3 best identity theft protection services:
IdentityIQ
Details
Best Overall
460 OVERALL RATING
MONTHLY COST
$29.99
ANNUAL COST
FAMILY PLAN
MOBILE APP
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
Ultra
Go websiteIdentity Guard
Details
Best Overall (tie)
360 OVERALL RATING
MONTHLY COST
$23.99
ANNUAL COST
$20.00
FAMILY PLAN
MOBILE APP
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
Ultra
Go websiteLifeLock
Details
Best Overall
460 OVERALL RATING
MONTHLY COST
$34.99
ANNUAL COST
N/A
FAMILY PLAN
MOBILE APP
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
Ultimate Plus
Go websiteIdentityIQ:
Identity Secure Pro offers access to biannual credit scores and reports, more than many of its competitors, giving you a chance to catch any inaccuracies or fraudulent account applications. The service will alert you if it detects suspicious activity committed in your name, provide lost wallet assistance and more.
- Includes junk mail opt-out service
- Plan comes with biannual credit scores and reports
- Monitors for synthetic ID theft
- No family plan version
- Doesn’t offer complete restoration services
- No mobile app
Identity guard:
If you want something basic and inexpensive to help guard your credit beyond a free and simple credit freeze, PrivacyGuard’s Identity Protection may fit the bill. The service will regularly monitor your credit reports with the three main credit bureaus as well as your bank accounts, credit cards and public records.
- Daily credit monitoring at the three main bureaus
- Comes with an app
- Inexpensive relative to other plans
- Doesn’t offer family plans
- Lacking the broader swath of protections offered by other service providers
- Charges $1 for a 14-day trial period, other companies offer a free trial
Lifelock:
Not only does LifeLock Ultimate Plus with Norton 360 provide monitoring services commonly found on competing identity theft protection products, it also includes Norton antivirus software to protect your computers, tablets and smartphones and includes rarely covered services like home title monitoring and 401(k) and other investment accounts.
- Has 24/7 customer support
- Includes VPN access
- Offers a money-back-guarantee on computer virus protection
- No plan that covers an entire family, you have to purchase a separate junior plan
- Must have sufficient credit history as decided by Equifax in order to be eligible for the credit protection and monitoring services
- Allows you to lock your credit file with TransUnion but not Experian or Equifax