The 5 Best Credit Monitoring Services of 2024
- Best Overall: IdentityForce
- Best Free Credit Monitoring Service: Credit Sesame
- Best Low-Cost Option: Complete ID
- Best for Families: ID Watchdog
- Best for Extra Protections: PrivacyGuard
Best Overall : IdentityForce
- Strong customer reviews
- Daily credit report monitoring
- $1 million in identity theft insurance
- Legal fees and personal expenses not covered by insurance
- Child identity theft coverage is an added cost
- Free trial unavailable
IdentityForce is one of the few companies that has social media monitoring. It will monitor your Meta, X (formerly Twitter), YouTube, and Instagram accounts for inappropriate or bullying activity. It also has online anti-phishing and anti-keylogging software to protect you when you shop online.
If your identity is compromised, you’re covered by $1 million in identity theft insurance and have access to recovery specialists 24 hours a day, seven days a week via phone at 877-694-3367. The specialists can help you navigate the recovery process. They will complete the necessary paperwork and make phone calls on your behalf, saving you time. The UltraSecure+Credit plan isn’t eligible for a free trial. The cost is $23.99 per month or $239.90 per year with two months free on annual plans.Best Free Credit Monitoring Service : Credit Sesame
- Completely free service
- $1 million in identity theft insurance
- Daily credit monitoring alerts
- Credit monitoring must be manually activated
- Only shares information from one credit bureau
- No Social Security monitoring
Best Low-Cost Option : Complete ID
- Affordable price
- Up to $1 million in identity theft insurance
- Monitoring of all three credit bureaus
- Only available to Costco members
- Credit reports only available on an annual basis
- Scores updated annually
Best for Families : ID Watchdog
- Family plan covers two adults and up to four children
- Online child credit locks for minors
- Up to $1 million reimbursement for stolen 401(k)/HSA funds with Platinum membership
- Parent company is Equifax, which has been the victim of a data breach
- Only yearly access to three credit reports and credit scores
Unfortunately, you should be aware that Equifax was part of a data breach in 2017, so some people lost confidence in the company’s security. However, Equifax has settled with the Federal Trade Commission for $575 million and has vowed to increase its security efforts.
Best for Extra Protections : PrivacyGuard
- $1 trial for 14 days
- Monthly three-bureau credit reports and scores
- Features like secure keyboard and browser apps for added security
- Not rated by TrustPilot
- Family plans not available
- Not available to residents of Iowa, Rhode Island, and Vermont
Frequently Asked Questions
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Unfortunately, identity theft is incredibly common and criminals can use your information to open up credit cards or take out loans in your name. In fact, Javelin’s 2021 Identity Fraud Study found that identity fraud scams cost U.S. citizens $43 billion in losses in 2020. Credit monitoring can help you learn about suspicious activity before criminals further abuse your personal information.