With AI enabling more sophisticated identity theft and impersonation scams, identity protection services have become more relevant than ever. But which ones actually deliver?
I’ve tested and researched the major identity protection services to evaluate their features, effectiveness, and value. Here’s what I found.
Quick Comparison
| Service | Best For | Price/Month | Insurance | Dark Web Monitoring |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aura | Overall protection | $12-37 | $1M-5M | Yes |
| LifeLock | Brand recognition | $12-35 | $25K-1M | Yes |
| Identity Guard | Credit monitoring | $8-25 | $1M | Yes |
| Experian IdentityWorks | Credit bureau direct | $10-25 | $1M | Yes |
What Identity Protection Actually Does
Before comparing services, let’s be clear about capabilities and limitations:
What these services can do:
- Monitor dark web for your personal info
- Alert you to credit changes and new accounts
- Scan for misuse of your SSN
- Help you recover from identity theft
- Provide insurance for theft-related losses
What they cannot do:
- Prevent identity theft entirely
- Stop scammers from attempting to contact you
- Reverse completed fraud automatically
- Replace good security habits
These are detection and recovery services, not prevention shields.
The Top Services Reviewed
1. Aura — Best Overall
Aura combines identity monitoring with digital security features in a unified platform.
Key Features:
- Credit monitoring at all three bureaus
- Dark web monitoring for PII
- AI-powered fraud detection
- Parental controls and family plans
- VPN and password manager included
- $1M-5M identity theft insurance
What Sets It Apart: Aura’s all-in-one approach includes digital security tools (VPN, password manager, antivirus) alongside identity monitoring. If you need multiple services anyway, the bundling provides value.
Their AI-based fraud detection claims to identify threats faster than competitors, though independent verification is limited.
Pricing:
- Individual: Starting at $12/month
- Family: Starting at $37/month
Limitations:
- Higher price point for full features
- Relatively new company (less track record than LifeLock)
- Some features require higher-tier plans
Best for: People who want identity protection bundled with other security tools.
2. LifeLock (Norton) — Most Recognized Brand
LifeLock has been in identity protection since 2005 and is now part of Norton. They have the most brand recognition in this space.
Key Features:
- Credit monitoring (one bureau on basic plan, three on higher tiers)
- SSN and credit alerts
- Dark web monitoring
- Norton 360 security suite included
- $25K-1M identity theft insurance
- US-based restoration specialists
What Sets It Apart: LifeLock’s “Million Dollar Protection Package” and long track record provide peace of mind. Their restoration team is well-reviewed for actually helping victims recover.
Pricing:
- Standard: Starting at $12/month
- Advantage: Starting at $20/month
- Ultimate Plus: Starting at $35/month
Limitations:
- Basic tier only monitors one credit bureau
- Past FTC settlements for deceptive advertising
- Full protection requires highest tier
Best for: Those who value brand track record and want bundled Norton security.
3. Identity Guard — Best Value
Identity Guard offers solid protection at competitive prices, with IBM Watson AI powering their threat detection.
Key Features:
- Credit monitoring at all three bureaus
- Dark web monitoring
- Social media monitoring
- IBM Watson AI threat detection
- $1M identity theft insurance
- Family plans available
What Sets It Apart: The IBM Watson AI integration analyzes patterns across data points to identify threats. Their social media monitoring scans for misuse of your identity online.
Pricing:
- Value: Starting at $8/month
- Total: Starting at $17/month
- Ultra: Starting at $25/month
Limitations:
- Basic tier has limited features
- Interface less polished than competitors
- Smaller company than LifeLock/Norton
Best for: Budget-conscious users who want solid coverage without premium pricing.
4. Experian IdentityWorks — Direct from Credit Bureau
Getting identity protection directly from a credit bureau has advantages—they have the most direct access to your credit data.
Key Features:
- Experian credit monitoring (real-time)
- Dark web monitoring
- Identity theft insurance up to $1M
- Direct credit bureau access
- Credit lock feature
What Sets It Apart: As an actual credit bureau, Experian can provide faster alerts on credit changes and offer credit lock directly (not just freeze).
Pricing:
- Starting at $10/month (Experian monitoring only)
- $25/month (all three bureaus)
Limitations:
- Less comprehensive than dedicated identity protection services
- Basic plan only monitors Experian
- Fewer recovery features
Best for: Those who primarily want credit monitoring from the source.
What to Prioritize
Essential Features
Three-bureau credit monitoring: Single-bureau monitoring misses activity at the other two bureaus. For real protection, you need all three.
Dark web monitoring: Your data ends up on dark web markets after breaches. Services that scan for your information provide early warning.
Identity theft insurance: Good coverage should include at least $1M and cover:
- Legal fees
- Lost wages
- Recovery expenses
- Some stolen fund reimbursement
Restoration assistance: Human support for actually recovering from identity theft is crucial. This is where services earn their value.
Nice-to-Have Features
- Social media monitoring
- Financial account monitoring
- Sex offender registry alerts
- Change of address monitoring
- Court records monitoring
What’s Usually Marketing
- “AI-powered” detection (vague and unverifiable)
- “24/7 monitoring” (all services do this)
- Specific threat detection claims without evidence
The Case for DIY
You can replicate some identity protection features for free:
Free options:
- Credit freezes at all three bureaus (most effective prevention)
- Free credit reports at AnnualCreditReport.com
- Free credit monitoring from Credit Karma or your credit card issuer
- HaveIBeenPwned.com for breach notifications
What DIY misses:
- Comprehensive dark web scanning
- Restoration assistance if you’re victimized
- Insurance coverage
- Consolidated alerts and monitoring
If you’re diligent, technically savvy, and have time, DIY may be sufficient. If you want convenience and guaranteed support if something goes wrong, paid services provide value.
My Recommendation
For most people concerned about identity theft in the AI era:
Best overall value: Aura Individual Plan
- Comprehensive monitoring
- Useful bundled security tools
- Competitive pricing
- Strong insurance coverage
Best for families: Aura Family Plan or Identity Guard Ultra
- Cover multiple family members
- Children’s identity protection included
- Better per-person value
Best for budget-conscious: Identity Guard Value Plan
- Solid core protection
- Lower price point
- Good enough for basic needs
Best for existing Norton users: LifeLock
- Integrates with Norton you already have
- Familiar interface
- Strong restoration support
Final Thoughts
Identity protection services can’t prevent AI-powered scams and impersonation attacks. They’re a safety net—they alert you when something goes wrong and help you recover.
The best protection combines:
- Good security habits (credit freezes, strong passwords, skepticism)
- Family verification procedures (code words, callback protocols)
- Identity monitoring as a backup layer
No service can substitute for vigilance, but the right service can make recovery much easier if you’re victimized.
Disclosure: Some links on this page are affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you purchase through our links, at no extra cost to you. This doesn’t influence our recommendations—we recommend products we’d use ourselves.