IDShield vs. Identity Guard 2024: Advanced Device Protection vs. Personal Protection

IDShield and Identity Guard both have a variety of features and price points, but the better fit for you depends on your unique needs. IDShield has got your devices covered, while Identity Guard offers more personal security.
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Best for Device Protection

4.6
Editorial Rating
Learn More
On IDShield's website

Identity Protection
IDShield
  • Full identity protection features included on all plans
  • Comes with bonus VPN and password manager
  • Affordable pricing compared to other options
  • No credit reports provided, only monthly credit score

Best for Families

4.7
Editorial Rating
Learn More
On Identity Guard's website

Identity Protection
Identity Guard
  • Easy-to-use identity theft protection service
  • Includes extra features like a password manager

Identity Guard is the best identity theft protection service between the two, as it offers increased personal security. We also like Identity Guard’s pricing, which is lower than IDShield — and many competitors overall. However, IDShield does offer robust device protection. IDShield and Identity Guard are both trustworthy identity theft protection services with a variety of features like credit reporting and social media monitoring.

Identity theft protection is personal, so choosing a product that works for you and your family will come down to how each service’s features fit your life. If you find that neither works for you after looking through this comparison review, then we’ve suggested some additional services you may love.

In this article
IDShield vs. Identity Guard review at a glance
Which identity theft protection is the better value?
Which identity theft protection has the better features?
Which identity theft protection is more secure?
Which identity theft protection has better compatibility and customer service?
FAQs
IDShield vs. Identity Guard: Which is better?

IDShield vs. Identity Guard review at a glance

IDShield and Identity Guard are both robust identity theft protection services that offer a lot of features like sex offender monitoring and reporting, as well as a password manager. IDShield includes a lot of device security features with all plans, while Identity Guard ramps up personal security for individuals and families with features like change of address alerts. While both services are valuable, we found that Identity Guard is best overall.

IDShield vs. Identity Guard compared

Star rating
4.6
4.7
Price $14.95–$34.95/mo $6.67–$31.99/mo
Types of identity monitoring Dark web, social media, and SSN monitoring Dark web, social media, SSN, and home title monitoring
Credit monitoring
Identity theft insurance Up to $3 million Up to $1 million
Identity restoration services
24/7 customer support
Learn more Get IDShield

Read IDShield Review

Get Identity Guard

Read Identity Guard Review


IDShield pros and cons

Pros
  • Up to $3 million in identity theft insurance
  • Offers a lot of device security
  • Includes live chat
Cons
  • No home title monitoring
  • More expensive than Identity Guard

Identity Guard pros and cons

Pros
  • Home title monitoring
  • Competitive pricing
  • Monitors your 401(k)
Cons
  • No VPN
  • No live chat

Which identity theft protection is the better value?

Identity Guard starts at a lower price point than IDShield, and it also comes with a 60-day money-back guarantee. However, IDShield does offer up to $3 million in identity theft insurance.

Best Value
Price range $14.95–$34.95/mo $6.67–$31.99/mo
Best value plan Individual 1-bureau for $14.95/mo Ultra for $23.99/mo
Money-back guarantee 60 days
Learn more Get IDShield

Read IDShield Review

Get Identity Guard

Read Identity Guard Review

IDShield plans

IDShield doesn’t advertise any free trials or money-back guarantees on its product pages, and the FAQ mentions that the service could only be canceled by providing IDShield with a written notice. When we tested the product, we found this to be inconvenient. Otherwise, the service offers a variety of useful features like dark web monitoring, social media monitoring, and even a password manager.

  • Individual: Offers unique features in four categories: identity protection, identity restoration, financial protection, and cybersecurity and device protection. Since IDShield includes a VPN and malware protection as part of its features, you can use these with your plan instead of purchasing additional services, which could save you even more money.
  • Family: Includes all of the features of the individual plan but adds a spouse or domestic partner and unlimited dependents. There aren’t any additional features for the family plan since minor child monitoring is also included in the individual plan.

Identity Guard plans

Identity Guard has plans for individuals and families. It offers a 60-day money-back guarantee on annual plans, which means you have the opportunity to test it out for more than a month before you totally commit to a yearly subscription. When we tested the product, we activated the credit lock feature without realizing it (it’s a simple toggle) and spent about a week trying to figure out why our financial transactions were being flagged or denied. It really did the job.

  • Value: Includes basic features like identity theft insurance, data breach notifications, dark web monitoring, and transaction monitoring. Includes safe browsing and a password manager.
  • Total: Includes everything in the Value plan but adds some premium credit protection features and bank account monitoring.
  • Ultra: Includes everything in the previous two plans but adds extras like social media account monitoring and expanded credit protection.

Winner: Identity Guard. It offers a money-back guarantee, and Identity Guard pricing is affordable for people wanting to balance features with their budget.

Which identity theft protection has the better features?

Identity Guard offers more monitoring types to make sure your personal data is kept secure.

Our Pick
Social Security Number monitoring
Financial activity alerts
Credit monitoring
3-bureau credit reports Yes — Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion Yes — Experian, Equifax, TransUnion
Credit score
Identity theft insurance Up to $3 million Up to $1 million
Dark web monitoring
Social media monitoring
Home title monitoring
Address change alerts
Learn more Get IDShield

Read IDShield Review

Get Identity Guard

Read Identity Guard Review

There are a lot of similarities between these two identity theft protection services; the differences include price, device protection, and personal protection. IDShield offers much more device protection, including VPN and malware protection. Identity Guard beefs up personal protection with 401(k) and high-risk transaction monitoring.

We do feel Identity Guard has an advantage over IDShield when it comes to covering families because of the lower overall price. Identity Guard really is affordable for nearly every budget. It makes the service accessible for families who may be living on a tight budget, and, in this economy, who couldn’t use a price break?

IDShield's portal that you access from IDShield.com
IDShield dashboard

Identity Guard's main dashboard, with links to transaction monitoring and credit monitoring features.
Identity Guard dashboard

Winner: Identity Guard. It offers more personal protection and is more cost-effective for individuals and families.

Which identity theft protection is more secure?

You give a lot of data to an identity theft protection service when you sign up. If you’re offering that much, you should feel confident knowing it’s going to be protected. Two-factor authentication (2FA) can help protect your information from credentials theft, while a service that doesn’t share data reduces the spam you receive.

IDShield vs. Identity Guard data security

While both services collect your personal data, Identity Guard shares your data with third-parties and affiliates for marketing purposes.

Our Pick
Collects data
Shares data with third parties
Learn more Get IDShield

Read IDShield Review

Get Identity Guard

Read Identity Guard Review

We liked that IDShield didn’t share data with third parties, at least as far as we could tell. Identity Guard didn’t shy away from letting you know in its general privacy policy (shared by sister company Aura) that it does share that info. Personally identifiable information should be kept private because it can lead to an increased risk of identity theft. It seems counterproductive to share that information.

Winner: IDShield. The fact that IDShield doesn’t share data gives it an immediate edge.

Which identity theft protection has better compatibility and customer service?

Both services offer similar contact methods. However, Identity Guard offers 24/7 support, so you can get assistance no matter what time it is.

Our Pick
Android
iOS
Dedicated restoration specialists
Lost wallet remediation
24/7 customer support
Customer support options Phone, email, FAQ, live chat Phone, email, FAQ, live chat
Learn more Get IDShield

Read IDShield Review

Get Identity Guard

Read Identity Guard Review

Both of these services offer a live chat. We love a live chat because we can get immediate answers to specific questions. As far as the rest of the support options, they’re pretty standard. Identity Guard offers phone, email, and FAQ, the same as IDShield, but those options all take extra time. However, IDShield doesn't offer 24/7 customer support, though it does have specialists available 24/7 should an identity theft emergency arise. 

Both services only offer apps for Android and iPhone, which on the plus side means you can take your protection service with you. Overall, there’s nothing overly exceptional about either service’s compatibility and customer support options, but 24/7 availability does nudge Identity Guard ahead.

A screenshot of IDshield's credit and dark web monitoring dashboard

IDShield Credit and Dark Web Monitoring dashboard


Identity Guard's customer support options (email, phone call) and hours.

Identity Guard customer support overview


Winner: Identity Guard. We like that it offers 24/7 support, as it always makes a service more valuable in our eyes.

FAQs


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Is Identity Guard legitimate?

Yes. Identity Guard is owned by the same company that owns Aura identity theft protection. Both companies are legitimate, well-respected identity theft protection services. Having tested Identity Guard ourselves for several months now, we can attest to its validity and usefulness. If you’re interested in how these two identity theft protection companies compare, check out our Aura vs. Identity Guard review.


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Who is the parent company of IDShield?

IDShield’s parent company is Pre-Paid Legal Services, Inc. (PPLSI), which also owns LegalShield, a pre-paid legal service. IDShield was created by PPLSI, which leveraged its legal knowledge and contacts to create an identity theft protection company. Today, IDShield boasts the ability to help customers regain their pre-theft identity status by aggressively working to restore their identity.


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What is the difference between Identity Guard and Complete ID?

Identity Guard and Complete ID are both identity theft protection services with a few major differences. In our comparison of Identity Guard vs. Complete ID, we found that Complete ID didn’t offer home title monitoring, while Identity Guard does. We also found that Complete ID wasn’t as robust as Identity Guard in its features and offerings.


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Which is better, LifeLock or IDShield?

LifeLock and IDShield both offer a robust set of tools to protect you from identity theft and other cybercrimes. Both services offer restoration services up to $3 million to recoup identity theft losses. However, we found that LifeLock is better for individuals seeking specific types of protection services, while IDShield is more affordable for protecting families. Check out our Lifelock vs. IDShield review to learn more.

IDShield vs. Identity Guard: Which is better?

In our comparison, we found that Identity Guard is the overall best. Identity Guard offers a 60-day money-back guarantee on annual subscription purchases, which puts this protection service ahead of IDShield. If you want increased personal protection that’s affordable for you and your family, Identity Guard is your product.

Category
Our Pick
Value
Features
Test results
User experience
Learn more Get IDShield

Read IDShield Review

Get Identity Guard

Read Identity Guard Review

If you’re looking to bundle your identity theft protection with device protection, you should consider IDShield. IDShield does not advertise any free trial or money-back guarantee offer, so you can’t test out the service risk-free.

Whatever you do, make sure you’re using identity theft protection. Ultimately, the most important thing is protecting yourself against identity theft. An identity theft and credit protection guide can help you narrow down what you need. As cybercrime continues to rise, ID theft services become increasingly more important.

Save 33% Now!
4.7
Editorial Rating
Learn More
On Identity Guard's website
Identity Protection
Identity Guard
  • Easy-to-use identity theft protection service
  • Includes extra features like a password manager

Top identity theft protection alternatives

If you’re looking for the best identity theft protection service and neither IDShield nor IdentityGuard fits your needs, try one of these. We’ve tested them individually and are excited about the variety of features offered, like parental controls or coverage for an unlimited number of children.

  • Aura: Aura offers a robust identity monitoring solution with plans for individuals, couples, and families. Aura monitors your SSN, auto and home titles, criminal and court records, and your financial transactions. It also offers several additional features, including antivirus software, a virtual private network (VPN), and a password manager. First-time annual subscribers can take advantage of Aura’s 60-day money-back guarantee offer.

    Get Aura I Read Aura Review

  • Norton LifeLock: LifeLock by Norton provides the most extensive identity theft insurance, offering anywhere from $1.05 million to $3 million, depending on your plan. LifeLock also monitors your identity in several different ways, including social media monitoring, home title, crime alerts, and investment account activity. First-time annual subscribers can take advantage of Norton’s 60-day money-back guarantee offer.

    Get Norton LifeLock | Read Norton LifeLock Review
  • Identity Force: Identity Force is a highly rated identity theft protection service. The family plans cover two adults and unlimited children, allowing you to prevent child identity theft as well. IdentityForce doesn’t offer a money-back guarantee, but you can try the service via a 30-day trial if you input your credit card info upfront.

    Read Identity Force Review

Want to see how IDShield holds up to the competition? Check out our IDShield vs. IdentityForce review.

4.9
Editorial Rating
Learn More
On Aura Identity Theft's website
Identity Protection
Aura Identity Theft
  • Excellent identity theft protection service
  • Includes a password manager and VPN
  • Robust tools for children’s security

Author Details
Mary is a seasoned cybersecurity writer with over seven years of experience. With a B.S. in Liberal Arts from Clarion University and an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from Point Park University, she educates audiences on scams, antivirus software, and more. Her passion lies in educating audiences on helpful ways to protect their data.