The 6 Best Aura Alternatives To Consider Right Now

Is It Worth It To Sign Up For Aura?

Aura has quickly become a top choice among cybersecurity experts and reviewers — having been ranked as the best identity theft protection service by USNews.com, Forbes, TechRadar, NerdWallet, and more. However, it may not be right for everyone. 

Aura’s all-in-one approach can come at a higher price than some competitors, or be too robust for customers looking for single, stand-alone digital security tools (such as an antivirus software program or a password manager).

If you’re in the market for an online protection provider and aren’t sure whether or not Aura is right for you, there are alternatives you might want to consider. But first, let’s look at what you could potentially be missing out on. 

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Aura Pros & Cons: How To Know If Aura Is (or Isn’t) Right For You

Aura is an all-in-one identity theft protection solution that combines award-winning identity theft protection with three-bureau credit report monitoring, financial account monitoring for your credit card, investment, and bank accounts (powered by artificial intelligence), digital security tools for all of your devices, online privacy features to remove your information from data broker lists, and round-the-clock fraud resolution services.

Unlike most alternatives that offer plans with different tiers of protection, Aura provides simple, transparent plans, with options for individuals, couples, and families (five adults and unlimited children). 

Every Aura plan comes with the same high level of protection, 24/7 access to support with trained fraud remediation professionals, and up to $5 million in identity theft insurance.

Aura’s family plans offer additional protection — including parental controls, child identity monitoring, Safe Gaming tools to warn parents of cyberbullying, and an AI-powered spam call and text blocker.

How much does Aura cost? 

All of Aura’s plans offer the same level of protection (except for its family plans, which include additional family-focused features). Therefore, the rate that you pay will simply depend on how many people you want to protect. 

Here’s how much you’ll pay for Aura (using this special discount link):

• Individual: Starts at $6/month when paid annually ($72/year).
• Couple (two adults): Starts at $11.49/month when paid annually ($137.88/year).
• Family (up to five adults and unlimited children): Starts at $20/month when paid annually ($240/year).

If you pay for a year of Aura’s protection upfront, you’ll not only get a large discount off the monthly price — you’ll also be able to take advantage of Aura’s 60-day money-back guarantee. If you don’t like the service, or find that it isn’t right for you, you can easily request a refund. 

The bottom line: As one of the only truly all-in-one options available, Aura is a top choice by reviewers and experts for good reason. If you’re concerned about your online safety and privacy, Aura can help keep you and your whole family safe.

What do real users say about using Aura?

Here are some examples of real reviews posted by Aura users on TrustPilot [*], an independent review site:

• My Social Security Number was leaked. I’m so happy I had Aura: “Having been a part of the August SSN breach, Aura was proactive and incredibly supportive, guiding me step-by-step to secure and freeze my accounts. My White Glove agent was patient and kind, spending nearly two hours with me to ensure every detail was covered. I can't imagine how overwhelming it would have been to navigate this on my own.” [*]
• Exceptional assistance from Team Aura: “I was guided through the restoration process with the White Glove Specialist with professional and compassionate assistance. I felt a sense of relief after speaking with her. I am not alone.....I will recover with Team Aura on my side.” [*]
• I have been working in cybersecurity for the last 10 years: “Aura is the best solution I have seen for regular consumers. It focuses on what matters to you and makes it very user friendly. Now, going through identity theft I have immense peace of mind as I got assigned a dedicated professional that will be monitoring all my alerts and is like my own personal contact if something looks wrong. She has been Amazing!” [*]

📚 Read more Aura reviews to see what customers are saying →

The 6 Best Aura Alternatives in 2024

Aura provides award-winning online protection for you and your family — but its all-in-one approach might not be the right fit for all customers. 

Here are some of the best Aura alternatives you should consider right now:

1. Identity Guard

Why we picked it: Identity Guard is owned by the same company as Aura, and offers a similar suite of identity theft protection services. Unlike Aura, however, it offers a basic but budget-friendly “Value” plan, with identity monitoring and single-bureau credit monitoring services.  

The big difference between Aura and Identity Guard is that Identity Guard does not provide the same level of digital security tools. Instead of a full suite, Identity Guard only includes a password manager and Safe Browsing tools to warn you of potential phishing attacks. 

Best plan & average cost: Identity Guard Total Family plan for $25/month.

Similar to Aura, Identity Guard’s family plans cover up to five adults and unlimited children under the age of 18. The mid-level Total plan provides a good balance between value and protection, with three-bureau credit monitoring, Dark Web monitoring, bank account monitoring, and up to $1 million in identity theft insurance. 

For budget-conscious users who are happy with just one-bureau credit monitoring, Identity Guard offers an entry-level Value plan at just $7.50/month for individuals and $12.50/month for families. 

How it compares to Aura: Aura offers more features at a lower price point for individuals, making it the better choice for most people. For Family plan subscribers, Aura offers a wider set of parental control features designed to keep children safe online. If you want to protect children from predators and internet scams, Aura is the better choice.

📚 Related: The Best Identity Guard Alternatives Right Now →

2. LifeLock

Why we picked it: LifeLock has been an established name in the identity theft protection market for years and provides a broad range of security services to its customers — especially since joining forces with Norton. 

LifeLock’s plans range from barebones identity protection to all-in-one options that offer similar protection to Aura — but at a higher cost (especially if you opt for the Norton 360 cybersecurity add-on). 

Some standout features include extensive account monitoring, up to $3 million in identity theft insurance, and phone takeover monitoring. 

Buyer beware: The discounted prices you see on LifeLock’s homepage only apply to annual plans (you’ll pay the full amount upfront) and increase 30–50%+ after your first year as a customer.

Best plan & average cost: Ultimate Plus with Norton 360 for $25/month when paid annually ($299.99/year) — for your first year only. 

For protection that’s comparable to Aura’s all-in-one plans, you need to opt for LifeLock’s most expensive tier, plus pay extra for the Norton 360 add-on. This plan provides three-bureau credit monitoring, account monitoring, Dark Web alerts, digital security, and more. 

On the other end of the spectrum, LifeLock’s new Identity Advisor plan offers barebones protection — including Dark Web monitoring, data breach notifications, and access to the company’s identity restoration team — for just $3.33/month (when paid annually). 

How it compares to Aura: While LifeLock offers a similar all-in-one approach to identity protection, its high renewal prices, poor customer support ratings from some users [*], and recent security issues may make you want to consider a LifeLock alternative, such as Aura.

3. IDShield

Why we picked it: IDShield is an identity theft protection service that claims to offer “full-service identity restoration,” thanks to its parent company, LegalShield, which provides prepaid legal services and access to private investigators. 

Along with identity restoration, IDShield offers two different protection options — either one or three-bureau credit monitoring — plus options for individuals and families. 

IDShield claims to offer all-in-one protection; however, its included cybersecurity tools are actually provided by a separate company called Trend Micro. While this shouldn’t be an issue when it comes to protecting your devices, having multiple apps and logins can be a hassle.

Best plan & average cost: Individual plan with three-bureau credit monitoring for $19.95/month. 

For an additional $5/month, you can upgrade your IDShield plan to include three-bureau credit monitoring. This is essential, as it’s common for some lenders to only report to one or two of the bureaus — meaning you could miss early warning signs of fraud. 

How it compares to Aura: IDShield’s team of private investigators is unique — but it’s difficult to say how much value it adds to an already expensive service. Even if you discover who scammed you, it’s incredibly difficult to get your money back or bring justice to online fraudsters. Aura’s White Glove Fraud Resolution team, integrated digital security tools, and faster fraud alerts will do more to keep you and your family safe. 

📚 Related: Aura vs. IDShield Comparison — What You Need To Know →

4. IdentityIQ

Why we picked it: IdentityIQ sets itself apart from other options by providing credit score simulators and other tools that can help you build your credit. Unfortunately, these tools are only available on the most expensive Secure Max plan (and are also available from free tool providers, such as Credit Karma). 

Beyond credit score tools, all IdentityIQ plans include some form of credit monitoring (one or three-bureau), $1 million in insurance coverage, and Dark Web monitoring.

Best plan & average cost: Secure Max for $29.99/month.

While IdentityIQ’s top-tier plan costs more than many other identity theft protection services, it comes with a credit simulator and tracking tools that some users find useful. If you want an identity theft protection package that will also help you improve your credit score, IdentityIQ’s Secure Max plan may be worth its price tag.

How it compares to Aura: Aura offers a more competitive suite of digital security features at a much lower price. It is the better option for most people, despite the fact it lacks credit simulation tools.  

5. IdentityForce

Why we picked it: IdentityForce is an identity theft protection service offered by TransUnion, one of the three major credit bureaus. It combines a strong reputation with a competitive set of digital protection tools, as well as credit tracking and simulation features.

IdentityForce takes a unique approach to its plans by offering just two options: you can either sign up for identity theft protection alone or with additional credit monitoring and protection features. 

Unfortunately, while IdentityForce offers all-in-one protection, its privacy policy states that the company may sell or share your sensitive personal information with third parties, ranging from collection agencies and data brokers to government agencies, marketing companies, and more [*].

Best plan & average cost: UltraSecure+Credit for $34.90/month (for individuals). 

While IdentityForce costs significantly more than most competing top-tier subscriptions, it may still be the right choice for individuals who want access to credit simulation tools and daily TransUnion credit reports alongside identity theft protection services.

How it compares to Aura: With a comparable set of features available at one-fifth of the price, Aura is by far the more economical choice. It may not offer credit simulation tools; but Aura provides robust all-in-one digital security and identity theft protection at a fraction of what IdentityForce charges — and without the threat of your personal information being sold. 

📚 Related: Aura vs. IdentityForce Head-to-Head Comparison →

6. F-Secure

Why we picked it: For those users who are more concerned with online security than identity protection, F-Secure offers a sprawling set of digital security and scam protection services on a per-device basis. 

The F-Secure Total plan provides a more complete set of tools — including a VPN, antivirus software, password manager, and an AI-powered scam text blocker.

Best plan & average cost: F-Secure Total for $69.99/year (for one device). 

The only plan that offers digital security tools comparable to other entrants on this list is F-Secure’s Total plan. Securing one device costs $69.99/year, but F-Secure offers six months of free coverage to new users. The service includes robust cybersecurity services, but provides no additional identity theft monitoring or insurance coverage.

You’ll pay more for additional devices: up to $84.99/year for protection for five devices. 

How it compares to Aura: Aura’s individual plan covers up to 10 devices, making it a much cheaper option. Aura also adds valuable identity theft protection features like auto and home title monitoring, $1 million in identity theft insurance, and removal from data broker websites. This gives Aura an edge over F-Secure when it comes to features and per-device coverage.

Do You Really Need Identity Theft Protection?

Massive data breaches used to be rare occurrences. Now, hackers expose billions of sensitive records on the Dark Web every year, making everyone potential targets for identity theft and fraud.

Yet, the truth is that there are many things you can do to protect your identity without paying for a dedicated identity theft protection provider. 

For example, you can:

• Access free credit reports from all three bureaus each week by visiting AnnualCreditReport.com and checking for errors.
• Freeze your credit with all three bureaus to prevent hackers from taking out loans in your name.
• Share less information about yourself on social media and with online stores and services. 
• Secure your online accounts with strong passwords and two-factor authentication (2FA).
• Monitor your bank accounts for strange transactions, and sign up for your bank’s fraud alerts. 

But even with extra vigilance, it’s nearly impossible to monitor all of your personal information everywhere across the Dark Web, internet, and public records. 

Services like Aura (and the alternatives listed above), do the hard work for you, providing 24/7 monitoring, near real-time alerts, and access to trained support specialists who can guide you through the process of recovering your identity.

Ultimately, the question is: How much is peace of mind worth to you? 

📚 Related: 8 Reasons Why It's Important To Have Identity Theft Protection →

The Bottom Line: Aura Is Still One of the Best Options

Whether you want to secure your data and devices against hackers or get alerted if your leaked data was used by scammers, the identity theft protection services listed above will all provide you with some level of protection. 

In the end, it’s up to you to decide what features you want, and what company you trust with your most sensitive personal information. 

But there’s a reason Aura has been rated #1 by users, reviewers, and experts alike. With its all-in-one protection against identity theft, financial fraud, and hacking, plus 24/7 U.S.-based support and a generous insurance policy, Aura is your digital shield against online threats.