Concerned about your personal information being exposed online? You’re not alone. But choosing the right service to remove your data from the internet can be tricky.
Two of the leading solutions are Privacy Bee and Optery. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll compare them head-to-head to help you decide which one is best for protecting your digital privacy. If you’re also considering other options, check out our comparisons of Incogni vs Privacy Bee and Privacy Bee vs DeleteMe.
What Do Privacy Bee and Optery Do?
Both services aim to remove your personal information, like your name, address, phone number, and more, from data broker sites and people search engines online. This helps reduce your digital footprint and exposure to privacy risks. For more details on how Privacy Bee works, read our full Privacy Bee review.
However, there are some key differences in their approach and offerings:
Privacy Bee
- Claims to cover 100% of data brokers (440 sites)
- Also removes data from over 150K other sites
- Unlimited name/address/phone variations included
- Handles all data broker communication for you
- AI-powered for precise removals
- Offers free digital footprint scan
- Pricing: $197/year
Optery
- Covers up to 335 data brokers & people search sites
- Screenshots show what data each site has
- Name/address variations included only on premium plans
- Some manual removal confirmation required
- Accuracy issues reported by some users
- Tiered pricing from $39-$249/year
As you can see, while both services tackle the core task of online information removal, Privacy Bee offers broader coverage and more robust, hands-free features. Optery provides strong data transparency but may require more customer involvement in the process.
How Effective Are the Removal Results?
Ultimately, the most important question is: how well do Privacy Bee and Optery actually remove your personal information from the internet? Let’s take a look at some key factors.
Scope of Coverage
With Privacy Bee covering all known data brokers plus 150,000 additional sites, its coverage is significantly more comprehensive than Optery’s 335 sites. This means more of your info will be removed across the web.
Accuracy & Precision
Using AI to precisely identify and remove only your specific data, Privacy Bee aims to maximize accuracy. Meanwhile, some Optery users have reported issues with the wrong information being deleted.
Removal Process
Privacy Bee fully handles removal requests and data broker communication on your behalf. With Optery, you may need to manually confirm some removals, putting the onus partially back on you.
Transparency
While Optery does provide helpful screenshots of what data each site has on you, Privacy Bee offers a free digital footprint scan to give you that same visibility.
So while both services can reduce your digital footprint, Privacy Bee’s vast coverage, accuracy, and hands-off process give it the edge over Optery in terms of effectiveness and convenience.
Pricing & Value Comparison
Of course, cost is another important consideration when choosing a privacy protection service. Here’s how Privacy Bee and Optery stack up:
| Service | Annual Price | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| Privacy Bee | $197 | Unlimited removals, AI-powered, 440+ sites |
| Optery | $39 – $249 | Up to 335 sites, data screenshots, tiered plans |
As this breakdown shows, Privacy Bee’s annual $197 price point does make it more expensive than Optery’s lower-tier options. However, when you factor in Privacy Bee’s significantly wider scope of coverage, the value evens out, especially compared to Optery’s higher-tier $249 plan.
With Privacy Bee, you’re getting maximum removal reach and precision for an all-in-one flat fee. But if your needs are more minimal, Optery’s cheaper plans may suffice.
Key Takeaways
- Both Privacy Bee and Optery can help reduce your digital footprint by removing personal info from data broker sites. See our Privacy Bee review and Optery review for more info.
- Privacy Bee covers all data brokers plus 150K other sites; Optery covers up to 335.
- Privacy Bee uses AI for accuracy and fully handles removals; Optery may involve more manual work.
- Pricing is $197/year for Privacy Bee compared to $39-$249/year for Optery’s tiered plans.
- Privacy Bee offers the most comprehensive, precise, hands-off solution, but Optery may work for more basic needs. Consider other Privacy Bee alternatives too.
Privacy Bee vs Optery FAQ
How long does it take for Privacy Bee and Optery to remove my information?
Both services initiate removals within 48 hours, but the full process can take 2-6 weeks depending on the sites involved. Your digital footprint will continue to shrink over that time period.
Can I remove information for my family members too?
Yes, both Privacy Bee and Optery offer family plans that cover additional relatives under one account. Privacy Bee’s includes up to 10 family members for $357/year. Optery’s family plans cover 4-8 people for $89-$149/year.
Do I need to provide a copy of my driver’s license or other documentation?
No, neither service requires sensitive documentation to process removals on your behalf. Just basic information like your name and current address is sufficient.
What happens if my information reappears on a site after removal?
Both services aim to monitor for re-occurrences of your data and remove it again if needed. Privacy Bee uniquely offers a 100-day money-back guarantee if your information isn’t gone.
Can Privacy Bee or Optery remove my information from Google search results too?
No, Google is a search engine that indexes information from other websites, but doesn’t host data itself. Removals must be done at the source, focusing on the data broker sites that Google’s results may be picking up.
In conclusion, for those serious about minimizing their digital footprint and maintaining online privacy with minimal effort, Privacy Bee is the clear frontrunner. Its extensive coverage, precision AI technology, and fully managed hands-off process justify the premium price for the peace of mind provided.
However, Optery remains a solid, affordable choice for those with more basic removal needs who don’t mind a bit more DIY involvement. By weighing your unique priorities against the strengths of each service, you’re now well-equipped to make an informed decision and take control of your personal information online.
