In this article:
Identity theft and fraud protection for your finances, personal info, and devices.
What Is the Best Alternative to Identity Guard?
Protecting your identity from scammers and hackers has never been more important. According to the latest data from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) [*]:
More than 4 million Americans were victims of identity theft and fraud in the first nine months of 2023 alone — with losses of over $6 billion.
When it comes to identity theft protection, Identity Guard has been an industry leader for decades, helping to protect more than 38 million people from becoming victims of identity theft.
But is Identity Guard right for you?
Whether you’re a current Identity Guard customer or you’re considering signing up, this guide will help you choose the right identity theft protection service for your needs. By the end, you’ll have all the information you need to make the best choice for safeguarding your identity.
Identity Guard Pros & Cons: Who Is Identity Guard For?
Identity Guard was founded in 1996, making it one of the first services to offer comprehensive identity theft protection.
At its core, Identity Guard is an identity monitoring and protection provider. It scans billions of data points across the Dark Web, public records, and data breaches to see if your sensitive information is being fraudulently used. This includes critical data ranging from your Social Security number (SSN) to your name, address, bank account details, and more.
Identity Guard has also been at the forefront of new technology — using artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze personal data for fraudulent activity and including digital security tools to help prevent hackers from accessing your devices and data.
Here are a few of the main pros and cons of using Identity Guard:
Identity Guard plans and pricing:
Identity Guard offers three different pricing tiers depending on the type and level of protection you require. You can also choose between individual plans and family options that cover up to 5 adults and unlimited children.
Here are Identity Guard’s plans and pricing as of January 2024 (using this special discount link):
- Value Plan (no credit monitoring): $6.67 per month (individual) and $10 (family)
- Total Plan: $13.33 per month (individual) and $19.99 (family)
- Ultra Plan: $19.99 per month (individual) and $26.67 (family)
Identity Guard doesn’t offer a free trial but includes a 60-day money-back guarantee on all annual plans.
You should consider Identity Guard if:
- You want easy-to-use identity theft protection. Identity Guard’s award-winning identity monitoring gives you peace of mind by monitoring your most sensitive information across the Dark Web, public court records and sex offender lists, and more.
- You have financial assets to protect. Identity Guard alerts users to unauthorized or suspicious activity on their financial accounts in near real-time. This is valuable for people managing family finances or retirement accounts.
- You want comprehensive fraud protection against change of address scams. Identity Guard provides address monitoring services that match your name to public records and warns you if someone tries to steal your mail, change your address, or falsify your home title.
- You’re seeking the best value for price. Identity Guard’s highest-priced plan is still lower than many other alternatives. This makes it a compelling choice for people who want comprehensive protection without paying too much.
- You want full family protection. Identity Guard offers a separate set of Family Plans for groups of up to five adults – and unlimited children. These are especially good deals for large families that would otherwise pay much more to protect every family member.
🛡 Want to try Identity Guard for yourself? Sign up today and save up to 33% on a new Identity Guard membership →
What do real users say about Identity Guard?
Here are some examples of what real customers say about Identity Guard on TrustPilot [*] – a third-party review site:
- Full support throughout the identity recovery process: “It’s terrible to be a victim of identity theft but Identity Guard alerted me and made calls with me until all parties started their investigations. If you are unprotected, might I suggest you get started with them.”
- Excellent customer support: “Identity Guard very quickly and calmly reviewed my alert… and also helped me reset my password. Excellent company and excellent customer service!”
- Stopped financial fraud: “There were three separate attempts within three days to establish new credit cards using my identity. Identity Guard helped me with the steps necessary to halt these attempts. I ended up enacting a complete freeze with the credit agencies. I subsequently found out someone had already opened a credit union account in my name.”
The bottom line: Identity Guard is one of the top choices for adults and families looking for a comprehensive identity theft protection plan. However, some people may be interested in all-in-one providers that offer more in-depth digital security tools.
The 7 Best Identity Guard Alternatives in 2024
Identity Guard offers comprehensive protection – especially to its Ultra plan members – but that doesn’t automatically mean it’s the right provider for everyone.
Here are our choices for the top Identity Guard alternatives in 2024:
1. Aura
Aura offers a comprehensive suite of security services that includes identity theft protection, 24/7 credit monitoring, and U.S.-based White Glove Fraud Resolution. Aura is owned by the same company as Identity Guard but addresses the needs of families and tech-savvy adults who want complete online protection.
For example, Aura also offers a suite of Safe Browsing tools, including its own virtual private network (VPN), antivirus software, and even AI-powered spam call and text protection.
This gives users a broader set of risk management tools to work with – for example, Aura can protect you from downloading malware in phishing attacks or getting hacked over public Wi-Fi.
Why you should choose Aura as an Identity Guard alternative:
- Three-bureau credit monitoring (Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion) included with every Aura plan
- The industry’s fastest (and most reliable) fraud alerts
- One-click Experian CreditLock
- AI-powered digital security tools
- Award-winning identity theft protection (same level as Identity Guard)
- 24/7 access to Fraud Resolution Specialists
- Up to $5 million in identity theft insurance
Aura plans and pricing:
Aura offers simple and transparent pricing. All plans include the same features, and the price you pay won’t increase after the first year (unlike other providers that offer low introductory rates and then hike up the price in year two).
Here are Aura’s plans and pricing as of January 2024:
- Individual Plan: $12 per month
- Couple Plan (two members): $22 per month
- Family Plan (five adults and unlimited children): $32 per month
Aura’s Family Plan includes additional features such as parental controls, Safe Gaming tools to protect against predators and cyberbullies, and child identity monitoring.
Aura vs. Identity Guard: How do they compare?
As two separate offerings from the same company, Aura and Identity Guard unsurprisingly share many common features. They both provide comprehensive identity theft protection, credit report monitoring with all three bureaus, and generous insurance policies to cover eligible losses due to identity theft.
However, when it comes to protecting your digital life from scammers and thieves, Aura provides a few more features than Identity Guard. This makes it an ideal solution for people who are concerned about online scams and phishing.
Aura also comes with a 14-day free trial and 60-day money-back guarantee on all annual plans.
💡 Related: Aura vs. LifeLock vs. Identity Guard: Which One Is Best? →
2. IdentityForce
IdentityForce is an identity protection service owned and operated by TransUnion – one of the three major credit reporting agencies. This gives IdentityForce a valuable boost to its reputation, but doesn’t automatically make it one of the best identity theft protection services on the market today.
IdentityForce offers two main subscription plans. While its premium plan includes a variety of valuable features, the basic plan is significantly limited and more expensive than many other options.
Why you should choose IdentityForce as an Identity Guard alternative:
- Reputable brand name with more than four decades of experience
- Alerts users to suspicious credit report activity
- Monitors social media for signs of identity theft
- Offers a 30-day trial for its standard plans
- Provides sophisticated credit tracking and simulation tools
IdentityForce plans and pricing:
IdentityForce offers two subscription tiers, depending on whether or not you want credit monitoring.
Here are IdentityForce’s plans and pricing as of January 2024:
- UltraSecure costs $17.95 per month per member, and includes a variety of monitoring services for fraud, unexpected changes of address, Dark Web data breaches, and more.
- UltraSecure+Credit costs $23.95 per month per member and adds a secure VPN, along with social media monitoring, investment account alerts, and credit freeze capabilities. Only UltraSecure+Credit members have access to credit monitoring from all three bureaus.
IdentityForce vs. Identity Guard: How do they compare?
With services like medical fraud detection, IdentityForce offers some novel features not found among other Identity Guard alternatives. However, IdentityForce only gives you insight into your credit report once every few months, which allows identity thieves a valuable head start in using your data to open new accounts and commit crimes in your name.
Ultimately, IdentityForce charges a little too much for the value it offers. The service would be easier to recommend if it either cost less or offered more.
🤔 Still not sure? See how IdentityForce compares to LifeLock →
3. LifeLock
LifeLock is one of the better-known identity theft protection services. The company was acquired in 2017 by Symantec, the makers of Norton Antivirus, which transformed Norton into an all-in-one provider for digital security and identity theft protection.
On its own, LifeLock provides decent monitoring for credit report activity, unauthorized financial transactions, and Dark Web activity. However, users on TrustPilot have complained about poor customer support, buggy software, and deceptive pricing [*] — especially when compared to other LifeLock alternatives like Identity Guard or Aura.
Why you should choose LifeLock as an Identity Guard alternative:
- Recognizable brand name
- Monitoring for credit, investment, and other financial accounts
- Offers more comprehensive coverage with Norton 360 partnership
- Up to $3 million in insurance coverage (on Ultimate Plus plan only)
LifeLock plans and pricing:
LifeLock has a complicated subscription structure, with three different tiers at different prices for individuals, couples, and families. To compare LifeLock to other Identity Guard alternatives, you need to look at the company’s LifeLock + Norton 360 plans.
Here are LifeLock’s plans and pricing as of January 2024:
- LifeLock Select: $9.99 per month (renews at $14.99 per month)
- LifeLock Advantage: $19.99 per month (renews at $24.99 per month)
- LifeLock Ultimate Plus: $29.99 per month (renews at $34.99 per month)
You can also choose to add an additional adult to your plan or opt for the family plan (two adults and up to five children). Each is more expensive than the last, making many people wonder if LifeLock is worth the cost.
For example, LifeLock Ultimate Plus with Norton 360 for a family costs a staggering $48.99 per month (and renews at $81.99/month!).
LifeLock vs. Identity Guard: How do they compare?
LifeLock with Norton 360 offers more digital security features than Identity Guard, but its pricing structure can make it hard to justify in many scenarios.
💡 Related: Identity Guard vs. LifeLock: Which Service Is Better? →
4. IDShield
IDShield is a credit monitoring service that includes identity theft protection with threat alerts backed by an unlimited service guarantee. This means IDShield promises to provide as much time and expertise as you need to resolve your identity theft case.
Why you should choose IDShield as an Identity Guard alternative:
- Social media monitoring alerts you to unauthorized activity on your social accounts
- Credit score tracker lets you plan your financial future securely
- IDShield employs licensed private investigators to help victims recover from fraud
- Offers users digital security tools from Trend Micro
IDShield plans and pricing:
IDShield offers four subscription plans with different levels of credit monitoring and protection.
Here are IDShield’s plans and pricing as of January 2024:
- Individual (one credit bureau monitoring — only TransUnion): $14.95/month
- Individual (three-bureau monitoring): $19.95/month
- Family (one credit bureau monitoring — only TransUnion): $29.95/month
- Family (three-bureau monitoring): $34.95/month
There is no free trial or money-back guarantee advertised on IDShield’s website. There also doesn’t appear to be a simple, automatic way to cancel your membership. To cancel, you have to write to IDShield and wait for the company to respond.
IDShield vs. Identity Guard: How do they compare?
IDShield offers an interesting set of features, but most of its customers choose IDShield for its unlimited fraud resolution service backed by private investigators. Identity Guard offers 24/7 Fraud Resolution to its customers, but doesn’t include private investigators who will try to track down scammers.
If you believe that this type of investigation can help you recover after an attack, IDShield may be worth it.
💡 Related: How To Get 3-Bureau Credit Monitoring (7 Best Options) →
5. Experian IdentityWorks
Experian’s identity theft protection service is called IdentityWorks. Since the company is one of the three major credit reporting bureaus, Experian has a significant advantage in terms of its reputation. Experian already collects and processes your credit file, so it makes sense that it would offer to share that information with you.
Why you should choose Experian IdentityWorks as an Identity Guard alternative:
- Provides FICO credit score data – the same score many lenders use
- Free credit score tracking offered with the free basic account
- Daily credit report and score data provide early warning against fraud
- Experian CreditLock lets you freeze your credit file instantly
Experian IdentityWorks plans and pricing:
Anyone can sign up for Experian IdentityWorks’ free Basic plan and view their credit score. However, Experian keeps most of its valuable identity theft protection features behind its premium plan, available for individuals and families at different price points.
Here are IdentityWorks’ plans and pricing as of January 2024:
- IdentityWorks Basic (Experian credit monitoring only): free
- IdentityWorks Premium (individual): $24.99 per month
- IdentityWorks Premium (family): $34.99 per month
Experian IdentityWorks vs. Identity Guard: How do they compare?
As an Experian service, IdentityWorks unsurprisingly focuses on credit score monitoring. This may leave users exposed to identity theft scams that don’t rely on credit – like criminal identity theft. Identity Guard is a better choice for people who want all-around protection that includes real-time credit report monitoring and additional digital security tools.
6. IdentityIQ
IdentityIQ is an all-in-one digital security service that combines credit monitoring, online security tools, and identity theft protection. It’s partnered with BitDefender, which provides users with a secure VPN service and Dark Web monitoring.
Why you should choose IdentityIQ as an Identity Guard alternative:
- It includes comprehensive digital protection from service providers like BitDefender
- The Basic plan is one of the most affordable options on the market
- Additional services include lost wallet assistance, SSN notifications, and more
- You can opt out of physical and digital junk mail
IdentityIQ plans and pricing:
IdentityIQ offers several plans depending on the level of protection you want — especially when it comes to credit monitoring and simulators.
Here are IdentityIQ’s plans and pricing as of January 2024:
- Secure (with Bitdefender): $8.99 per month
- Secure Plus (with Bitdefender): $11.99 per month
- Secure Pro (with Bitdefender): $21.99 per month
- Secure Max (with Bitdefender): $32.99 per month
IdentityIQ vs. Identity Guard: How do they compare?
IdentityIQ offers a decent low-cost alternative to Identity Guard, but comes with steep limitations. If you’re concerned about the risk of identity theft and want comprehensive reporting from all three credit bureaus, you’ll need a more complete set of services.
IdentityIQ’s higher tier options may be ideal for individuals who want total protection, but these won’t scale well if you want to protect your whole family.
💡 Related: Is Identity Theft Protection Worth It In 2024? →
7. PrivacyGuard
PrivacyGuard lets you keep an eye on your credit report and also provides extensive identity theft protection. It includes features like password management, secure browsing tools, and antivirus protection — but only on its highest-level tier.
Since its features differ widely from one tier to the next, PrivacyGuard lets users customize the level of identity theft protection they’d like to have. This can be confusing, but also makes it easier to avoid overpaying for services you don’t want.
Why you should choose PrivacyGuard as an Identity Guard alternative:
- Highly customizable tiers let you pick the services you want most
- Comprehensive credit and identity theft monitoring
- Basic plan offers ID theft protection essentials
- Affordable pricing, especially for lower-tier subscriptions
- Monthly credit subscription with no annual minimum requirement
PrivacyGuard plans and pricing:
PrivacyGuard offers low-cost protection against identity theft with three subscription tiers.
Here are PrivacyGuard’s plans and pricing as of January 2024:
- Identity Protection: Starts from $9.99/month
- Credit Protection: Starts from $19.99/month
- Total Protection: Starts from $24.99/month
You can start a two-week trial for any plan for only $1. You’ll need to purchase the mid-tier Credit Protection service to get credit report data from all three major credit bureaus.
PrivacyGuard vs. Identity Guard: How do they compare?
PrivacyGuard is an excellent choice for people who want low-cost credit reporting data and customizable access to other tools and features. Its higher-tier plans don’t compare as favorably with Identity Guard, however. If you want complete protection, you may be better served by an alternative service.
🛡 Ready to safeguard your family’s digital identity? Identity Guard’s family plans protect up to five adults and unlimited children against scammers, hackers, and identity thieves. Save up to 33% when you sign up for Identity Guard today.
Is Identity Theft Protection Worth It?
Some people criticize identity theft protection services, arguing that you are paying for services that you can perform on your own. And in many cases, this is true.
Everyone can monitor their credit files, check the Dark Web for data breaches containing their information, and freeze accounts when unauthorized activity occurs.
Here are some of the ways that you can protect yourself from identity theft right now:
- Set strong, unique passwords for every account that you own. Sharing passwords between accounts makes it easy for hackers to steal your identity. If one service suffers a data breach, cybercriminals can simply reuse stolen login details for other services and gain deeper access to your personal life.
- Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) on every account that supports it. Dual-factor authentication keeps hackers out of your accounts even when they know your password. For the best security, use an authenticator app like Google Authenticator instead of verifying your logins via SMS.
- Check your credit file and learn how to freeze it. You can get a free copy of your credit report by visiting AnnualCreditReport.com. Review your credit file, and find out how to freeze your credit in response to unrecognized activity.
- Remove unnecessary information from your social media accounts. Scammers can use the information that you post online against you in many ways. For example, they may impersonate businesses you recently contacted or pretend to represent locations you’ve visited.
- Learn how to identify phishing scams. Never click on suspicious links or attachments forwarded or sent from people you don’t know and trust. Many malware scams start with a seemingly harmless message from an unknown contact.
Few people have the luxury of devoting extensive time to securing their digital lives. Services like Identity Guard do the work for you — giving you peace of mind so that you don’t have to constantly worry about your safety and all the new scams that cybercriminals are running.
The Bottom Line: Make the Best Choice for 2024
As losses from identity fraud continue to climb, it’s becoming more important for people to safeguard their sensitive data. Identity Guard is a great option for many people, but it’s not the only service that can protect you from identity theft.
For decades, many people have relied on Identity Guard to keep their data safe, and it remains a solid choice in 2024. Award-winning identity theft protection with three-bureau credit monitoring — and $1 million in insurance coverage against identity theft — ensure that your data is well-protected from a wide range of threats and scams.
