In this article:
Identity theft and fraud protection for your finances, personal info, and devices.
Identity Guard vs. LifeLock: Which Is Right For You?
Your sensitive data has never been more at risk. According to the latest data from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) [*]:
More than 4.2 million Americans were victims of fraud and identity theft in just the first 9 months of 2023 — with losses in excess of $6 billion.
Without an identity theft protection service — your Social Security number (SSN), bank accounts, credit cards, social media profiles and beyond are left vulnerable.
Companies like Identity Guard and LifeLock help you monitor your registered personal information to help prevent identity theft and offer support like identity restoration and fraud remediation if you are the victim of identity theft.
Let’s compare these two leading identity theft protection services, and review their features, performance, and pricing. This guide will help you determine which option is the right choice to protect your identity.
What Is An Identity Theft Protection Service?
Identity theft protection services can monitor your credit and personal data — notifying you with fraud alerts if any suspicious activity is detected. Most identity theft protection services offer credit monitoring and transaction monitoring, along with an identity theft insurance policy.
While 100% identity theft prevention is impossible today, these id theft protection services help reduce the possibility of identity theft, while making the fraud recovery process a lot easier in the event you are a victim of fraud.
Most services will help you detect identity fraud by offering social security number monitoring, Dark Web monitoring, credit monitoring, as well as monitoring your name and email address against known fraud databases.
If you’re targeted, your identity theft protection service can provide the help of professionally trained fraud remediation specialists. They will guide you through the damage control process and explain how insurance may cover eligible losses.
Do I Really Need Identity Theft Protection?
According to the FTC, there were 1.1 million reports on identity theft last year — with a 13% increase in credit card-related thefts [*].
Without an identity theft protection service, you are vulnerable to all different types of identity theft and fraud — from data breaches to hacking, phishing attacks, and more.
The problem is that no one believes identity theft can happen to them — until it’s too late.
Identity thieves have learned how to open up credit cards, car loans, or even home titles in your name. Synthetic identity fraud is also on the rise as scammers combine stolen information with fake details to create fake"Frankenstein" identities with real consequences to your credit score and reputation.
Because scammers have become so sophisticated, you should learn how to recognize the warning signs of identity theft. But no one is invincible.
That's why an identity protection service is the best way to reduce the risk of facing complex issues that could negatively affect your credit score, hurt your financial assets, or inflict long term damage to your credit file.
What Are the Benefits of Identity Theft Protection?
Today, comprehensive identity protection solutions offer numerous benefits beyond the first-line theft defense, including:
- Peace of Mind: You can rest easy knowing you have enhanced fraud prevention. Even if you do fall victim to identity theft, you may be covered by your insurance for eligible losses.
- Fraud Remediation: Recovering your personal information after a security breach can involve countless hours of work. With an identity protection service, you’ll have assistance from trained experts, saving you time and stress.
- Asset Protection: Identity theft threatens your home, car, retirement accounts, and bank accounts. With a reputable identity protection service, you can reduce the risk of your accounts being compromised.
- Dark Web Monitoring: Services like Identity Guard and LifeLock monitor the dark web using artificial intelligence and alert you if your email address, password, driver’s license number, social security number, credit card number and/or bank account number have been compromised.
- Antivirus and Wi-Fi Security: Some identity theft protection services offer a secure VPN (perfect for using public WiFi) including encryption and antivirus protection to mask your online footprint.
- Secure Password Management: We are using dozens, if not hundreds of online accounts today. Some id theft protection solutions include password management, so you can finally stop recycling the same password for all your online accounts.
Identity theft cases are at all-time highs, demonstrating the continued prevalence of fraudulent activity, phishing, and data breaches.
The need for identity theft protection is clear. Luckily, Identity Guard and LifeLock are two of the best identity theft protection services out there.
Identity Guard: Overview
Identity Guard, owned by Aura, is one of the leading identity theft protection services available to consumers and businesses.
Established in 1996 in Herndon, Virginia, Identity Guard received a rare 5-star rating from Forbes Advisor, who wrote that:
"Identity Guard is one of the top providers in the identity theft protection space thanks to its comprehensive monitoring options and the fact that all plans come with identity theft insurance."
Identity Guard has enhanced its products suite over the years to include device security, data protection, and identity fraud protection services. Similar to LifeLock, Identity Guard provides critical features such as credit monitoring services and a $1 million identity theft insurance policy.
Identity Guard has done a remarkable job scaling its solution to over 47 million customers and resolving 140,000 cases to date. These numbers make Identity Guard a very attractive option.
What Are the Benefits of Identity Guard?
Identity Guard and its comprehensive protection services present users with a variety of benefits:
- Trusted brand name: For over two decades, Identity Guard has shown that its leadership and product reliability can be trusted to protect your personal and financial assets.
- Comprehensive protection: Identity Guard does more than just traditional, single-point identity monitoring. It offers a collection of services designed to give you enhanced security against threats from many types of applications.
- Mobile app: Identity fraud can strike at any moment. Given the unpredictability, a mobile app where you can manage features at your fingertips is critical for case resolution and convenience.
- U.S.-based support: If you are the victim of identity theft, it can be frustrating to encounter heavy accents and language barriers when needing customer support. Identity Guard offers U.S. based case managers to provide local assistance.
What Are Identity Guard’s Most Popular Features?
Identity Guard offers several different pricing plans that best match the coverage you need, but the following four features are a few of the most popular:
- $1 million insurance policy: Included in your Identity Guard plan is a $1 million insurance that covers certain types of losses and fees due to identity theft. For an eligible identity theft incident, you'll be compensated for travel expenses, lost wages and legal fees to help resolve your case.
- Data broker removal: Reduce the amount of spam and scam calls and texts you receive. Identity Guard scans data brokers for your contact information and requests its removal on your behalf.
- Identity dashboard: Manage your online identity and any potential security risks within Identity Guard's comprehensive and simple dashboard interface.
- Dark Web monitoring: Identity Guard scans the Dark Web to notify you of exposed accounts and passwords, SSN, and IDs that may compromise your identity.
- Safe Browsing tools: Stay safe when you browse, shop, and work online with Identity Guard's included malicious site blocker, password manager, ad blocker, and anti-tracking tools.
- Family plans: Five adults and an unlimited number of children will be covered with Identity Guard’s Ultra plan.
- Ultra plan: Comes packed with value. You get features like 401k and investment account monitoring, sex offender registry monitoring, USPS address change monitoring and home title monitoring.
Does Identity Guard Have Any Downsides?
Here are a couple of downsides to consider when evaluating Identity Guard:
- The Ultra Plan offers the most features of any Identity Guard offering, but it does come at a higher price point than the Total Plan.
- Credit protection is only offered with higher-tier packages. Annual credit report is only included in the Ultra plan.
- White Glove Resolution Concierge only comes included with the Ultra plan.
LifeLock: Overview
LifeLock is an identity theft protection service that uses monitoring and alert tools to help prevent identity fraud. Based in Tempe, Arizona, LifeLock has established itself as a household name brand in identity theft protection.
LifeLock’s solution provides identity monitoring across several devices — such as your phone, tablet, and computer— along with an alert system that keeps you informed of potential identity breaches. Overall, it's a solid product with a respectable history.
What Are the Top Benefits of LifeLock?
LifeLock offers several benefits for those who want to prevent fraud across all online accounts.
- Brand name: LifeLock reviews prove that the brand is a trusted name that’s been around since 2005, and there’s no denying its history of being a well-known, household name brand.
- Norton partnership: Norton is one of the largest software security companies on the consumer market. The association between Norton and LifeLock allows for better communication and monitoring of your online identity.
- Comprehensive security: LifeLock aims to provide a suite of features that cover most of your identity theft needs, meaning you don't need several different identity protection apps that are disconnected from one another.
- Credit reports: You can use LifeLock to connect the top three bureaus of credit reporting (TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian). However, this feature is only available with LifeLock's most expensive protection plan.
- Dark Web surveillance: The Dark Web is a network of websites and applications that is inaccessible through a standard internet browser. An underground online network is a hotbed for criminals looking to purchase stolen information — including passwords, Social Security numbers, and user IDs. LifeLock alerts you when your information is found on the Dark Web.
- Address verification: LifeLock has a feature called USPS Address Change Verification. The service alerts you if a criminal tries to change your address with the U.S. postal service via your financial institution. You are required to provide your bank user ID and password to LifeLock to utilize the feature.
⛳️ Related: Is LifeLock Worth the Price? How To Decide →
What Are LifeLock’s Most Popular Features?
LifeLock offers a robust collection of features, but here are some of the most popular:
- $1 million protection: LifeLock has stolen funds reimbursement and compensation for personal expenses you might incur in the event of fraud, such as lawyer fees. The identity theft insurance feature is offered on all of LifeLock's plans to varying degrees of coverage amounts.
- Datapoint coverage: LifeLock claims that it can scan one trillion data points daily to identify threats and provide fraud alerts, giving you comprehensive security [*].
- Inquiry alerts: If three-bureau credit inquiries are made on your behalf or by an unidentified user, LifeLock will alert you as soon as possible [*].
- Bank account alerts: With LifeLock, you’ll receive notifications if high-risk transactions occur in your bank account or credit card financial accounts. You can securely share your user IDs and passwords with LifeLock to activate the account monitoring feature.
What Are LifeLock's Biggest Cons?
While LifeLock offers solid identity protection, there are some drawbacks to be aware of.
- Sky-high renewal rates: LifeLock offers enticing pricing plans — but only for your first year of service. After being a customer for a year, your plan will renew at anywhere from 30–50+% higher.
- FTC lawsuits: The company was the subject of a 2010 lawsuit by the FTC (Federal Trade Commission), and was ultimately required to pay out a $12 million settlement [*]. The FTC proved that the company made deceptive claims in its online advertising, calling into question the business ethics of LifeLock. To make matters worse, LifeLock violated the 2010 settlement orders and proceeded to enter a $100 million settlement agreement with FTC in 2015 [*].
- Bad marketing stunts: In addition to the ethical problems associated with the FTC lawsuit, LifeLock misled users with their advertised Lost Wallet Protection service, which was meant to help users recover lost property. In reality, the paid service involved no recovery options, and LifeLock simply advised all users to cancel their credit cards and obtain new identification. LifeLock's CEO also faced tough criticism after publicly posting his Social Security number and personally getting hacked dozens of times [*].
- Crypto mining software: Since LifeLock services pair with Norton, not only can your devices experience significant slowdowns, Norton is facing harsh criticism for quietly installing a cryptominer inside of its antivirus software [*]. Additionally, Norton is known for its large memory requirements, and you could experience long load times and CPU crashes on your mobile devices or computer.
Identity Guard vs. LifeLock: Main Differences
LifeLock and Identity Guard offer similar features and protection against various forms of identity theft.
Both companies safeguard your personal information and can enhance your online privacy; and each will assist with identity theft resolution.
However, there are some differences between the two services.
Identity monitoring
Identity Guard uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to mine databases, identify breaches, and offer the caliber of service that is aligned to modern technological needs.
Identity Guard’s advanced monitoring services will trigger when your information is mentioned online and will alert you with notifications.
⛳️ Related: Identity Guard vs. IdentityForce: 2024 Comparison & Showdown →
Social media monitoring
Social media is one of the most dangerous sources of identity theft. With so much personal data, photos, and timelines about your life openly available on these platforms, it's crucial to maintain good social media hygiene. Social media scams are increasing during the COVID era, especially fraud related to online shopping. Facebook marketplace scams are the newest trending type of fraud happening on Facebook.
Unlike LifeLock, Identity Guard offers social media monitoring to help with impersonation detection and cyberbullying. It also tracks social media accounts to ensure that no one has impersonated you or used your information without your consent.
Family plans
While LifeLock offers family plans, a separate plan is required for every family member you want to protect. Identity Guard allows your immediate family members to be protected under one unified pricing plan. This is a significant advantage in choosing Identity Guard, especially considering that child identity theft is on the rise and parents need to protect their children from the vicious consequences of identity fraud.
Identity restoration
Restoring your identity can take time, energy, and financial expense. LifeLock will reimburse you for your personal expenses, but only for stolen items, and after a lengthy approval process.
Identity Guard’s 100% U.S. based case managers will guide you through the process of recovering your identity and assets if you're a victim of fraud.
Both LifeLock and Identity Guard offer identity theft insurance coverage — but Identity Guard’s resolution services are very appealing due to the high caliber of U.S. based customer support:
- Identity Guard’s 100% U.S. based case managers will guide you through the process of recovering your identity and assets if you're a victim of fraud.
- Identity Guard’s case managers are highly experienced and professionally trained in identity theft and fraud resolution with an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau (BBB).
- An Identity Guard case manager will hold your hand through the fraud remediation process to help you recover lost assets. Your case manager can help you process forms and make phone calls on your behalf to take the burden off your shoulders.
- Because your case manager is dedicated to resolving your specific case, you’ll have their direct phone number so you can reach them whenever you have a question or issue.
Identity Guard vs. LifeLock: Which is Right for You?
With the critical differences covered, you're probably wondering: should I choose Identity Guard or LifeLock? Consider the following factors before making the decision.
Features
LifeLock has numerous features; and thanks to its partnership with Norton, you also receive Norton 360, an anti-malware service, to help with online identity theft.
Identity Guard offers the same level of features. You can access antivirus scanning with Identity Guard (PCs only), along with a secure password manager and VPN.
Ease of Use
Identity Guard is an absolute breeze to set up, matching up against LifeLock. All you need to do is log into the website or download Identity Guard’s mobile app (Android or iOS). Once you select a service plan, your identity protection begins immediately.
LifeLock is also quite simple to set up. You only need your ID and credit card to register within minutes. The application interface is intuitive, and finding what you need is simple on iOS, Android, or PC.
⛳️ Related: Aura vs. LifeLock vs. Identity Guard: Which One Is Best? →
Support
LifeLock offers 24/7 user support, which ensures there will always be an agent on hand to review your case at any time of the day.
Identity Guard doesn’t offer round-the-clock support assistance. However, a unique feature of its premier technical and customer support is the use of case managers.
If you encounter an identity fraud event, you will connect with a dedicated case manager. Having the same service representative to see you through your case is far superior to standard and impersonal service agencies.
Credit monitoring
In terms of credit monitoring, both companies offer an excellent solution. Identity Guard and LifeLock both provide notifications when suspicious activity is detected involving your personal information, but Identity Guard offers advanced scans of the Dark Web and credit applications.
Insurance coverage
LifeLock and Identity Guard offer identical insurance coverage if you happen to fall victim to identity theft. Both provide stolen funds reimbursement and hardship compensation to help you stay financially stable during a time of crisis, but Identity Guard’s $1 million insurance comes included on every plan, versus having to pay more for higher coverage tiers like LifeLock.
Pricing
LifeLock has three identity theft protection service plans: (keep in mind, these are introductory prices, and that their renewal prices shoot up significantly after the first year.)
- LifeLock Standard: $11.99 per month
- LifeLock Advantage: $22.99 per month
- LifeLock Ultimate Plus: $34.99 per month.
You can earn extra savings by selecting an annual membership, but LifeLock may raises prices during membership renewal, so there is no guarantee you can keep the same price beyond the first year.
Identity Guard offers three main pricing plans (plus Family Plans):
- Value: $6.67 per month
- Total: $11.99 per month
- Ultra: $17.99 per month
- Family Plans start at $10.00 per month.
Please note that the pricing information provided is current as of August 2023. Discounts apply for annual memberships as well. In terms of pricing, Identity Guard is the more attractive option for value without losing service quality.
Is Identity Guard Better Than LifeLock?
Better is subjective. Although LifeLock has an advanced feature set, Identity Guard wins in other areas as it's truly a solution built with the customer in mind.
Thanks to its advanced Dark Web monitoring, insurance policy, value pricing plans, and U.S. based support, Identity Guard edges LifeLock as a better overall identity protection service.
⛳️ Related: The Best Identity Guard Alternatives of 2024 →
What Is The Best Identity Guard Pricing Plan?
You might be wondering which of the Identity Guard plans is the best option for you, so let’s look at the features of each plan.
Identity Guard Value Plan
The Value Plan is an ideal choice for anyone who wants immediate protection with a lower budget point. At this tier, you can take advantage of the $1 million insurance compensation and Dark Web monitoring.
On the flip side, you will miss out on bank account, credit card and credit alerts with the Value Plan. The lowest tier of Identity Guard may have fewer service features, but you can still have peace of mind knowing that your home, family, and finances are protected.
Identity Guard Total Plan
The Total Plan includes all the features of the Value Plan plus monthly credit scores, alerts about credit inquiries, savings account and investment account applications, and changes to bank account information.
Identity Guard Ultra Plan
Identity Guard's top tier protection is the Ultra Plan. With Ultra, you'll receive all the same services from the lower-tier options in addition to several advanced features that provide complete identity theft protection. For example, you get access to social insight reporting, home title monitoring, and three bureau credit reports.
The Ultra Plan is marginally more costly than the Total Plan and includes an ideal family plan for those who want coverage for a complete household.
Trust Your Instinct. Get Identity Guard
Hackers were busy in 2023 — with a record year for fraud. Since the COVID-19 pandemic drove more businesses and workers online, fraud and identity theft has soared to remarkable new levels.
Mobile shopping, social media, email, investing and banking apps are intrinsically tied to the fabric of our everyday lives. Sharing information online is something we all do; and therefore, we all must accept some level of risk with every message, email, or social media post that gets published. Taking precautions with reliable identity theft protection software can save you money, time, and stress in the long run.
LifeLock is a traditional choice for monitoring your identity and sensitive data. But today, Identity Guard is one of the best LifeLock alternatives available — offering advanced Dark Web monitoring, value pricing, and the U.S. based fraud remediation experts to help you combat the seemingly endless world of fraud and scams that we live in today.
