Is Aura or IdentityForce Better for Identity Theft Protection?
Unlike many other crimes, every single American is a potential victim of identity theft. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a child, adult, or senior citizen, if you have a mobile phone, bank account, or Social Security number (SSN) — your identity could be stolen.
Identity theft has become the fastest growing crime in America — which is why so many people are turning to identity theft protection services like Aura and IdentityForce.
But which one is best for you?
While both Aura and IdentityForce offer similar features, there are nuances and specific differences that can help you decide which one to choose.
In this guide, we’ll compare the key features, pricing, plans, usability, similarities, and differences between Aura and IdentityForce. By the end, you’ll be able to make an informed decision about which provider is right for you.
What Is the Difference Between Aura and IdentityForce?
Both Aura and IdentityForce offer features that provide all-in-one protection against cybercrime, fraud, and identity theft. For example, both services will monitor your personally identifiable information (PII) for signs of fraud, alert you if your passwords or sensitive data were leaked in a data breach, and monitor your credit file for changes.
However, there are critical differences between the level and service types that each product delivers.
At a high level, the main differences between Aura and IdentityForce are that:
- Aura provides better protection against hackers and online scammers, a more comprehensive family plan, in-house 24/7 support, and faster fraud alerts.
- IdentityForce offers social media monitoring and a credit score simulator.
Here’s a more in-depth comparison of how Aura and IdentityForce differ on key features:
Aura Overview: What’s Included and Pros & Cons
Aura was founded in 2017 as a modern approach to identity theft protection. Since then, Aura has expanded its offerings to include the most up-to-date digital security features and financial account protection, the industry’s fastest fraud alerts, parental controls and family safety tools, and more.
While Aura is relatively new to the identity theft protection market, it’s already been rated #1 by Forbes, Money.com, TechRadar, and more.
Aura is owned by the same company that owns Identity Guard, and shares many features with the ID theft protection service — most noticeably its $1 million insurance plan per adult for eligible losses due to identity theft (including coverage for stolen funds reimbursement, lost wages, lawyer fees, etc.).
Here’s a breakdown of Aura’s main pros and cons:
The bottom line: Aura provides more features, stronger protection, faster fraud alerts, and more ways to keep you safe. Try Aura free for 14 days and secure your entire family against online threats.
What are real customers saying about Aura?
Here are some excerpts from reviews submitted by real customers on TrustPilot, a third-party review site:
- Aura saved me after a data breach: Today I found out that my data had been breached – DOB, SSN, the whole nine yards. I contacted Aura’s White Glove support team and in less than an hour we had all my credit alert history verified, locked down, and extra steps in place with their team to monitor my action and activity for the next 90 days.
- The White Glove Department is the best! Your White Glove department agent was very helpful. She showed me how to lock my credit reports, issue fraud reports to my credit bureaus and even helped me close a bank account that was fraudulently opened in my name.
- Better than the alternatives: I have been using both Lifelock and Aura to see which one I like best. I get faster responses (sometimes minutes) from Aura on new items concerning my security. I am very satisfied with Aura.
How much does Aura cost?
Aura’s pricing plans are transparent and straightforward. Simply choose how many people you want to protect, and you’ll have access to essentially all of the same features. Also, Aura’s prices won’t increase after your first year (unlike many other services, such as LifeLock with Norton 360).
Here are Aura’s protection plans and pricing (using the discount link above) as of September 2023:
- Individual Plan: $6/month
- Couple Plan (full coverage for two adults): $11.49/month
- Family Plan (up to five adults and unlimited children): $20 month
Note: Aura’s family plan also includes family-specific safety features, such as child identity theft protection, parental controls, and up to $5 million in identity theft insurance.
What’s included in Aura’s free 14-day trial?
You can try Aura free for 14 days and get access to nearly all of the same features you would get as a subscriber.
Here’s what you can do when you sign up for Aura’s 14-day trial:
- Scan the Dark Web for your most sensitive data. Aura can scan for your passwords, SSN, financial details, and more across recent data breaches and known hacker forums.
- Check your credit score and reports from all three major credit bureaus. Get a clear picture of your credit situation, and check for warning signs of identity fraud. You can also instantly lock and unlock your Experian credit file directly from the Aura app.
- Monitor public records for your Social Security number (SSN), name, and other personal information. Find out if criminals have used your identity to commit crimes, gain employment, or file fraudulent tax returns.
- Remove your contact information from data brokers’ systems. Aura will automatically scan data broker lists for your personal information and request that brokers remove it on your behalf.
- Do a full antivirus scan of all of your devices. Aura protects your computer, phone, and tablet from malware. Scan all of your devices to make sure hackers haven’t gained access to them.
- Get help from Aura’s White Glove Fraud Resolution Specialists. U.S.-based support agents are available 24/7 to answer questions, walk you through your credit report, help you initiate a credit freeze, and more.
In just two weeks, you could vastly increase your digital security and ensure that you haven’t become the victim of identity theft — even without becoming a paid Aura subscriber.
IdentityForce Overview: What’s included and Pros & Cons
IdentityForce claims to have been protecting customers against identity theft and fraud for more than four decades, tracing its origins back to a company founded in 1978.
More recently, IdentityForce was acquired by TransUnion — one of the three major credit bureaus (along with Experian and Equifax). This collaboration gives IdentityForce a strong case for its credit plans, which can monitor your monthly and annual credit reports across all three bureaus (the same as Aura).
Here’s a more in-depth look at IdentityForce’s pros and cons:
Who should choose IdentityForce?
IdentityForce provides high-quality identity theft protection services to customers who want to track and rate their credit performance over time. Its features make it well-suited for individuals and couples who want to improve their credit.
You should choose IdentityForce if:
- You don’t need to cover more than two adults. The IdentityForce family plan only covers two adults, while Aura protects up to five – even if they are living in different households (such as grown children and grandparents).
- You want access to credit simulation tools. These are separate from the identity theft protection features that IdentityForce offers. You can use these tools to help understand how certain choices will impact your credit score.
- You only want to protect your PC. IdentityForce offers a suite of digital security protection services for PCs, but not for mobile devices.
How much does IdentityForce cost?
IdentityForce offers two tiers of plans depending on whether or not you want credit monitoring and credit simulator tools. You can also choose between an individual or family plan (two adults — children are extra). However, you’ll need to call one of the company’s sales representatives to discuss family plans.
Here are IdentityForce’s plans and pricing as of September 2023:
- UltraSecure: $17.99/month (individual)
- UltraSecure+Credit: $23.95/month (individual)
IdentityForce offers a 30-day free trial of its basic plan, but doesn’t provide a money-back guarantee for subscribers.
Is IdentityForce worth it?
IdentityForce offers decent protection against some types of fraud, but its services aren’t comprehensive enough to prevent sophisticated hacks and scams. The company doesn’t have the best family protection policy, and neglects to secure customers’ mobile devices properly. For many people, these drawbacks mean that IdentityForce isn’t worth it.
💡 Related: Aura vs. LifeLock (2023 Comparison) →
How To Choose Between Aura and IdentityForce
Both Aura and IdentityForce provide you with tools that make you a less vulnerable target for cybercriminals and fraudsters – but with varying degrees of success.
Here are some direct comparisons of the features and benefits offered by each service:
Comprehensive monitoring services (credit and account monitoring)
While both Aura and IdentityForce offer comprehensive account and identity monitoring services, they differ in how much of your personal information they track and the number of locations they monitor.
Here’s a breakdown of how both providers compare on their monitoring features:
✅ Our choice: Aura
Simply put, Aura offers more robust identity monitoring and protection. With Aura, you can track more sensitive information and get more comprehensive alerts if your data has been leaked or is being used by scammers.
While IdentityForce offers slightly more credit tools (score tracker and simulator), these tools won’t matter when it comes to protecting you and your family against identity theft and fraud.
Digital security tools for proactive protection against hackers
The best way to prevent identity theft is to shield your personal data and devices from being compromised. Both Aura and IdentityForce offer proactive protection through a variety of digital security tools.
Here’s what you can expect to get with each platform:
✅ Our choice: Aura
Aura is an industry leader when it comes to digital security — offering AI-powered tools to safeguard your data and devices from hackers and cybercriminals. While IdentityForce provides a VPN and anti-keylogging tools, it falls behind on comprehensive digital security.
Fast and reliable alerts
Both Aura and IdentityForce alert customers about suspicious activity on their accounts, identity, or finances. However, the two providers don’t monitor the same accounts and services, and they don’t trigger alerts with the same speed:
✅ Our choice: Tie (Aura)
Both Aura and IdentityForce offer near real-time alerts to users for account monitoring — however, Aura’s proven faster and more reliable credit fraud detection gives it a slight edge.
Identity restoration support and coverage
No one wants to deal with the consequences of identity theft or fraud alone. Both Aura and IdentityForce offer 24/7 support if you become a victim — with varying levels of success.
Here’s how the two services compare:
- Aura: In-house Fraud Resolution Specialists. Aura employs an in-house team of U.S.-based Fraud Resolution Specialists who are available around the clock. This means you’ll get a dedicated account manager if you ever need help.
- IdentityForce: Identity restoration from Sontiq. IdentityForce offers 24/7 support, but only through a third-party service (also owned by TransUnion).
✅ Our choice: Tie
Both companies offer 24/7 fraud protection resources from security experts and have mostly positive reviews from customers. However, Aura’s in-house team could potentially provide a more streamlined experience.
Ease of use
Both Aura and IdentifyForce offer mobile and desktop apps to access their features and support team. It’s important that these apps are intuitive and easy to use. When you get a warning that someone stole your social security number to open a credit account, every second counts.
With Aura, you get an easy-to-use dashboard that clearly displays all of your alerts and most important features — available on all platforms including iOS, Android, PC, and MacOS. You can also quickly reach out to support, instantly lock or unlock your Experian credit file, and enable your VPN from the app.
IdentityForce’s mobile apps don’t include all of the same features as its web app — meaning you’ll have to use both to get detailed information. This can slow you down or potentially cause you to miss out on important information and alerts about your account.
✅ Our choice: Aura
We live in a mobile-first world, and protecting mobile devices against scammers is too important to overlook. By putting more emphasis on PCs and Mac computers, IdentityForce may increase the amount of time it takes users to respond to threats when they are detected. This earns Aura a slim but significant lead in the ease of use category.
Insurance coverage
Even the best identity theft protection service can’t guarantee you’ll never be a victim of cybercrime. Part of the value these services provide is assistance recovering from the lost time and financial and impact of becoming a victim.
Both Aura and IdentityForce offer $1 million insurance policies against eligible losses caused by identity theft. Coverage can include lost wages, stolen funds, time spent resolving complex bureaucratic issues, and even travel or childcare costs.
The main difference between Aura and IdentityForce is that Aura covers every subscription plan member individually. For a five-adult family plan, this means you get up to $5 million in insurance coverage to protect the entire group.
By comparison, IdentityForce protects each subscription with up to $1 million in insurance coverage. That means two adults only get $500,000 in coverage each if they are both targeted by identity thieves.
✅ Our choice: Aura
Aura’s more inclusive policy makes it a clear winner — especially for families that need to protect multiple people. However, if you’re looking for a service solely for your own use as an individual, there is no practical difference between the two.
Cost and pricing structure
IdentityForce generally charges more for its service than Aura does – especially when protecting larger groups of people. While Aura’s family plan covers five adults and unlimited children, IdentityForce only covers two adults, and charges an additional fee for every child added to the plan.
✅ Our choice: Aura
Aura wins this category due to its lower cost and more convenient pricing structure. While some customers may appreciate the ability to buy lower-tier protection from IdentityForce, Aura’s approach makes more sense and scales better for people who also want to protect their family members from identity theft.
Our Final Recommendation: Choose Aura for Peace of Mind
According to the latest data from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Americans lost over $8.8 billion to identity theft and fraud last year alone [*].
Becoming the victim of identity theft can change your life. As scammers improve their techniques and come up with new ways to steal from innocent people, safeguarding your private data is becoming more crucial.
Aura and IdentityForce are two high-quality companies offering identity theft protection services, but Aura’s award-winning combination of mobile-friendly digital security tools, family-oriented pricing structure, and superior per-member insurance coverage makes it a better deal for most customers.
