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6 Best Credit Monitoring Services of 2023
By Nathan Mahr MONEY RESEARCH COLLECTIVE
$17.99/month
X
$1 million
24/7
$19.95/month
✔
$1 million
24/7
$9.99/month
X
$1 million
24/7
$19.95/month
X
$1 million
24/7
$19.99/month
✔
$1 million
24/7
Trying to keep track of your credit score and report can feel like a game of cat and mouse. If you’re not vigilant, it can be easy for things to slip through the cracks. According to a survey by Consumer Reports, one-third of Americans found at least one error on their credit report when they checked. And in 2021 alone, nearly 1.4 million reports of identity theft were filed with the Federal Trade Commission.
So what can you do to keep an eye on your credit? One option is to sign up for a credit monitoring service. Read on to find out our picks for the best credit monitoring services of 2023.
Our Top Picks for Best Credit Monitoring Services in 2023
- Best Value: IdentityForce
- Best for Identity Restoration: IDShield
- Best for Comprehensive Protection: PrivacyGuard
- Best for Accuracy: myFICO
- Best for Free Credit Monitoring: Credit Sesame
- Best for Families: Experian IdentityWorks
Best Credit Monitoring Services Reviews
Credit monitoring services offer you peace of mind by keeping a daily watch on your credit report and alerting you if anything changes. But with so many services to choose from, how do you know which one is right for you? We’ve done the research to help narrow down your options.
Best Value: IdentityForce
Why we chose it: We rated IdentityForce as the credit monitoring service that provides the most bang for your buck because it offers an unusually wide range of features at an affordable price.
For $23.99 a month, you get all the essential features you need to protect your identity: daily credit monitoring, dark web surveillance, online PC protection tools, a password manager, and access to the mobile app. The company also monitors all three major credit report agencies, which is essential for getting an accurate picture of your credit health. Best of all, IdentityForce offers unbeatable customer support, with representatives available 24/7 to help you resolve any problems.
We were also impressed with the positive reviews Identity Force received on TrustPilot. With an average rating of 4.6 and over 800 reviews, it’s clear their customers find the service valuable and worth the investment.
| UltraSecure | UltraSecure + Credit | UltraSecure + Credit Family | |
| Subscription fee | $17.99/month | $23.99/month | $26.90/month |
| Annual Price | $179.90 | $239.90 | $269.90 |
| Triple-bureau credit monitoring | X | ✔ | ✔ |
| Credit score tracking | X | ✔ | ✔ |
| Dark web monitoring | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| $1 million identity theft insurance | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| ChildWatch ID for unlimited children | X | X | ✔ |
Best for Identity Restoration: IDShield
Why we chose it: IDShield is one of the few credit monitoring services that offer full-service identity restoration. If you become a victim of identity theft, a dedicated, licensed private investigator will handle your case and help you to clean up whatever damage the theft of your personally identifying information may have caused. This peace of mind is priceless, and it’s why we think IDShield is the best choice for protecting your identity.
- Competitive pricing
- Unlimited identity restoration services
- 30-day free trial
- Includes social media monitoring
- The most basic plan only monitors one credit report
- No discounts on annual plans
IDShield also covers up to $1 million in expenses and legal fees due to fraud. So if the worst should happen, you can rest assured you’re protected financially. The company also provides medical theft detection, which not many competitors offer. This feature can prevent your medical records from being sold on the dark web or used to commit insurance fraud.
There are two plans available for everyday consumers: an individual plan and a family plan. If you own a business and need top-notch cyber protection, you can upgrade to the business plan, which starts at $79.95 a month. The company also provides a 30-day free trial where you can test the service and decide whether it’s worth the investment.
| Individual Plan | Family Plan | |
| 1 Credit bureau monitoring | $14.95/month | $29.95/month |
| 3 Credit bureau monitoring | $19.95/month | $34.95/month |
| Coverage | Account holder | Account holder, spouse, and up to 10 dependent children |
| Identity theft insurance | $1 million | $1 million |
| Credit monitoring & alerts | ✔ | ✔ |
| Identity restoration services | ✔ | ✔ |
Best for Comprehensive Protection: PrivacyGuard
Why we chose it: If you’re looking for a service that provides comprehensive credit monitoring and identity protection, PrivacyGuard’s Total Protection plan may be a great option to consider.
- 14-day trial for $1
- Identify theft protection starts at just $9.99/month
- All credit monitoring plans include triple-bureau report tracking
- Access to the Privacy Guard app
- No family plans
- No online chat support
In addition to 24/7 three-bureau credit monitoring, the Total Protection plan goes above and beyond to monitor your passport, driver’s license, bank account, social security number, and more.
At $24.99 a month, Total Protection provides an extensive list of benefits that aren’t typically included in other standard credit monitoring services. These include a secure browser and keyboard to safeguard your internet surfing and neighborhood reports to alert you about risks in your area.
| Identity Protection | Credit Protection | Total Protection | |
| Monthly fee | $9.99/month | $19.99/month | $24.99/month |
| Triple-bureau credit score tracking | X | ✔ | ✔ |
| Triple-bureau credit report monitoring | X | ✔ | ✔ |
| Credit score simulator | X | ✔ | ✔ |
| $1 million identity theft insurance | ✔ | X | ✔ |
| Dark web Scanning | ✔ | X | ✔ |
| Access to the Privacy Guard App | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Best for Accuracy: myFICO
Why we chose it: myFICO is the consumer division of FICO — the company that first developed the credit scoring system. Since 90% of lenders use FICO scores to gauge consumers’ creditworthiness, it makes sense that myFICO is the most accurate place to get updates on your score.
- US-based customer support
- Relatively accurate credit score updates
- Provides access to an education center to learn about credit
- No free trial
- The Basic plan doesn't include identity monitoring
- More expensive than competitors
What makes myFICO even more valuable is its free FICO score simulator. This tool allows you to see how your score could change if you make certain financial choices. For example, if you’re considering taking out a mortgage, you can use the simulator to see how that would affect your FICO score.
Keep in mind that myFICO’s identity monitoring service isn’t as comprehensive as other companies on the list. So if identity restoration or monitoring is your top priority, you might want to consider other options.
| Basic | Advanced | Premier | |
| Subscription fee | $19.95/month | $29.95/month | $39.95/month |
| Bureau coverage | 1 (Experian) | 3 | 3 |
| Credit score monitoring | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| $1 million identity theft insurance | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Update frequency | monthly | quarterly | monthly |
| Identity monitoring | X | ✔ | ✔ |
Best for Free Credit Monitoring : Credit Sesame
Why we chose it: Credit Sesame won our vote for the best free credit monitoring service because it provides an impressive array of features with no strings attached. No need to input your credit card details or make any commitments before signing up.
- 100% free credit monitoring service
- No strings attached
- Includes $50,000 worth of identity insurance
- Only provides access to VantageScore (not FICO score)
- Limited customer support
- Only monitors your TransUnion credit report
Even though the service is free, that doesn’t mean Credit Sesame provides less value than its competitors. Like the other companies’ most basic plans, Credit Sesame’s credit monitoring service also includes real-time alerts, monthly credit score updates, and credit report card analysis.
Note that Credit Sesame’s free plan only monitors your TransUnion credit report. So if you’d like to receive credit updates from all three credit reporting agencies, consider upgrading to their paid service.
| Basic | Premium | |
| Subscription fee | Free | $19.99/month |
| Credit bureaus monitored | TransUnion | TransUnion, Equifax and Experian |
| Daily TransUnion score | ✔ | ✔ |
| Quarterly Equifax and Experian reports | X | ✔ |
| Credit monitoring alerts from all bureaus | X | ✔ |
| Insights to catch errors | X | ✔ |
| Identity theft protection | X | $1 million |
Best for Families: Experian IdentityWorks
Why we chose it: If you’re looking for a comprehensive and affordable credit monitoring service for your family, Experian IdentityWorks ticks both of those boxes. For just $29.99 per month, you can add another adult and up to 10 children under 18 to your IdentityWorks Premium plan.
- Offers more affordable family plans than competitors
- All plans include the credit lock feature
- Uses FICO scores
- Well-design app
- 30-day free trial
- The basic plan only monitors Experian credit report
- 3-bureau FICO scores update quarterly instead of monthly
The IdentityWorks Premium plan is a fraction of the cost of other services that offer the same benefits. All family members can receive extensive identity protection services, including dark web surveillance, social network monitoring, fraud resolution, SSN tracing and more.
Experian IdentityWorks offers a variety of other features that help you protect and monitor your credit. For example, all plans give you access to Experian CreditLock — a feature that allows you to easily lock and unlock your credit file while on the go.
| Identity Works Plus (one adult) | Identity Works Premium (one adult) | Identity Works Plus (one adult + 10 kids) | Identity Works Premium (one adult + 10 kids) | Identity Works Plus (two adults + 10 kids) | Identity Works Premium (two adults + 10 kids) | |
| Subscription fee | $9.99/month | $19.99/month | $14.99/month | $24.99/month | $19.99/month | $29.99/month |
| Credit bureaus monitored | Experian | Experian Equifax TransUnion | Experian | Experian Equifax TransUnion | Experian | Experian Equifax TransUnion |
| Child identity protection | X | X | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Identity theft insurance | $500k | $1 million | $500k | $1 million | $500k | $1 million |
| 3-bureau credit score updates | X | Quarterly | X | Quarterly | X | Quarterly |
| Experian CreditLock | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Other companies we considered
After careful consideration, we decided that the credit monitoring services below didn’t quite make the cut. Nevertheless, they might still be worth checking out.
- Offers family plans
- Comprehensive identity protection features
- Up to $1 million in identity theft insurance
- No free trial
- Poor app user experience
- Tracks VantageScore instead of FICO
- Affordable subscription plans
- Robust credit monitoring features
- Is a part of Experian
- Must be a Costco member to sign up
- Low reviews on the App Store and Google Play
- 100% free to use
- Includes dark web scanning
- Weekly credit score updates
- Uses VantageScore and not FICO
- No Equifax or Experian monitoring (only TransUnion)
- Offers free daily credit report updates
- Provides personalized credit advice
- No credit card necessary to sign up
- Uses Vantage Score instead of FICO
- Access to TransUnion report only
- User-friendly account dashboard
- Highly-rated mobile app
- Dark web and data breach monitoring
- Doesn't provide FICO scores
- Only offers reports from Equifax and TransUnion
- No insurance options
- No live chat support
Credit Monitoring Services Guide
Whether trying to maintain a good credit score or protect yourself from identity theft, utilizing a credit monitoring service can be a great way to get the peace of mind you need. The following guide outlines how credit monitoring services work, the benefits they provide and the key factors to consider when selecting one.
Main things to know before choosing a credit monitoring service
Four of the most important aspects to consider when selecting a credit monitoring service are the cost, monitoring scope, alerts types and identity theft protection. Each component can significantly affect the service’s value.
Cost
The cost of a credit monitoring service will vary depending on the features you need and the number of people who need monitoring. Generally speaking, services range between around $10 to more than $30 per month, with family plans available in some cases.
Monitoring scope
The monitoring scope of a credit monitoring service is also essential. It defines which credit bureaus and accounts it watches, how often it provides updates, whether it includes social media monitoring and if it offers any credit score and report simulations. If you’re looking for the most comprehensive option, choose one that offers regular credit reports and monitors all three major credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax and TransUnion).
Alerts and notification types
Also worth considering are the alerts and notification types the credit monitoring service provides, as they can help keep you informed of any changes to your credit score or report. Some services offer real-time alerts for changes, such as new accounts opened in your name, major credit score fluctuations and other suspicious activity.
Identity theft protection
Finally, you should compare the identity theft protection features of each credit monitoring service you’re considering. Many services offer up to $1 million in identity theft insurance, access to restoration experts and dark web monitoring.
How does credit monitoring service work?
Credit monitoring services are designed to help you keep track of your credit score and report. They do this by regularly pulling data from major credit bureaus and monitoring your accounts for suspicious activity. They also provide you with alerts and notifications whenever there are changes to your credit score or report that could impact your finances. In addition, some services include additional features such as identity theft protection, social media monitoring and credit score simulations.
What is the average cost of credit monitoring services?
Credit monitoring services vary in price depending on the features offered. Basic plans tend to be more affordable, but they usually lack some of the more advanced features, such as identity theft protection. These plans typically start at around $10 per month.
More expensive plans usually include regular credit score updates from all three major credit bureaus, additional identity theft protection features, social media monitoring and more. These plans can cost anywhere from $20 per month to more than $30 per month.
What are the benefits of credit monitoring services?
Do you want to buy a home, take out a student loan or otherwise be in a position to borrow money? If you do, your credit matters. Pretty much every adult has an incentive to keep an eye on their credit. Having good credit opens the door to borrowing money at lower interest rates. Landlords may even check your credit before deciding to rent to you
The problem is that it’s not just your own actions that influence your credit score. Credit fraud is on the rise. That’s why credit monitoring — whether you do it yourself or hire someone to do it for you — is critically important. Credit monitoring puts you in the know so you can take action to stop fraud and protect your financial position and reputation. In addition, regular monitoring of your credit score and report will help you identify weak areas of your finances so you can make adjustments accordingly.
Aside from the financial benefits, credit monitoring services also typically provide an added layer of protection against identity theft. Furthermore, many services offer access to restoration experts and dark web monitoring so you can be sure your identity is always protected.
In this section, we’ll answer some of the most frequently asked questions about credit monitoring services.
How We Found the Best Credit Monitoring Services
To narrow our list down to the six best credit monitoring services, we looked at three primary factors: cost, variety of features, and customer satisfaction.
Cost: The price tag doesn’t always reflect a service’s value. Nevertheless, we wanted to find an affordable credit monitoring service that provides top-tier value to the average consumer. After all, we don’t want our readers to spend a fortune on a credit monitoring service that doesn’t get the job done.
Variety of features: We gravitated toward services that had a good mix of features, including things like alerts for changes in your credit file, ID theft protection, dark web monitoring, and tools to help improve your overall credit health.
Customer satisfaction: We looked at consumer complaints in the CFPB database to weed out services with many unhappy customers. We also considered customer reviews on reputable third-party rating sites like Trustpilot. Only companies with relatively few customer complaints made it onto our list.
Summary of the Best Credit Monitoring Services of 2023
- Best Value: IdentityForce
- Best for Identity Restoration: IDShield
- Best for Comprehensive Protection: PrivacyGuard
- Best for Accuracy: myFICO
- Best for Free Credit Monitoring: Credit Sesame
- Best for Families: Experian IdentityWorks
Nathan Mahr is a long-form content writer and copywriter with five years of experience working with companies ranging from large finance corporations to small tech startups. His work combines technical accuracy and persuasive copy to create high-quality content that resonates with readers. Aside from writing, Nathan is a dedicated musician and an enthusiastic world traveler. He is passionate about helping to produce content that connects with audiences and drives meaningful action.