Updated September 2026
Identity theft protection, compared side by side
Seven services. Every major feature. One honest page. No pay-to-rank, no sponsored placements.
2026 comparison: all services
Sorted by our editorial rating. Click "Show pros & cons" on any card for details. Where a feature needs a higher tier, we name the plan.
⭐ Top pickBest overall
Aura
All-in-one digital safety. Every plan has the same features; you only pay more to cover more people.
From $12/mo
Individual plan, billed annually
Individual plan, billed annually
3-bureau monitoringAll plans
Dark web scanYes
Insurance$1M per adult
VPN & antivirusEvery plan
Family plan5 adults + unlimited kids
Child SSN monitoringFamily plan
Recovery supportWhite Glove team
Trial / guarantee14-day trial
Pros
- 3-bureau monitoring on every plan, no upgrade required
- VPN, antivirus, and password manager bundled in
- Home and auto title monitoring on every plan
- Family plan covers up to 5 adults plus unlimited kids
- Data broker removal included
Cons
- No cheaper entry-level tier: all-or-nothing pricing
- Insurance caps at $1M per adult
- Mobile app can feel cluttered with features
Highest insurance
LifeLock
The most recognized name in identity protection, owned by Gen Digital (Norton). New Core, Advanced, and Total plans for 2026.
From $10.42/mo
Core plan, first-term annual rate
Core plan, first-term annual rate
3-bureau monitoringAdvanced & Total
Dark web scanYes
InsuranceUp to $3M (Total)
VPN & antivirusNorton 360 bundles
Family plan2 adults + up to 10 kids
Child SSN monitoringFamily plan
Recovery supportUS-based specialists
Trial / guarantee30-day trial
Pros
- Up to $3M insurance per adult on Total, the highest we've seen
- Scam reimbursement: up to $5K on Advanced, $10K on Total
- Automatic data broker removal on every plan
- Most recognized brand, 20+ years in the market
Cons
- First-term prices rise at renewal; exact renewal rates aren't published
- Core plan monitors only two credit bureaus
- VPN and antivirus only through Norton 360 bundles
- Family plan covers two adults at most
Best budget + VPN
NordProtect
From the makers of NordVPN. Strong insurance mix, including $50K cyber extortion coverage, at a low first-term price.
From $3.99/mo
Silver plan, promotional first term
Silver plan, promotional first term
3-bureau monitoringPlatinum only
Dark web scanYes
Insurance$1M + $50K extortion
VPN & antivirusNordVPN on Gold & Platinum
Family planIndividual only
Child SSN monitoringNot available
Recovery supportCase manager
Trial / guarantee30-day money-back
Pros
- Lowest starting price on our comparison table
- $1M recovery plus $50K cyber extortion and $10K online fraud coverage
- NordVPN bundled on Gold and Platinum
- Platinum adds 3-bureau monitoring and Incogni data removal
Cons
- Silver and Gold monitor only TransUnion
- Renewal prices are several times the promo rate
- No family plan and no child SSN monitoring
Best budget family pick
Identity Guard
Owned by Aura. IBM Watson risk scoring, $1M insurance on every plan, and big-household family plans.
From $7.50/mo
Value plan, first-year annual rate
Value plan, first-year annual rate
3-bureau monitoringTotal & Ultra
Dark web scanYes
Insurance$1M, every plan
VPN & antivirusNo
Family plan5 adults + unlimited kids
Child SSN monitoringFamily plans
Recovery supportWhite-glove on Ultra
Trial / guarantee60-day money-back
Pros
- $1M insurance even on the $7.50 Value plan
- Family plans from $12.50/mo cover up to 5 adults plus unlimited kids
- IBM Watson Risk Management Score
- More than 25 years in business
Cons
- No 3-bureau monitoring on the Value plan
- Home title monitoring and white-glove resolution are Ultra-only
- Prices rise about 20% after year one; no VPN or antivirus
Best recovery support
IDShield
Licensed private investigators manage your restoration. Trend Micro antivirus and a VPN on every plan.
From $14.95/mo
1-bureau plan, monthly billing
1-bureau plan, monthly billing
3-bureau monitoring3-bureau plans
Dark web scanYes
InsuranceUp to $3M (family)
VPN & antivirusEvery plan
Family plan2 adults + children
Child SSN monitoringFamily plans
Recovery supportLicensed investigators
Trial / guaranteeCheck at signup
Pros
- Licensed private investigators handle your restoration
- Same features on every plan; only bureau count and coverage size differ
- Up to $3M insurance on family plans
- Social media Reputation Manager included
Cons
- Highest starting price among the services we've fully reviewed
- No annual discount and no home title monitoring
- No full credit reports; setup and app less polished
IdentityIQ
Credit-focused monitoring with $1M insurance on every plan. Four tiers from Secure to Secure Max.
From $6.99/mo
Secure plan, monthly billing
Secure plan, monthly billing
3-bureau monitoringSecure Pro & Max
Dark web scanYes
Insurance$1M, every plan
VPN & antivirusPaid add-on
Family planSecure Max only
Child protectionSecure Max
Recovery supportUS-based
Trial / guaranteeCheck at signup
Review coming soon
Annual billing saves about 15%
Pros
- $1M stolen funds reimbursement on every plan
- Secure Max adds monthly 3-bureau reports and a credit score simulator
- Bitdefender antivirus and VPN available as an add-on
Cons
- 3-bureau monitoring requires Secure Pro or higher
- Family protection only on the top Secure Max plan
- Cancellation can require a phone call
Free tier available
Experian IdentityWorks
Run by a credit bureau. A genuinely free Experian plan, with paid Premium and Family tiers for full coverage.
Free / $24.99/mo
Free plan or Premium, monthly
Free plan or Premium, monthly
3-bureau monitoringPremium & Family
Dark web scanYes
InsuranceUp to $1M (paid)
VPN & antivirusNo
Family plan2 adults + up to 10 kids
Child monitoringFamily plan
Recovery supportFraud resolution team
Trial / guaranteeFree plan + 7-day trial
Review coming soon
Paid plans have no annual discount
Pros
- Free plan with Experian monitoring and a FICO Score
- Premium adds 3-bureau monitoring and up to $1M insurance
- Family plan covers 2 adults and up to 10 children
Cons
- Premium at $24.99/mo is pricey versus competitors
- Free plan only watches your Experian file
- No VPN or antivirus tools
Full feature comparison table
Every major feature across all 7 services at a glance. ✓ = included on the cheapest plan · plan name = requires that tier or higher · ✗ = not available
| Service | Starting price | 3-bureau credit | Dark web scan | Max insurance | VPN & antivirus | Family plan | Child monitoring | PI recovery | Trial / guarantee | Our rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ⭐ Aura | $12/mo | Yes | Yes | $1M per adult | Yes | 5 adults + unlimited kids | Yes | No | 14-day trial | 9.4 |
| LifeLock | $10.42/mo* | Advanced | Yes | $3M (Total) | Norton bundle | 2 adults + 10 kids | Yes | No | 30-day trial | 9.2 |
| NordProtect | $3.99/mo* | Platinum | Yes | $1M + $50K extortion | Gold | No | No | No | 30-day money-back | 8.9 |
| Identity Guard | $7.50/mo* | Total | Yes | $1M | No | 5 adults + unlimited kids | Yes | No | 60-day money-back | 8.7 |
| IDShield | $14.95/mo | 3-bureau plan | Yes | $3M (family) | Yes | 2 adults + children | Yes | Yes | Check at signup | 8.6 |
| IdentityIQ | $6.99/mo | Secure Pro | Yes | $1M | Add-on | Secure Max | Secure Max | No | Check at signup | 8.3 |
| Experian IdentityWorks | Free / $24.99 | Premium | Yes | $1M (paid) | No | 2 adults + 10 kids | Family plan | No | Free plan + 7-day trial | 8.1 |
How we evaluate identity theft protection services
Every service on this page is researched by our editorial team against each provider's published plans and independent reviews. We don't accept payment for placement or let providers influence their position. Here's what we look at:
Monitoring scopeHow many bureaus, what data types, and on which plan
Insurance valueCoverage limits and what each pool actually pays for
Recovery supportWho helps you and how much they do for you
Price vs valueWhat you get per dollar, including renewal pricing
Family coverageHow many adults and children, and child monitoring
TransparencyRenewal terms, cancellation policy, fine print
Frequently asked questions
Not necessarily. You can freeze your credit at all three bureaus for free, which blocks most new accounts from being opened in your name, and Experian offers a free monitoring plan. Paid services are worth it if you want automatic dark web scanning, three-bureau alerts, insurance coverage, hands-on recovery help, or monitoring for your children, which are hard to replicate on your own.
Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion don't share data, and not every lender reports to all three. A fraudulent account can show up at one bureau and not the others, so single-bureau monitoring can miss it. Aura includes three-bureau monitoring on every plan. LifeLock starts it at Advanced, Identity Guard at Total, IdentityIQ at Secure Pro, and NordProtect only on Platinum.
Most paid plans on this page offer $1 million in coverage, with LifeLock Total and IDShield family plans going up to $3 million. Coverage typically includes stolen funds tied to identity theft, legal and expert fees, lost wages, and document replacement costs, up to each plan's limits. It usually excludes investment losses and transfers you authorized yourself. Always read the actual policy terms.
Aura is our top pick for families: its Family plan covers up to five adults plus unlimited kids, with child SSN monitoring and parental controls. Identity Guard's family plans also cover five adults and unlimited kids at a lower price, from $12.50/month. LifeLock and Experian family plans cover two adults and up to 10 children. NordProtect has no family plan. See our guide: Can thieves steal a child's identity?
Several services advertise introductory first-term prices. LifeLock, Identity Guard, and NordProtect all renew higher; NordProtect's renewal can be several times the promo price, and LifeLock doesn't publish exact renewal rates up front. Note your renewal date when you sign up and check the renewal price before it bills. IDShield bills monthly with no teaser rate.
We check pricing, features, and plan details at least once per quarter, because providers change plans and prices often. The last full update to this page was September 2026. If you spot something out of date, let us know.