Updated September 28, 2026 · ShieldCue Editorial Team
Aura vs Optery, Inc.
What sets them apart
| Compare |  Aura |  Optery, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | $12 | $3.99Lower |
| Long-term plan price | $12Lower | $20.70 |
| Money-back period | 60 daysHigher | 30 days |
| Platforms | Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Browsers | Web, iOS, Android, Browser extension, Public API |
| Devices | from 10 | Not confirmed |
| Server countries | 100 | Not confirmed |
| Renewal price | $120 | Not confirmed |
| Jurisdiction | Not confirmed | US |
| Features | Screen time, Web filter | Not confirmed |
| Streaming services | Netflix, YouTube | Not confirmed |
| Owner | Not confirmed | Optery, Inc. |
Same on both: Longest plan (months) (12 months).
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Key differences
- Aura scores higher overall: 9.1 vs 8.7.
- Monthly price is lower at Optery, Inc.: $3.99 vs $12.
- Long-term plan price is lower at Aura: $12 vs $20.70.
- Platforms: only Aura offers Windows, Mac, Browsers.
- Platforms: only Optery, Inc. offers Web, Browser extension, Public API.
- Support channels: only Aura offers Chat, Phone.
- Money-back period is higher at Aura: 60 days vs 30 days.
- Founded is lower at Aura: 2014 vs 2020.
- Optery, Inc. is available in 3 more countries.
- Pricing model: only Optery, Inc. offers Free.
Our verdict on each
Aura
Aura suits households that want identity monitoring, a VPN, a password manager and parental controls under a single subscription. The trade-off is cost: the monthly plan sits at $12 and the family plan at $32, above the site median of €7.89.
Optery, Inc.
Optery suits people and small teams who want data broker records cleared on a schedule rather than chased by hand, and coverage reaches 950 brokers. A free plan reports exposure and hands over the opt out tools, so start there and judge paid removal afterwards.
Score breakdown
| Area | Aura | Optery, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 8.8HigherMonthly plan price of $12 sits above the site median of €7.89, and first-year price of $120 clears €49.95. | 8.7Monthly price of $3.99 sits under the site median of €7.89, while the long term price of $20.70 runs above €3.97. |
| Offer | 9.5HigherBundles VPN, password manager and parental controls on one subscription, with a family plan at $32 covering adults, kids and devices. | 8.6 |
| Privacy | 8.7Higher | 8.6 |
Pick Aura if, pick Optery, Inc. if
Pick Aura if offer, long-term plan price, and money-back period matter most.
Pick Optery, Inc. if monthly price matter most.
Availability and regulation
| Country | Aura | Optery, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | United States | United States |
Available in 2 countries for both. Additional countries for Optery, Inc.: 3.
By the numbers
| Fact | Aura | Optery, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | $12 | $3.99 |
| Long-term plan price | $12 | $20.70 |
| Money-back period | 60 days | 30 days |
| Longest plan (months) | 12 months | 12 months |
How they place
| Ranking | Aura | Optery, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| VPNs | 33 of 232 | 52 of 232 |
| Privacy tools | 97 of 280 | 48 of 280 |
| Data removal services | 6 of 41 | 13 of 41 |
| Free VPNs | 28 of 189 | 44 of 189 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Aura | Optery, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Streaming | Not confirmed |
| Audience | Business | Business |
| Pricing model | Budget | Free, BudgetCovers more |
| Legal entity | Aura Sub, LLC | Optery, Inc. |
| Headquarters | United States | United States |
| Founded | 2014Lower | 2020 |
| Support channels | Email, Chat, Phone, Help centreCovers more | Email, Help centre |
Password managers
| Fact | Aura | Optery, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $15Lower | $39.99 |
| Free plan | No | YesHas it |
| Family plan | 5 adults, unlimited kids and unlimited devices | Not confirmed |
| Security audit | ISO 27001 certified and SOC 2 Type II third-party audited | Not confirmed |
| Encryption | 256-AES | Not confirmed |
| Open source | Not confirmed | No |
Antivirus
| Fact | Aura | Optery, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| First-year price | $120 | Not confirmed |
| Free version | No | Not confirmed |
| Extras | VPN, Password manager, Parental controls | Not confirmed |
Parental controls
| Fact | Aura | Optery, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Yearly price | $120 | $39 to $249Lower |
Data removal
| Fact | Aura | Optery, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Data brokers covered | from 425 | 950 |
| Countries covered | Not confirmed | United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa |
| Removal frequency | Not confirmed | Monthly automated scanning and removals |
Privacy tools
| Fact | Aura | Optery, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan limits | Not confirmed | Free quarterly exposure reporting and self-service opt-out tools only; no automated removals |
| Logging policy | Not confirmed | Collects profile/contact, device/IP, web analytics, social and geolocation data; uses Google Analytics and retargeting/advertising cookies; data kept while account is active and deleted on account deletion; does not sell or rent personal data for monetary consideration |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Aura | Optery, Inc. | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | $12above the median | $3.99lowest quarter | $9 |
| Long-term plan price | $12highest quarter | $20.70highest quarter | $4.50 |
| Devices | from 10at the median | Not confirmed | 10 |
| Server countries | 100highest quarter | Not confirmed | 62 |
| Renewal price | $120highest quarter | Not confirmed | $12 |
| Money-back period | 60 dayshighest quarter | 30 daysat the median | 30 days |
Median across 132 listed providers.
Pros and cons
Aura
Pros
- A single subscription covers identity monitoring, a VPN, a password manager and parental controls, with parental tools for screen time and web filtering.
- Monitoring runs across 3 credit bureaus, which matches the 3 site median and the 30 brands ranked on it.
- The family plan covers 5 adults, unlimited kids and unlimited devices at $32 per month.
Cons
- There is no free plan, so you start on a paid subscription with a trial of 14 days.
- The monthly plan price of $12 sits above the site median of €7.89, and the first-year price of $120 is higher still.
- Identity insurance of $1,000,000 to $5,000,000 looks generous, but Aura ranks at 10 of 45 on that measure.
Optery, Inc.
Pros
- A free plan is included, covering quarterly exposure reporting and self service opt out tools
- Paid plans add Monthly automated scanning and removals, so records are cleared without chasing brokers by hand
- Coverage reaches 950 data brokers, at the high end of the site range where the median is 913.5
Cons
- The free plan covers quarterly exposure reporting and self service opt out tools, with Monthly automated scanning and removals kept for the paid side
- Support runs on email and help centre only
- The long term plan price of $20.70 sits above the site median of €3.97
Who each suits
Aura
Who it suits
- Households that want a single subscription covering identity monitoring, a VPN, a password manager and parental controls
- Families covering several adults and unlimited kids who value the family plan of 5 adults, unlimited kids and unlimited devices at $32
- Readers who want a 60 day money back window and a 14 day trial before deciding
Who should look elsewhere
- Readers who want a free plan or free version to sample, which Aura does not offer
- Buyers who will not stretch past the $12 monthly plan or the $120 first-year price
Optery, Inc.
Who it suits
- People who want broker records cleared on a schedule rather than in one burst
- Small teams that need repeatable exposure monitoring for their people
- Anyone starting at a low cost and moving to automated removals later
Who should look elsewhere
- MEGA, if a free tier with automated removals is the need, since the free plan here stops at self service opt out tools
- Apple Inc. and Sinew Software Systems, which list monthly prices of $0.99 and $1.99 beside $3.99 here
Current offers
Aura
Current offer
Free trial
14-day free trial on all Aura plans: 14 days free
Free trial offer can only be redeemed once per customer; full access to plan features depends on identity verification and credit eligibility
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Bonus
60-day money-back guarantee on all annual plans: 60 days
Only for annual plans purchased through Aura websites (excludes Amazon) or via the Customer Support team
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Optery, Inc.
Current offer
Discount code
Optery 2026 Fall Sale: 20% off
Use promo code FALL2026 at checkout
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Country by country
| Country | Aura | Optery, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | No | Yes |
| New Zealand | No | Yes |
| South Africa | No | Yes |
| Canada | Yes | Yes |
| United States | Yes | Yes |
Questions about each
Aura
What does Aura cost per month, and what happens at renewal?+
The monthly plan is $12 and the family plan is $32, covering 5 adults, unlimited kids and unlimited devices. The first-year price is $120 and the renewal price is $120, so the figure after a year stays where it is. A long term plan price of $12 runs 12 months.
Is there a free version of Aura to try first?+
There is no free plan and no free version, so a paid subscription is the only way in. A free trial of 14 days and a money back period of 60 days soften that. Across the site most brands do ship a free version, so Aura is the exception here.
Optery, Inc.
What does Optery cost to begin with?+
The monthly price is $3.99, with the site median at €7.89, so entry sits near the middle of the field. Yearly plans are listed at $39 to $249, and the long term plan price is $20.70.
Is there a free plan, and what does it leave out?+
A free plan is included, and it covers quarterly exposure reporting and self service opt out tools. The paid side is where Monthly automated scanning and removals sits, so check that before assuming the free tier clears records for you.