Experian IdentityWorks Review 2024: Great Features, Poor Data Security

Experian IdentityWorks has useful features that monitor sensitive personal and financial information to ensure it is not compromised on the dark web or stolen by cybercriminals.

IdentityWorks also offers up to $1 million in identity theft insurance if you become an identity theft victim, so you don’t have to navigate recovering your identity and money alone. It’s features like these that make Experian IdentityWorks one of our top recommended identity theft protection services.

Keep reading to learn more about these features, pricing, and benefits in our Experian IdentityWorks review.

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Experian IdentityWorks

• Comprehensive three-bureau credit monitoring
• Dark web and social media alerts
• Data shared with third parties for targeted advertising

Experian IdentityWorks review at a glance

Experian credit monitoring, credit reporting, identity theft monitoring, dark web alerts, and more are offered by IdentityWorks. With three plans available, ranging from a basic free plan to a paid premium ($24.99/mo) and a family plan ($34.99/mo), individuals and families can take a step toward protecting themselves from identity theft and fraud.

We found the Experian IdentityWorks free plan is not as comprehensive as the paid plans, but it;s very helpful for monitoring credit and personal information. After all, some protection is better than none.

The paid Premium and Family plans aren’t the cheapest — you’ll find better deals from Norton LifeLock, for example — but they do offer exceptional identity monitoring and protection features. These include monthly privacy scans and data removal services, two features LifeLock doesn’t offer.

Experian identity theft protection pros and cons

What does Experian IdentityWorks protect against?

The Experian IdentityWorks service protects against these common identity theft situations:

• Social Security number and personal identifying information (PII) theft with dark web scans
• Credit card fraud — IdentityWorks’ paid plans let you lock or freeze your credit
• Medical identity theft
• Home title theft
• Child identity theft
• Financial account takeover (by monitoring your bank accounts and credit cards as well as monitoring your credit scores on Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax)

Experian IdentityWorks prices and subscriptions

Experian IdentityWorks offers three identity protection plans: Basic, Premium, and Family. The prices are competitive compared to other identity theft protection services, though some services like LifeLock or Aura may come at a lower price point. Still, the value offered by Experian IdentityWorks makes the cost worth it for many users.

Experian IdentityWorks plans comparison

Experian IdentityWorks features

Experian IdentityWorks offers an impressive array of features to help you safeguard your personal information and monitor your credit. Some standout features include credit monitoring from all three credit bureaus, dark web alerts, and social media account alerts.

You may find IdentityWorks’ identity protection features worthwhile. Here’s what you can expect.

Credit monitoring

With a paid plan, Experian IdentityWorks monitors your credit reports from Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. It updates your credit scores and credit reports at least once a month. The service alerts you of significant changes in your financial accounts, such as new loans, credit card activity, and changes to your account balances.

If any issues are detected, you'll be promptly notified. If you find you’ve become a victim of identity theft, Experian IdentityWorks provides identity theft insurance of up to $1 million, depending on your plan.

Experian IdentityWorks provides financial account alerts for the following:

• Bank accounts: High transaction amounts, low balance, and suspicious activity
• Loans: Alternative lending activity, new installment loans, new accounts, and payday loans
• Credit cards: An increase or decrease in credit limit, hard inquiries, unauthorized inquiries on locked credit files, opened new accounts, and delinquent payments

Credit reports and credit scores

It's super important to keep a close watch on your credit reports, FICO score, and credit score for many reasons. By regularly looking at your credit reports, you can spot any mistakes, red flags for fraud, or even signs of identity theft — and then do something about it right away.

Staying in the loop with your credit scores helps you know how creditworthy you are, which is really useful when making big financial choices like applying for loans, credit cards, or mortgages.

Experian IdentityWorks is a handy service that keeps you updated on your credit reports and scores. It gathers reports from all three credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion) to make sure you have a complete picture of your credit situation.

Depending on the plan you choose, you could get monthly or even daily updates on your credit reports and scores. The IdentityWorks Premium plan updates your tri-bureau FICO score and credit reports every quarter, while your Experian FICO score is updated daily. The Family plan updates your credit score and reports on the same cadence except, and you’ll also get a daily update for your Experian credit report.

These frequent updates mean you stay ahead of the game and tackle any issues as they come up.

Alerts

Identity theft protection services help you stay vigilant by offering a variety of alerts that keep you informed about any suspicious activities that could compromise your security.

Here are some of the common alerts provided by Experian IdentityWorks that will notify you of potential security risks:

• Dark web monitoring that helps you spot compromised personal information
• Social media account alerts, including suspicious activity
• Sex offender registry alerts notify you if and when a sex offender moves in nearby
• Court record and arrest record alerts
• USPS change of address alerts

Our experience with Experian IdentityWorks

We’ve used Experian IdentityWorks for over a year, and our journey has been quite a pleasant ride for the most part. The service is a breeze to use and comes packed with a lot of nifty features to shield against identity theft.

Among these, the credit monitoring feature really shines, giving us the latest scoop from all three major credit bureaus. Plus, the dark web and social media monitoring act as our watchful guardians, sniffing out potential risks before they wreak havoc.

On the flip side, there’s one major hitch we stumbled upon. Experian's habit of sharing user data with third parties might put off those who value their privacy, especially since it states your data may be used to create targeted advertising.

Additionally, Experian IdentityWorks didn’t originally offer two-factor authentication, which is, in our minds, a required layer of additional security. Thankfully, it now offers the option of a security question or PIN to further secure your account.

Despite these bumps in the road, we've found Experian IdentityWorks to be a trustworthy identity theft protection companion, especially for folks who crave top-notch credit monitoring and identity theft insurance coverage.

Does Experian keep your data safe?

Experian is a reputable credit reporting agency that also provides identity theft protection. Keeping your data safe is vital when selecting such a service. Here are some essential points from Experian's privacy policy and security measures:

• Data collection: Experian gathers a variety information, including personal identification, financial details, and data on your devices and online activities.
• Data usage: Experian uses the collected data to offer and improve their services, secure their databases, and communicate with users about products and services.
• Data sharing: Experian may share your information with third parties in specific situations, such as service providers, affiliates, or as required by law. This includes sharing your data to allow third parties to target you with personalized advertising.
• Encryption: Experian's website uses Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) technology for secure communication between your browser and its servers. This is concerning since SSL is a deprecated technology that was replaced by Transport Layer Security (TLS) in 1999.
• Two-factor authentication (2FA): As of September 2021, Experian didn't explicitly mention two-factor or multi-factor authentication, but we’ve noted it now offers a security question or PIN to lock down your account.

In conclusion, we were offput by Experian sharing data with third parties for advertising and that it uses outdated measures to protect user information. We were relived to find a section in the policy detailing your rights to opt out of the processing of certain personal information at the very least.

Experian IdentityWorks compatibility

Experian IdentityWorks knows how essential it is for users to have easy access to their identity theft protection services, which is why they offer their mobile app for Apple and Android users.

Apple users can find the Experian IdentityWorks app on the Apple App Store, while Android users can download the Experian IdentityWorks app from the Google Play Store. At the date of this article, apps for both platforms were highly rated.

• iOS: Rated 4.8 out of 5 stars
• Android: Rated 4.7 out of 5 stars

Keep in mind, though, that ratings can change over time. So, it's always a good idea to check the app stores for the latest ratings and user reviews to uncover any potential bugs or issues before you encounter them.

Experian customer support

Experian IdentityWorks’ customer service portal is packed with easy-to-follow online guides and resources that cover everything from the basics of identity theft protection to the nitty-gritty of using the platform's features.

As a whole, Experian rates 1.9 out of 5 stars on Consumer Affairs, and users of its services offer a mixed bag of reviews, with some reviewers noting they never got an option to speak to another person.^[1] This means your experience with Experian customer service could be good or bad.

If you aren’t satisfied with the help you receive, we recommend contacting them again at another time to get a different representative or asking if you can speak to someone else.

Experian alternativess

IdentityWorks is an alright identity theft protection service from Experian, but  

• Aura: Aura makes it easy to invest in identity theft protection, with the same features being provided across all of its plans. Plus, it comes with additional cybersecurity products including a VPN, antivirus, parental controls, and more.

  Get Aura | Read Our Aura Review

• LifeLock: LifeLock offers one of the largest insurance payouts for identity theft insurance, ranging from $1.2 million to $3 million depending on the plan you select. You'll also have support from U.S.-based identity restoration specialists should you fall victim to identity theft. 

  Get Norton LifeLock | Read Our LifeLock Review

• Identity Guard: Identity Guard offers three different tiers of protection so you can select a plan based on your budget. We also found it easy to use for any readers who are new to identity theft protection. 

  Get Identity Guard | Read Our Identity Guard Review

Experian IdentityWorks FAQs

Bottom line: Is Experian IdentityWorks good?

Experian IdentityWorks stands out in the identity theft protection and credit monitoring arena, offering a wide array of features to shield you from various identity theft risks. The service’s paid plans cover all three major credit bureaus, delivering comprehensive credit monitoring and regular credit reports and scores.

You’ll also get up to $1 million in identity theft insurance, identity recovery help, dark web alerts, social media account alerts, and alerts for potential fraud linked to payday loans and court records.

On the downside, Experian IdentityWorks can be pricey, with the Premium plan starting at $24.99/mo. Additionally, the added monitoring services in the Premium plan may not be necessary for some users. We’re also disappointed to see Experian shares data with third parties for the purpose of targeted ads, and its security measures (SSL) may be outdated.

In summary, Experian IdentityWorks is an excellent choice for those seeking all-encompassing identity theft protection and credit monitoring services, especially for individuals with multiple financial accounts or active social media presence. Despite potentially high prices, Experian IdentityWorks is worth it if you value top-notch protection and are willing to invest in a dependable service.

If IdentityWorks doesn’t sound like a right fit in terms of budget, features, or security measures, you might prefer Norton LifeLock or Allstate Identity Protection, two other companies that offer some of the best identity theft protection available.

4.2

AllAboutCookies writers and editors score products based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.

Editorial Rating

Learn More

On Experian IdentityWorks's website

Experian IdentityWorks

• Comprehensive three-bureau credit monitoring
• Dark web and social media alerts
• Data shared with third parties for targeted advertising

Author Details

Mars Groves

About the Author

Mars is a California-based cybersecurity professional and writer currently pursuing a B.S. in Cybersecurity. With interests ranging from OSINT to ethical hacking and threat intelligence, Mars leverages his two years of writing experience to produce informative content on topics such as Internet guides and VPNs.