By: Hailey | Last updated May 10, 2019 
Identity theft protection services are a necessity nowadays. This is because most of our information is now stored online. This is why cases of identity theft and fraud continuously rise every year. The data involved in cases like this may range from bank account numbers, credit data, names, and the likes. Once these are used for malicious activities, thousands of dollars in damages are to be expected.
Identity theft protection services serve as an active watcher of your account. They secure it by constantly monitoring the internet for any signs of anyone using your information for different purposes. LifeLock and Experian are among the best known. Both offer unique features and innovation to better help their customers. These include credit checking, constant monitoring, insurance policies, and others.
Among the two, LifeLock uses Equifax as a credit bureau for their credit reports. Experian uses its own database for their credit reports.
Analysis of the two identity theft protection services
- LifeLock
LifeLock is known for their compensations for the damages that one may receive after having their identities stolen. What makes them unique is that they offer this even for plans that are the most basic. The standard plan has $25,000, the advantage plan has $100,000, and the Ultimate Plus plan offers up to $1 million. These are inclusive of another $1,000,000 for legal fees and the likes. This makes it easier to trust their services.
They can also monitor the dark web to see if there is a case of your identity being used. This is because most of the transactions done here are illegal. Aside from this, they also offer real-time alert for any suspicious activities linked to your account and credit monitoring. Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian are all credit bureaus linked to LifeLock.
Their customer support is available 24/7. This is a big advantage from other services as an identity theft must immediately be reported before any major damage is done against you. Having readily available customer support also ensures that users will be able to immediately voice out concerns and questions in relation to their service.
They do not offer free trials, though, which may make it harder for some to trust their service. They also don’t have ID vaults for you to store passwords in. They also don’t offer FICO scores for those wanting to know their credit scores.
Their payment plans are quite budget-friendly. It ranges from $9.99 to $29.99. This depends upon the number of people involved in your plan. Norton security can also be installed for up to five devices. Lifelock Junior, their plan for children, is available for an additional $5.99.
- Experian
Experian is an easy choice for most because the company is also a credit bureau. This makes it easier to report cases of identity theft as they will also have a hands-on relation to activities in relation to your account. Users can see their credit scores through Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax. Protection for your Social Security number, black market monitoring, FICO scoring, and non-credit loan alerts are reported for you to see. You can either verify or report them.
They also do not offer 24/7 customer service.
Their plans start at $9.99 for their IdentityWorks Plus plan. $19.99 is charged for their premium plan. A notable feature for Experian is their option that allows you to add up to 10 children to both plans. You can also add two adults. They also offer a 30-day free trial for you to be able to see their services before buying it.
Which is the best identity protection service? Identity Guard, LifeLock, or Experian?
Experian and LifeLock both give affordable plans. However, Experian’s option to add up to ten children to your plan instantly makes them the cheaper option. The number of people that can be added allows users to be more encouraged to protect their children’s identity better. The fact that they are already a credit bureau makes it easier for people to feel more confident in their services. Any cases of identity theft can also be immediately reported since the company itself will have first-hand knowledge of your account. Seeing your FICO scores is also a notable feature.
LifeLock has an advantage with its 24/7 assistance, though, as it is a crucial feature that allows users to be able to instantly report cases of malicious activities in relation to their account. Actions against hackers and thieves can instantly be reported with this service. The compensation that they offer for all of their plans also makes it easier for users to trust them. It is lenient and generous for all plans no matter the price, which shows that they prioritize the well-being of their customers.
In the end, Experian is the best for those who want a cheaper service that can accommodate more users. It is also best for those who want to have more confidence in terms of handling cases of identity theft in relation to credit as the service is a credit bureau itself. Those who want to prioritize 24/7 customer service and assistance should go with LifeLock instead. Another good factor that may make you want to choose LifeLock is their generous compensations for damages that you may get from identity theft. This makes it easier for customers to get the service for the sake of being insured in the future.
