Here are our top picks for the best credit monitoring services based on price, features, ease of use and real-time alerts.
| Credit monitoring service | Best for | Starting cost |
|---|---|---|
| Credit Karma | Free plan, credit score simulator, credit card and loan recommendations | $0 |
| Identity Force | Dark web monitoring, financial account tracking, ID theft insurance | $34.90/month (or $349.90/yr) |
| Experian® | Free access to Experian credit report and FICO Score, Experian Boost, credit lock, FICO score tracking | $0 |
| PrivacyGuard | Online access to all three credit bureau reports and scores | $9.99/month |
| Aura | Family and individual plans, parental controls, antivirus, VPN, dark web scans | $15/month, or $144 billed annually |
| myFICO | Industry-specific FICO scores, simulator tools | Starts at $0/month |
Finder’s experts compare multiple credit monitoring services and narrow down on key factors including monthly fees, plan options, variety of credit bureau monitoring, credit score tools and more. We also factored in user reviews, Better Business Bureau (BBB) ratings and overall reputation to create this curated list of the best credit monitoring services and apps.
Key features weighed include:
Credit monitoring services vary widely in price.
On the low end, you may not have to pay a monthly fee at all, with Experian and Credit Karma offering basic identity theft protection with no monthly fees.
If you want extra bells and whistles, such as identity theft insurance and dark web scans, you may have to pay anywhere from $10 to $35 per month — or more if you want to protect multiple individuals.
Paid credit monitoring services often include extras like:
Not if you don’t want to. There are plenty of free services available.
However, premium options like IdentityForce or myFICO may be worth it for more serious credit watchers or those needing identity protection.
"You don’t have to pay anyone to get access to your credit reports and scores. In fact, it’s your protected right to view your credit reports under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, and under federal law, you’re allowed to request your free reports once every 12 months. Additionally, viewing your own credit reports and scores does not impact your credit score at all.
Currently, the three major credit bureaus are offering free weekly reports (a response to the Covid-19 pandemic). You can request copies of your credit reports from AnnualCreditReport.com at no cost."
Credit monitoring helps you spot fraud early, stay aware of your credit status and avoid unpleasant surprises when applying for a loan or credit card.
You may want to consider a credit monitoring service if you:
If you’re not ready to pay for credit monitoring, here are some alternatives:
The best credit monitoring service for you depends on your goals — whether it’s tracking your score, protecting against identity theft or preparing for a major loan. Free options like Credit Karma work great for everyday monitoring, while premium services like IdentityForce or Aura offer peace of mind with added protections.
Credit Karma and Experian are two of the most popular free services, offering real-time updates and helpful tools at no cost.
Credit monitoring alerts you to changes, while a credit freeze prevents new accounts from being opened using your credit profile.
No — using credit monitoring apps to check your own score is a soft inquiry and has no impact on your credit.
Top alternatives to Kikoff for easy credit-building include Self, Cleo, Grow Credit, Chime and Mine (Fizz).
The Tomo credit building card says there are no interest charges, $0 annual fees and no hard credit check. See what we found.
Kovo Credit Builder helps you build your credit history for around $10 per month and reports to four credit bureaus. Many competitors do not.
It’s a little different from regular credit scores — here’s how to build business credit.
The best credit-building apps include Self Credit Builder, Step, Cred.ai, Cleo, Grow Credit and Credit Karma Credit Builder.
Credit repair is something you can do yourself, so it may not be worth the cost.
The Unicorn card by Cred.ai charges no APR, as long as you have autopay on, making it a good choice for a first credit card to build credit.
Learn how to read your credit report and what items are on your credit report to better understand your current credit position.
No, checking your credit score does not lower it, so you can check your score as often as you want. Learn how to keep track of your credit score here.
A bad credit score typically falls below 670, but there are ways to improve a bad or poor credit score. Learn more in this guide.