Users’ data is today’s currency. That’s why data breaches and leaks are really dangerous. Such incidents can reveal your birthdate, driver’s license number, and even Social Security number, which can lead to serious cases of identity theft.
The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) reports than 10% of persons age 16 or older were victims of identity theft at least once in 2016. Quite scary, isn’t it?
The problem is that protecting yourself from such incidents can a daunting task. Fortunately, you don’t need to do it alone, as many companies can help with this, including IdentityForce and Lifelock.
So, which company should you choose to keep your personal information secure? Who’s the winner of the IdentityForce vs Lifelock debate?
First, What Is Identity Theft?
Simply put, identify theft is the illegal use of someone’s identity or data without their consent to achieve financial gain.
IdentityForce vs Lifelock: Features
IdentityForce
What’s unique about IdentityForce is that none of your imported data, no matter how insignificant, is ignored. The company watches over a plethora of information, from your address all the way to your medical records, SSN, driver’s license, and sex offender registries. You can even add phone numbers and additional addresses if you feel like it.
Not only does the company monitor the black market 24/7 to oversee any legal or illegal use of your data, but it also works on sending you an alert if someone tries to make a purchase using your credit card. Should an identity theft take place, the company’s restoration experts will walk you through everything you need to do to revoke and/or replace your contaminated card.
IdentityForce also has a unique feature called “Delete Now,” which scans for news mentions and records of your name every three months and notifies you if it finds additional information about you online.
Lifelock
LifeLock isn’t that different in what it does, as it alerts you in case one of the following actions takes place:
- A new account is opened using your information, which includes everything from internet subscriptions to payday loans.
- There is some suspicious activity in an existing account, which includes credit card purchases and bank account withdrawals.
- One of your non-credit data gets leaked by some website.
- Your public records, such as addresses, court documents, and payday loan accounts, are being misused.
LifeLock’s plan to protect your data includes five steps:
- Monitoring your identity
- Scanning for threats
- Responding to identity theft attempts
- Guaranteeing their service
- Taking care of your credit score
LifeLock also has a unique feature called “Privacy Monitor,” which shows what information about you is being posted on each site where your data is listed. That said, you still have to head over to each website and remove the information yourself.
IdentityForce vs Lifelock: Pricing
IdentityForce
IdentityForce has two plans: UltraSecure and UltraSecure + Credit. If you’d like to get a taste before fully delving into the platform, you can try the company’s UltraSecure plan free of charge for 14 days.
The UltraSecure plan costs $17.95 per month, and you can get two months for free if you pay annually. The UltraSecure + Credit plan costs $23.95/month, and it also includes two months free of charge if you sign up for a yearly plan.
You can get an optional ChildWatch add-on with either plan, and it costs $2.75/month or $27.50/year. That can come in quite handy, considering that kids are more likely to encounter identity theft than adults. You can rest assured when using this feature as IdentityForce has the Parent Tested Parent Approved (PTPA) Seal, which is only given to companies after going through an unbiased vetting process by parent testers.
The subscriptions offer pretty much the same perks and features, except that the latter includes credit reports from the three national credit bureaus, which are TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian. The company also has a $1 million dollar guarantee.
Lifelock
LifeLock has three subscriptions that you can choose from:
- Standard, which costs $9.99 per month.
- Advantage, which costs $19.99 per month.
- Ultimate Plus, which costs $29.99 per month.
You also get an 8 percent discount if you sign up for a yearly plan.
LifeLock’s Standard plan includes the following features:
- 24/7 support
- Essential fraud alerts
- Lost wallet protection
- Dark web name monitoring
- $1 million service guarantee
The company’s Advantage plan offers all of the above as well as:
- Annual online credit report from one of the national credit bureaus
- Bank account and credit card monitoring and alerts
- Alerts on crimes committed under your name
- Information leaks and breaches
As for LifeLock’s highest tier plan, Ultimate Plus, it gets you the above perks along with:
- Monthly credit score reports from the three national credit bureaus
- Investment account monitoring (including 401k)
- Credit inquiry activity
- Sex offender records
As you can see, the LifeLock Ultimate Plus plan offers the highest level of protection, which is why it’s most users prefer it over the other subscriptions.
You can test LifeLock’s services by subscribing to their 30-day trial. Keep in mind that you have to enter your credit card info to get the trial, so remember to unsubscribe in time if LifeLock doesn’t fit your needs.
Lifelock vs IdentityForce: Which Is Better?
The main difference between are: Both companies are reputable, secure, and user-friendly, which is why there isn’t a clear winner between the two.
IdentityForce is costly, there’s no denying that, but it will certainly give you the bang for your buck. The app has a user-friendly, easy-to-use interface, and it covers all kinds of data that may get you into an identity theft abyss.
LifeLock’s entry plans aren’t as extensive as the company’s high-end plan, but they do cover all the essentials. Their Ultimate Plus plan, on the other hand, doesn’t leave room for guesswork or hesitation, and it can definitely be a good fit for individuals. On the flip side, if you’re planning to get a subscription for each member in your family, the total cost can set you back a pretty penny every month (or year).
As with most choices in life, the IdentityForce vs Lifelock debate boils down to your own needs as well as budget.