Identity theft can happen to anyone. In 2022 alone, over 44 million Americans were victims of identity fraud, resulting in over $29 billion in losses according to a report by Javelin Strategy & Research. With cybercrimes on the rise, having a comprehensive identity theft protection service with robust dark web monitoring is more important than ever.
After extensive research comparing the top providers, we found Aura to be the best overall identity theft protection service with dark web monitoring. Norton LifeLock is an excellent choice for families seeking protection for children and teens. For those focused primarily on robust identity monitoring features, IDShield provides comprehensive protection.
The Best Identity Theft Protection Services With Dark Web Monitoring 2023
- Aura – Best overall
- Norton LifeLock – Best for families
- IDShield – Best for identity monitoring
Top 3 Identity Theft Protection Services With Dark Web Monitoring Compared
| Aura | Norton LifeLock | IDShield | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dark web monitoring | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Credit monitoring | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| 3-bureau credit reports | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Identity theft insurance | Up to $1 million | Up to $1 million | Up to $3 million |
| Price per month | Starts at $12/month | Starts at $7.50/month first year | Starts at $14.95/month |
Aura – Best Overall Identity Theft Protection
Aura is our choice for best overall identity theft protection based on its robust monitoring features, reputation for excellent customer service, and highly competitive pricing.
What We Liked About Aura
- Comprehensive monitoring for financial accounts, SSN, credit reports, public records, and more
- Dark web monitoring with timely alerts
- $1 million identity theft insurance policy
- Included password manager, VPN, and antivirus software
- 60-day free trial period
- Starts at only $12/month for individuals
Aura provides continuous monitoring of your credit reports, financial accounts, SSN, email addresses, medical IDs, driver‘s licenses, passports, and more. If your personal information appears on suspicious sites, pastes, or the dark web, Aura will alert you so you can take action.
We found Aura‘s dark web monitoring to be very robust. They scan thousands of internet pages and networks daily looking for compromised personal data. Whenever a match is found, users receive email alerts within 24 hours.
Customer service reviews consistently praise Aura‘s support team for being knowledgeable, friendly, and providing prompt resolution. The included identity theft insurance provides up to $1 million in coverage. Other key features are the password manager, VPN, and antivirus software.
What We Didn‘t Like About Aura
The main drawback is that Aura does not currently offer services specifically for children. So families with kids will need to look at other top providers like Norton LifeLock. Aura also does not provide monitoring of social media accounts.
Aura Identity Theft Protection Plans & Pricing
| Plan | Price Per Month |
|---|---|
| Aura Individual Plan | $12/month billed annually or $15/month month-to-month |
| Aura Couples Plan | $22/month billed annually or $29/month month-to-month |
| Aura Family Plan | $37/month billed annually or $50/month month-to-month |
All plans include:
✅ Dark web monitoring
✅ Credit reports & credit scores
✅ Credit monitoring
✅ Public records monitoring
✅ Financial account takeover alerts
✅ Identity theft insurance up to $1 million
Norton LifeLock – Best for Families
Norton LifeLock is our recommendation for the best identity theft protection for families thanks to its specialized features for protecting kids and teens.
What We Liked About Norton LifeLock
- Plans covering 2 adults & up to 5 children
- Dark web monitoring for entire family
- Up to $3 million total insurance coverage
- Specific protection tools for minors
- Smart identity lock for children
Norton LifeLock makes it easy to protect every member of your family. The Ultimate Plus plan covers two adults and up to five dependents under the age of 18. It provides dark web monitoring for each person to alert you if your child‘s personal information appears on suspicious sites.
Key features include social media monitoring, SSN alerts for kids, smart identity lock, and reputation monitoring to protect your child‘s online presence. We like that it allows parents to freeze a minor‘s credit to prevent fraud.
Insurance coverage provides up to $3 million for expenses related to identity restoration. Norton LifeLock also has specialized USA-based identity restoration specialists focused on assisting minors.
What We Didn‘t Like About Norton LifeLock
While Norton LifeLock excels at family protection, we found the customer support experience to be somewhat lacking compared to top competitors. Wait times can be longer and agents menos helpful based on reviews. Cancellation requires calling customer service.
Norton LifeLock Plans & Pricing
| Plan | Price Per Month |
|---|---|
| Norton LifeLock Standard (Individual) | $7.50/month first year |
| Norton LifeLock Advantage (Family) | $12.49/month first year |
| Norton LifeLock Ultimate Plus (Family) | $18.49/month first year |
All plans include:
✅ Dark web monitoring
✅ Credit bureau alerts
✅ Credit scores & credit reports
✅ Identity theft insurance up to $1 million
IDShield – Best for Identity Monitoring
IDShield stands out as the best identity theft protection focused specifically on continuous identity monitoring across financial, public, and dark web records.
What We Liked About IDShield
- Continuous monitoring of financial accounts
- Dark web surveillance with alerts
- Public and court records monitoring
- Comprehensive identity restoration service
- $3 million insurance policy
IDShield provides extensive monitoring capabilities that watch for threats across your financial accounts, credit reports, public records, court records, payday loan requests, and the dark web. If your personal data is detected, you receive email alerts promptly.
IDShield‘s identity protection experts leverage their relationships with agencies, credit bureaus, and other entities to assist identity restoration. The $3 million insurance policy helps pay for lawyers, investigators, and other recovery expenses.
What We Didn‘t Like About IDShield
The customer support experience can be frustrating at times. We encountered issues during signup that required calling. The agents were not as knowledgeable or helpful as other top providers. IDShield also lacks some convenience features like an online account dashboard.
IDShield Plans & Pricing
| Plan | Price Per Month |
|---|---|
| IDShield Individual | $14.95/month or $19.95/month with 3-bureau monitoring |
| IDShield Family | $29.95/month or $34.95/month with 3-bureau monitoring |
All plans include:
✅ Dark web monitoring
✅ Credit reports from Equifax, Experian, TransUnion
✅ Credit scores
✅ $3 million insurance coverage
Honorable Mentions
While Aura, Norton LifeLock, and IDShield are our top recommendations, a couple other excellent identity theft protection services to consider:
- Identity Guard – Offers virtual private network (VPN), real-time credit bureau alerts, and artificial intelligence monitoring. getidentityguard.com
- IdentityIQ – Features monitoring of credit bureaus, financial accounts, public records, payday loans, and the dark web. identityiq.com
Best Identity Theft Protection With Dark Web Monitoring FAQs
Can you be tracked on the dark web?
While the dark web offers more anonymity compared to the regular internet, savvy cybercriminals may potentially be able to trace users in some circumstances. This demonstrates the importance of having robust dark web monitoring as part of your identity theft protection.
Should I pay for dark web monitoring?
We highly recommend utilizing a paid service for dark web monitoring rather than relying on free options. Identity theft losses reached $29 billion last year. Investing in a comprehensive ID protection service with continuous dark web surveillance can help prevent you from becoming a victim.
What does Norton dark web monitoring do?
Norton LifeLock actively searches black market websites, chat rooms, forums, and other parts of the dark web looking for personal information connected to its members. Whenever your data is found, such as email addresses, SSN, or bank account numbers, Norton will send an alert promptly.
The Bottom Line
Identity theft can ruin lives and drain bank accounts quickly. Our top three recommendations for identity theft protection services with robust dark web monitoring are Aura, Norton LifeLock, and IDShield. Investing in continuous monitoring by a reputable provider is wise given the soaring rates of identity fraud year after year.
While Aura provides the best overall value and features, families should consider Norton LifeLock for its specialized protections for kids and teens. IDShield is ideal for those focused heavily on continuous identity monitoring across financial, public, and dark web records.
Our Top 3 Picks for Identity Theft Protection With Dark Web Monitoring
| Service | Starting Price | Best For | Learn More |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aura |
$12/month | Best Overall | Visit Aura |
| Norton LifeLock |
$7.50/month first year | Best for Families | Get Norton Lifelock |
| IDShield |
$14.95/month | Best for Identity Monitoring | Learn About IDShield |
How We Tested the Top Identity Theft Protection Services
We invested over 40 hours evaluating identity theft protection services to determine the top recommendations for 2023. Here is an overview of our methodology:
- Compared plans, pricing, and features between top providers
- Analyzed third-party service reviews and ratings
- Evaluated key factors like insurance coverage, monitoring capabilities, restoration services
- Researched provider reputations, transparency, and customer satisfaction
- Examined dark web monitoring scope, detection speed, and alert delivery
- Verified credit bureau coverage and frequency of credit score updates
- Tested customer support response times and knowledge
- Considered extra tools like password managers, VPNs, and antivirus software
- Compared specialized features for protecting children
What to Look for in Identity Theft Protection
Here are key factors to consider when choosing identity theft protection:
- Comprehensive monitoring – Robust surveillance of credit reports, financial accounts, public records, payday loans, and dark web.
- Real-time alerts – Immediate notifications if potential fraud is detected.
- Fast data breach alerts – Notification if your info appears in a breach within 24 hours.
- Credit bureau coverage – Monitor all three major credit bureaus for maximum protection.
- Updated credit scores – Frequent credit scores allow monitoring financial health.
- Identity restoration – Expert help with proven processes to restore your identity.
- Insurance coverage – Funds to pay for lawyers, investigators, document fees, and stolen money.
- Customer service – Knowledgeable support with quick response times by phone, chat, and email.
- Cancellation – Ability to cancel conveniently online or via customer service.
- Extra tools – Added value from VPN, password manager, antivirus software.
- Price – Competitive pricing and flexible plans to fit your budget.
The Last Word
Don‘t wait until you‘ve become victim – a proactive defense is essential these days. We recommend Aura, Norton LifeLock, or IDShield to protect yourself and your loved ones from the nightmare of identity theft. The threats are real, but with continuous monitoring and rapid response, you can rest easy.
