Updated September 28, 2026 · ShieldCue Editorial Team
Aura vs Optery, Inc.
What sets them apart
| Compare |  Aura |  Optery, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | $15 | $3.99Lower |
| Long-term plan price | $12Lower | $20.70 |
| Money-back period | 60 daysHigher | 30 days |
| Platforms | Windows, MacOS, iOS, Android | Web, iOS, Android, Browser extension, Public API |
| Devices | 10 | Not confirmed |
| Server countries | 100 | Not confirmed |
| Features | Kill switch, Split tunnelling | Not confirmed |
| Streaming services | Netflix, YouTube | Not confirmed |
| Owner | Not confirmed | Optery, Inc. |
Same on both: Jurisdiction (US), Longest plan (months) (12 months).
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Key differences
- Aura scores higher overall: 8.8 vs 8.7.
- Monthly price is lower at Optery, Inc.: $3.99 vs $15.
- Long-term plan price is lower at Aura: $12 vs $20.70.
- Platforms: only Aura offers Windows, MacOS.
- Platforms: only Optery, Inc. offers Web, Browser extension, Public API.
- Support channels: only Aura offers Phone.
- Money-back period is higher at Aura: 60 days vs 30 days.
- Founded is lower at Aura: 2017 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 and small businesses who want identity protection and a VPN in one subscription rather than a single-purpose VPN. It scores 4.9 overall, with 8.2 for the offer, while the monthly price of $15 sits well above the €7.89 typical on this site.
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 | 8.3Monthly price of $15 and long-term price of $12 both sit far above the site medians of €7.89 and €3.97. | 8.7HigherMonthly 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 | 9.1HigherOne subscription spans VPN, 3 credit bureaus, from 425 brokers, an ad blocker, 10 devices and 100 server countries. | 8.6 |
| Privacy | 9.2Higher | 8.6 |
Licences and countries
| 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 | $15 | $3.99 |
| Long-term plan price | $12 | $20.70 |
| Money-back period | 60 days | 30 days |
| Longest plan (months) | 12 months | 12 months |
Choosing between them
Pick Aura if offer, privacy, long-term plan price, and money-back period matter most.
Pick Optery, Inc. if cost and monthly price matter most.
Where they rank in our lists
| Ranking | Aura | Optery, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| VPNs | 51 of 232 | 52 of 232 |
| Privacy tools | 47 of 280 | 48 of 280 |
| Data removal services | 12 of 41 | 13 of 41 |
| Free VPNs | 43 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 | 2017Lower | 2020 |
| Support channels | Email, Phone, Help centreCovers more | Email, Help centre |
Privacy tools
| Fact | Aura | Optery, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $15Lower | $39.99 |
| Free plan | No | YesHas it |
| Free plan limits | 14-day free trial, once per customer; no free tier | Free quarterly exposure reporting and self-service opt-out tools only; no automated removals |
| Logging policy | No VPN activity logging; personal data not sold to third parties | 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 |
| Open source | No | No |
| Privacy tool type | Ad blocker | Not confirmed |
Password managers
| Fact | Aura | Optery, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Identity protection
| Fact | Aura | Optery, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Credit bureaus monitored | 3 | Not confirmed |
| Insurance amount | $1,000,000 to $5,000,000 | Not confirmed |
| Family plan price | $32 | Not confirmed |
| Free trial length | 14 days | Not confirmed |
Parental controls
| Fact | Aura | Optery, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Yearly price | $120 to $384 | $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 |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Aura | Optery, Inc. | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | $15highest quarter | $3.99lowest quarter | $9 |
| Long-term plan price | $12highest quarter | $20.70highest quarter | $4.50 |
| Devices | 10at the median | Not confirmed | 10 |
| Server countries | 100highest quarter | Not confirmed | 62 |
| Money-back period | 60 dayshighest quarter | 30 daysat the median | 30 days |
| Longest plan (months) | 12 monthsat the median | 12 monthsat the median | 12 months |
Median across 139 listed providers.
Pros and cons
Aura
Pros
- One subscription covers the VPN, credit monitoring, data broker removal and an ad blocker, priced from $15.
- Annual plan drops to $12, against a site long-term median of €3.97.
- Server reach of 100 countries ranks 7 of 62, above the 48.5 site median.
Cons
- The monthly price of $15 is well above the €7.89 site median and ranks 121 of 133.
- The long-term plan price of $12 ranks 102 of 112, so the saving is smaller than at most rivals.
- Free plan is no, and 14-day free trial, once per customer; no free tier means the only way to test it costs nothing for a limited window.
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 identity monitoring and a VPN from one provider, priced from $15.
- Small businesses, since business is the stated audience.
- People who value no VPN activity logging and a ISO 27001 certified and SOC 2 Type II third-party audited over the cheapest monthly fee.
Who should look elsewhere
- Apple Inc. users, whose iCloud Private Relay runs at $0.99 with no identity monitoring attached.
- Anyone set on a free tier, since free plan is no.
- Sinew Software Systems users, who want a password manager at $1.99 instead of a VPN.
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
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
How much does Aura cost at the start and at renewal?+
The single VPN plan lists $15 a month, while the long-term plan price is $12 for 12 months. Yearly billing for the wider bundle runs $120 to $384. Buyers who commit to the long-term plan pay a lower rate per month than the entry monthly price suggests.
Is there a free plan or free trial?+
Free plan is no, so there is no permanent free tier. 14-day free trial, once per customer; no free tier means a 14 day trial is offered once per customer. Anyone unwilling to pay after the trial window has nothing to fall back on.
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.