Updated September 28, 2026 · ShieldCue Editorial Team
ID Watchdog vs Identity Guard
ID Watchdog vs Identity Guard: the differences
| Compare |  ID Watchdog |  Identity Guard |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | $14.95 to $34.95 | $8.99Lower |
| Credit bureaus monitored | 1 to 3 | 3 |
| Insurance amount | $1,000,000 to $2,000,000 | $1,000,000 to $5,000,000Higher |
| Family plan price | $23.95 to $34.95 | $8.99 to $39.99Lower |
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Key differences
- Identity Guard scores higher overall: 9.5 vs 9.0.
- Monthly price is lower at Identity Guard: $8.99 vs $14.95 to $34.95.
- Insurance amount is higher at Identity Guard: $1,000,000 to $5,000,000 vs $1,000,000 to $2,000,000.
- Family plan price is lower at Identity Guard: $8.99 to $39.99 vs $23.95 to $34.95.
- Founded is lower at Identity Guard: 1996 vs 2005.
Our verdict on each
ID Watchdog
ID Watchdog suits US households that want credit bureau monitoring and insurance cover at a middle-range price. Monthly plans run $14.95 to $34.95, and insurance of $1,000,000 to $2,000,000 keeps the restore cover credible, which is the trade-off readers weigh against rivals priced higher or lower.
Identity Guard
Identity Guard suits readers who want broad credit monitoring and heavy insurance cover at a budget monthly price. The budget plan runs $8.99 a month with 3 credit bureaus monitored and insurance of $1,000,000 to $5,000,000, from a company founded in 1996, based in the United States and run by Aura Sub, LLC.
Score breakdown
| Area | ID Watchdog | Identity Guard |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.0Monthly plans run $14.95 to $34.95 and the family plan $23.95 to $34.95, both above cheaper listings in the set. | 9.6HigherThe budget plan costs $8.99 a month against a €7.89 site median, with family plans running $8.99 to $39.99. |
| Offer | 8.9Insurance of $1,000,000 to $2,000,000 and monitoring of 1 to 3 bureaus are the offer's core. | 9.3Higher |
| Privacy | 9.0 | 9.6Higher |
The bill, worked out
A year
ID Watchdog
$179.40 to $419.40
12 × $14.95 to $34.95
Identity Guard
$107.88
12 × $8.99
Identity Guard costs $71.52 less.
Worked out from the stated prices and rates; your own total depends on how you use it. Facts checked September 26, 2026.
Where each is licensed and available
| Country | ID Watchdog | Identity Guard |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | United States | United States |
Available in 1 country for both.
How they place
| Ranking | ID Watchdog | Identity Guard |
|---|---|---|
| Identity theft protection | 61 of 117 | 49 of 117 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | ID Watchdog | Identity Guard |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Not confirmed | Budget |
| Legal entity | Identity Rehab Corporation DBA ID Watchdog | Aura Sub, LLC |
| Headquarters | United States | United States |
| Founded | 2005 | 1996Lower |
| Support channels | Email, Phone, Help centre | Email, Phone, Help centre |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | ID Watchdog | Identity Guard | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | $14.95 to $34.95above the median | $8.99below the median | $12 |
| Credit bureaus monitored | 1 to 3at the median | 3at the median | 3 |
| Insurance amount | $1,000,000 to $2,000,000above the median | $1,000,000 to $5,000,000highest quarter | $1,000,000 |
| Family plan price | $23.95 to $34.95below the median | $8.99 to $39.99lowest quarter | $29.99 |
Median across 49 listed providers.
Pros and cons
ID Watchdog
Pros
- Insurance of $1,000,000 to $2,000,000 underpins the plans, above the category median of €876,962.20.
- Bureau monitoring spans 1 to 3 credit bureaus, from a smaller watch list to a fuller one.
- Support covers email, phone and help centre, so help is reachable by email, phone and help centre.
Cons
- Monthly pricing of $14.95 to $34.95 sits above Surfshark at €2.49.
- The family plan price of $23.95 to $34.95 keeps larger households in a higher band.
- Live chat is not among its support channels (email, phone and help centre).
Identity Guard
Pros
- Monitors 3 credit bureaus, matching the 3 site median
- Insurance of $1,000,000 to $5,000,000 ranks 10 of 45 on cover
- The budget plan at $8.99 comes with that bureau coverage and insurance cover included
Cons
- The budget plan at $8.99 ranks 19 of 54 on monthly price, above the €7.89 site median
- Family plan pricing runs $8.99 to $39.99, so the top of that range sits well above the $8.99 entry price
- The offer score of 6.3 trails the cost score of 8, and the listed model is budget
Who each suits
ID Watchdog
Who it suits
- US households wanting bureau monitoring and insurance cover on a monthly plan.
- Families weighing the family plan price of $23.95 to $34.95 against a standard monthly plan.
- Readers who want email, phone and help centre support rather than the cheapest price.
Who should look elsewhere
- Shoppers buying purely on monthly cost: LifeLock at $10.42 to $34.99 and Norton at $34.99.
- Readers wanting top-ranked cover: ID Watchdog ranks 10 of 45 on insurance.
- Readers looking for a new provider, since the company has run since 2005.
Identity Guard
Who it suits
- Readers who want 3 credit bureaus watched rather than a single report
- Households weighing the family plan at $8.99 to $39.99
- People who put insurance cover of $1,000,000 to $5,000,000 high on their list
Who should look elsewhere
- LifeLock, where the family plan runs $10.42 to $34.99 and you would rather start higher
- Norton, listed at $34.99 a month, for readers budgeting well above $8.99
Current offers
Identity Guard
Current offer
First period offer
Save up to 16% on the first year of an annual plan: Save up to 16%; first year $90.00 on the Value plan
Limited offer on annual plans purchased via the website; discounted first-year total then renews at the standard annual rate ($90.00 first year, renews at $107.88/yr)
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Country by country
| Country | ID Watchdog | Identity Guard |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Yes | Yes |
Questions about each
ID Watchdog
How much is ID Watchdog per month?+
ID Watchdog's monthly plans run $14.95 to $34.95, a range that covers the entry point and the top tier. That figure is the one to compare with LifeLock at $10.42 to $34.99 and Norton at $34.99 before choosing a plan.
What does the family plan cost?+
The family plan price is $23.95 to $34.95. Households covering several adults get a different figure from the standard monthly range of $14.95 to $34.95, and the family number is the one that matters for a shared plan. Weigh both before signing up.
Identity Guard
How much is Identity Guard per month?+
The budget plan costs $8.99 a month. That sits above the €7.89 site median and places Identity Guard at 19 of 54 on monthly price, so entry cost is the main thing to weigh against rivals. Higher insurance cover is the trade-off.
What does the family plan cost?+
Family plan pricing runs $8.99 to $39.99, so the top of that range sits well above the $8.99 single plan price. Households should weigh the upper end against covering several people on one plan, since each extra member changes the total.