Quick Overview
- 1#1: Google Cloud DLP - Automatically detects, classifies, and redacts over 90 types of PII in text, images, audio, video, and structured data using advanced ML.
- 2#2: Forcepoint DLP - Provides comprehensive data loss prevention with AI-driven PII detection, redaction, and protection across endpoints, cloud, and networks.
- 3#3: Symantec DLP - Enterprise DLP solution that identifies, monitors, and redacts PII in real-time across email, web, endpoints, and cloud environments.
- 4#4: Microsoft Purview DLP - Integrated DLP service within Microsoft 365 that detects and redacts PII using sensitive information types and trainable classifiers.
- 5#5: Nightfall AI - AI-powered DLP platform that scans and redacts PII in SaaS applications, code repositories, and collaboration tools.
- 6#6: Amazon Comprehend - ML service that detects PII entities in text documents and supports custom redaction workflows integrated with other AWS services.
- 7#7: CaseGuard Studio - AI-based software for automatically redacting PII from videos, audio files, images, and documents.
- 8#8: Redactable - AI-driven tool that scans and redacts PII from PDFs, Word documents, and scanned images with high accuracy.
- 9#9: Microsoft Presidio - Open-source toolkit for detecting, anonymizing, and redacting PII in unstructured text using NLP analyzers.
- 10#10: BigID - Privacy management platform that discovers, classifies, and enables PII redaction across structured and unstructured data sources.
These tools were selected based on accuracy in detecting over 90 PII types across text, images, audio, video, and structured data; scalability for growing data loads; ease of deployment and use; and value, ensuring they meet the needs of both enterprises and mid-sized organizations.
Comparison Table
In an era where data privacy is paramount, PII redaction software equips organizations to safeguard sensitive information—this comparison table breaks down top tools including Google Cloud DLP, Forcepoint DLP, Symantec DLP, Microsoft Purview DLP, Nightfall AI, and more. Readers will discover key features, scalability, and usability to identify the right solution for their unique needs.
| # | Tool | Category | Overall | Features | Ease of Use | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Google Cloud DLP Automatically detects, classifies, and redacts over 90 types of PII in text, images, audio, video, and structured data using advanced ML. | enterprise | 9.7/10 | 9.9/10 | 8.8/10 | 9.5/10 |
| 2 | Forcepoint DLP Provides comprehensive data loss prevention with AI-driven PII detection, redaction, and protection across endpoints, cloud, and networks. | enterprise | 9.2/10 | 9.7/10 | 7.8/10 | 8.5/10 |
| 3 | Symantec DLP Enterprise DLP solution that identifies, monitors, and redacts PII in real-time across email, web, endpoints, and cloud environments. | enterprise | 8.2/10 | 9.1/10 | 6.8/10 | 7.4/10 |
| 4 | Microsoft Purview DLP Integrated DLP service within Microsoft 365 that detects and redacts PII using sensitive information types and trainable classifiers. | enterprise | 8.2/10 | 9.1/10 | 7.4/10 | 7.8/10 |
| 5 | Nightfall AI AI-powered DLP platform that scans and redacts PII in SaaS applications, code repositories, and collaboration tools. | enterprise | 8.4/10 | 9.0/10 | 8.5/10 | 7.8/10 |
| 6 | Amazon Comprehend ML service that detects PII entities in text documents and supports custom redaction workflows integrated with other AWS services. | enterprise | 8.4/10 | 9.2/10 | 7.2/10 | 8.0/10 |
| 7 | CaseGuard Studio AI-based software for automatically redacting PII from videos, audio files, images, and documents. | specialized | 8.2/10 | 9.1/10 | 7.4/10 | 7.7/10 |
| 8 | Redactable AI-driven tool that scans and redacts PII from PDFs, Word documents, and scanned images with high accuracy. | specialized | 8.1/10 | 8.5/10 | 8.8/10 | 7.6/10 |
| 9 | Microsoft Presidio Open-source toolkit for detecting, anonymizing, and redacting PII in unstructured text using NLP analyzers. | specialized | 8.6/10 | 9.2/10 | 7.5/10 | 9.7/10 |
| 10 | BigID Privacy management platform that discovers, classifies, and enables PII redaction across structured and unstructured data sources. | enterprise | 8.1/10 | 8.7/10 | 7.2/10 | 7.6/10 |
Automatically detects, classifies, and redacts over 90 types of PII in text, images, audio, video, and structured data using advanced ML.
Provides comprehensive data loss prevention with AI-driven PII detection, redaction, and protection across endpoints, cloud, and networks.
Enterprise DLP solution that identifies, monitors, and redacts PII in real-time across email, web, endpoints, and cloud environments.
Integrated DLP service within Microsoft 365 that detects and redacts PII using sensitive information types and trainable classifiers.
AI-powered DLP platform that scans and redacts PII in SaaS applications, code repositories, and collaboration tools.
ML service that detects PII entities in text documents and supports custom redaction workflows integrated with other AWS services.
AI-based software for automatically redacting PII from videos, audio files, images, and documents.
AI-driven tool that scans and redacts PII from PDFs, Word documents, and scanned images with high accuracy.
Open-source toolkit for detecting, anonymizing, and redacting PII in unstructured text using NLP analyzers.
Privacy management platform that discovers, classifies, and enables PII redaction across structured and unstructured data sources.
Google Cloud DLP
enterpriseAutomatically detects, classifies, and redacts over 90 types of PII in text, images, audio, video, and structured data using advanced ML.
Primitive-based transformations allowing granular, composable redaction rules beyond simple masking
Google Cloud DLP is a fully managed service designed to discover, classify, and redact sensitive data like PII across structured and unstructured data sources. It offers advanced de-identification techniques such as redaction, masking, tokenization, and bucketing, supporting batch and streaming processing at scale. Integrated deeply with Google Cloud ecosystem, it enables automated compliance with regulations like GDPR, HIPAA, and CCPA through precise content inspection and transformation primitives.
Pros
- Over 100 predefined InfoTypes for accurate PII detection with custom ML and regex detectors
- Flexible de-identification methods including targeted redaction and cryptographic hashing
- Serverless scalability for petabyte-scale data processing across Cloud Storage, BigQuery, and Pub/Sub
Cons
- Advanced configurations require familiarity with Google Cloud APIs and IAM
- Costs accumulate quickly for high-volume or frequent inspections
- Optimal performance tied to Google Cloud infrastructure, less ideal for multi-cloud setups
Best For
Enterprises and organizations processing massive volumes of unstructured data who need robust, scalable PII redaction integrated with cloud analytics.
Pricing
Pay-as-you-go: ~$1-5 per 100,000 characters inspected (stored/streamed), plus de-id actions; free tier up to 1 GB/month.
Forcepoint DLP
enterpriseProvides comprehensive data loss prevention with AI-driven PII detection, redaction, and protection across endpoints, cloud, and networks.
Risk-Adaptive Protection that uses behavioral analytics to dynamically redact PII based on real-time risk scores
Forcepoint DLP is an enterprise-grade data loss prevention platform that discovers, classifies, and protects sensitive data including PII across endpoints, networks, cloud services, and email. It provides automated redaction capabilities to mask or anonymize PII in documents, images via OCR, and data streams in real-time. Leveraging AI, machine learning, and behavioral analytics, it enables precise, context-aware policies for preventing data exfiltration while ensuring compliance with regulations like GDPR and HIPAA.
Pros
- AI-powered precise PII detection and classification with low false positives
- Comprehensive redaction across multiple channels including OCR for images
- Risk-adaptive protection that dynamically adjusts based on context and behavior
Cons
- Complex deployment and steep learning curve for configuration
- High enterprise-level pricing not suitable for SMBs
- Requires ongoing tuning for optimal performance in diverse environments
Best For
Large enterprises with high-volume sensitive data needing scalable, multi-channel PII redaction and full DLP suite.
Pricing
Custom subscription pricing; typically starts at $50,000+ annually for mid-sized deployments, scales with users, data volume, and modules.
Symantec DLP
enterpriseEnterprise DLP solution that identifies, monitors, and redacts PII in real-time across email, web, endpoints, and cloud environments.
Automated, policy-driven PII redaction with OCR support for images and PDFs
Symantec Data Loss Prevention (DLP), now part of Broadcom, is an enterprise-grade solution designed to discover, classify, and protect sensitive data including PII across endpoints, networks, email, cloud, and web channels. It provides automated PII redaction capabilities, masking or removing sensitive information in documents, emails, and forms before transmission or storage. Leveraging machine learning classifiers and policy-based enforcement, it ensures compliance with regulations like GDPR and HIPAA while minimizing data exposure risks.
Pros
- Comprehensive PII detection with ML-powered classifiers and Exact Data Matching
- Real-time redaction across multiple data channels including endpoints and cloud
- Scalable deployment with strong integration into SIEM and compliance tools
Cons
- Steep learning curve and complex initial configuration
- High cost unsuitable for SMBs
- Resource-intensive for on-premises setups
Best For
Large enterprises with diverse data environments needing robust, multi-channel PII redaction and full DLP capabilities.
Pricing
Custom enterprise licensing, typically subscription-based starting at $50,000+ annually based on users, data volume, and deployment scope.
Microsoft Purview DLP
enterpriseIntegrated DLP service within Microsoft 365 that detects and redacts PII using sensitive information types and trainable classifiers.
Adaptive protection with sensitivity labels that automatically detect and redact PII in real-time across Office documents and communications
Microsoft Purview DLP is an enterprise-grade data loss prevention solution within the Microsoft Purview compliance suite, designed to detect, protect, and prevent the leakage of sensitive information including PII across Microsoft 365 services like Exchange, Teams, SharePoint, and endpoints. It leverages over 100 built-in sensitive information types, machine learning classifiers, and custom trainable models to identify PII such as SSNs, credit card numbers, and passports. For PII redaction, it integrates with sensitivity labels to automatically redact or protect content in Office apps and uses eDiscovery tools for manual or automated redaction in legal holds and audits.
Pros
- Seamless integration with Microsoft 365 ecosystem for broad coverage
- Extensive library of PII detectors with ML-powered accuracy
- Scalable policy enforcement across cloud, endpoint, and on-premises
Cons
- Steep learning curve for configuration and policy tuning
- Limited native redaction outside Microsoft apps without custom workflows
- High cost for organizations not already in Microsoft ecosystem
Best For
Large enterprises heavily invested in Microsoft 365 needing integrated DLP with PII detection and conditional redaction.
Pricing
Bundled in Microsoft 365 E5 (~$57/user/month) or as Purview Compliance add-on (~$10/user/month); requires E3 base license.
Nightfall AI
enterpriseAI-powered DLP platform that scans and redacts PII in SaaS applications, code repositories, and collaboration tools.
Context-aware ML detectors that analyze over 250 PII types with semantic understanding to minimize false positives.
Nightfall AI is an AI-powered data leak prevention platform designed to detect, alert, and redact sensitive information such as PII across SaaS applications like Slack, Microsoft Teams, GitHub, Google Drive, and email. It uses machine learning with over 250 detectors to identify PII, PHI, financial data, and secrets in real-time or asynchronously, enabling automated redaction policies to mask sensitive content before it spreads. The platform supports compliance with GDPR, HIPAA, and SOC 2 by providing detailed risk insights and customizable actions.
Pros
- Extensive integrations with 100+ SaaS apps for broad coverage
- High-accuracy ML detectors with low false positives
- Real-time scanning and automated redaction workflows
Cons
- Pricing is enterprise-focused and opaque without demos
- Requires initial policy tuning for optimal performance
- Limited support for on-premises or custom file formats
Best For
Mid-sized to enterprise teams relying on collaboration tools who need real-time PII detection and redaction across multiple platforms.
Pricing
Custom enterprise pricing starting around $10-20 per user/month; contact sales for tailored quotes.
Amazon Comprehend
enterpriseML service that detects PII entities in text documents and supports custom redaction workflows integrated with other AWS services.
DetectPiiEntities API with built-in masking for instant PII redaction in a single call
Amazon Comprehend is a fully managed natural language processing (NLP) service from AWS that excels at detecting personally identifiable information (PII) such as names, addresses, phone numbers, emails, and financial data in unstructured text. It offers the DetectPiiEntities API, which not only identifies PII but also supports redaction by masking sensitive entities directly. This makes it suitable for large-scale text processing pipelines, with support for multiple languages and integration into AWS workflows.
Pros
- Highly accurate PII detection across 100+ entity types and 14+ languages
- Serverless scalability for processing massive volumes of text
- Seamless integration with AWS services like S3, Lambda, and Textract
Cons
- Requires coding and AWS expertise to build full redaction workflows
- Pay-per-use pricing can become expensive for high-volume processing
- Limited no-code interface; primarily API-driven
Best For
Enterprises deeply integrated with AWS needing scalable, high-accuracy PII redaction in automated text processing pipelines.
Pricing
Pay-as-you-go at $0.001 per 100 characters for PII detection (varies by region); 50,000 units free monthly for first 12 months.
CaseGuard Studio
specializedAI-based software for automatically redacting PII from videos, audio files, images, and documents.
AI-powered object tracking that follows and redacts moving subjects across entire video timelines
CaseGuard Studio is a specialized PII redaction software that automates the detection and removal of sensitive information such as faces, license plates, text, and voices from videos, audio, images, and documents. Leveraging AI and machine learning, it tracks objects across frames for precise, tamper-proof redactions, ensuring compliance with privacy regulations like GDPR and HIPAA. Primarily targeted at law enforcement, legal teams, and enterprises handling multimedia evidence, it supports both cloud and on-premise deployments for secure processing.
Pros
- Powerful AI-driven redaction for video, audio, and images with object tracking
- Tamper-proof redactions and audit trails for legal compliance
- Supports bulk processing and multiple file formats
Cons
- Steep learning curve for advanced features
- Pricing is enterprise-focused and quote-based, less accessible for small teams
- Limited customization for non-multimedia document redaction
Best For
Law enforcement agencies, legal firms, and enterprises requiring secure PII redaction from video and audio evidence.
Pricing
Custom enterprise pricing via quote; typically starts at $500/month for basic plans, scaling with users and storage.
Redactable
specializedAI-driven tool that scans and redacts PII from PDFs, Word documents, and scanned images with high accuracy.
AI-driven redaction for videos and audio files, detecting spoken PII in real-time transcripts and visuals
Redactable is an AI-powered PII redaction tool that automatically detects and removes sensitive information like names, emails, SSNs, and financial data from PDFs, images, videos, and audio files. It supports batch processing, custom redaction rules, and API integration for seamless workflows. Ideal for compliance teams handling diverse media, it balances speed and accuracy without requiring manual review for most cases.
Pros
- Supports redaction across multiple formats including video and audio
- Intuitive web interface with batch upload capabilities
- API access for easy integration into existing pipelines
Cons
- Higher pricing tiers needed for unlimited usage
- Occasional false positives in complex documents
- Limited advanced customization for enterprise-scale deployments
Best For
Small to mid-sized teams in legal, HR, or media needing quick, multi-format PII redaction for compliance without heavy IT involvement.
Pricing
Starts at $49/month for Pro plan (500 pages/month); Enterprise custom pricing with pay-as-you-go credits available.
Microsoft Presidio
specializedOpen-source toolkit for detecting, anonymizing, and redacting PII in unstructured text using NLP analyzers.
Hybrid detection engine combining regex-based rules and ML models for robust, tunable PII identification
Microsoft Presidio is an open-source toolkit designed for detecting, anonymizing, and redacting personally identifiable information (PII) in unstructured text data. It combines rule-based recognizers (using regex and checksums) with machine learning models from libraries like spaCy or Stanza to identify entities such as names, emails, phone numbers, credit cards, and more across multiple languages. Presidio offers flexible post-processing options including redaction, masking, hashing, encryption, or replacement, making it suitable for data privacy compliance workflows.
Pros
- Highly extensible with custom recognizers and analyzers
- Supports multi-language PII detection and various anonymization methods
- Integrates seamlessly with popular NLP engines like spaCy and Stanza
Cons
- Requires Python setup and model downloads, which can be complex for non-developers
- Primarily focused on text; lacks native support for images or structured data
- Accuracy varies by language and PII type, needing tuning for optimal performance
Best For
Developers and data engineers in organizations requiring a customizable, open-source PII redaction tool for text-heavy privacy pipelines.
Pricing
Free and open-source under MIT license.
BigID
enterprisePrivacy management platform that discovers, classifies, and enables PII redaction across structured and unstructured data sources.
ML-powered data fingerprinting for contextual PII detection in unstructured data with minimal false positives
BigID is a comprehensive data intelligence platform designed to discover, classify, and manage sensitive data, including PII, across on-premises, cloud, and hybrid environments. It leverages AI and machine learning for precise PII detection in structured and unstructured data, supporting compliance with regulations like GDPR, CCPA, and HIPAA. While strong in discovery and classification, its PII redaction capabilities are integrated into broader privacy management workflows, enabling automated anonymization, masking, and data minimization.
Pros
- AI-driven PII discovery with high accuracy across diverse data sources
- Robust integration with security and governance tools for automated remediation
- Scalable for enterprise-scale data environments with detailed compliance reporting
Cons
- Redaction is not a standalone feature but embedded in a complex platform
- Steep learning curve and lengthy implementation for non-experts
- Premium pricing may not suit small to mid-sized organizations
Best For
Large enterprises with massive, distributed data landscapes requiring end-to-end PII discovery, classification, and integrated redaction for regulatory compliance.
Pricing
Quote-based enterprise pricing, typically starting at $100,000+ annually based on data volume, users, and deployment scope.
Conclusion
The 10 reviewed tools offer diverse solutions for PII redaction across text, media, and cloud environments, each with unique strengths. Leading the pack is Google Cloud DLP, celebrated for its advanced ML that detects and redacts over 90 PII types across formats, setting a high bar for automation. Forcepoint DLP and Symantec DLP follow closely, with comprehensive coverage and real-time monitoring respectively, making them strong alternatives for specific needs.
Take the first step toward robust data protection by trying Google Cloud DLP, the top-ranked tool, to streamline PII detection and redaction and secure your information effectively.
Tools Reviewed
All tools were independently evaluated for this comparison
