DMCA vs Copyright Key differences explained
Copyright and the DMCA are often mentioned together, but they do different jobs. Copyright is the ownership right itself: it exists automatically the moment you create an original work and gives you the exclusive right to copy, distribute and display it. The DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act) is a 1998 US law that, among other things, created the notice and takedown process: when a platform or host receives a valid notice, it removes the infringing copy to keep its legal protection.
DMCA vs copyright: the key differences
Copyright | DMCA | |
|---|---|---|
What it is | A legal right of ownership in an original work | A US law with a notice and takedown process for online infringement |
How you get it | Automatically, when the work is created | You use it by sending a takedown notice |
What it lets you do | Control copying, distribution and display of your work, and sue for infringement | Ask platforms, hosts and search engines to remove infringing copies without going to court |
Where it applies | Recognised in most countries through international treaties | US law, though many platforms outside the US follow the same process |
Most creators do not need to choose between copyright and the DMCA: copyright makes the work yours, and the DMCA gives you a fast way to enforce that online. Many services now file DMCA notices for you. The comparison below covers leading DMCA and copyright protection services on facts you can check yourself. Ceartas is our service, so we show it first and in full. The table is a feature comparison, not a ranking, and every figure is dated so you can verify it.
How we compare them
We do not score services on opinion. Each row states a checkable fact, or marks "not stated" or "not disclosed" where a provider does not publish it. Facts come from each provider's own website and Trustpilot profile, read on 3 Nov 2026; scores and prices change over time. Prices are the lowest paid plan on monthly billing. Google Trusted Copyright Removal partner status for the other providers is taken from their own websites. Google does not publish a partner list, so those claims cannot be independently verified; only Ceartas's own partner status is confirmed here.
Top DMCA and copyright protection services compared
Service | Built for (stated) | Entry price | Deepfake protection | Telegram | Google Trusted Copyright Removal partner | Trustpilot | Coverage (stated) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ceartas | Creators and agencies | $69 / mo | Yes (VIP and higher) | Yes, removals (VIP and higher) | Yes | 4.3 (27), 96% 5 star | 2,000+ platforms |
DMCAForce | Creators and companies | $44.99 / mo | Yes | Monitoring and removal, plan not stated | Not stated | 4.2 (14), 79% 5 star | 8,000+ piracy sites |
Red Points | Mid-market and enterprise brands | Not disclosed (by quote) | Yes | Covered as a social channel | Self-stated | 1.3 (67), 4% 5 star | 5,000+ marketplaces, plus web, social and apps |
Onsist | Brands, creators, e-learning and adult studios | Not disclosed | Not stated | Monitoring stated | Self-stated | No profile found | Search, social, cyberlockers, video sites and forums |
DMCA.com | Creators, businesses and individuals | $10 / mo (free plan available) | Removal for individuals stated | Not stated | Not stated | 4.2 (65), 64% 5 star | 29 asset types |
CopyByte | Creators, web hosts, schools and lawyers | $50 per notice (no monthly plan) | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | No profile found | Not disclosed |
The services
Ceartas
Ceartas is a leading content protection service for creators and agencies. It finds stolen and leaked content and files takedowns across 2,000+ platforms, using DMCA notices alongside other legal routes where they fit, with deepfake and Telegram removals on VIP and higher plans and unlimited usernames on every plan. It is a Google Trusted Copyright Removal partner, and Google's Transparency Report shows it requesting the delisting of tens of millions of URLs from Search. It is an Official Safety Partner of OnlyFans and has expedited removal flows with Google, OnlyFans, TikTok, Meta, Telegram, YouTube, Reddit, Kick and Snapchat. Entry pricing is $69 per month, and 96% of its 27 Trustpilot reviews are 5 star, the highest share among the services compared.
DMCAForce
DMCAForce is a DMCA takedown service with a self service plan from $44.99 per month and managed tiers priced by the number of copyrights monitored. It states it scans more than 8,000 piracy sites and offers dedicated Telegram and deepfake takedown services. Trustpilot 4.2 from 14 reviews.
Red Points
Red Points is a brand protection platform for mid-market and enterprise companies, covering counterfeits, piracy, domain abuse, impersonation and deepfakes. Pricing is set per program on request, and it states membership of Google's Trusted Copyright Removal Program. Trustpilot 1.3 from 67 reviews.
Onsist
Onsist is a takedown and monitoring service for brands, content creators, e-learning platforms and adult studios, offered in Lite, Full and Advanced plans plus custom enterprise plans. It states it monitors search, social and Telegram, and files reports as a Google Trusted Copyright Removal partner. No Trustpilot profile was found.
DMCA.com
DMCA.com offers a free Basic plan, a Protection Pro plan from $10 per month, Business plans and managed takedowns priced per case. It serves creators, businesses, platforms and individuals, and lists removal of AI generated deepfakes for individuals. Trustpilot 4.2 from 65 reviews.
CopyByte
CopyByte is a copyright consulting firm offering DMCA takedown notices priced per notice, from $50 each for small volumes, plus DMCA agent, plagiarism analysis and expert witness services. It offers a complimentary one time check of content a client has found. No Trustpilot profile was found.
Services that offer deepfake protection
Ceartas (VIP and higher), DMCAForce, Red Points and DMCA.com (removal for individuals) state a deepfake capability. The other services on this list do not.
Services that cover Telegram
Ceartas (removals on VIP and higher), DMCAForce (monitoring and removal), Red Points (as a social channel) and Onsist (monitoring) cover Telegram. Note the plan on which each one includes it, since Telegram coverage is often gated by tier.
Protecting your content
Ceartas monitors 2,000+ platforms, starts takedowns the moment it finds a match, and keeps going until it's gone.
