Experian Identity Theft Protection Review
Experian IdentityWorks offers an easy way to trial identity theft protection without reaching for your credit card, thanks to its introductory free tier. The company’s no-cost option alone isn’t enough to fully protect your identity, but it does offer credit monitoring from Experian and a one-time dark web report.
Key Features of Experian IdentityWorks
- Free tier includes:
- Daily Experian credit report monitoring
- Monthly FICO credit score
- One-time personal privacy scan
- Dark web surveillance report
- Premium tier ($25/month) adds:
- Continuous dark web monitoring
- Social Security number monitoring
- Three-bureau credit monitoring
- Identity theft insurance ($1 million)
- Family plan ($35/month) includes everything in Premium for two adults and identity monitoring for up to 10 children
User Experience
Creating a Premium account is straightforward, but the user experience is marred by numerous ads for financial products from Experian’s partners. The dashboard mixes helpful identity theft monitoring features with promotions, which can be distracting.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Competitive pricing
- Three-bureau credit monitoring in Premium tier
- Identity theft insurance included
- Family plan covers up to 10 children
Cons:
- No annual subscription option
- No VPN or password manager included
- User experience is ad-heavy
- Limited features in free tier
Who Should Use Experian IdentityWorks?
Experian’s free tier is suitable for those looking for basic credit monitoring. The Premium tier is a good option for those who want three-bureau monitoring and additional features without needing online security tools like VPNs or password managers. However, users seeking comprehensive identity protection with online security features may want to consider alternative services like Aura or IdentityForce.
Conclusion
Experian IdentityWorks offers a solid free tier and competitive paid plans, but its user experience and lack of certain features may be drawbacks for some users. It’s worth considering for those already invested in the Experian ecosystem or looking for a budget-friendly identity theft protection solution.
