LifeLock Identity Theft Protection Review
LifeLock by Norton is one of the most recognizable identity theft protection services in the world. Previously known simply as LifeLock, the product has been called LifeLock by Norton since 2019. Offering three plan levels, LifeLock by Norton provides monitoring, alerts and a Million Dollar Protection Package. This review will walk you through the service and help you decide if it’s the best ID theft protection option for you.
Table of Contents
- LifeLock Identity Theft Protection Pros and Cons
- LifeLock Identity Theft Protection Plans
- LifeLock Financial Stability
- LifeLock Identity Theft Protection Accessibility
- LifeLock Customer Satisfaction
- LifeLock Identity Theft Protection FAQs
- How We Evaluated Lifelock Identity Theft Protection
- Summary of Money's LifeLock Review
LifeLock Identity Theft Protection Pros and Cons
- Wide variety of plan and pricing options for individuals, couples and families
- Up to $3 million in legal fees, stolen funds and personal expenses reimbursement
- Offers a Norton VPN and device protection add-on feature
- Offers a 30-day free trial period
- Price increases after the first year
- Only the most expensive plan monitors all three major credit bureaus
Pros explained
Wide variety of plan and pricing options for individuals, couples and families
LifeLock has the most plan options of all of the ID theft protection providers we evaluated. There are three plan tiers: Standard, Advantage and Ultimate Plus. Each tier offers three options, one for individuals, one for couples, and one for families with up to five children. If you sign an annual contract, LifeLock offers a discount on the first year of 34% to 52% depending on the plan.
The Standard plan for individuals costs $11.99 per month and $89.99 per year. After the first year the plan renews at $124.99 annually. For couples it’s $23.99 a month or $147.87 annually, renewing at $249.99 the next year. Family plans cost $35.99 a month or $221.87 annually and renew at $359.99 the second year.
The Advantage plan for individuals costs $22.99 per month and $179.88 per year. After the first year the plan renews at $239.99 annually. For couples it’s $45.99 a month or $287.88 annually, renewing at $479.99 the next year. Family plans cost $57.99 a month or $359.88 annually and renew at $579.99 the second year.
The Ultimate Plus tier plan for individuals costs $34.99 per month and $239.88 per year. After the first year the plan renews at $339.99 annually. For couples it’s $69.99 a month or $395.88 annually, renewing at $679.99 the next year. Family plans cost $79.99 a month or $467.88 annually and renew at $799.99 the second year.
Up to $3 million in legal fees, stolen funds and personal expenses reimbursement
LifeLock customers who have their identities stolen can receive up to $3 million in expense compensation related to identity theft with the Ultimate Plus plan. Customers who have the Advantage plan get $1.2 million in coverage, while Standard plan customers get $1,050,000.
Different pricing options for individuals, couples and families
There are nine total LifeLock plan options that vary based on the benefits offered and the number of people protected by the plan. Norton offers an introductory rate for your first year. You can get 34% to 52% off the yearly plan prices. All of LifeLock’s costs are listed below.
Offers a Norton VPN and device protection add-on feature
LifeLock service subscribers have the option to bundle Norton 360 with the LifeLock plans (LifeLock Select). In addition to the LifeLock identity protection services, the bundle with Norton 360 includes security for your devices, antivirus protection, cloud backup storage on Windows, parental controls and a password manager.
Here’s a list of LifeLock’s pricing with Norton 360 included.
LifeLock free trial
If you’re unsure about buying LifeLock security, you can start with a 30-day free trial of any plan. Most other companies only offer a two-week trial or less.
On top of that, annual plans come with a 60-day money-back guarantee, in case you aren’t happy with your service.
Cons explained
Price increases after the first year
All LifeLock plans have a lower introductory price for the first year. After that, the cost of your LifeLock plan will go up. For example, the Standard plan for an individual starts at $89.99 for the first year and then goes up to $124.99 when the subscription renews for the following year.
Three-bureau credit monitoring only available with the most expensive plan
In order to get credit monitoring services for all three main bureaus (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion), you must purchase the Ultimate Plus plan, which is the most expensive tier. The LifeLock Standard and Advantage plans only monitor one credit bureau (Equifax). This will still help protect your identity but won’t give you the most detailed picture of your credit.
LifeLock Identity Theft Protection Plans
LifeLock offers three identity theft protection plan tiers: Standard, Advantage and Ultimate Plus. Each plan has a pricing scale based on your household size. For all tiers, you can purchase an individual plan for one adult, a family plan for two adults or a family plan for two adults and up to five children.
All plans come with 24/7 live member support, but the Ultimate Plus plan comes with priority support, meaning you can skip the line for minimal waiting. Additionally, all plans include U.S.-based identity restoration specialists.
To decide if LifeLock is the best identity protection service for you, here’s a breakdown of the differences between each plan tier.
LifeLock Standard
LifeLock Advantage
LifeLock Ultimate Plus
- Dark web monitoring
- Identity alerts
- Personal data alerts
- Social Security number alerts
- One bureau credit monitoring
- Data breach notifications
- Stolen wallet protection
- USPS address change verification
- Utility alerts
- $25,000 stolen funds reimbursement
- $25,000 personal expenses reimbursement
- $1 million reimbursement for experts and lawyers
All Standard items plus:
- Credit lock
- Alerts for crimes reported under your name
- Monthly credit scores and reports
- Credit, checking and savings account alerts
- BNPL alerts
- Fictitious identity monitoring
- Phone takeover monitoring
- $100,000 in stolen funds reimbursement
- $100,000 in personal expenses reimbursement
All Advantage items plus:
- Unlimited one-bureau credit reports and scores
- Annual reports and scores from all three bureaus
- 3 bureau credit monitoring
- Sex offender registry monitoring
- Home title monitoring
- Social media monitoring
- Account takeover scam alerts
- File-sharing network monitoring
- 401(k) and investment account alerts
- $1 million in stolen funds reimbursement
- $1 million in personal expenses reimbursement
Norton VPN and device protection can be added to any LifeLock plan for an additional $10 to $30 per year, depending on your plan.
LifeLock Family Plan
LifeLock has two family plans that can be applied to all tiers. One covers two adults, the other two adults and up to five children.
Family plans include child identity theft protection, among other benefits. LifeLock monitors your children’s Social Security numbers and financial accounts and reports any credit information attached to their identity.
LifeLock Financial Stability
NortonLifeLock, formerly a product of Symantec, merged with antivirus software company Avast in late 2022, forming the company Gen Digital. Gen Digital is the parent of major cybersecurity companies, including Norton, LifeLock, Avast, Avira, AVG and more.
Gen Digital received a Moody’s long-term rating of Ba2 and a “stable” outlook. The company’s Fitch credit rating is BB+ as of 1/22/2024.
LifeLock Identity Theft Protection Accessibility
LifeLock by Norton is available nationwide and is relatively easy to use. Here’s a look at its accessibility.
Availability
LifeLock is available across the U.S. and in other countries worldwide. It is a fully digital service, so you can sign up for a plan online.
Contact information
There are a few ways to get in touch with LifeLock customer service. Current customers have access to a member portal through LifeLock’s website, which you can use to pay a bill, check on alerts and find answers to your security questions.
LifeLock customer service number
You can also call LifeLock at its 24/7 customer helpline to ask questions or get help. The LifeLock phone number (1-800-416-0599) is the same for customers nationwide.
User experience
LifeLock provides customers with an online dashboard that is easy to navigate. When new users first login, they will be prompted to share personal information like credit card, bank account and driver’s license numbers. The more of this information you provide, the more likely LifeLock will be to detect threats to your identity.
LifeLock App
LifeLock gets a lot of praise for its user-friendly mobile app. With it, customers can access their accounts and check privacy monitoring services from their mobile devices. If a threat or suspicious activity is detected, LifeLock will alert you through the app. Customers can then respond right away to the activity alert and access Member Services immediately if needed.
Download the LifeLock app for iPhone.
Download the LifeLock app for Android.
LifeLock Customer Satisfaction
LifeLock generally receives positive customer reviews on most review sites. According to reviews, customers are overall happy with their services. Several reviewers note receiving timely alerts of suspicious activity and feeling protected. Some customers complain about the increased renewal price after the first subscription year. However, when you purchase a plan, you can view your introductory and renewal prices to compare the cost difference. Plans renew automatically.
However, the value of LifeLock must be judged against security measures you already have, budget considerations and your own personal risk tolerance.
How We Evaluated Lifelock Identity Theft Protection
We evaluated LifeLock based on the following factors:
- Variety of identity protection plan options
- Customer ratings
- Pricing and fees
- Additional offerings
- Financial strength
- Accessibility
Summary of Money's LifeLock Review
LifeLock by Norton is one of the most comprehensive and best identity theft protection services. It offers three plan levels and package deals for individuals, couples and families. You can get a lower introductory rate to save money on your first year of service but keep in mind that your price will increase upon renewal.
A LifeLock plan might be something to consider if you’re looking for a wide range of options for identity monitoring and reimbursement for identity theft. LifeLock offers a free 30-day trial, so you can always test it out to see if it’s the best identity protection service for your needs.