Credit monitoring is a service that lets you know when a change is made to your credit reports. Credit monitoring can help protect your credit health and keep you up to date on any changes that may affect your credit score.
It’s a watchdog when it comes to your credit that makes sure it’s safe. When there is suspicious activity on your credit report, it will alert you so you can protect yourself.
If you receive an alert, you can check to see if the change is correct.
I think credit monitoring is a good idea because not everyone will be eligible for free credit monitoring. Even if you don’t qualify for free credit monitoring, you can still enroll in a credit monitoring service to protect your identity.
Statistics show that there were 14.4 million victims of identity fraud in 2018 – and that’s an eye-popping number (and a good enough reason to invest in credit monitoring).
I want to share with you my list of the best credit monitoring services, as well as what is good about them. You will always be aware of any changes that could affect your financial security if you use these services. If you want to know how to keep your credit safe, read on. It’s important to keep an eye on your credit and take steps to protect it.
Best Credit Monitoring Services
Here are the 9 best credit monitoring services for 2023:
- Credit Karma
- myFico
- Credit Sesame
- Privacy Guard
- IdentityForce
- Identity Guard
- Experian
- TransUnion
- LifeLock
Credit Karma Credit Monitoring
Credit Karma has some pretty cool features and is a free option for credit monitoring. It gives recommendations on how to improve your credit score.
It is great if you want to find out more about your credit score and how to manage your money.
Pros
- Credit Karma is free to use. You can access Credit Karma’s services from anywhere in the world.
- You can get your credit score for free. You can take advantage of the free service to monitor and improve your credit score. You can see your credit factors with the tool.
- Credit Karma has credit summaries from two major credit bureaus. You can use the credit summaries to make more informed decisions about your finances.
- You can monitor your credit score and credit activity by setting up alerts.
Cons
- Credit Karma is free, but it has to make money, so customers are bombarded with ads as they use the tool.
- No Experian score. While Privacy Guard offers credit scores from all three bureaus – Credit Karma doesn’t give you access to your credit report. If you want to view your credit report, you’ll need to contact Experian.
myFICO Credit Monitoring
One of the few that gives you access to credit reports as well as your credit scores is myFICO. The power to take control of your financial future is given to you by myFICO, which provides helpful advice and resources to help you understand your credit reports and scores.
There are three main plans to choose from – FICO Basic (1-Bureau), There are three types of credit reports: FICO Advanced (3-Bureau + quarterly reports), and FICO Premier (3-Bureau + monthly credit reports).
The most affordable credit monitoring service on the market is not the option with credit monitoring across all 3 bureaus. You should shop around and compare prices to find the best deal.
Pros
- MyFICO gives you access to your credit scores and reports. You can use the tools provided by myFICO to better understand and manage your credit.
- You will get an update when a change is detected at a bureau. It is important to remember that a FICO score only captures information reported by one of the three major credit bureaus, so it is important to closely monitor all three of your credit reports for any changes.
- Dark web surveillance and identity theft monitoring are some of the advanced features offered by myFICO. It has access to credit scores and reports from all three major bureaus.
- It’s good to know that getting your life back on track after identity theft will be easier because most credit monitoring service companies offer $1m insurance cover. Even if the worst were to happen, you would be protected with this insurance policy in place.
Cons
- There is no free trial for myFICO. For a fee, you can purchase a single score. You need to pay $29.95 a month for credit monitoring from all the bureaus. Credit monitoring will allow you to stay on top of your credit score and help protect your financial future.
- MyFICO is more expensive than most of its competitors. MyFICO gives users a thorough understanding of their credit profile.
Credit Sesame
Credit Sesame has several goals, know your credit score, understand ways to improve it, and know your options for getting credit card loans. You can get advice and resources from Credit Sesame.
Credit Sesame shows you how your credit score got there, as well as what your credit score is. Credit Sesame can help you understand the factors that affect your credit score, so you can make the right decisions to improve it.
Every month, you get an updated credit score with Credit Sesame. Credit Sesame gives you free credit monitoring and alert in case of any changes to your score.
Credit Sesame has different memberships. The memberships are designed to fit a budget.
The basic plan is free. 100% FREE! This plan gives you free credit monitoring from one bureau and a monthly credit score.
The Advanced Credit plan is $9.95/month. You can use the additional features on this plan to improve your credit score.
You get the same monitoring, but you also get a full credit report from all three bureaus. You get access to a personalized action plan to help you understand your credit score and take steps to improve it.
Pros
- Daily credit score (with the paid version)
- $50,000 identity theft insurance
- Tips on improving credit
Cons
- Score only from 1 bureau with the basic plan
- Customer service is difficult to reach
- Required to pay for features you can get for free with other services
Privacy Guard Credit Monitoring
Privacy Guard offers credit monitoring. It helps to protect users from online security threats.
The company uses cutting-edge technology to offer several credit and identity monitoring services, like daily monitoring (text, e-mail, or a phone call), allowing you to know exactly what is going on with your accounts. The insight and control you need to make informed decisions about your credit and identity are provided by these services.
Pros
- Privacy Guard is an affordable trial. Privacy Guard is an affordable way to protect your digital privacy. It is affordable, but not free. When it comes to good deals, savvy shoppers often get what they pay for.
- Privacy Guard provides $1 million in insurance to cover any damages and costs relating to recovering your identity (and will pair you with a dedicated caseworker)
- Credit scores from all 3 bureaus. The company offers credit scores based on data from all three credit bureaus – They are Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax.
- It’s cheaper than other services. Private Guard is an affordable option that doesn’t compromise on quality.
- Monthly credit reports help you stay on top of the game. It’s a good idea to check your credit report at least once a year.
Cons
- Privacy Guard doesn’t have a free trial. Privacy Guard will not allow you to take advantage of a free trial first if you sign up for the service. Many companies will allow you to try their services for free before you pay for the trial, even though it is cheap. If you’re sure that the company’s services are what you need, the trial is worth the investment.
- If you want comprehensive protection for your entire family, you need to choose Identity Force or Identity Guard. The additional features and benefits of Identity Force and Identity Guard make them a better choice for those looking for family-focused protection.
IdentityForce Credit Monitoring
If you want to be able to choose advanced security features, IdentityForce may be a good option to try out. IdentityForce offers a range of advanced protection, including credit monitoring and identity theft insurance, to further protect your personal information.
It does cost a pretty penny for a plan that includes credit monitoring.
But if you’re looking for comprehensive identity and credit protection from a company that has been around for decades – Identity Force is your guy. If you’re looking for a reliable identity protection solution, Identity Force could be the right choice.
Pros
- IdentityForce has a lot of exciting identity and credit monitoring features, such as monitoring the black market to see if anyone has sold your information. When suspicious activity is detected, it gives you notifications so you can act quickly.
- If you become a victim of identity theft, you will receive $1 million in insurance to cover the costs of restoring your identity.
- For 14 days, you can try it for free. After the free trial is over, you can continue to use the service.
- A well-designed interface is a bonus of the higher cost. Improved navigation and a more intuitive design will make it easier for users to get the most out of the product.
- IdentityForce gives you access to your credit report information. You can stay on top of your credit health if you receive an alert whenever your credit score changes.
Cons
- IdentityForce is in line with other services.
Identity Guard Credit Monitoring
Identity Guard offers all-round protection. Identity Guard gives you comprehensive protection by monitoring your personal information and notifying you of any suspicious activity.
Powerful identity theft protection is offered with several different plans. It makes it easy for customers to stay up-to-date with their protection by providing a secure online portal for them to access their account information.
Pros
- Credit scores, reports, and dark web monitoring are some of the cool features of Identity Guard.
- IBMWatson is a very impressive software that monitors and processes trillions of data points to alert you if your identity has been compromised. Identity Guard can provide protection plans tailored to individual needs, so everyone can have peace of mind knowing their digital identity is safe.
- Identity Guard will provide $1 million in insurance and a case manager if the worst happens. Identity Guard is committed to providing customers with the best protection possible, so they can be sure that their identity is secure.
Cons
- UltraSecure+Credit is the most affordable option, but the Premier plan is slightly cheaper. The most comprehensive option is IdentityForce’s UltraSecure+Credit plan.
- If you pay a lot for a service, you expect it to go the extra mile. Many companies that don’t provide sex offender registry checks are putting their customers at risk. Identity Guard will not alert you if a sex predator has used your data or is moving to your neighborhood. IdentityGuard gives you access to credit score monitoring, so you can stay on top of any suspicious activity that could be an indicator of identity theft.
Experian Credit Monitoring
One of the credit bureaus offers credit monitoring services. If something unexpected appears on your report, these services can alert you.
One of the advantages of choosing credit monitoring from one of the bureaus is that you can freeze your file immediately if something happens to it. This can be done quickly and easily, giving you a valuable layer of protection.
The plan that includes credit monitoring will cost you $19.99 a month. If you sign up for the credit monitoring plan, you will get up-to-date information on your credit report.
Pros
- Credit reports are monitored by all 3 bureaus. It is important to check your credit score from time to time. You can sign up for a cheaper version that only monitors the credit report of one of the three major credit reporting agencies. Identity theft insurance will help you if you become a victim of identity theft.
- If you choose the Premium plan, you will have access to your credit scores from all 3 bureaus. This is a great way to stay on top of your credit health.
- You will be notified if anything changes on your credit reports. Experian will alert you to any changes to your credit reports.
- All your information can be accessed via a mobile app. It’s easy to manage your data on the go with the mobile app.
- Like its competitors, it will provide $1 million in insurance. It’s a testament to the company’s dedication to customer security and satisfaction.
- For 30 days, you can try out the tool for free. You will be able to decide at the end of the free trial if you want to continue with Experian or look for another service.
- 2 months of free credit monitoring is what you’ll get if you get the annual membership.
Cons
- It is not free.
TransUnion Credit Monitoring
The U.S. has at least one major credit bureau. One of the three major credit bureaus is used to evaluate consumers’ credit worthiness. Credit monitoring is also offered to its customers. A variety of financial services are provided by the company.
One of the drawbacks of the plan is that it only gives you access to your TransUnion credit report and score, not the other 2 bureaus.
Pros
- Get notified if there is a change to your credit reports. If you monitor your credit reports regularly, you can be aware of any changes as soon as they occur.
- You can get unlimited access to your credit score and reports.
Cons
- You would expect to be able to access information from all three bureaus, but that is not the case with TransUnion. It’s important to know the difference in reporting between the three credit bureaus before buying a report. Only TransUnion credit scores and reports are included in the unlimited access you get.
- I have come across a lot of negative feedback about TransUnion, which raises some red flags. I would encourage customers to research TransUnion to find out if it is the right credit monitoring service for them.
LifeLock Credit Monitoring
LifeLock wants to alert you as soon as possible if there are any problems with your credit reports. In the event of a breach, LifeLock can help you recover your identity and credit.
If your identity is stolen, it will help you recover. Taking the necessary steps to protect your personal information can significantly reduce your risk of becoming a victim of identity theft.
Pros
- LifeLock gives you access to your credit report information. You can have your credit activity monitored by LifeLock at all 3 bureaus.
- There are wide-ranging alerts for suspicious activity. Stay up-to-date on the latest security threats by enabling these wide-ranging alerts for suspicious activity and taking proactive steps to protect your identity.
- You can get access to your credit score on a monthly basis. You can get access to your credit information from all three bureaus, which will give you a more complete look at your credit history.
Cons
- LifeLock costs $32.89 a year and is not cheap. It is a small price to pay for the peace of mind that comes with knowing your identity is secure.
- You can add children to your plan for $5.99, but your partner would need a separate package. It is difficult for families to benefit from the cost savings of a single plan. There are cheaper options for family protection. Basic home security systems can be installed at a fraction of the cost for those on a budget.
Why You Should Be Monitoring Your Credit
Regularly checking up on your credit score and reports is definitely something I’d recommend you do if you want to keep your credit information safe.
Identity theft affects billions of people around the globe each year, and you want to make sure you are doing everything you can to identify any problems as soon as possible. It is important to know the signs of identity theft and take necessary precautions to protect yourself.
Even though it can’t prevent identity theft, keeping on top of your credit data will give you peace of mind, as well as help you understand how your credit score changes over time. You can make informed decisions about your financial future if you check your credit data regularly.
