The costs of the services mentioned below are up-to-date at the time of publication.
Credit monitoring services can help protect your personal and financial information from hackers and identity theft. A credit monitoring service provides an additional alert system by watching over your credit, offering alerts, scanning the dark web for your information and more.
To determine which credit monitoring services are the best, CNBC Select compared over a dozen services offering a variety of free and premium plans that provide different levels of credit protection. Free services generally come with limited coverage while premium services offer extensive protection. (See our methodology for more information on how we chose the best credit monitoring services.)
Best credit monitoring services
Compare credit repair options
Best free credit monitoring services
If you don’t want to pay for a credit monitoring service, you can consider one of these free options. While there are many benefits to signing up for a free service, including regular credit score updates, you won’t have access to triple-bureau credit monitoring and identity theft insurance, among other premium perks.
Best for VantageScore access
CreditWise® from Capital One
Information about CreditWise has been collected independently by Select and has not been reviewed or provided by Capital One prior to publication.
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Cost
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Credit bureaus monitored
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Credit scoring model used
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Dark web scan
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Identity insurance
Who’s this for? CreditWise from Capital One is a free credit monitoring service that doesn’t require you to enter a credit card number to sign up and provides a great range of features. Plus, it’s open to anyone — regardless of whether you’re a Capital One cardholder.
Standout benefits: Unlike other free services, CreditWise offers dark web scanning and Social Security number tracking. As an added tool, you can use the credit score simulator to check the potential effect that certain actions, such as paying off debt or closing a credit card, may have on your credit score.
Best for FICO Score access
Experian Dark Web Scan + Credit Monitoring
On Experian’s secure site
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Cost
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Credit bureaus monitored
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Credit scoring model used
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Dark web scan
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Identity insurance
Who’s this for? Experian offers a free credit monitoring service that allows you to sign up without providing a credit card number. You’ll receive real-time alerts about new inquiries and accounts opened in your name, changes to your personal information and suspicious activity detected on your Experian credit report.
Standout benefits: Experian offers a variety of some similar features to what you find in the premium Experian IdentityWorks plans (more below), making this a great no-cost alternative. Upon sign-up, you receive a one-time dark web surveillance report that searches over 600,000 web pages for your Social Security number, email or phone number. In addition to credit monitoring, you can take advantage of *Experian Boost®, which lets you add positive payments for phone and utility bills to your Experian credit file, potentially increasing your FICO® Score.
Best paid credit monitoring services
If you want a more comprehensive credit monitoring plan, consider one of the paid plans below. By paying a monthly fee, you’ll get more all-encompassing protection, including triple-bureau credit monitoring, extensive fraud alerts and identity theft insurance up to $1 million — which aren’t available with free plans.
Best for families
Aura
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Cost
Individual plan: $9/month billed annually or $12/month billed monthly; Couple plan: $17/month billed annually or $20/month billed monthly; Family plan: $25/month billed annually or $30/month billed monthly
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Standout features
Protects against financial fraud, identity theft, spam calls, online theft, phishing and scam websites, viruses and malware, as well as offering security tailored to kids and financial alerts like credit score monitoring
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Availability
Offered in both the App Store (for iOS) and on Google Play (for Android)
Pros
- Extensive security offerings that provide protection from hackers and online predators
- Credit score monitoring and access to credit report
- Discount if choose to bill annually versus monthly
- 14-day free trial and, on all annual plans, 60-day money-back guarantee
- Offers couple and family plans
Cons
- Costs for whichever plan you choose
Who’s this for? Aura has plans specific to couples and families, which not all services do. Family-oriented features include family alert sharing, parental controls, video gaming with cyberbullying alerts and child identity protection with Social Security number alerts.
Standout benefits: Aura stands out for its white-glove fraud resolution team that walks you through resolving any identity theft or fraud incident, its email alias generation to hide your email address, its automated child sex offender geo-alerts, all in addition to three-bureau credit monitoring alerts and monthly VantageScore access.
Best for extensive features
IdentityForce®
On IdentityForce®’s secure site.
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Cost
UltraSecure Individual: $19.90 per month or $199.90 per year; UltraSecure+Credit Individual: $34.90 per month or $349.90 per year; UltraSecure Family: $24.90 per month or $249.90 per year; UltraSecure+Credit Family: $39.90 per month or $399.90 per year
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Credit bureaus monitored
3-bureau credit monitoring, alerts and reports: Experian, Equifax and TransUnion®, with UltraSecure+Credit Individual and UltraSecure+Credit Family plans only
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Credit scoring model used
VantageScore® 3.0, with UltraSecure+Credit Individual and UltraSecure+Credit Family plans only
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Dark web scan
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Identity theft insurance
Yes, at least $1 million with all plans
Pros
- 3-bureau credit monitoring, alerts and reports
- Free VantageScore® 3.0
- Dark web scanning
- Minimum $1 million identity theft insurance coverage
- Offers family plan
Cons
- Plans start at about $20 per month
- Doesn’t look at FICO® Score
Who’s this for? IdentityForce offers the most extensive security features that monitor your information on various sites and services, including the dark web, court records and social media. (The service checks if your accounts on sites like Facebook, Instagram and X have inappropriate activity that may be perceived as profane or discriminatory.)
Standout benefits: IdentityForce consumers receive alerts for potential fraud on their bank, credit card and investment accounts, as well as the use of their medical ID, Social Security number and address. For a complete credit monitoring and identity protection service, opt for UltraSecure+Credit. This plan provides the added benefit of three-bureau credit monitoring and credit score updates.
Best for credit and identity protection in one
PrivacyGuard®
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Cost
$9.99 to $24.99 per month
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Identity theft insurance
Up to $1 million for Identity Protection and Total Protection plans; none for Credit Protection plan
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Credit monitoring
Total Protection and Credit Protection plans both monitor your Experian, Equifax and TransUnion credit reports; Identity Protection doesn’t offer credit monitoring.
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Mobile app
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Family plan
Pros
- Option to choose the plan that suits you: Credit Protection, Identity Protection or Total Protection
- New users can try any plan for $1 for the first 14 days
Cons
- No family plan
- No identity theft insurance with Credit Protection plan
- Identity Protection plan doesn’t offer triple-bureau credit monitoring
Who’s this for? PrivacyGuard offers three different plans, but one combines the best of both, including daily triple-bureau credit monitoring, monthly credit score and credit report tracking, as well as public and dark web scanning and identity theft insurance.
Standout benefits: PrivacyGuard has well-rounded coverage that includes unique features like a dedicated identity fraud resolution agent, a financial calculator suite, neighborhood reports, emergency travel assistance and medical records reimbursement.
Best for low cost
Experian IdentityWorks℠
On Experian’s secure site
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Cost
Basic: Free; Premium: 7-day trial, after $24.99 per month; Family: 7-day trial, after $34.99 per month
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Credit bureaus monitored
1-bureau credit monitoring, alerts and reports: Experian, with Basic plan only and 3-bureau credit monitoring, alerts and reports: Experian, Equifax and TransUnion®, with Premium and Family plans only
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Credit scoring model used
FICO® Score 8, with all plans
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Dark web scan
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Identity theft insurance
Yes, up to $1 million with all plans
Pros
- Free version available and free trial with paid plans
- 3-bureau credit monitoring, alerts and reports
- Free FICO® Score 8
- Dark web scanning
- Up to $1 million identity theft insurance coverage
Cons
- Pay for more advanced features, starting at about $25 per month
*Identity Theft Insurance underwritten by insurance company subsidiaries or affiliates of American International Group, Inc. (AIG). The description herein is a summary and intended for informational purposes only and does not include all terms, conditions and exclusions of the policies described. Please refer to the actual policies for terms, conditions, and exclusions of coverage. Coverage may not be available in all jurisdictions.
Who’s this for? Experian IdentityWorks offers the most affordable plans, including a basic version for free and free trials on the other two paid plans.
Standout benefits: Experian IdentityWorks’ features across plans include credit monitoring, dark web surveillance, Social Security number and change of address alerts and identity theft insurance.
Best for most accurate credit score
FICO® Basic, Advanced and Premier
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Cost
$29.95 to $39.95 per month
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Credit bureaus monitored
Experian for Basic plan or Experian, Equifax and TransUnion for Advanced and Premier plans
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Credit scoring model used
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Dark web scan
Yes, for Advanced and Premier plans
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Identity insurance
Who’s this for? FICO Scores are used in over 90% of lending decisions, making FICO Advanced the most accurate for credit score updates. While it does offer a free plan, its paid versions provide identity monitoring and the full three-bureau coverage, with a few extra perks.
Standout benefits: All FICO Advanced plans provide up-to-date information on your FICO Score, including scores for credit cards, mortgages and auto loans. Plus, with paid plans, you’ll receive $1 million identity theft insurance and 24/7 access to U.S.-based identity theft experts who can help restore your identity if your information is compromised.
More on our top credit monitoring services
Best credit monitoring services comparison
| Service | Price | Credit bureaus monitored | Identity insurance |
|---|---|---|---|
| CreditWise from Capital One | Free | TransUnion and Experian | No |
| Experian Dark Web Scan + Credit Monitoring | Free | Experian | No |
| Aura | Plans start at $9 per month | Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion | Yes, up to $1 million with all plans |
| IdentityForce® | Plans start at $19.90 per month | Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion | Yes, at least $1 million with all plans |
| PrivacyGuard® | $9.99 to $24.99 per month | Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion | Up to $1 million for Identity Protection and Total Protection plans |
| Experian IdentityWorks℠ | Plans start at $24.99 per month | Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion | Yes, up to $1 million with all plans |
| FICO® Advanced | $29.95 to $39.95 per month | Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion | Yes, up to $1 million |
CreditWise from Capital One
CreditWise is a credit monitoring service offered by Capital One. You don’t need to be a Capital One customer to use Credit Wise, but if you are, CreditWise features are integrated into the Capital One mobile app. Consumers receive an updated VantageScore from TransUnion every week and credit report updates from TransUnion and Experian in real-time.
Cost: Free
Dark web scan: Yes
Identity theft insurance: No
Experian free credit monitoring
Experian free credit monitoring is the complimentary version that credit bureau Experian offers its customers. Users get an updated Experian credit report and FICO Score every 30 days, but may not have access to more advanced features.
Cost: Free
Dark web scan: Only a one-time scan
Identity theft insurance: No
Aura
Aura is one of the more comprehensive tools available, offering identity theft protection, credit protection and other security features for you and your whole family. Aura also has options for parental controls and even a password manager for those wanting more than just credit monitoring.
Cost: $9 to $25 per month when billed annually, $12 to $30 per month when billed monthly
Dark web scan: Yes, with all plans
Identity theft insurance: Yes, at least $1 million with all plans
IdentityForce
IdentityForce is part of TransUnion and offers identity and credit protection, along with credit advice. IdentityForce provides you with bank and credit card activity alerts and offers three-bureau credit monitoring with its UltraSecure + Credit plan.
Cost: $19.90 to $39.90 per month
Dark web scan: Yes, with all plans
Identity theft insurance: Yes, at least $1 million with all plans
PrivacyGuard
PrivacyGuard protects individuals against identity theft. Two of its three plans include credit protection, while its third plan focuses solely on identity protection. PrivacyGuard’s credit protection plans offer 24/7 monitoring with the three major bureaus, and you’ll receive notifications for certain inquiries or changes.
Cost: $9.99 to $24.99 per month
Dark web scan: Yes, with two plans
Identity theft insurance: Yes, $1 million with two plans
Experian IdentityWorks
Experian IdentityWorks is one of the few identity theft protection services we found offering users daily FICO Score and Experian credit report updates. The service offers monthly privacy scans and can help you get personal information removed from some websites.
Cost: $0 to $34.99 per month
Dark web scan: Yes, with all plans
Identity theft insurance: Yes, up to $1 million with all plans
FICO Advanced
FICO Advanced is one of the credit monitoring plans offered by myFICO. It offers a free plan with credit monitoring and your FICO score, plus its paid plans include identity monitoring and three-bureau monitoring.
Cost: $29.95 to $39.95 per month
Dark web scan: No
Identity theft insurance: Yes, $1 million
Is credit monitoring the same as identity theft protection?
Credit monitoring is just one aspect of identity theft protection. It focuses specifically on monitoring suspicious activity on your credit report.
Identity theft protection is usually more comprehensive, monitoring your personal information on the dark web, in any court records, address change requests and more. Many identity theft protection services include identity theft insurance, which can help cover any financial charges related to restoring your identity, including legal fees.
Compare identity theft protection services
What to look for in a credit monitoring service
There are a few common features to look for when choosing a credit monitoring service:
- Reports to all three major credit bureaus
- Offers fraud alerts in real time
- Information is sent to you directly, you don’t have to go looking for it
- Scans the dark web for any sensitive information
Some credit monitoring services may offer additional features, such as built-in dark web surveillance, so you’ll want to consider what fits your needs best. While some free services may be appealing, they may not track all three major credit bureaus.
What a credit monitoring service doesn’t do
While credit monitoring can alert you to potential signs of fraud, it doesn’t actually prevent fraudulent activity from occurring. Here are a few a few things that credit monitor might not be as helpful with:
- Preventing someone from applying for credit or opening new accounts in your name
- Protecting your information from data breaches
- Warning you about phishing attempts or other financial scams
- Fixing any errors on your credit reports
- Guarding your physical card from skimmers or theft
A credit monitoring service can notify you of changes to your credit reports, but pairing it with tools like identity theft protection will help safeguard you further.
FAQs
What is the most accurate way to check your credit score?
Each of the three main credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian and Transunion) are generally considered equally accurate. You are entitled to one free credit report from each of the bureaus per year via annualcreditreport.com.
What are the three main credit monitoring bureaus?
The three main credit monitoring bureaus are Equifax, Experian and TransUnion, and many paid credit monitoring services cover all three.
How much do credit monitoring services cost?
The cost of credit monitoring services varies by company and plan. While there are free options, the top paid plans generally range between $9 and $40 per month.
How do I check my credit score without hurting it?
Why trust CNBC Select?
At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every credit monitoring review is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of credit monitoring products. While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics. See our methodology for more information on how we choose the best credit monitoring services.
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Our methodology
To determine which credit monitoring services offer the most benefits to consumers, CNBC Select analyzed and compared over a dozen services that offer a variety of free and paid plans. We also considered CNBC Select audience data when available, such as general demographics and engagement with our content and tools.
When ranking the best free credit monitoring services, we focused on the following features:
- Number of credit bureaus monitored: Services that monitor credit reports from more than one credit bureau were ranked higher since it’s rare for free services to monitor several reports.
- The credit scoring model used: If users receive updated FICO Scores, the service was ranked higher since lenders use FICO Scores in roughly 90% of lending decisions. We found that the majority of free services use VantageScore.
- Dark web scanning: If the service checks the dark web for your name, social security number, address and other personal information, it was ranked higher.
When ranking the best paid credit monitoring services, we focused on the following features:
- Cost: Lower cost services that offered more benefits ranked higher in our reviews.
- Number of credit bureaus monitored: Services that monitored credit reports from all three credit bureaus, Experian, Equifax and TransUnion, were ranked higher because they offer more holistic coverage.
- The credit scoring model used: Services offering FICO Scores were ranked higher since lenders FICO Scores are more widely used in lending decisions compared to VantageScores.
- Dark web scanning: If your name, social security number, address and other personal information is monitored on the dark web, since it’s hard to monitor this on your own.
- Identity theft insurance: We considered whether the paid services offered identity theft insurance and looked at the amount you’re covered up to. We found that the best services offer up to $1 million for eligible expenses associated with resolving and restoring your identity.
Keep in mind that credit monitoring services can only alert you of changes to your credit file, not fix or prevent any errors.
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To learn more about IdentityForce®, visit their website.
*Results may vary. Some may not see improved scores or approval odds. Not all lenders use Experian credit files, and not all lenders use scores impacted by Experian Boost.
Editorial Note: Opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Select editorial staff’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any third party.