IdentityIQ vs. PrivacyGuard
IdentityIQ and PrivacyGuard provide comparable services but divide their plans in distinct ways. IdentityIQ provides a mix of ID and credit monitoring in each of its plans, whereas PrivacyGuard offers a plan devoted solely to ID monitoring, a separate plan devoted solely to credit monitoring, and a plan that bundles the two services together at a discounted rate. Learn more about both identity theft protection brands to help you choose the right one for your needs.
Compare IdentityIQ vs. PrivacyGuard
Price
Winner: IdentityIQPrivacyGuard's $24.99 per month Total Protection plan may cost less than IdentityIQ's most robust plan (Secure Max, $26.99 per month), but IdentityIQ provides an overall greater value in its basic affordable option (Secure Plus, $8.99 per month) with ID protection, single-bureau credit report monitoring, and many other features. In contrast, PrivacyGuard's $9.99 per month plan only provides ID protection services.
Customer Service
Winner: IdentityIQIdentityIQ has an A+ rating with the BBB, but PrivacyGuard does not have a BBB rating. When considering customer reviews, IdentityIQ has 2.5 stars out of 5 with the BBB, and PrivacyGuard has 2 stars out of 5 with Consumer Affairs. Both IdentityIQ and PrivacyGuard have complaints about difficulty canceling charges. Due to its slightly higher customer reviews and BBB rating, IdentityIQ wins this category.
Trial Period
Winner: PrivacyGuardBoth companies provide a trial period for customers, but PrivacyGuard gives you more time to decide if their services are right for you. With PrivacyGuard, you can get a 14-day trial for just $1. You won’t owe anything further if you cancel in that 14-day window. IdentityIQ has a shorter 7-day trial for just $1.
Online Safety Features
Winner: PrivacyGuardBoth IdentityIQ and PrivacyGuard offer dark web monitoring, which discovers if information related to your identity is being traded or sold on the black market online. However, PrivacyGuard takes online safety a step further by providing its customers with secure browser and keyboard apps. These monitor your browser for phishing scams and encrypt your keystrokes, among other features.
Tri-Bureau Credit Scores
Tie: IdentityIQ and PrivacyGuardBoth IdentityIQ and PrivacyGuard provide tri-bureau credit scores in respective plans. With both providers, you can get tri-bureau credit monitoring for less than $20 per month. This allows you to get a more comprehensive view of your credit scores.
ID Theft Insurance
Tie: IdentityIQ and PrivacyGuardBoth IdentityIQ and PrivacyGuard provide up to $1 million in ID theft insurance to their customers in their introductory plans.
Winner: PrivacyGuard
 IdentityIQ | Winner  Privacy Guard | |
|---|---|---|
Starting price | $8.99/mo. | $9.99/mo. |
Internet/Dark web monitoring | Yes | Yes |
Crdeit monitoring | Yes | Yes |
SSN monitoring | Yes | Yes |
Tri-bureau credit monitoring | Yes | Yes |
Bank account monitoring | Yes | Yes |
ID theft insurance | Yes | Yes |
Medical fraud monitoring | No | In top-tier plan |
Social media monitoring | No | Yes |
Trial period | 7 days | 14 days |
BBB rating | A+ | NR |
Unique feature | Optional credit simulator | Secure browser and keyboard apps |
Frequently Asked Questions About IdentityIQ and PrivacyGuard
Like other optional forms of insurance, ID protection gives you valuable peace of mind even when no issues are found. If a problem does arise, you’ll feel grateful to have it.
IdentityIQ offers four plans: Secure, Secure Plus, Secure Pro, and Secure Max. Each plan provides at least one-bureau credit monitoring, SSN alerts, lost wallet assistance, dark web monitoring and up to $1 million in ID theft insurance, among other perks. To receive an annual credit report, select Secure Plus. For in-depth credit report monitoring, choose Secure Pro, and for child protection insurance, choose Secure Max.
PrivacyGuard’s three plans are ID Protection, Credit Protection, and Total Protection. ID Protection only provides services related to identity theft monitoring, and Credit Protection only provides credit monitoring services. To obtain both services, subscribe to the Total Protection plan.
IdentityIQ’s best-value plan, Secure Plus, costs $8.99 per month. For $17.99 per month you can upgrade to Secure Pro. The most comprehensive option, Secure Max, costs $26.99 per month. It also offers a bare-bones Secure plan for $6.99 per month.
Privacy Guard’s ID Protection plan costs $9.99 per month. Credit Protection costs $19.99 per month, and the Total Protection plan bundles both services together for $24.99 per month.