Introduction: The Privacy Tools Problem
You want to clean up your digital footprint.
You Google privacy tools and find:
- DeleteMe ($129/year)
- Incogni ($155/year)
- Deseat.me (free)
- Mine ($8.99/month)
- GhostSweep ($9.99/month)
Which one should you actually use?
Spoiler: They solve different problems.
The Quick Answer
Use DeleteMe or Incogni if:
- You want to remove data from data brokers
- You can afford $129–155/year
- You want a completely hands-off approach
Use Deseat.me if:
- You use “Sign in with Google” for most accounts
- You have 10–30 accounts
- You want a free tool
Use Mine if:
- You want GDPR/CCPA deletion emails sent for you
- You’re willing to manually list companies
- You want someone else to handle follow-ups
Use GhostSweep if:
- You want to discover all your accounts (not just Google SSO)
- You want breach detection
- You want deletion templates
- You want ongoing monitoring
What Each Tool Actually Does
DeleteMe / Incogni / Kanary
Category: Data Broker Removal
What they do:
- Remove personal info from data broker sites
- Target sites like Whitepages, Spokeo, BeenVerified
- Quarterly scans and removal requests
- Provide removal reports
What they don’t do:
- Find your online accounts
- Help delete service accounts
- Scan email
- Detect breaches
Pricing:
- DeleteMe: $129/year
- Incogni: $155/year
- Kanary: $120/year
Pros:
- Hands-off
- Removes data from brokers
- Ongoing scans
- Established companies
Cons:
- Expensive
- Doesn’t help delete online accounts
- Only covers broker sites
- Mostly US-focused
Who it’s for:
People concerned about personal data appearing on broker sites.
Deseat.me
Category: Google Account Manager
What it does:
- Shows services using Google SSO
- Lets you revoke access
- Free
What it doesn’t do:
- Find accounts not using Google SSO
- Scan email
- Provide deletion templates
- Offer monitoring
- Detect breaches
Pros:
- Free
- Simple
- Great for Google SSO discovery
Cons:
- Only works for Google SSO
- Misses most accounts
- No breach detection
- No deletion help
Who it's for:
People with mostly Google SSO accounts or fewer total accounts.
Mine (SayMine.com)
Category: GDPR Request Service
What it does:
- Sends GDPR/CCPA deletion requests
- Tracks company responses
- Handles follow-ups
- Works with 800+ companies
What it doesn’t do:
- Automatically find your accounts
- Scan Gmail
- Detect breaches
How it works:
You list companies → Mine sends legal requests → they track responses.
Pricing:
- $8.99/month (~$108/year)
Pros:
- Sends requests for you
- Handles follow-ups
- Professional legal language
Cons:
- No discovery
- You must manually list companies
- No breach detection
- Clunky UI
Who it’s for:
People who already know what accounts they want to delete.
AccountKiller / JustDeleteMe
Category: Deletion Directory
What they do:
- Provide instructions + links for deleting accounts
- Offer difficulty ratings
- Free
What they don’t do:
- Discover accounts
- Automate deletions
- Track progress
Pros:
- Free
- Covers many services
- Useful references
Cons:
- Very manual
- Assumes you know your accounts
- Can be outdated
Who it's for:
DIY users.
GhostSweep
Category: Account Discovery + Deletion Tool
What it does:
- Scans Gmail metadata to find all accounts
- Shows every service you've ever signed up for
- Checks breach databases
- Provides deletion templates
- Tracks request progress
- Monitors for new accounts
What it doesn’t do:
- Remove data broker listings
- Log into your accounts
- Read email content
How it works:
Connect Gmail (read-only) → scan metadata → find accounts → show breaches → generate templates → you send emails.
Pricing:
- Free: 1 scan + first 50 accounts
- Pro: $9.99/month
Pros:
- Automatic account discovery
- Finds forgotten accounts
- Breach detection
- Templates for deletion
- Ongoing monitoring
- Privacy-first (metadata only)
Cons:
- Requires Gmail OAuth
- You send deletion emails manually
- No broker removal
- Gmail only
Who it’s for:
People who want to uncover forgotten accounts and delete them efficiently.
Comparison Table
| Feature | DeleteMe | Deseat.me | Mine | GhostSweep |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Account Discovery | ❌ | ⚠️ Google SSO only | ❌ Manual | ✅ Automatic |
| Data Broker Removal | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Breach Detection | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Deletion Help | N/A | ⚠️ Revoke only | ✅ Sends requests | ✅ Templates |
| Progress Tracking | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Ongoing Monitoring | ✅ Quarterly | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Pricing | $129/yr | Free | $108/yr | $120/yr |
| Hands-Off? | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ⚠️ Semi |
| Privacy | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
Which One Should You Use?
Scenario 1: You Want Everything Handled
Use: DeleteMe + GhostSweep
Scenario 2: You're on a Budget
Use: Deseat.me + JustDeleteMe (free)
Scenario 3: You Want to Find Forgotten Accounts
Use: GhostSweep
Scenario 4: You Know Your Accounts but Want Help Deleting
Use: Mine
Scenario 5: Maximum Privacy (Paranoid Mode)
Use: All tools (~$400/year)
My Honest Recommendation
-
Start with free tools:
- Deseat.me
- HaveIBeenPwned
- Manual Gmail searches
-
If overwhelmed:
- GhostSweep free tier
-
If you want deeper cleanup:
- GhostSweep Pro
-
If concerned about brokers:
- DeleteMe
Common Questions
Can I use multiple tools?
Yes. They solve different problems.
Which tool finds the most accounts?
GhostSweep.
Which is most hands-off?
DeleteMe → Mine → GhostSweep → Deseat.me.
Can I do all this manually?
Yes—expect 30–60 hours.
The Bottom Line
- DeleteMe → Data brokers
- Deseat.me → Google SSO accounts
- Mine → Sends deletion requests
- GhostSweep → Discovers forgotten accounts
You need discovery before deletion.
Start simple. Upgrade when needed.