LifeLock vs. IdentityForce 2023: LifeLock Brings More to the Table
Identity theft can completely derail your finances and credit in one fell swoop. According to a 2021 Federal Trade Commission report, it takes an average victim 31 hours to recover from identity theft, with 20% spending over 40 hours [1].
With identity thieves constantly coming up with new tactics, having a robust identity theft protection service watching your back has become absolutely essential.
But with so many options on the market, how do you decide which service to trust?
Hi, I‘m [insert name], an online privacy and cybersecurity writer here at . To help you make the smartest choice for protecting your identity, I decided to take an in-depth look at two of the top contenders – LifeLock and IdentityForce.
Over the past few weeks, I‘ve compared everything from their features to pricing to support. In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll share my insights to help you determine if LifeLock or IdentityForce is a better match to meet your identity theft protection needs.
Let‘s dive in!
At First Glance: LifeLock vs. IdentityForce
Before we compare every last detail, here‘s a high-level snapshot of how LifeLock and IdentityForce stack up:
| LifeLock | IdentityForce | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $7.50 – $38.99/mo first year | $17.95 – $23.95/mo |
| Identity Theft Insurance | Up to $3 million | Up to $1 million |
| Credit Monitoring | ✔ | ✔ |
| Best For | ID theft insurance and support | Families |
Now let‘s unpack their key differences across pricing, features, security, support, and more.
Comparing LifeLock and IdentityForce Pricing & Plans
One of the first things to weigh when reviewing identity theft protection services is how much they cost.
Here‘s an overview of how LifeLock and IdentityForce pricing shakes out:
LifeLock Pricing
LifeLock offers three core packages:
- Standard: $7.50 – $12.99/mo first year. Up to $1 million identity theft insurance.
- Advantage: $14.99 – $22.99/mo first year. Up to $1.2 million identity theft insurance.
- Ultimate Plus: $25.99 – $38.99/mo first year. Up to $3 million identity theft insurance.
They also offer family plans covering two adults and up to five children for increased prices.
All LifeLock plans are discounted the first year before renewing at higher ongoing rates. For instance, the LifeLock Advantage plan starts at $14.99/mo year one before renewing at the regular $22.99/mo price.
IdentityForce Pricing
IdentityForce packages include:
- UltraSecure: $17.95/mo or $179.50/yr. Up to $1 million identity theft insurance.
- UltraSecure+Credit: $23.95/mo or $239.50/yr. Up to $1 million identity theft insurance.
Family plans are available at increased pricing tiers.
Unlike LifeLock, IdentityForce does not offer first year discounts. Their published pricing is ongoing.
Pricing Comparison
Here‘s a chart summarizing the starting price points of key plans from each provider:
| Plan | LifeLock | IdentityForce |
|---|---|---|
| Lowest Price Individual Plan | $7.50/mo first year | $17.95/mo |
| Mid-Tier Individual Plan | $14.99/mo first year | $23.95/mo |
| Highest Tier Individual Plan | $25.99/mo first year | $23.95/mo |
A few key takeaways:
- LifeLock‘s entry-level plan starts at only $7.50/month – over 50% cheaper than IdentityForce‘s lowest cost plan.
- IdentityForce lacks a high-tier plan comparable to LifeLock‘s top-shelf Ultimate Plus package.
- LifeLock offers discounts in year 1 making them especially affordable upfront.
Clearly, LifeLock provides better overall value and flexibility when it comes to pricing. If cost is your primary concern, they are hard to beat.
The Winner: LifeLock for far more affordable pricing, especially year one.
Now let‘s see if the extra value holds up when comparing their features.
How LifeLock and IdentityForce Features Stack Up
An identity theft protection service needs to have robust features and capabilities to identify fraud and keep your data safe. Here‘s an overview of key features offered by LifeLock and IdentityForce:
| Feature | LifeLock | IdentityForce |
|---|---|---|
| Credit Monitoring | ✔ | ✔ |
| Credit Reports & Scores | ✔ | ✔ |
| Identity Theft Insurance | Up to $3 million | Up to $1 million |
| Dark Web Monitoring | ✔ | ✔ |
| High-Risk Transactions Alerts | ✔ | ✔ |
| Fraud Alerts | ✔ | ✔ |
| Credit Freezes/Locks | ✔ | ✔ |
| Social Security Monitoring | ✔ | ✔ |
| Sex Offender Registry Checks | ✔ | ❌ |
| Home Title Monitoring | ✔ | ❌ |
| 401k/HSA Alerts | ✔ | ❌ |
| Bank Account Takeover Alerts | ✔ | ❌ |
Monitoring and Alerts
Both LifeLock and IdentityForce offer core identity monitoring protections like credit reports, dark web surveillance, and high-risk transaction alerts.
However, LifeLock includes some additional monitoring perks:
- Sex offender registry checks – LifeLock cross-references addresses against the National Sex Offender Registry to identify risks.
- Home title monitoring – LifeLock watches home title records for fraudulent activity indicating possible identity theft.
- 401k/HSA alerts – LifeLock monitors retirement and health savings accounts.
- Bank account takeover alerts – LifeLock watches for unauthorized changes to your bank accounts.
IdentityForce lacks these enhancements. So when it comes to informational monitoring, LifeLock has the edge.
Fraud Alerts
One area where IdentityForce excels is providing alerts whenever new accounts or credit applications are made in your name. This allows you to nip fraud in the bud early.
LifeLock does not offer real-time fraud alerts for new accounts being opened. You have to rely on the general suspicious activity monitoring.
So IdentityForce pulls ahead when it comes to fraud-specific warnings.
Insurance Coverage
Both services provide identity theft insurance to help recoup costs if you become a victim.
However, LifeLock offers superior coverage limits:
- LifeLock: Up to $3 million coverage
- IdentityForce: Up to $1 million coverage
The higher ceilings from LifeLock provide better financial protection in case the worst happens.
Family Features
When it comes to family plans, IdentityForce‘s ChildWatch program gives it an advantage for parents trying to protect kids.
ChildWatch specifically helps safeguard minors against child identity theft by monitoring their Social Security number, credit reports, and more.
So if you have children and want robust protection tailored to them, IdentityForce has an edge.
But for overall monitoring capabilities, LifeLock still wins out.
The Winner: LifeLock with more comprehensive monitoring, higher insurance limits, and broader alerts.
Next, let‘s examine how secure LifeLock and IdentityForce are when it comes to protecting your sensitive personal information.
LifeLock vs. IdentityForce: Which Is More Secure?
With an identity theft protection service, the security of your data is paramount. You‘re entrusting them with sensitive information like your SSN, driver‘s license details, credit history, and more.
Here‘s how LifeLock and IdentityForce both keep your data safe:
| Security Measure | LifeLock | IdentityForce |
|---|---|---|
| Encryption | 256-bit AES | 256-bit AES |
| PCI-DSS Compliant | Yes | Yes |
| Two-Factor Authentication | Yes | Yes |
| Bug bounty program | Yes | No |
| SOC 2 Certified | Yes | Yes |
Encryption and Compliance
The good news is that both LifeLock and IdentityForce leverage bank-level 256-bit AES encryption to secure your data, the same standard used by financial institutions.
Additionally, both companies are certified compliant with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS) for safely handling credit card and payment information.
Authentication
To prevent unauthorized access, LifeLock and IdentityForce both offer two-factor authentication (2FA). This requires entering a temporary code from an app or text message when logging in for added security.
Bug Bounty Program
LifeLock has a bug bounty program that rewards cybersecurity researchers for identifying and reporting potential vulnerabilities. This crowdsourced approach bolsters security.
SOC 2
LifeLock and IdentityForce undergo independent SOC 2 audits to ensure proper security controls are in place to protect customer data.
The Verdict
All in all, LifeLock and IdentityForce take the necessary steps to keep your data secure, including encryption, 2FA, certifications, and audits. If I had to pick the safer platform, I‘d go with LifeLock by a hair thanks to their bug bounty program. But both services pass the security test with flying colors in my book.
Comparing the User Experience: LifeLock vs. IdentityForce
A key part of picking an identity theft protection service is finding one with an intuitive interface. You want to be able to log in and check your account anytime with ease.
Here‘s how LifeLock and IdentityForce stack up when it comes to usability:
| Usability | LifeLock | IdentityForce |
|---|---|---|
| Mobile app | Android & iOS | Android & iOS |
| Desktop access | ✔ | ✔ |
| Dashboard design | Clean & visually focused | Text-heavy |
| Account management | ✔ | ✔ |
Mobile Apps
Both providers offer slick mobile apps for Android and iOS to access your account on the go. These allow you to check alerts, review credit reports, monitor activity etc. from your phone.
Desktop Experience
The desktop interfaces also provide easy access on a computer. They are both functional and let you dig into details of your account.
Dashboard Design
This is one area where LifeLock pulls ahead. Their dashboard has a more visually intuitive, modern design that makes your status and alerts easily glanceable.
IdentityForce‘s dashboard shows the same information, but through a more text-heavy, chronological log format. LifeLock‘s is easier on the eyes.
Account Management
Both services make it easy to update your personal details or billing information directly through your account. You can also enable/disable certain alerts or other preferences.
The Verdict
Across mobile, desktop, and account management, both platforms provide solid usability. LifeLock has a slight edge for its visually oriented dashboard. But overall, users should have no trouble with either service.
Now let‘s compare perhaps the most crucial element of all – customer support.
LifeLock vs. IdentityForce: Customer Service Showdown
Even with the best identity theft monitoring in place, there‘s always a chance your information could become compromised. If that happens, quality customer service is essential for getting issues resolved quickly.
Here‘s how LifeLock and IdentityForce‘s support options compare:
| Customer Support | LifeLock | IdentityForce |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 24/7 | Limited hours |
| Live Chat | 24/7 | Limited hours |
| ✔ | ✔ | |
| Response Time | Fast – under 5 mins | Can be slow – up to 24 hours |
Phone and Chat Support
One of LifeLock‘s biggest advantages is providing 24/7 phone and live chat support. No matter when you need help, an agent is available at all hours.
In contrast, IdentityForce only offers phone and chat support from 8am – 5:30pm EST on weekdays. No after-hours or weekend assistance.
Email Support
Both companies offer email support channels which are handy for less urgent inquiries. However, email response times tend to be slower than other contact options.
Response Time
In general, LifeLock‘s support reps are extremely responsive across channels like chat and phone. You can often connect with someone in under 5 minutes, even in the middle of the night.
IdentityForce‘s limited support hours mean you sometimes need to wait for a response until the next business day. Especially if contacting them outside working hours.
The Verdict
LifeLock‘s 24/7 live chat/phone support and rapid response times are invaluable if your identity is ever compromised. IdentityForce‘s more limited options make LifeLock the clear winner here.
LifeLock vs. IdentityForce: Common Questions
Still trying to decide between LifeLock vs. IdentityForce? Here are answers to some frequently asked questions for extra insights:
Can LifeLock fully prevent identity theft?
No service can provide absolute protection against identity theft given the ingenuity of criminals. However, LifeLock employs multiple layers of monitoring, alerts, insurance, and restoration to provide extremely robust protection against most forms of ID theft.
How does LifeLock recover your identity if it‘s stolen?
If you do become an identity theft victim while using LifeLock, you can contact their 24/7 support team. Their US-based identity restoration specialists will work on your behalf to notify creditors, report fraud to the credit bureaus, work with law enforcement, file paperwork, and ensure fraudulent accounts are closed. This alleviates the victim having to navigate those processes alone.
Is IdentityForce a legit company?
Yes, IdentityForce is a wholly legitimate identity theft protection service owned by credit bureau TransUnion. They deliver on core offerings like credit monitoring, insurance, and restoration services. The main downsides are cheaper-feeling brand, less features, and more limited support compared to LifeLock. But overall, they live up to their services.
Can you use LifeLock and IdentityForce together?
Unfortunately LifeLock and IdentityForce cannot be used together simultaneously. You can only have one active identity theft protection plan due to overlapping features. The services will detect each other and usually cancel out if trying to enroll in both. If looking for maximum protection, LifeLock‘s higher-tier plans are recommended over stacking plans.
Does LifeLock work with banks and credit cards?
Yes, LifeLock integrates directly with over 250 banks, credit card issuers, and other financial institutions. This allows LifeLock to provide enhanced monitoring and alerts when high-risk transactions are attempted on your accounts.
Is IdentityForce better than LifeLock for families?
Potentially. Thanks to IdentityForce‘s ChildWatch program, they may be a better fit than LifeLock specifically for families trying to protect children against child identity theft. ChildWatch caters to minors‘ unique needs. However, LifeLock provides superior overall value and features for families looking to protect adults and kids.
What happens if LifeLock goes out of business?
In the unlikely event LifeLock shuts down, your identity theft protection would lapse. However, according to their privacy policy, all your personal data and records would be permanently destroyed within 6 months rather than sold off. As a stable company with over 25 years in business and backed by a major cybersecurity firm in Norton, their risk of closing is negligible.
The Final Verdict: LifeLock vs. IdentityForce
After comparing every facet from features to support, here‘s my take:
LifeLock is the superior identity theft protection service overall.
While IdentityForce does a decent job covering the basics, LifeLock simply offers far better value and more robust protection:
- Lower pricing, especially the first year
- Richer monitoring capabilities
- Higher insurance limits up to $3 million
- Better customer support via 24/7 live chat/phone
- More polished and usable interfaces
About the only unique advantage IdentityForce has is their ChildWatch program for protecting children.
But for adults seeking maximum identity theft protection with robust features and support, LifeLock is the way to go in my book. Their top-tier plans deliver better protection and value than anything IdentityForce offers.
To enjoy LifeLock‘s market-leading identity theft features starting at only $7.50/month, visit their website and enroll in a plan today. You can even try it risk-free for 30 days.
I hope this detailed look at LifeLock vs. IdentityForce was helpful. Stay safe!
