value at less than $15 monthly for unlimited usage. It’s worth the premium for those wanting complete 360-degree monitoring.
For mild protection needs, Incogni delivers plenty of value at a lower cost. But Kanary shines for those wanting maximum identity protection.
Customer Support Comparison
Reliable customer support is crucial when dealing with sensitive information like your personal data. Let’s see how Incogni and Kanary’s support measures up.
Incogni Customer Support
Incogni focuses support resources into providing a robust knowledge base and email ticketing system rather than phone or chat.
The support site offers dozens of articles that provide helpful step-by-step instructions on using the platform’s features and troubleshooting issues.
Submitting a support ticket will get you a response within 24 hours in most cases. However, phone and live chat are not available. Support hours are limited to Monday thru Friday.
Overall, Incogni provides solid email support, but those wanting more instant live assistance may find it lacking. The knowledge base articles are tremendously helpful though.
Kanary Customer Support
Kanary delivers support via email, phone, live chat, and online knowledge base on a 24/7 basis.
You can call the support line anytime and immediately reach a live agent. Email tickets normally receive replies within 12 hours max, often much quicker.
The online support center contains 200+ searchable support articles covering platform features, identity protection guidance, billing questions, and more.
Kanary also offers free live onboarding sessions to help you fully configure the software during initial setup.
Hands down, Kanary wins when it comes to omnichannel customer support availability and quality. Incogni’s email ticketing will handle most issues though.
Privacy Regulation Compliance
With new data privacy laws like GDPR and CCPA, it’s important your software tools comply with all relevant regulations. Let’s examine how Incogni and Kanary stack up.
Incogni’s Regulatory Compliance
Incogni specifically states it is compliant with major privacy laws including:
- CCPA – California Consumer Privacy Act
- GDPR – EU General Data Protection Regulation
- LHIIA – Nevada Privacy Law
The platform undergoes regular audits to ensure protocols and policies adhere to the latest regulatory standards.
Incogni’s minimal collected user data and powerful data deletion tools align well with “right to be forgotten” laws like GDPR and CCPA too.
Kanary’s Regulatory Compliance
Similarly, Kanary states that its platform operations and rules engine are designed to comply with key regulations such as:
- GDPR – EU General Data Protection Regulation
- CCPA – California Consumer Privacy Act
- Nevada Privacy Law
- New York SHIELD Act
The company employs an in-house privacy lawyer and outside counsel to guarantee changing laws are accommodated quickly.
Both Incogni and Kanary appear compliant with current data privacy laws. It’s worth verifying any software you use adheres to GDPR, CCPA, and other regulations.
Incogni vs Kanary: Key Differences Cheat Sheet
Before deciding on the right data privacy software for your needs, here’s a quick recap of the key differences between Incogni and Kanary:
| Incogni | Kanary | |
|---|---|---|
| Main Focus | Data deletion specifically | Full identity protection and monitoring |
| Data Deletion Power | 180+ data brokers. Repeats opt-outs every 30 days. | 260+ data brokers. Repeats opt-outs every 90 days. |
| Identity Monitoring | Limited. Mainly breach alerts and basic suspicious activity monitoring. | Robust dark web scanning, credit reports, public records monitoring, and AI suspicious activity detection. |
| User Experience | Simple with easy learning curve. Ideal for beginners. | More tools involve a learning curve but still user-friendly. |
| Pricing | $6.49+/month for personal plan. Low cost focused on data deletion. | $14.95+/month for personal plan. More features mean higher price. |
| Customer Support | Email ticketing with detailed knowledge base articles. No phone support. | Phone, email, live chat, and knowledge base available 24/7. |
| Privacy Law Compliance | Compliant with CCPA, GDPR, Nevada law. Regular audits. | Compliant with CCPA, GDPR, Nevada law, NY SHIELD Act. In-house privacy lawyer. |
Recommendation
Here is our quick recommendation based on key user needs:
- If you just need robust and automated data deletion to remove your personal details from unsecured online sources, Incogni is likely the better choice with its laser focus on opt-outs.
- If you want full 360-degree identity protection with dark web monitoring, credit reports, and other features, Kanary is worth the extra cost.
- On a tight budget, Incogni provides exceptional value and all the core data deletion powers most people need.
- If you prefer omnichannel customer support via phone, email, and chat, go with Kanary over Incogni’s email-only ticketing.
Both platforms are excellent choices depending on your specific privacy protection needs and budget. Take the time to decide which tool aligns closest with your top requirements.
5 Tips for Managing Your Data Privacy in 2024
Beyond just choosing a robust software solution, here are 5 crucial tips to take control of your data privacy in 2024:
1. Remove personal details from data broker sites – Leverage a tool like Incogni or Kanary to find and eliminate your info from shady data brokers. Don’t let them sell your data without consent.
2. Monitor financial accounts for fraud – Many identity monitoring tools let you link financial accounts to detect unauthorized access in real time. Enable SMS and app alerts for suspicious activity.
3. Check credit reports frequently – Review reports from Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion every 4 months for errors or unknown accounts opened in your name.
4. Use a password manager – Generate strong unique passwords for all accounts and store them in an encrypted password manager for security.
5. Browse privately when possible – Use private browsing windows, VPNs, anti-tracking tools, and encrypted DNS to prevent ISPs and sites from collecting your browsing data.
Following these basics will help significantly fortify your online privacy, identity, and sensitive data in 2024 against growing cyber threats.
FAQs About Incogni and Kanary
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about Incogni and Kanary for data privacy:
Q: Does Incogni actually get my data fully deleted?
Incogni repeatedly sends opt-out requests and tracks responses to confirm your data is permanently deleted by each data broker or public records site. Many sites do honor deletion requests.
Q: Can I get phone support with Incogni?
No, Incogni currently only offers customer support via email ticketing and their online knowledge base. Phone and live chat support are not available.
Q: Does Kanary monitor all 3 credit reports?
Yes, Kanary provides unlimited access to your full credit reports from Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion as part of its credit monitoring feature.
Q: What happens after my Kanary free trial?
After 14 days, the free trial switches to a limited free plan. You’ll need to upgrade to a paid plan to continue full access. Cancel before the trial ends to avoid being charged.
The Bottom Line
Protecting your sensitive personal data should be a top priority in our increasingly connected world. Powerful privacy management software gives you control over your information.
In this detailed Incogni vs Kanary breakdown, we covered everything you need to make the right choice:
- Incogni focuses specifically on finding and deleting your data from unsecured online sources, while Kanary offers full-scale identity protection and monitoring. See how Incogni compares to DeleteMe for removing personal information.
- Both platforms provide robust data deletion capabilities, with Kanary covering over 260 sources vs Incogni’s 180+.
- Kanary dominates for protection tools like dark web monitoring, credit reports, and AI suspicious activity alerts. Incogni covers the basics.
- Incogni sports an easy learning curve for beginners, while Kanary has a more robust feature-set that comes with a bit more complexity.
- Incogni costs just $6.49 per month, while Kanary is $14.95 monthly for a personal plan. You get what you pay for.
- Kanary delivers superior omnichannel customer support. Incogni focuses on email ticketing and knowledge base articles.
- Both companies claim compliance with key regulations like GDPR and CCPA based on available information.
At the end of the day, choosing between Incogni and Kanary depends on your budget, desired features, and level of data privacy risk.
For robust data deletion needs, Incogni provides incredible value and convenience. If you want full identity protection, Kanary justifies the higher price tag with an unbeatable monitoring suite.
Whichever solution you choose, take steps to limit your data exposure and watch for unauthorized use of your accounts. Your privacy is worth protecting.
