Identity theft affected over 15 million Americans last year, with losses exceeding $50 billion. As our digital footprint expands, identity theft protection has become essential—not optional. We compared the three leading services to help you choose the right protection.

🎙️ Related Podcast: The Identity Crackdown: Escaping the Digital Prison

Quick Comparison

FeatureAuraLifeLockIdentity Guard
Starting Price$12/mo$11.99/mo$8.99/mo
Credit Monitoring3 bureaus1-3 bureaus3 bureaus
Dark Web Monitoring✅✅✅
VPN Included✅✅ (Norton)❌
Password Manager✅✅ (Norton)❌
Insurance$1M-$5M$25K-$1M$1M
Family Plans✅✅✅

Aura: Best All-in-One Protection

Aura has quickly become our top pick for comprehensive identity protection. Rather than just monitoring, Aura provides a complete digital security suite.

What’s Included:

  • Identity monitoring: SSN, credit, dark web, court records
  • Credit monitoring: All 3 bureaus with score tracking
  • Financial monitoring: Bank accounts, investments
  • VPN: Unlimited devices
  • Password manager: Full-featured
  • Antivirus: Real-time protection
  • Parental controls: Content filtering and screen time
  • $1M-$5M insurance: Depending on plan

Pricing:

  • Individual: $12/month
  • Couple: $22/month
  • Family (5 adults + kids): $37/month

Pros:

  • Most comprehensive feature set
  • Clean, modern interface
  • Fast fraud alerts (near real-time)
  • Includes VPN and password manager
  • Excellent mobile apps

Cons:

  • Pricier than basic monitoring services
  • Newer company (less track record)

Rating: 4.8/5

LifeLock: Most Established Brand

LifeLock (now part of Norton) has been protecting identities since 2005. Their integration with Norton’s security suite adds significant value.

What’s Included:

  • Identity monitoring: Comprehensive coverage
  • Credit monitoring: 1 bureau (Standard) to 3 bureaus (Ultimate Plus)
  • Norton 360: Antivirus, VPN, password manager (with Norton plans)
  • Dark web monitoring: Alerts when your info appears
  • Social media monitoring: Scan for account takeovers
  • $25K-$1M insurance: Depending on plan

Pricing:

  • Standard: $11.99/month (limited features)
  • Advantage: $19.99/month
  • Ultimate Plus: $29.99/month (best value)
  • Norton 360 bundles also available

Pros:

  • Most established reputation
  • Norton security integration
  • Strong customer service
  • Proven track record with insurance claims

Cons:

  • Feature-limited at lower tiers
  • Can be confusing which plan to choose
  • Norton suite is separate purchase unless bundled

Rating: 4.5/5

Identity Guard: Best Budget Option

Identity Guard offers solid protection at competitive prices, making it ideal for cost-conscious consumers.

What’s Included:

  • Identity monitoring: SSN, dark web, address changes
  • Credit monitoring: 3 bureaus on all plans
  • IBM Watson AI: Analyzes threats intelligently
  • Safe browsing tools: Chrome extension
  • $1M insurance: On all plans

Pricing:

  • Value: $8.99/month
  • Total: $19.99/month
  • Ultra: $29.99/month

Pros:

  • Most affordable entry point
  • 3-bureau monitoring on all plans
  • IBM Watson AI technology
  • $1M insurance standard

Cons:

  • No VPN included
  • No password manager
  • Less comprehensive than Aura

Rating: 4.3/5

What to Look For in Identity Protection

Must-Have Features:

  1. Credit monitoring: All 3 bureaus (Experian, Equifax, TransUnion)
  2. Dark web monitoring: Alerts when your data appears in breaches
  3. Identity theft insurance: At least $1M coverage
  4. Real-time alerts: Fast notification of suspicious activity

Nice-to-Have Features:

  • VPN for secure browsing
  • Password manager
  • Social media monitoring
  • Lost wallet assistance
  • Tax fraud protection

Our Recommendation

For most people: Aura offers the best combination of comprehensive protection and modern features. The all-in-one approach (identity + VPN + password manager + antivirus) simplifies your security stack.

For Norton users: LifeLock integrates seamlessly and provides excellent protection if you’re already in the Norton ecosystem.

For budget-conscious users: Identity Guard delivers solid core protection at the lowest price point.

The Bottom Line

In 2025, identity theft protection isn’t paranoia—it’s prudent. With data breaches becoming weekly news, proactive monitoring can save you months of headaches and thousands in losses. All three services offer free trials or money-back guarantees, so you can test before committing.

The average identity theft victim spends 200+ hours resolving the damage. Prevention costs far less than recovery.