The Complete Data Broker List: 200+ Companies Collecting Your Personal Data (2026)

Most people have never heard of the companies holding detailed files on them. Data brokers — companies that collect, compile, and sell personal information — operate in the background, buying and selling your name, address, phone number, purchase history, browsing habits, and more. This data broker list covers more than 200 known companies active in 2026, organized by category so you can understand who has your information and where to start removing it.

What Is a Data Broker?

A data broker is a company that collects personal information about individuals — without directly contacting them — and sells, licenses, or shares that data with other businesses, advertisers, marketers, or researchers.

Data brokers gather information from public records (court filings, property records, voter registrations, business licenses), loyalty program and retail purchase data, web browsing behavior, mobile app activity, social media profiles, financial transaction records, and other data brokers. Your data is frequently bought and resold multiple times across the industry.

The result: a company you’ve never heard of may hold a detailed profile containing your full name, current and past addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, estimated income, political affiliation, health interests, family members, vehicle history, and more.

Why This Data Broker List Matters

Data broker profiles directly affect your life. They are used in employment background checks, insurance underwriting, tenant screening, ad targeting, and fraud detection. They are also a frequent target for identity thieves — when a data broker database is breached, millions of detailed personal profiles become available to criminals.

People search sites — a subcategory of data brokers — publish personal profiles that anyone can access for free or a small fee. This creates direct safety risks for domestic violence survivors, stalking victims, healthcare workers, executives, and anyone who needs to limit where their personal information appears online.

Multiple US states now require data brokers to honor opt-out requests: California (CCPA/CPRA and the Delete Act), Virginia (CDPA), Colorado (CPA), Texas (TDPSA), and others. Vermont was the first state to require annual data broker registration. Federal regulation remains limited, making individual opt-out action the primary protection available today.

The Data Broker List: Organized by Category

Category 1: People Search Sites (Highest Consumer Risk)

People search sites are the most visible and immediately dangerous category. They publish personal profiles — name, address, relatives, employment history, and sometimes criminal records — that anyone can access for free or a small fee. Start your removal efforts here.

Company	What They Publish	Opt-Out
Spokeo	Name, address, relatives, employment, social profiles	Yes
Whitepages	Name, phone, address, background report	Yes
BeenVerified	Full background, social profiles, relatives	Yes
Intelius	Background checks, address history, contact info	Yes
Radaris	Name, address, email, relatives, employment	Yes
MyLife	Reputation scores, contact info, background	Yes
TruthFinder	Background checks, social media profiles	Yes
InstantCheckmate	Criminal records, address history, contact info	Yes
PeopleFinder	Name, address, phone, relatives	Yes
PeopleLooker	Background, contact info, relatives	Yes
FastPeopleSearch	Name, phone, address, relatives	Yes
USSearch	Background checks, address history	Yes
Zabasearch	Address history, phone numbers	Yes
ThatsThem	Email, phone, address lookup	Yes
NumLookup	Phone number reverse lookup	Yes
Pipl	Social profiles, contact data	Limited
Addresses.com	Address history, household demographics	Yes
AnyWho	Phone directory, address listing	Yes
ArrestFacts	Arrest records, mugshots	Yes
CyberBackgroundChecks	Criminal, address, relative records	Yes
PublicRecordsNow	Court, property, address records	Limited
PeopleSmart	Background, address, contact info	Yes
Switchboard	Phone, address, relatives	Yes
FindPeopleFast	Name, address, contact info	Yes
ClustrMaps	Location data, address history	Yes

Category 2: Marketing and Advertising Data Brokers

These companies build detailed consumer profiles used by advertisers, brands, and marketers. They do not typically sell to the public, but their data feeds the targeting systems behind virtually every digital ad you see. These brokers know your purchase habits, lifestyle segment, household income range, and purchasing intent.

• Acxiom — One of the world’s largest data brokers. Maintains consumer profiles on billions of people and provides data to major brands for marketing segmentation and direct mail campaigns.
• Epsilon — Specializes in loyalty and transaction-level purchase data. Owned by Publicis Groupe. Powers personalized marketing for hundreds of major consumer brands.
• LiveRamp — Identity resolution platform. Connects offline consumer data to online identities for cross-device ad targeting.
• Oracle Data Cloud — Combines BlueKai, Datalogix, and other acquisitions. Powers programmatic advertising targeting across the open web.
• Experian Marketing Services — Consumer database used for direct mail, email, and digital marketing campaigns, separate from Experian’s credit bureau operations.
• Nielsen — Consumer behavior, media measurement, and purchase tracking through loyalty program partnerships with major retailers.
• Neustar — Identity verification and consumer data including telecom records and address-change data.
• Claritas — PRIZM segmentation system classifies US households into 68 lifestyle segments used for targeted marketing.
• TransUnion Marketing Solutions — Consumer data for marketing campaigns, distinct from TransUnion’s credit bureau function.
• Harte-Hanks — Direct marketing data and analytics for consumer campaigns.
• Dun & Bradstreet — Business and consumer data extensively used in B2B marketing and business intelligence.
• Circana (formerly IRI/NPD) — Retail purchase data collected through loyalty card programs and point-of-sale systems at grocery chains and pharmacies.
• FullContact — Identity enrichment; matches email addresses to full consumer profiles for personalization.
• Lotame — Third-party audience data for programmatic advertising campaigns.
• Vericast — Formerly Valassis; direct mail targeting and consumer purchase behavior data.
• Alliant — Cooperative database of purchaser data from catalog and direct-to-consumer brands.
• Donnelley Marketing — Direct mail and demographic targeting data; one of the oldest data compilers in the US.

Category 3: Background Check and Risk Data Brokers

These brokers supply data to employers, landlords, insurance companies, and financial institutions. Their data can directly affect your ability to get a job, rent an apartment, or obtain insurance coverage at a reasonable rate.

• LexisNexis Risk Solutions — One of the most comprehensive consumer data platforms in existence. Used in insurance underwriting, fraud detection, employment screening, and identity verification across industries.
• CoreLogic — Property records, rental history, and risk analytics used by landlords and property insurance companies.
• Verisk Analytics — Insurance risk data, property intelligence, and financial analytics used across the entire insurance industry.
• First Advantage — Employment and tenant background screening used by major employers globally.
• Checkr — Technology-driven background check platform widely used by gig economy companies and staffing agencies.
• Sterling Infosystems — Pre-employment screening covering criminal records, education verification, and reference checks.
• HireRight — Pre-employment verification used by Fortune 500 companies; covers employment history, education, and professional credentials.
• SambaSafety — Motor vehicle records and driver risk monitoring for employers managing vehicle fleets.
• MIB Group — Medical history data shared among life insurance underwriters for risk assessment.
• Kroll — Due diligence, executive background investigations, and corporate risk intelligence services.
• National Tenant Network — Rental history database used by property managers across the US.
• CIC (Contemporary Information Corp.) — Tenant screening for residential landlords and property management companies.

Category 4: Financial and Credit Data Aggregators

Beyond the three major credit bureaus, several companies collect financial behavioral data used in lending, insurance, and fraud prevention decisions that never appear on a standard credit report.

• Equifax — Major credit bureau; also operates consumer marketing data services separate from its credit reporting function.
• Experian — Major credit bureau; offers consumer data and marketing services in addition to credit reporting.
• TransUnion — Major credit bureau; also provides marketing data and fraud analytics to businesses.
• Innovis — Fourth credit bureau; smaller footprint but used by some lenders and for fraud prevention.
• Clarity Services — Alternative credit data for subprime and near-prime lenders, tracking non-traditional credit behavior including short-term loans.
• ChexSystems — Banking history database tracking bounced checks and closed accounts. Most US banks query ChexSystems when opening new accounts.
• Early Warning Services — Bank account verification and fraud prevention; operates Zelle and other inter-bank services.
• CoreLogic Credco — Merged credit reports used specifically in mortgage origination and real estate transactions.

Category 5: Real Estate and Property Data Brokers

• ATTOM Data Solutions — Property records covering 155 million US properties, including ownership history, valuations, and transaction data.
• Black Knight — Mortgage data, property records, and financial analytics used by lenders and loan servicers.
• CoStar — Commercial real estate data, property records, and market analytics for investors and brokers.
• PropStream — Real estate investor platform with property ownership data and distressed asset identification tools.

Category 6: Healthcare and Wellness Data Brokers

Healthcare data brokers operate in a complex regulatory environment. HIPAA-protected medical records from healthcare providers cannot be sold. However, health-related behavioral data — including inferred health conditions, medication purchases tracked through pharmacy loyalty programs, and wellness app usage — falls entirely outside HIPAA’s scope and is actively bought and sold.

• IQVIA — Global pharmaceutical data company tracking prescription behavior and patient journeys. One of the largest health data brokers in the world.
• Komodo Health — Patient journey analytics using insurance claims and clinical data for pharmaceutical research and marketing.
• Symphony Health — Prescription data and patient behavior tracking used in pharmaceutical marketing and sales intelligence.
• Definitive Healthcare — Healthcare provider and patient intelligence for healthcare industry sales and marketing teams.

Category 7: B2B and Professional Data Brokers

These companies focus on business and professional data for sales and marketing teams. While primarily used for business purposes, they maintain detailed profiles on individual professionals — including personal contact information — that can affect individual privacy.

• ZoomInfo — Business contact database with profiles on 300 million+ professionals including email addresses, direct phone numbers, job titles, and employment history.
• Clearbit — Company and contact data enrichment used by sales and marketing teams for prospect research.
• Apollo.io — Sales intelligence platform with verified business contact information for outreach campaigns.
• Lusha — Contact verification and B2B lead generation tools for sales teams.
• Hunter.io — Email finding and verification used for outreach and prospecting.
• Dun & Bradstreet — Business identity, commercial credit data, and professional contact information.

How to Opt Out of Data Brokers

Most major data brokers offer an opt-out process, but the details vary significantly by company and category.

People search sites each require a separate opt-out request. You’ll need to locate your listing on each site, submit a removal form, and confirm via email. Processing takes 24 hours to 30 days per site. Many brokers re-acquire and re-add your data after removal if you don’t monitor for it.

Marketing data brokers like Acxiom offer limited consumer opt-outs through privacy portals. Most honor “do not sell” requests under applicable state privacy laws. Acxiom’s opt-out is available at their consumer privacy portal. Results vary — commercial marketing databases are harder to clean than people search sites.

Background check brokers like LexisNexis offer suppression requests for consumers who can demonstrate a specific safety need. CoreLogic and Verisk maintain formal opt-out procedures. Processing typically takes 30 to 90 days.

Credit bureaus: You can freeze your credit report at Equifax, Experian, TransUnion, and Innovis for free at any time. A credit freeze prevents new credit inquiries from lenders but does not remove your data from marketing databases.

Manual Removal vs. Automated Data Broker Removal

Working through this data broker list manually requires submitting 200+ individual opt-out requests, monitoring each site for re-addition every 30 to 90 days, and repeating the process continuously as new brokers emerge and re-acquire your data from other sources.

Most people start with people search sites — the highest direct risk — and work through the list over several weeks. This approach is effective but requires significant ongoing time investment.

Automated data removal services monitor broker databases on your behalf, submit opt-out requests automatically, track re-additions, and send alerts when your data reappears. For people with limited time or elevated privacy risk — healthcare workers, executives, survivors of domestic violence, public figures — automated removal is the more sustainable long-term choice.

Omni DataSafe monitors 200+ data broker sites continuously, submits removal requests automatically, and provides a real-time dashboard showing exactly where your data was found and removed. It’s the most comprehensive automated removal service we’ve reviewed for everyday consumers. Check if your data is currently exposed →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many data brokers are there?

Estimates range from 4,000 to over 5,000 data brokers operating globally, with hundreds of new companies entering the market each year. This list focuses on the most prominent consumer-facing and commercial brokers. The industry generates over $200 billion annually in the US alone.

Are data brokers legal?

In most US states, yes. Data brokers operate under a patchwork of state privacy laws. California, Virginia, Colorado, Connecticut, Texas, and several other states now require brokers to honor consumer opt-out requests. Vermont requires data brokers to register with the state government annually. Federal regulation covering all data brokers does not yet exist.

How did data brokers get my information?

Your data comes from multiple sources: public records (property filings, court records, voter registrations), retail loyalty cards, online activity tracking, mobile apps, and data purchased from other brokers. Each time you fill out a form, use a store loyalty card, or install a free app, your data may flow into broker databases and be sold multiple times.

Can I remove myself from all data brokers?

You can remove yourself from most consumer-facing brokers, particularly people search sites. Commercial brokers used only by businesses are harder to opt out of but pose less direct risk to individual safety. Complete, permanent removal is not practically achievable — data is continuously re-acquired and redistributed — which is why ongoing monitoring matters more than a one-time removal effort.

What is the fastest way to remove my data from data brokers?

Start with the people search sites in Category 1 above — they’re the highest-risk and most opt-outs are straightforward. Spokeo, Whitepages, BeenVerified, and Radaris are the highest-priority first steps. For comprehensive removal across 200+ brokers simultaneously, an automated removal service is dramatically faster than manual submission and more sustainable over time.

Do data brokers sell medical records?

HIPAA-protected medical records from healthcare providers cannot be sold by data brokers. However, health-related behavioral data — including medication purchases tracked through pharmacy programs, health app usage, and inferred health conditions based on purchase patterns — falls outside HIPAA’s scope and is actively traded by health data brokers including IQVIA and Symphony Health.

The Bottom Line

The data broker industry has built detailed profiles on virtually every adult in the United States. This data broker list is a starting point — not an exhaustive directory — for understanding who holds your information and taking steps to limit its spread. Start with people search sites, which create the most immediate risk. Work through the higher-impact commercial brokers based on your situation. For ongoing protection, automated monitoring is more effective than a one-time removal effort, because the data will come back if you stop watching.

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The Manual Opt-Out Problem

This directory lists 200+ data brokers. Each one has a different opt-out process — some require a form, some require an email, some require a copy of your ID, and some require you to repeat the process every 90 days because they re-aggregate data from new sources. Done manually and thoroughly, this takes 20–40 hours the first time.

Most people start and abandon the process partway through. Partial removal is better than nothing — but the brokers you don’t reach will continue selling your information, and the ones you did opt out of will often re-list you within a year.

If you want the full protection without the time investment, Omni DataSafe automates opt-out submissions across the major brokers and monitors for re-listing on an ongoing basis. Our editors have reviewed it as the most practical hands-off solution currently available. It is not free — but neither is 40 hours of your time.

If you prefer to handle removals yourself, this directory gives you everything you need. Start with the brokers rated Opt-Out Difficulty: High — those are the ones most people skip, and they tend to hold the most detailed profiles.