How much does identity theft protection cost? Estimate monthly, annual, and multi-year costs for individual and family plans — and see whether paid protection is worth it compared to free tools like credit freezes and free credit reports.
Typical 2026 individual pricing. Providers like LifeLock, Experian, and IdentityForce price similarly — quotes vary with promotions.
Family plans cover two adults plus dependents and usually include child monitoring — confirm how many dependents are included.
FTC data: median fraud losses run from the low hundreds to ~$500+, with total U.S. losses over $10 billion per year. Enter $0 exposure to test the free-tools scenario.
Inputs: Standard tier ($10–$20/mo), dark web add-on (+$2–$8/mo), 3 years.
Calculation: Monthly = $12–$28. Annual = $144–$336. 3-Year Total = $432–$1,008.
Inputs: Family premium tier ($30–$50/mo), no add-ons, 5 years.
Calculation: Annual = $360–$600. 5-Year Total = $1,800–$3,000.
Inputs: Exposure $2,000, loss reduction 50%, plan cost $20/mo.
Calculation: Loss avoided = $1,000/yr. Plan cost = $240/yr. Net = +$760.
Note: Examples use typical 2026 U.S. ranges — actual pricing varies by provider, promotions, and features.
Tier base and add-on ranges come from typical 2026 U.S. pricing. The calculator shows a LOW–HIGH range because provider prices vary.
Exposure = your estimate of losses from fraud in a bad year. Reduction % = how much monitoring might prevent. If the net benefit is positive, protection likely pays for itself.
| Plan / Add-On | Typical Range |
|---|---|
| Individual — Basic (credit monitoring only) | $5 – $12/mo |
| Individual — Standard (credit + identity monitoring) | $10 – $20/mo |
| Individual — Premium (full monitoring + recovery + up to $1M insurance) | $20 – $35/mo |
| Family — Basic (2 adults + dependents) | $10 – $25/mo |
| Family — Standard (2 adults + dependents) | $20 – $35/mo |
| Family — Premium (2 adults + dependents) | $30 – $50/mo |
| Add-on — Dark web monitoring | +$2 – $8/mo |
| Add-on — Credit score tracking | +$3 – $10/mo |
| Add-on — Annual child/teen monitoring | +$5 – $15/mo |
Free alternatives: weekly free reports at annualcreditreport.com, free credit freezes, bank alerts, and nonprofit counseling.
Pick Individual or Family mode, choose tier and add-ons, and select a duration to get monthly, annual, and multi-year totals as LOW–HIGH ranges based on typical 2026 pricing.
Enter your own fraud-loss exposure and the quoted monthly price. The analysis shows expected losses avoided, plan cost, and whether protection likely pays for itself.
Remember the $0 options: free weekly credit reports, free credit freezes at the three bureaus, fraud alerts, bank alerts, and the IRS Identity Protection PIN.
Credit monitoring watches your credit reports at the three bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion) and alerts you to new accounts, inquiries, and suspicious changes — the core feature of every plan, from Basic at $5–$12/mo up to Premium tiers.
Identity monitoring goes further, watching public records, SSN usage, payday loan applications, and change-of-address filings. Dark web scanning checks breach databases for your emails, passwords, and card numbers — catching fraud that never touches your credit file.
Recovery assistance vs insurance is the biggest premium-tier difference. Recovery agents help cancel fraudulent accounts, file disputes, and restore your records. The "up to $1M insurance" reimburses out-of-pocket costs like legal fees, lost wages, and notary fees — it is not a payout of stolen funds.
What you can do yourself for $0: pull your credit reports free every week at annualcreditreport.com, place free credit freezes at all three bureaus so lenders can't open accounts in your name, set fraud alerts, enable bank transaction alerts, and request an IRS Identity Protection PIN to block tax-return fraud.
What paid monitoring adds: continuous automated watching, dark web alerts, child monitoring, recovery assistance, and insurance. For most people the free layer — freeze, free reports, alerts — covers the highest-risk scenarios. Paid plans add convenience and faster detection, not prevention.
When paid makes sense: after a major data breach, a past fraud incident, high-value accounts, or if you won't check reports yourself. Run the Worth-It Analysis with your own numbers rather than guessing.
Step 1 — Report it to the FTC. File a report at IdentityTheft.gov to get a personal recovery plan and an official FTC identity theft report useful to creditors, banks, and police.
Step 2 — Alert the bureaus. Place a free fraud alert (one year, renewable) or a credit freeze at Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. A fraud alert forces creditors to verify your identity before opening new accounts.
Step 3 — File a police report if you know the thief, a government ID was involved, or a creditor demands one. Bring your FTC report.
Step 4 — Dispute fraudulent accounts in writing. Send dispute letters to each creditor and bureau. The law requires investigations within 30 days and fraudulent accounts must be removed. Keep copies of everything — this is where paid recovery assistance earns its keep.
⚠️ Financial Disclaimer: Price ranges are 2026 estimates based on typical U.S. provider pricing and vary by company, promotions, and features. No monitoring service can prevent identity theft — it can only detect activity and assist with recovery. Expected-loss calculations are educational estimates, not guarantees. This tool is provided for general information only and is not financial, legal, or tax advice.
Before subscribing, get a written quote, read the insurance exclusions, and confirm what's included for children. Then compare against free tools — credit freezes, free credit reports, and bank alerts — that cover the highest-risk scenarios at no cost.