How Much Does LifeLock Cost?

Last Updated on September 25, 2024
Written by CPA Alec Pow | Content Reviewed by CFA Alexander Popinker

Identity theft protection services like LifeLock aim to safeguard users’ sensitive personal and financial information. But how much does a LifeLock membership really cost for comprehensive identity protection?

This guide examines LifeLock’s pricing tiers, key features, additional costs, competitor comparisons, and expert tips for maximizing savings.

Article Highlights

When evaluating LifeLock plans, key membership fee considerations include:

• Protection plans range from $14.99 up to $41.99+ per month depending on features.
• Renewal rate increases automatically take effect after the first year promo pricing.
• Higher priced plans offer more robust identity theft insurance coverage.
• Closely comparing plans and pricing to alternative identity protection services can maximize value.

How Much Does LifeLock Cost?

The cost of LifeLock is anywhere between $14.99 and $34.99 per month for the first year, depending on the package you choose. Renewal rates after the first year are anywhere between $16.99 and $41.99 per month. LifeLock provides three primary plans with varying features, services, and pricing:

• LifeLock Standard – $14.99/month for the first year, renews to $16.99/month
• LifeLock Advantage – $24.99/month for the first year, renews to $29.99/month
• LifeLock Ultimate Plus – $34.99/month for the first year, renews to $41.99/month

Discounted annual subscriptions are also available for those wanting to prepay annually at slightly lower per-month rates.

According to SeniorLiving.org, the LifeLock Standard plan for one adult is priced at $89.99 for the first year, renewing at $124.99 annually. If you opt for a monthly payment, it starts at $7.50 per month for the first year and increases to $11.99 per month thereafter.

The Advantage plan costs $179.88 for the first year and renews at $239.99 per year, while the Ultimate Plus plan is priced at $239.88 initially, renewing at $339.99 annually. For families, the family plan starts at $359.88 for the first year, renewing at $579.99 per year.

According to Identity Guard, LifeLock’s pricing structure can be confusing due to its tiered plans. The Standard plan costs about $89.99 for the first year, while the Advantage plan is priced at $179 initially, increasing to $239 upon renewal.

The Ultimate Plus plan starts at $239 for the first year and rises to $339 thereafter. They also note that these prices reflect promotional rates that increase significantly after the first year, making LifeLock one of the more expensive identity theft protection services available.

On Amazon, LifeLock’s Standard Identity Theft Protection plan is available for an introductory price of $59.99, which reflects a 33% discount from its list price of $89.99 for new subscribers. This plan includes coverage of up to $1 million for lawyers and experts, as well as reimbursement for stolen funds up to $25,000 and personal expense compensation up to $25,000.

As noted by NetReputation, LifeLock provides several tiers of protection with varying costs: the Standard plan is typically around $124 per year, while the Advantage plan costs about $179 initially and renews at around $239 annually. The Ultimate Plus plan starts at $239 and goes up to $339 upon renewal, offering extensive coverage including three-bureau credit monitoring and investment account activity alerts.

LifeLock Identity Theft Protection Services

As a leading provider, LifeLock offers identity protection including:

• Dark web monitoring for compromised credentials
• Real-time alerts for suspicious account activity
• Assistance restoring your identity and credit if your identity gets stolen
• Insurance policies covering stolen funds reimbursement
• Tools to help detect identity fraud and credit issues

However, LifeLock’s pricing and features can vary widely based on the protection plan selected.

Features and Services in Each Plan

LifeLock Standard – Covers up to $25,000 in stolen funds, provides just 1-bureau credit monitoring, and alerts if your personal information appears on the dark web.

LifeLock Advantage – Extends stolen funds coverage to $100,000, adds TransUnion credit lock capabilities, monitors bank account activity for fraud, and sends identity renewal reminders.

LifeLock Ultimate Plus – Boosts stolen funds reimbursement to up to $1 million, monitors all 3 major credit bureaus, scans social media accounts for identity threats, and includes 401k and investment account activity alerts.

You might also like our articles on the cost of BeenVerified, hard drive data recovery, or H&R Block.

The higher tiers provide more comprehensive identity protection and recovery services accounting for their increased price point.

Additional Membership Fees

Beyond the base monthly or annual subscription rates, other LifeLock fees to consider include:

• Automatic renewal rate increases after the first promotional year expires.
• Surcharges for adding family members to share one membership.
• Bundling fees when adding supplemental Norton 360 virus and VPN protection.

Being aware of these additional costs allows properly budgeting for the total expense of LifeLock membership over time.

LifeLock vs Other Providers

• LifeLock – Up to $3 million stolen funds coverage with top plan, but renews at higher ongoing pricing.
• Aura – Up to $5 million coverage for entire family, more competitively priced long term.
• McAfee – More affordable introductory pricing but provides fewer robust identity protection features.

It’s wise to compare quotes among major providers to identify the optimal blend of features, services, and long-term costs for your needs.

Article Insights

When considering LifeLock, industry experts advise:

“The higher renewal pricing makes LifeLock less competitive versus some alternatives long-term.” – Naomi Sato – Cybersecurity Analyst

“For comprehensive monitoring and restoration help if your identity is compromised, LifeLock remains a strong option in the space.” – Natasha Ivanova – Consumer Privacy Advocate

“I suggest trying the free trial first and negotiating rates when it expires to maximize savings.” – Joshua Washington – Finance Industry Veteran

Minimize LifeLock Membership Costs

To maximize savings on LifeLock, our independent fraud prevention advisors recommend:

• Taking full advantage of the available 30-day free trial period for LifeLock’s Ultimate Plus and Standard plans to test protection.
• Being proactive in seeking out promotions around major holidays and shopping days like Black Friday where substantial discounts are sometimes offered.
• Getting quotes from multiple top-rated identity protection services for honest cost comparisons before deciding.
• Negotiating discounted rates when your annual or monthly LifeLock membership is up for renewal.

Using their insider tips can potentially save hundreds of dollars yearly on identity protection costs while still maintaining complete coverage.

Answers Common Questions

To help readers better understand LifeLock’s costs and value proposition, here are answers to some commonly asked questions:

What is a primary potential downside of LifeLock that new members should be aware of?

LifeLock’s higher renewal pricing after the first year makes their long-term costs less competitive compared to some alternative identity protection services with more transparent uniform pricing.

Is it possible for LifeLock’s own systems to be hacked, exposing customers’ personal data?

No system is ever 100% invulnerable, but LifeLock invests substantial resources in data security and infrastructure protection. They have not reported any major breaches compromising customer data.

Why was LifeLock previously sued years ago, and how did the lawsuits impact their business and practices?

The FTC sued LifeLock for deceptive advertising about absolute prevention of identity theft. LifeLock paid major settlements, and now properly represents its services as helpful protection and recovery tools rather than ironclad guarantees.

Conclusion

LifeLock offers three escalating identity protection plan levels ranging in price from $14.99 up to $41.99 per month, with higher-tier plans including more robust features and higher stolen funds reimbursement.

While competitively priced initially, LifeLock’s automatic renewal rate hikes after the first year make their long-term costs higher than some alternatives. However, their included services like dark web monitoring, credit bureau alerts, and expert identity restoration make them a strong option for comprehensive protection.