IDShield Review: Is It the Best Choice for You?
Written by
Daria Uhlig
Edited by
Melanie Grafil
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Protect your identity and reputation with IDShield's online monitoring, anti-fraud and cybersecurity and device protection tools.
IDShield is an excellent choice for individuals and families looking for reputation management in addition to a full suite of credit monitoring and ID protection and restoration services.
IDShield protects your privacy, identity and financial health with advanced tools such as dark web and social media monitoring, continuous credit monitoring, device protection and guaranteed identity restoration. Plan levels vary according to the number of people covered and the number of credit bureau reports monitored.
How IDShield Works
IDShield works by monitoring your identity and credit for signs of fraud, and alerting you to suspicious activity. If a breach occurs, IDShield works with U.S.-based licensed private investigators to restore your identity and reputation.
IDShield provides the following services:
- Monitors your Social Security number, dark web, social media, public records and other files to identify and alert you to potential risks
- Continuously monitors your credit report from one bureau or all three, depending on your plan, and alerts you to threats
- Monitors your financial accounts
- Provides virtual private network, password manager, data protection, lost device protection and antivirus/antimalware protection for up to three devices
- Offers 24/7 emergency assistance, with guaranteed identity theft restoration by licensed private investigators
- Reimburses up to $3 million for unrecovered identity-theft costs
IDShield Plan Pricing
IDShield has four plans to choose from: two for individuals and two for families, which protect you and your domestic partner and your dependents. All plans have the same benefits — the difference is in the number of credit bureaus IDShield monitors. Here’s how the plans are priced:
- Individual plans: $14.95 per month for one credit bureau, $19.95 per month for three bureaus
- Family plans: $29.95 per month for one credit bureau, $34.95 per month for three bureaus
Whereas some competing companies charge higher prices for monthly payments vs. upfront annual ones, IDShield’s monthly-only pricing is simple and transparent.
IDShield Customer Service
Although IDShield offers 24/7 emergency customer support in case of theft, its general customer service, available by phone or chat, is only open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. CST Monday through Friday. The number, but not the hours, are listed on the tops of each page on the website and on the Contact Us page. Note that the number and email are for LegalShield, a sister service from the same company.
IDShield Account Features
Protect Your Identity, Credit and Reputation With Real-Time Alerts and 24/7 Support
IDShield monitors the dark web and social media for identity risks related to privacy threats, and it offers unlimited 24/7 support. If you fall victim to fraud or other threats, licensed private investigators will restore your identity — guaranteed.
Cost
$14.95 to $19.95 for individual plans$29.95 to $34.95 for family plans
Pros
- Social Security number, dark web and social media monitoring and alerts
- Social media management tools, including automated post and image deletion and LinkedIn profile optimization
- Sex offender search and monitoring
- Guaranteed identity restoration by licensed private investigators
Cons
- Subscriptions cost between $14.95 to $34.95 may be higher compared to competitors
- Basic plans monitor just one credit bureau
Why We Like It
In addition to monitoring your identity and credit and providing tools to safeguard your devices online, IDShield helps you manage your social media accounts and optimize your LinkedIn profile to make the best possible impression on your personal and professional networks.
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Identity Protection Features
IDShield offers a comprehensive range of identity protection benefits, such as Social Security number, dark web and social media monitoring and alerts, as well as unlimited customer service and access to U.S.-based licensed private investigators with power of attorney to restore your identity after a theft, making it a solid choice for protecting your personal and financial information.
- Social Security number monitoring and skip-trace searches to reveal hidden breaches
- Dark web monitoring to identify compromised personal information
- Credit monitoring with one bureau or all three, depending on plan
- Removal of personal information from data brokers’ websites
- Unlimited consultations with identity theft specialists
- Family protection plans with customizable options
IDShield Identity Protection Features
Robust Identity and Credit Protection With Unlimited Expert Support
IDShield scours the internet looking to monitor your identity, credit and reputation, and it alerts you to potential risks in real time. You get unlimited customer support from identity theft specialists, plus access to licensed private investigators who’ll restore your identity and credit and financial accounts to their pretheft state in the event of a theft.
Pros
- Social media monitoring for reputation-damaging content
- Real-time alerts for identity and credit threats
- Individual and family plans
- Guaranteed theft restoration by licensed private investigators
- Cybersecurity and privacy tools for devices
Cons
- Device protection covers a maximum of three devices
- No change in price for annual vs. monthly payments
Why We Like It
IDShield offers a well-rounded set of identity protection and restoration services as well as credit monitoring to safeguard your finances, and cybersecurity protection for up to three devices.
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User Experience
IDShield users express high satisfaction with their IDShield subscriptions. In fact, 83% of those who rated it on TrustPilot gave it five stars, where IDShield has 4.7 stars overall.
Positive reviews cite excellent customer service by helpful and courteous representatives who respond quickly to users’ concerns. Even in cases where representatives verified that breach hadn’t occurred, they offered users advice for reducing risks and getting the most out of their IDShield subscriptions.
Negative reviews are rare, with only 6% of users rating IDShield one or two stars on TrustPilot. IDShield accounts linked with separate LegalShield prepaid legal-service accounts from the same company are the source of several complaints. Otherwise, dissatisfied users primarily complained about technical issues and IDShield’s inability to find the source of issues with their Social Security number.
IDShield has mobile apps for Android and Apple devices. Whereas the phone app gets just 3.8 stars on Google Play due to technical glitches following a 2023 upgrade, the tablet app has 4.5 stars. The App Store app for iOS devices has an outstanding 4.8-star rating.
IDShield vs. Competitor Options
Here’s a look at how IDShield compares to similar subscription plans.
IDShield vs. LifeLock
LifeLock offers three different plans — Select, Advantage and Ultimate Plus. The higher tiers may offer features such as phone takeover and home title monitoring.
The price to renew depends on the plan and any promotions offered, though renewal prices tend to be higher than the intro price. To add on coverage for children, LifeLock will require a family plan or add-on.
IDShield vs. Aura
Aura has an outstanding collection of plans, ranging from a $10-per-month plan paid annually just for kids, to a $32-per-month family plan — also paid annually — that protects five adults and an unlimited number of kids and devices. Protection for children is especially comprehensive, with gaming and cyberbullying alerts. However, Aura doesn’t guarantee identity-theft remediation services like IDShield, though it does offer restoration support and identity theft insurance.
IDShield vs. Identity Force
Identity Force has a robust set of identity-theft prevention tools, including personalized action plans to evaluate your exposure, and an identity vault to securely store your digitized personal information and important documents. But its plans are more expensive than IDShield’s despite offering less identity-theft insurance coverage — $1 million to $2 million, depending on the plan, vs. $3 million for IDShield customers.
Final Take
IDShield is best for career-focused individuals and families who need to guard and enhance their online reputations while also protecting their sensitive information and credit with comprehensive monitoring and real-time alerts.
FAQs on IDShield
The answers to these frequently asked questions can help you decide if IDShield is right for you.- How does IDShield work?
- IDShield works by monitoring the dark web and social media, as well as your credit reports, for signs that your information or accounts have been compromised. It alerts you to possible breaches and makes licensed private investigators available to resolve identity theft if it occurs.
- Is IDShield safe to use?
- Yes. IDShield keeps your sensitive information safe.
- Does IDShield include family protection plans?
- Yes. Family plans start at $29.95 per month and protect you, your domestic partner and your dependents.
- What features are included in IDShield plans?
- All IDShield plans offer the same features, including dark web and social media monitoring, continuous credit monitoring, attempted removal of your information from data brokers' websites, cybersecurity tools for up to three devices, and guaranteed restoration if your ID is stolen. The difference between base and premium plans is the number of credit bureaus monitored -- base plans monitor Experian only, while premium plans also monitor TransUnion and Equifax.
- Is IDShield worth the cost?
- IDShield could be worth the cost if you want peace-of-mind protection against threats to your personal information and credit, and expert assistance if your information and/or accounts are compromised.
- • How quickly does IDShield detect and alert users to threats?
- IDShield doesn't give specific timelines for threat detection, but it monitors the dark web for compromised information, provides continuous credit monitoring and alerts you in real time to potential threats.
Editorial Note: This content is not provided by any entity covered in this article. Any opinions, analyses, reviews, ratings or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author alone and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any entity named in this article.
