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IDnotify vs LifeLock: Which Has the Right Protection?

IDnotify is an excellent choice for a budget-minded consumer that is worried about identity theft. You can protect your entire family with these well-rounded plans.

  • Affordable identity protection coverage
  • Provided by a credit bureau, there are no middlemen involved in resolving credit issues
  • ID Recovery experts assist you when you need it most

LifeLock is one of the most comprehensive identity protection suites available. Protect your entire family’s identities and their devices in one place.

  • Top-of-the-line identity protection
  • State-of-the-art device protection
  • Customize a plan that fits the needs of your entire family

It seems that the more we advance technologically, the more ways thieves find to steal from others. Identity theft, or the use of a person’s identity to gain access to their funds or credit, is growing at an alarming rate. The increase in identity theft has given rise to companies that specialize in helping people monitor their personal and credit information so that they can take action before a theft gets out of control.

If you are wondering about IDnotify vs. LifeLock, each offers comprehensive identity theft protection. However, one may have the features you need at the price that is better for your budget. Here’s how the two stack up against each other.

IDNotify vs. LifeLock: Comparison

WHAT YOU GET

IDNOTIFY

LIFELOCK

Coverage

  • 1 adult, add 1 adult and up to 10 children with a family plan, or add up to 10 children
  • 2 adults, up to 10 children

Insurance

  • No fund replacement with IDNotify
  • Expenses and legal costs reimbursed up to specific amounts
  • Lost wallet services
  • Stolen funds reimbursement up to $25,000
  • Personal expenses up to $25,000
  • Lawyer and expert fees up to $1 million
  • Amounts increase with upper-tier packages
  • Stolen wallet protection

Identity Theft Protection

  • Dark Web monitoring
  • SSN tracking
  • Regular internet tracking
  • Social media account monitoring
  • Sex offender registry monitoring
  • Payday loan tracking
  • Notifications on Crimes
  • Committed using your name
  • Dark Web Monitoring
  • Sex Offender Registry Tracking
  • SSN Tracking
  • Financial Account Tracking
  • Change of USPS Address Alerts
  • Privacy Monitor
  • Home Title Monitoring
  • 401(k) and Investment
  • Account Monitoring
  • ID Verification Monitoring
  • Norton 360

Identity Restoration

  • ID restoration assistance available
  • ID restoration assistance available

Credit Monitoring

  • Up to 3-bureau credit monitoring and report
  • Monthly credit snapshots
  • Dormant account monitoring
  • Up to 3-bureau credit monitoring

QUICK FACE-OFF

Similarities

  • Individuals and family members can be covered by both providers.
  • Identity recovery experts are available to walk you through the steps of recovering your identity.
  • The internet and dark web are scanned using artificial intelligence and machine learning programs, which check for your personal information and send you alerts if found on known information tracking sites.
  • Expenses that are incurred as a result of recovering your identity are reimbursed up to specific amounts. Examples include legal fees or vital document replacement fees.
  • Family members can be added to policies for additional fees.
  • Each provider monitors most of the known methods for stealing identities; however, the bottom- and middle-tier plans are lacking in many of the services.
  • Both IDnotify and LifeLock have apps that work on iOS and Android devices. Both deliver alerts to your phone.
  • Court records can be monitored for your information. The records include sex offender registries, address change requests, and more.
  • Your social media accounts can be monitored for malicious activity or takeovers
  • Your Social Security number is monitored. If it is used, you’ll receive a notification.
  • Lost or stolen wallets protection is an easy method of freezing credit cards and replacing ID cards or driver licenses with one call.

Differences

  • Lifelock identity theft protection provides up to $1 million in stolen fees and expense reimbursement, depending on the plan you have selected.
  • If your information is used in criminal proceedings, Lifelock sends you alerts.
  • You can monitor your financial accounts with Lifelock, such as your bank accounts, 401(k), or investments, along with your credit file.
  • Lifelock monitors your credit file at either 1 or 3 of the credit bureaus, depending on your plan.
    You can lock your Transunion credit file with Lifelock’s app.
  • IDnotify doesn’t provide the ability to lock a credit file via their app. You’ll have to purchase a separate service to do this or call the credit bureaus to do it.
  • Lifelock provides security for computers, Macs, smartphones, and tablets with the Norton 360 security suite.
  • LifeLock monitors data breach notifications, and alerts are sent if your data is included in a breach.
  • LifeLock includes ID verification in their services at many retailers and merchants. If your ID is used in a purchase attempt, you’ll be notified.
  • In a world where bad news is rampant, it’s nice to get some good news. If you have positive credit changes, IDnotify lets you know.
  • LifeLock is more expensive than IDnotify.

IDnotify Features and Services

Coverage

IDnotify essentially has 4 packages you can choose from. The Essential package is the basic plan that includes internet surveillance, lost wallet services, identity restoration help, and social media monitoring. You can purchase family coverage (2 adults and up to 10 children) or add up to 10 children to the plan.

The Select plan adds IDnotify credit monitoring, credit scores and reports, and identity theft insurance, along with scanning the internet and dark web for your information. You can create a Select IDnotify family plan or child protection plan.

The Premier plan has the most comprehensive coverage, adding in notifications and alerts along with full credit file monitoring. Similarly to the lower-tier plans, you can create a family or child protection plan from the Premier plan.

Identity

Depending on the plan you subscribe to or create, your identity is monitored by scanning addresses, court records, Social Security numbers, social media accounts, and some of your financial accounts.

You receive identity restoration services in the form of guided assistance. The specialists can take you step-by-step on recovering your identity.

Credit

IDnotify monitors your credit through Experian on the two top-tier plans. In the Premier plan, you receive monitoring of all 3 bureaus, along with a monthly credit snapshot that informs you of any monthly credit activity or changes.

Plans and Pricing

Essential

The Essential plan costs $9.99 per month. If you have a family, you can upgrade it to cover your family of up to 10 children for $10 more per month. If you only have children you want to protect, you can upgrade the Child Protection Plan plan for $5 per month.

Select

The Select plan runs $17.99 per month. Like IDnotify’s other plans, you can upgrade to a Family plan for $10 more per month or a Child Protection Plan for $5 per month.

Premier

The top-tier plan costs $25.99 per month and can be upgraded for $10 per month for a family or $5 per month for just children.

Pros and Cons

PROS

  • Less expensive than LifeLock, many of the same features are present.
  • Expert identity restoration support to guide you through the process.
  • Customize the plan you want for your needs.
    The IDnotify app sends you alerts.
  • IDnotify identity theft protection is affiliated with a credit bureau.
  • A very comprehensive service if you choose the higher-tier plans.
  • Your financial accounts are monitored for takeovers or unauthorized activities.
  • Identity theft insurance helps you recover expenses incurred from theft.
  • If your wallet is stolen, you can freeze credit cards and replace ID cards with one call.
  • Protect an entire family of up to 12 people with one plan at low prices when compared to other providers.

CONS

  • The Essential plan’s only useful feature is the internet and dark web scanning technology.
  • You can receive credit reports and scores from the credit bureaus annually without a subscription.
  • Most banks monitor your credit card activity and account for suspicious activity.
  • No device security tools or antivirus is offered in any of the packages.
  • Your investment accounts are at risk with no option to have them monitored.
  • No option for a virtual private network to secure the browsing habits of your family.
  • The app doesn’t include an option to lock your credit file or unlock it for quick access.
  • You can do most of the monitoring and checking yourself, although it is time-consuming.

LifeLock Features and Services 

Coverage

LifeLock has 4 plans, each with different features. You can add family members to each of the plans for an extra charge per person. Each person added to the plan you select receives the same benefits.

Identity

The identities of your family are monitored by scanning the internet and dark web for your information. Social Security numbers, addresses, birthdays, or other personal information that can be used to steal an identity are looked for with programs designed to find them in illicit areas of the web.

Credit

Identities can be used to access your credit cards, take out new loans, or otherwise steal money from you that you don’t even have yet. LifeLock monitors your accounts, credit files, and reports and sends you alerts if there is activity so that you can act quickly.

Devices

LifeLock is affiliated with Norton, the company best known for its antivirus software. The top 3 plans from LifeLock include device protection in the form of antivirus protection and a secure virtual private network (VPNs) your devices can connect to. VPNs keep your devices from being seen by hiding their IP addresses.

Extras

In its Ultimate Plus plan, LifeLock adds webcam security and parental controls for devices so that you can control your children’s use and keep webcams from being accessed without knowing about it.

Pricing and Plans

Standard Plan

Priced at $11.99 per month after the first month, the Standard plan includes only the essentials for identity protection. Lifelock credit monitoring is included in all available plans. You receive identity and Social Security number alerts, and your credit file from 1 bureau is monitored. You also get $25,000 in fund and expense reimbursement and up to $1 million in lawyer and expert coverage.

Select PLan

The Select plan adds device security and VPN access for up to 5 devices for $14.99 after the first month. The Select plan is the first Lifelock family plan.

Advantage Plan

Bank account and credit card activity are added in the Advantage plan, as well as the option to add up to 10 devices to your antivirus suite and VPN. You’ll also be able to back up your files and data with access to 250 GB of cloud storage.

4

Ultimate Plan

The Ultimate plan adds every other option LifeLock has available. You’re able to add unlimited devices to your VPN and antivirus security while using the Lifelock app to lock and unlock your TransUnion credit file.

Pros and Cons

PROS

  • Lock and unlock your credit file to keep thieves from opening new accounts.
  • All your financial accounts are monitored, including investments, checking, and savings accounts.
  • Choose from four plans and tailor them to your needs and those of your family.
  • Your devices are secure with Norton Antivirus, a reputable and established antivirus company.
  • 24/7 customer support is available through the app, providing you with help everywhere.
  • Secure all your family’s phones, tablets, and computers with a VPN.
  • Select identity insurance coverage of up $1 million in stolen funds.
  • Personal expenses and lawyer fees covered up to $1 million.
  • Automates monitoring, freeing up consumers to enjoy their lives.

CONS

  • Many of the more useful features are only available in the top-tier plans.
  • Financial account monitoring should be included in the lower-tier plans.
  • The Standard package doesn’t have any device security.
  • Freezing your credit is free and can be done by calling each agency.
  • A large family might significantly increase the cost of coverage.
  • Even with all the features, no plan prevents identity theft.
  • The most expensive plan is still reactive in nature, sending you alerts when something happens.
  • Consumers themselves can monitor many of the features.
  • Not all businesses are monitored, so identity verification only works sometimes.

About the Author

Calvin Fellows’ time on the force was a learning experience, showing him the darkest sides of humanity. What stuck out to him most was how preventable most crimes were; a couple of little things often stood between the loss of someone’s life or property, that simply wasn’t there.

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