Quick answer
- Start free: weekly reports from all three bureaus and free freezes cover a lot (FTC).
- The FTC says: “Before you consider paying for these services, remember that you can monitor your credit by getting your free credit reports.”
- Paid monitoring can be worth it if you want daily alerts across all three bureaus without checking yourself.
Free options (start here)
AnnualCreditReport.com
- Price
- Free
- What you get
- Reports from Equifax, Experian and TransUnion, every week
- Note
- The only site authorized to fill free federal report orders (FTC).
Credit freeze
- Price
- Free
- What you get
- Blocks most new credit in your name until you lift it
- Note
- Place one at each of the three bureaus (FTC).
When paid monitoring makes sense
- You want daily alerts across all three bureaus, not just checking yourself
- You want scores plus reports in one dashboard
- You’re fine with a monthly fee and know how to cancel
Ask any service (FTC): how often it checks, which bureaus it covers, and whether you’re charged to review reports.
One paid pick
IdentityIQ Secure Preferred+ includes 3-bureau reports and scores refreshable every 30 days, 3-bureau daily monitoring and alerts, and ScoreCasterIQ (IdentityIQ, accessed 10/29/2026). Full details in our IdentityIQ review.
IdentityIQ
- Price
- $1 for first 7 days, then $29.86/mo
- Plan
- Secure Preferred+
- Note
- Price as of Oct 29, 2026. The trial rolls into the monthly plan unless you cancel; confirm terms on IdentityIQ's site.
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See all credit monitoring services we list.
How we research and compare products
General information, not financial advice. Moneysilk is not a credit bureau and does not offer credit repair.
Sources
- Secure Preferred+ offer page (price and features), IdentityIQ (accessed October 29, 2026)
- IdentityIQ FAQ: How do I cancel IdentityIQ?, IdentityIQ (accessed October 29, 2026)
- Free Credit Reports, Federal Trade Commission (accessed October 29, 2026)
- What To Know About Identity Theft, Federal Trade Commission (accessed October 29, 2026)
- What is identity monitoring or identity theft service?, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (accessed October 29, 2026)
General information only; not financial, legal or tax advice. Moneysilk is not a lender and does not make credit decisions. Read our editorial standards and corrections policy.