LifeLock vs. Identity Guard - Which Identity Theft Protection Service to Choose
In today's world where data breaches and identity thefts are becoming more common, it's essential to take precautions to protect yourself. One of these precautions is to have an identity theft protection service. But with so many services available, how do you choose the right one? In this article, we'll compare two leading identity theft protection services, LifeLock and Identity Guard, to help you make an informed decision.
LifeLock
LifeLock is an identity theft protection service that offers a variety of plans to meet your needs. Its plans start at $9.99 per month and go up to $29.99 per month. With LifeLock, you get an extensive range of services such as credit monitoring, identity theft protection, and alerts, dark web monitoring, and more.
Pros
- LifeLock offers three different plans, making it easy to choose one that fits your budget and needs.
- It provides a 24/7 customer service and support team, ready to assist you in case of any issues.
- LifeLock offers up to $1 million in reimbursement for stolen funds.
Cons
- LifeLock's basic plan doesn't offer credit score monitoring or annual credit reports, which could be a concern if you like to keep tabs on your credit.
Identity Guard
Identity Guard, on the other hand, is another well-known identity theft protection service. It offers three plans, starting at $7.50 per month and going up to $24.99 per month, depending on the features you need. Identity Guard provides a range of services such as dark web monitoring, credit monitoring, and identity theft protection and alerts.
Pros
- Identity Guard offers a mobile app that makes it easy to access your account and check your alerts on the go.
- It provides credit report updates in real-time instead of just once a year, as most other services do.
- Identity Guard offers a risk management report that helps identify possible threats to your information.
Cons
- Identity Guard's basic plan doesn't include credit score monitoring, which could be a disadvantage for some users.
- Its price is higher than other identity theft protection services, including LifeLock.
Comparison
To help you choose between these two identity theft protection services, let's compare them in a table:
Feature | LifeLock | Identity Guard |
---|---|---|
Monthly Cost | $9.99 - $29.99 per month | $7.50 - $24.99 per month |
Credit Monitoring | All plans except the basic | All plans |
Identity Theft Alerts | All plans | All plans |
Dark Web Monitoring | All plans | All plans |
Customer Service | 24/7 | Not specified |
Credit Score Monitoring | Not included in the basic plan | Not included in the basic plan |
Annual Credit Reports | Not included in the basic plan | All plans |
Reimbursement Guarantee | Up to $1 million | Up to $1 million |
As you can see, both services offer similar features, including monitoring credit, identity theft alerts, and dark web monitoring. However, LifeLock offers more comprehensive plans than Identity Guard, including credit score monitoring and annual credit reports. At the same time, Identity Guard provides a mobile app that makes it easy to access your account on the go.
Conclusion
Choosing the right identity theft protection service depends on your budget and needs. Both LifeLock and Identity Guard offer similar features, but with their pros and cons. If you're looking for a budget-friendly option and have a need for real-time updates, Identity Guard could be the better choice. At the same time, if you're concerned about the possibility of identity theft, LifeLock's more extensive range of options might be what you're looking for.
We hope this comparison has been helpful to you, and we wish you the best of luck in avoiding identity theft.
References
LifeLock. (2021). Plans and pricing. LifeLock. https://www.lifelock.com/plans-and-pricing/
Identity Guard. (2021). Plans and pricing. Identity Guard. https://www.identityguard.com/plans-and-pricing