Is Aura Worth It? Here's What You Need To Know Before Buying

Is Aura Worth the Cost? 

While Aura has quickly become a leader in identity theft protection and digital security — receiving awards and top placements from USNews.com, TechRadar, Identity Theft Protection Review, and others — not everyone is comfortable trusting their identity with a relatively new company.

If you’re on the fence about signing up for Aura, here’s what real users like and dislike about the service:

• What people like about Aura: Users and reviewers both praise Aura’s affordable all-in-one plans, effective identity and credit monitoring, and knowledgeable U.S.-based support teams. Many users also appreciate Aura’s robust family plans with parental controls and family identity theft protection.
• What people question about Aura: Some users looking to solve specific issues feel that Aura’s all-in-one approach is excessive when compared to point solutions (such as standalone antivirus protection, password managers, or VPNs) — even if Aura is ultimately more affordable than paying for multiple digital security tools.

The best identity theft protection service for you depends on your individual situation, needs, and risk level. No matter what option you choose, make sure you know exactly what you're signing up for. 

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Aura Features, Plans, and Pricing: What You Need To Know

Aura was first launched in 2017 after its founder and CEO, Hari Ravichandran, had his credit information stolen by scammers. 

The long and disjointed process of recovering from identity theft inspired Hari to create a single tool that could protect your identity, finances, and online security — all from an easy-to-use desktop or mobile app. 

Today, every Aura account includes award-winning identity monitoring, three-bureau credit monitoring with the industry’s fastest fraud alerts³, financial account monitoring and suspicious transaction alerts, as well as a full suite of cybersecurity tools — including antivirus, a virtual private network (VPN), secure password manager, phishing protection, and more.

If you have questions or become a victim of identity theft, Aura provides 24/7 support, personalized fraud resolution specialists, and up to $5 million in identity theft insurance coverage.

Aura offers plans for individuals, couples, and families. Aura’s Family Plan protects an unlimited number of kids and devices and includes parental controls, child identity theft protection, and AI-powered spam call and text protection.

Here’s a breakdown of Aura’s main plans and pricing (using this exclusive discount offer): 

While Aura offers many of the same features provided by competitors like LifeLock and IdentityForce, there are specific differences that could make Aura a better choice for you. 

The #1-rated identity theft protection from major tech review sites

Similar to other identity theft protection services, Aura monitors your sensitive information, financial account information, and online credentials to see if they’ve been leaked or used without your permission. 

However, Aura’s robust watchlist and near real-time alerts for suspicious activity have made it the top choice from publications like USNews.com, Forbes, TechRadar, Tom’s Guide, and more.

Aura actively monitors over 140 pieces of personally identifiable information (PII) per adult user, including Social Security numbers (SSNs), phone numbers, bank account details, passwords, and more. You also get Dark Web monitoring, data breach notifications, and home title and auto title monitoring. 

Here are a few excerpts from recent Aura reviews by top tech reviewers: 

• Tom's Guide: "Aura not only has one of the best interfaces but it also provides you with the most important and most used features to protect your identity online at a reasonable price."
• TechRadar: "Aura may not be the cheapest option out there, but the level of features and protection available make it one of the most attractive propositions in our view."‍
• SFGate: "Aura has the widest range of identity monitoring services of any provider on this list. It’s the only identity theft protection service to offer data breach notifications. Additionally, it will remove your information from people search websites. LifeLock was the only other service we reviewed that provided similar assistance."

Three-bureau credit monitoring with the industry’s fastest fraud alerts

Most people who sign up for identity theft protection services are worried that hackers or scammers may access their bank accounts or take out loans in their name. 

Aura monitors your credit files through direct access to each of the three major credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion) and alerts you to new credit applications, changes to personal information, and more. Aura also provides monthly credit score updates (using the VantageScore 3.0 model), annual three-bureau credit reports, and a one-click CreditLock to protect your Experian credit file. 

A recent mystery shopper survey found that Aura’s credit monitoring was more reliable and provided fraud alerts up to 250x faster than competitors³.

You can also link your bank and investment accounts to Aura and receive AI-powered alerts for suspicious transactions. If identity thieves try to use your name or SSN for high-risk transactions, like payday loans, you'll find out right away. 

Here's what SafeHome.org had to say about Aura’s credit protection features: 

"They monitor nearly everything, from your bank, 401k, and investment accounts to financial transactions made with your credit cards and bank accounts. On top of all that, Aura provides real-time alerts of inquiries into your credit file across the three major credit bureaus — Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion."

AI-powered digital security for all of your devices

Traditional identity monitoring tools only warn you after your identity has been stolen — but Aura takes a more proactive approach to your online security. 

Aura's digital security tools leverage artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze patterns and behaviors that help it detect and learn from emerging threats. Each Aura account includes digital security tools such as:

• Antivirus and malware protection: Available on Android, PC, and Mac devices, the antivirus software identifies and helps remove different types of malware — including spyware, adware, and rootkits. 
• Military-grade virtual private network (VPN): Aura’s VPN hides your browsing history when you’re using potentially unsafe Wi-Fi networks, and allows you to access the internet from over 100 virtual locations, including more than 20 in the United States.
• Safe Browsing tools to protect against phishing attacks: Aura automatically blocks malicious websites and can stop you from clicking on dangerous links in phishing emails and texts. 
• Anti-track and online privacy tools: Aura stops website trackers from collecting personal data that can be used to target you.
• Secure password manager and vault: Aura securely stores all of your passwords, credentials, and important documents in an encrypted vault. You’ll also receive alerts if your passwords were leaked in a data breach or are at risk of being hacked. 
• AI-powered spam call and text protection: Aura’s call assistant automatically blocks known spam calls and texts and answers unknown callers on your behalf — only forwarding legitimate callers to you. (Note: Aura’s Call Assistant is an optional add-on to individual and couple plans, but comes standard on all family plans).

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

Online privacy protection and data removal services

Data brokers collect and sell your personal information to marketers, government agencies, and anyone else. While you can request that brokers remove your information from their databases, there are hundreds of these brokers in the United States alone, each with its own lengthy and annoying opt-out process.

Aura protects your personal information and privacy by automatically scanning data broker sites and people search databases and requesting that they remove your data. 

Even if brokers  re-add your information, Aura performs regular scans and will continue to submit additional opt-out requests as needed.

Here's what TechRadar had to say about Aura’s privacy tools: 

"Aura is a fantastic set of privacy and security services that cover a massive range of functions… The data removal services are functional and work to remove your personal data from a range of data brokers and provide updates on the sanctity of your online data."

24/7 support with expert fraud remediation

One of the biggest selling points for Aura over competitors is its best-in-class customer support. 

Every Aura customer has 24/7/365 access to U.S.-based support and fraud remediation specialists. Support is available via phone, live chat, and email. 

For victims of identity theft, Aura grants access to White Glove Fraud Resolution Specialists. These highly trained experts walk victims through the recovery process — helping them to navigate the claim-filing requirements with banks and government agencies, make formal disputes, and file claims with their identity theft insurance providers.

Here's what Business Insider had to say about Aura’s outstanding customer support: 

"While we like Aura's three-bureau credit monitoring and antivirus security, what really stood out to us is Aura's White Glove fraud resolution. If your identity is stolen as an Aura customer, an Aura White Glove agent will help you create a plan to prevent additional damage and recuperate losses."

Up to $5 million in identity theft insurance

Every Aura plan comes with an identity theft insurance policy that includes $1 million in coverage for each adult member (up to $5 million total on family plans). 

Unlike many competitors that limit reimbursement for lost or stolen funds, Aura’s included insurance policies cover at least $1 million of total losses and eligible expenses resulting from identity theft, such as: 

• Recovery-related expenses: Credit freeze/thaw costs, transcript costs, appeal bonds, court filing fees, and more resulting from any identity restoration efforts.
• Lost wages: Includes compensation for vacation days, discretionary days, floating holidays, and paid personal days, within 12 months of discovering the fraud.
• Verifying documents: Costs for notarizing affidavits or similar documents, long-distance phone calls, travel, and postage.

What Do Real Users Say About Using Aura?

While lists of features and reviewer comments can give you an idea of what it’s like to be an Aura customer, real users tell the full story. 

Here's what real customers are saying about Aura on third-party review platform TrustPilot:

• My SSN 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.” [*]
• Solid protection for my information: "They are always on the alert for activity connected to my name and finances. In one instance Aura alerted me to a company that was trying to charge me for a service that I had turned down. I was able to immediately contact my credit card company to stop the transaction. They've also been great about removing my name from databases so I no longer have an email box full of unsolicited messages." [*]
• Truly an all-in-one protection service: "Aura monitors everything. From your Social Security number and identification cards to internet safety and filtering phone calls, Aura truly does it all. They also provide parental controls and even a secure vault where you can safely store all of your passwords (they even monitor those for you too)." [*]‍
• I got the white glove treatment: “An identity verification alert came through and Shanna provided exquisite service — she was thorough, patient and knowledgeable… I am so glad I have a membership with Aura and especially for representatives like Shanna! She prevented a potential identity theft and the major hardship that would have caused.” [*]

How Does Aura Compare to LifeLock and Other Service Providers?

Aura is far from the only identity theft protection service available. You could choose a competitor like LifeLock, IdentityForce, or IDShield — or even options run by banks, insurance companies, or one of the major credit bureaus. 

But while every provider has its strengths, few match Aura's breadth of coverage, acclaimed support, and forward-thinking approach to identity protection. 

Here's a brief feature rundown of how Aura compares to its top competitors:

The bottom line: Many of the best identity theft protection services offer feature-heavy packages that help protect your personal data from ID theft. However, Aura is in a class of its own when it comes to providing all-in-one protection and support at a fair price.

Who Should Choose Aura?

Aura's identity theft protection plans accommodate a diverse customer base, but there are certain types of people whose needs fit the service better than others. 

Here are some deal customer scenarios for Aura:

• Families or adults with dependents (children or elderly family members). Aura excels when it comes to family protection — with parental controls and fraud monitoring for children as well as protection that extends to more vulnerable elderly loved ones. Family Plan members can reside in different households (such as grandparents, or kids away at college). With up to $5 million in identity theft insurance included on Aura's family plans, everyone’s covered if the worst should happen.
• Victims of data breaches. Aura monitors the Dark Web, public records, and data broker sites, and notifies you if your data has been leaked. Aura's fraud specialists can also guide victims through the process of securing and freezing compromised or vulnerable accounts.  
• People looking for all-in-one protection. Defending against identity theft and fraud requires a wealth of protective features and approaches. Aura complements its powerful identity and credit monitoring service with advanced antivirus software and online security tools.
• Anyone with financial assets to protect. Many companies monitor your credit file, but Aura includes bank account and investment account monitoring on its plans. If someone changes your information or makes a transaction in your financial accounts, you'll be alerted. 
• Cautious spenders. While it may not be the cheapest service on the market, Aura's pricing comes in much lower than most all-in-one protection packages. With the added bonus of a 60-day money-back guarantee, even the most frugal consumer can get peace of mind.

Why Aura Might Not Be Right For You

Even with thousands of five-star reviews, Aura isn’t right for everyone. 

Here are a few reasons why Aura may not suit your needs:

• You’re looking for a dedicated password manager, VPN, or antivirus protection. Aura is an all-in-one solution that includes tools to protect you against online threats, such as hacking, malware, and phishing attacks. However, some dedicated tools may include deeper functionality.  
• You want customizable packages. Aura users can opt for a comprehensive identity theft protection package for individuals or families — or pick a stand-alone antivirus product that focuses more exclusively on device security. While few companies offer true customization, some offer a large number of package options, which may help you find one suited to your unique needs. 
• You want to see everything on your child’s phone. Aura's parental controls allow you to filter harmful content, manage screen times for your children, and find out about cyberbullying — but they don't run surveillance on your children's activities. Some parental control apps give you full access to your children's online profiles if you want that level of control.  

📚 Related: The 6 Best Aura Alternatives Right Now (Ranked and Rated) →

The Best Way To Decide If Aura Is Truly Worth It? Try It For Free.

There are plenty of reasons why you should choose Aura as your identity theft protection provider. With round-the-clock monitoring of your information and accounts, best-in-class fraud alerts, and 24/7 support, Aura is the best choice for most people.  

But you need to be comfortable with your decision. So try it out for yourself. Sign up for Aura's 14-day free trial and test out all of the features to see how they work and if they meet your needs. 

Is Aura worth it? Try Aura free for 14 days and decide for yourself.