SafeHome.org may receive compensation from some providers listed on this page. Learn More
We may receive compensation from some providers listed on this page. Learn More
A plan for every budget, with an impressive list of identity protection features
The global health crisis sent identity thieves into overdrive. Not only have fraudsters increased their activities, they’ve developed new vectors of attack.1
According to most recent reports, Americans have lost at least $52 billion to identity fraud in 2021 alone, driven mostly by thieves who targeted stimulus funds that many received from the government. 2
Meanwhile, in 2022, the Identity Theft Resource Center reported an increase of 14-percent in data breaches during the first quarter, compared to the number of data breaches from the same time period last year.3These numbers show that identity theft, and one of its root causes — data breaches — continue to be huge problems in the United States.
Based on these numbers, it’s only logical to fortify our identity security now more than ever. One of the best ways to do so is by signing up with a reputable identity theft protection service such as the likes of IdentityIQ.
I tested IdentityIQ before the pandemic, and I recently tested it again this year. Much to my delight, nothing much about the quality of its protection has changed. If anything, it has improved. Just on April 26, it opened its third and newest office in Florida that houses its in-house call center operations, showing its commitment to customer service.
Overall, I’d say that IdentityIQ isn’t the perfect identity protection service, but it continues to impress. So if you want to learn more about the service, read on as we break down the plans and pricing structures of IdentityIQ to see if it’s the right service for you.
Did You Know? Identity theft protections can get pretty specialized. Are you looking to protect your little ones? Check out our guide to the best identity theft protections for children.
IdentityIQ’s top-tier plan offers some of the most comprehensive coverage out there. For reference, check out our review of IdentityForce, or our in-depth look at NortonLifeLock — two of our top-ranked services. The only thing missing here, really, is a robust financial monitoring function — you’ll only get checking account reports and that’s all — but that’s easily forgiven when you take note of everything else in the mix.
Check out more recommendations from the SafeHome team:
One thing that really stands out about IdentityIQ’s pricing structure is its tiered approach. IdentityIQ offers multiple tiers of service — there are four, to be exact — and each tier has varying price points and features. This lets you pick out the best service for you without compromising your budget. On top of that, IdentityIQ partnered up with Bitdefender to offer the Total Security antivirus plan for just a couple of extra bucks per month when purchased with an Identity IQ plan.
Anti-malware backs up IdentityIQ’s monitoring features to provide proactive protection against identity thieves. With so many fraudsters resorting to the use of malware to steal valuable information stored in computers, combining the two services puts you in a good position to defend yourself and your identity. But don’t worry; the anti-malware offer from IdentityIQ is completely optional, so if you already have software for that, you’re not obliged to buy from IdentityIQ. That being said, at only about $2 to $3 per month when purchased with an IdentityIQ plan, it makes a lot of financial sense to bundle.
Service | Secure | Secure Plus | Secure Pro | Secure Max |
---|---|---|---|---|
Credit Monitoring | Single-Bureau | Single-Bureau | Triple-Bureau | Triple-Bureau |
Credit Reports | No | Annual | Biannual | Monthly |
Credit Score Tracker | No | No | No | Yes |
Credit Score Simulator | No | No | No | Yes |
Enhanced Credit Report Monitoring | No | No | Yes | Yes |
Crimes In Your Name Alerts | No | No | Yes | Yes |
Score Change Alerts | No | No | Yes | Yes |
Social Security Number Monitoring | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Dark Web Monitoring | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Monthly Cost | $6.99 per month | $9.99 per month | $19.99 per month | $29.99 per month |
Monthly Cost with Bitdefender Total Security | $8.99 per month | $11.99 per month | $21.99 per month | $32.99 per month |
Yearly Cost (15% savings) | $71.30 per year | $101.90 per year | $203.90 per year | $305.90 per year |
Yearly Cost with Bitdefender (15% savings) | $91.70 per year | $122.30 per year | $224.30 per year | $336.50 per year |
That chart might be a little confusing, so let’s break it down even further.
With the most basic plan — Secure — you’re going to pay $6.99 per month for bare-bones coverage. This is a great entry point, but it’s likely that you’re going to see some gaps in your coverage. You’re going to get the basics like dark web monitoring and Social Security number alerts, but the Secure plan only offers single-bureau credit monitoring and none of the bells and whistles like crime-in-your-name alerts. For reference, a comparable plan from Zander Insurance lacks credit monitoring entirely, so IdentityIQ’s entry-level plan is not bad at all.
For $3 more per month, you’ll get additional access to your credit reports from the three credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. This could further help you spot signs of identity theft, such as unauthorized credit pulls, wrong information, and new credit lines that you didn’t open. That being said, like the Secure plan, it only monitors one credit bureau on a daily basis, and the other protections are just as basic as the previous plan. Given that, we don’t think it offers enough features over the Secure plan to warrant the $3 monthly difference.
FYI: You’re entitled to one free credit report every year from each credit bureau, regardless of whether you have identity theft protection or not. Visit www.annualcreditreport.com to claim yours.
Moving up to the next rung will cost you $10 more for a total of $19.99 per month, but here we start getting into truly comprehensive coverage. You’ll have access to two credit reports per year, triple-bureau credit monitoring, and see the benefits of more advanced, nuanced protections.
Finally, we have the marquee service — Secure Max. This includes everything IdentityIQ has to offer including monthly credit reports, a credit score tracking tool, advanced protections, and enhanced monitoring. All this functionality will cost you, though. It’s $29.99 per month — on par with some of the most expensive services out there.
With all this in mind, it begs the question — which IdentityIQ plan packs the most punch?
This is the question that is asked most often in any discussion about an identity theft protection service. I get it — you want the biggest bang for your buck. The simple answer is to go with the top tier of service since that always offers the best protections. But then again, not everyone is looking to spend $30 per month for every imaginable protection under the sun.
FYI: It pays to comparison shop when you’re looking for protections. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of the best identity theft protection services. Check it out — it’s a great place to start your search.
So here’s what I recommend …
The Secure service tier is seriously inexpensive, and Secure Plus is also really reasonable. Start there to get a feel for how IdentityIQ works, and to see if you even like the service. Then, after a few weeks, you’ll get a feel for what protections and tools you might be lacking. Once you have that understanding, upgrade to Secure Pro or Secure Max. You might decide you need the full suite of offerings, or you might decide you can do without a few. Either way, you’ll be fully protected from a functional standpoint.
While you’re testing the waters, we also recommend starting off with a monthly plan. They are more flexible, allowing you to downgrade or upgrade your plan while you figure out the perfect fit. Then, once you’re settled, upgrade to an annual plan to save up to 15-percent as compared to the monthly plan.
So, here’s the part where I’d normally tell you that you can try at least one tier of service risk-free for a week or so, but unfortunately — no such luck with IdentityIQ. You’re going to have to buy the ticket to take the ride.
Unfortunately, once you bought the ticket, there’s no going back. Even though most of its competitors offer money-back guarantees up to 30 days, IdentityIQ does not offer refunds. That’s one thing to keep in mind. It’s not exactly a deal-breaker, but before committing to an annual plan, make sure you like the service.
That said, you may be able to get discounts from IdentityIQ, particularly around Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Also, we always post about deals when we hear about them, so it pays to check back here as you’re shopping around. Don’t wait too long, though. The best time to purchase protection is today.
One thing I really like is the way IdentityIQ has structured their subscription plans regarding their options. A lot of times services will give you two choices: their stripped-down cheaper version, or their full-blown service for full price; there’s no middle ground. With IdentityIQ, you really have an opportunity to see which features and functions you need, and pay only for those as you go. It’s the next best thing to à la carte service.
That said, you’re going to fork over quite a bit of cash if you want full access to everything IdentityIQ has to offer. And even then, it’s still missing some pretty important functionality that other services with a similar price provide like financial account monitoring. If this isn’t critically important to you, then it’s not something to worry about, but it’s certainly something to consider while comparison shopping.
Did You Know? Here at SafeHome.org, we offer a tool that can help you compare identity theft protection services. Check it out!
Ultimately, IdentityIQ is an extremely powerful service that will get the job done when it counts. Are there more affordable options on the market? Certainly. Will you get as comprehensive a defense posture if you go with one of them? Probably not.
IdentityIQ offers four protection plans. Secure — their most basic — costs $6.99 per month. Secure Plus costs $9.99. Secure Pro runs $19.99, and Secure Max — their premier service — costs $29.99.
Yes, but only for the Secure Pro and Secure Max tiers of service. Secure and Secure Plus only offer single-bureau protection.
Yes, all of IdentityIQ’s tiers of service offer dark web monitoring.
No, IdentityIQ does not currently offer financial account monitoring.
Yes, IdentityIQ provides access to a team of qualified restoration specialists if your identity is stolen, and up to $1 million in fraud insurance on select plans.
PNC. (2020, September 17). The Startling Rise of Fraud and Identity Theft During the Coronavirus Pandemic.
https://www.pnc.com/insights/personal-finance/protect/the-startling-rise-of-fraud-and-identity-theft-during-coronavirus-pandemic.html
Morales, C. (September 23, 2020). Americans Have Lost $145 Million to Coronavirus Fraud. The New York Times.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/23/us/coronavirus-scams-ftc-reports.html
Skiba, K. (2021, February 5). Pandemic Proves to Be Fertile Ground for Identity Thieves. AARP.
https://www.aarp.org/money/scams-fraud/info-2021/ftc-fraud-report-identity-theft-pandemic.html