Comparisons
The best tools to remove personal information before using AI
There is no single best tool; it depends on where your data is. For text typed into ChatGPT in Chrome, Caviard. For client documents on a Mac, PiBye. For developers building their own pipeline, Presidio, which is free and open source. For enterprises de-identifying data at scale, Limina (formerly Private AI). For organisation-wide data loss prevention, Nightfall or Strac.
Last reviewed · 7 sources
How we ranked
We ranked by fit for a stated job, not by an overall score, because these tools solve different problems. Facts come from each vendor’s own site or documentation, checked on 17 September 2026. PiBye is our product; we list it only where it genuinely fits, and we say where others are better.
Side-by-side
| Tool | Form | Processing | Restores originals | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caviard | Chrome extension | On device, per vendor | Yes, in chat responses, per vendor | Not published when checked |
| PiBye | Mac app | On your Mac | Yes, in returned drafts and files | $99 CAD once |
| Presidio | Open-source SDK (MIT) | Wherever you deploy it | Not built in; sample code only | Free |
| Limina (Private AI) | Enterprise API and platform | Cloud, VPC or on-prem | Not stated on pricing page | Free developer tier; quotes |
| Nightfall AI | Enterprise DLP | Cloud SaaS | No; detect and block | Quote only |
| Strac | Enterprise DLP and DSPM | Tokenization and proxy, per vendor | Not stated | Contact sales |
Vendor claims are the vendors’ own. Presidio’s README warns there is “no guarantee that Presidio will find all sensitive information.”
Which is best for you: choose by where your data lives
Chat text in Chrome: Caviard is purpose-built and needs no review step. Documents and scans: a document tool with review, such as PiBye on a Mac. Your own software: Presidio gives you the detection engine for free, but you build the review screen and the restore step yourself. An organisation with a security team: Nightfall or Strac cover many apps beyond AI; Limina suits de-identification inside data pipelines.
Whatever you choose, detection tools miss things. Every vendor that addresses accuracy says so, and professional regulators such as the Law Society of Ontario warn that “anonymizing is not perfect.” Keep a human review step.
The ranking
Ranked by these criteria, in this order:
- Fit for the stated job and user
- Where data is processed (local preferred for client documents)
- Whether real details can be restored afterwards
- Setup effort for the intended user
- Price transparency
1. Best for text you paste into ChatGPT in Chrome
Caviard
Local, automatic masking in supported chat pages, with unmasking in responses. No document files or review step.
2. Best for client documents and scans on a Mac
PiBye
Reviewed, restorable copies of PDFs, scans, Word and text files for any AI. Mac only; not a browser extension or an API.
3. Best free option for developers
Presidio
Open-source detection and anonymization you deploy yourself. Requires engineering; no ready-made review or restore.
4. Best for enterprise de-identification pipelines
Limina (formerly Private AI)
API and platform deployable in your cloud or on premises, with many languages. Enterprise pricing and integration.
5. Best for organisation-wide data loss prevention
Nightfall AI or Strac
Security platforms covering SaaS apps, endpoints and AI tools. Sold to security teams by quote.
Where PiBye fits
How PiBye handles this
PiBye is the option on this list for professionals preparing their own client documents on a Mac: local detection in English and French, a review screen, consistent stand-ins, and local restoration of the AI’s draft.
1.0.1 · macOS 14.8.5 or later · Apple Silicon · 1.1 GB
Frequently asked questions
Is there a free tool to remove personal information before ChatGPT?
Presidio is free and open source, but it is a developer toolkit. Manual find-and-replace is free but slow and easy to get wrong.
Can any tool guarantee it finds everything?
No. Presidio’s own documentation says there is no guarantee it will find all sensitive information, and the same applies to every detector. Review the output.
Sources
- Caviard, Caviard.ai. Checked 17 September 2026.
- Presidio: data protection and de-identification SDK, Presidio project (GitHub, formerly microsoft/presidio). Checked 17 September 2026.
- Limina (formerly Private AI), Limina. Checked 17 September 2026.
- Limina pricing (formerly Private AI), Limina. Checked 17 September 2026.
- Nightfall pricing, Nightfall AI. Checked 17 September 2026.
- Strac, Strac. Checked 17 September 2026.
- Licensee use of generative artificial intelligence (white paper), Law Society of Ontario, April 2024. Checked 17 September 2026.