# Optery vs California DROP (2026): Free Alternative to Optery

Canonical: https://caniforkit.com/vs/optery-vs-california-drop
Last updated: 2026-08-11

Compare Optery ($14.99/mo) vs California DROP ($0/mo free alternative to Optery). Side-by-side breakdown of pricing, self-hosting setup, data storage, and practical trade-offs.

## Side-by-Side Comparison Matrix

| Feature / Metric | Optery | California DROP |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $14.99/mo | $0.00 / month |
| 1-Seat Annual Cost | $180/yr | $0.00 / year |
| 5-Person Team Annual Cost | $899/yr | $0.00 / year |
| 10-Person Team Annual Cost | $1,799/yr | $0.00 / year |
| License Model | Proprietary Commercial SaaS | proprietary, free |
| Hosting / Runtime | Vendor Cloud | Hosted |
| Data Ownership | Stored on vendor servers | Personal identifiers encrypted before storage in CalPrivacy's DROP system and matched by registered data brokers |
| GitHub Stars | Closed Source | ★ $0 forever |
| Code Repository | None | — |
| The Catch / Trade-off | Recurring subscription cost | It covers only eligible California residents and registered brokers, without Optery's discovery screenshots and individualized exposure tracking. |

## About California DROP
California residents get one government request to 600-plus brokers; everyone else gets a geography lesson.

- **Installation**: Government-hosted browser signup followed by one deletion request
- **Setup Notes**: Only California residents are eligible, and the request requires personal identifiers for broker matching
- **Data Storage**: Personal identifiers encrypted before storage in CalPrivacy's DROP system and matched by registered data brokers
- **Supported Platforms**: web, they host it
- **The Catch vs Optery**: It covers only eligible California residents and registered brokers, without Optery's discovery screenshots and individualized exposure tracking.

## Cost Savings Breakdown
Switching from Optery to California DROP eliminates ongoing per-seat subscriptions:
- **Solo / 1-seat**: Save **$180/year**
- **5-person team**: Save **$899/year**
- **10-person team**: Save **$1,799/year**

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Is California DROP a good free alternative to Optery?
Yes. California DROP is a verified free replacement for Optery. California residents get one government request to 600-plus brokers; everyone else gets a geography lesson.

### What is the catch when switching from Optery to California DROP?
It covers only eligible California residents and registered brokers, without Optery's discovery screenshots and individualized exposure tracking.

## Related

- [All Optery Alternatives](https://caniforkit.com/optery)
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