Introduction
Consumers lost almost $9 billion to scams in 2022, according to the Federal Trade Commission. Guarding against these scams requires vigilance and awareness, but some folks may want the additional protection of an identity theft prevention service.
Aura safeguards the vulnerabilities that scammers tend to target, such as passwords, spam phone calls and opening fake accounts in your name.
Safeguard Yourself Against Identity Theft
On Aura's Website (or, call 855-459-6788 for details)
At a Glance
Aura’s main virtue is the number of features it offers in several categories of identity theft protection. It also stands out from some competitors by providing the same options in every package. Another difference is how many people can be covered by a plan.
Aura offers single, couple and family plans. Households with large families will see the biggest value from Aura, as the family plan covers up to five adults and an unlimited number of children.
Plans start at $12 per month (if billed annually) and can go up to $50 per month, depending on whether you pay up front or choose the monthly plan.
Here are the main protective benefits you can expect from an Aura plan:
- Financial fraud protection
- Identity theft protection
- VPN and online privacy
- Antivirus protection
- Password manager and vault
- Parental controls and safe gaming
- Spam call protection
Current Plans and Prices
| Aura Individual | Aura Couple | Aura Family | |
|---|---|---|---|
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Monthly Cost
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$9 if billed annually, $12 if billed monthly
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$17 if billed annually, $20 if billed monthly
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$25 if billed annually, $32 if billed monthly
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People Covered
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1 adult
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2 adults
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5 adults, unlimited kids
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Included Benefits
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Online and device security for 10 devices
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Online and device security for 20 devices (10 per adult)
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Online and device security for 50 devices (10 per adult)
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Premium identity theft protection
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Premium identity theft protection
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Premium identity theft protection with family alerts sharing
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$1 million in identity theft insurance
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Up to $2 million in identity theft insurance ($1 million per adult)
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Up to $5 million in identity theft insurance ($1 million per adult)
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Financial fraud protection
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Financial fraud protection
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Financial fraud protection
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White glove fraud remediation
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White glove fraud remediation
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White glove fraud remediation
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Privacy assistant
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Privacy assistant
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Privacy assistant
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Vault storing 1GB
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Vault storing 2GB
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Family vault storing 5GB
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Safe gaming with cyberbullying alerts
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Parental controls
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Child identity protection with Social Security number alerts, three-bureau credit freeze, sex offender geo-alerts
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Spam call and message protection
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Aura Theft Protection Features
Aura provides several features to improve your online security and privacy. First, it offers VPN protection, which keeps your identity safe while you’re online and ensures your data stays private and secure.
In addition, Aura includes spam blocking to protect you from phishing scams and unwanted calls, reducing the risk of compromised personal information.
Its AI-powered “Safe Browsing” feature actively identifies and blocks dangerous websites, giving users extra protection against online threats.
Best Uses of Aura Identity Theft Protection
Insurance that helps you recoup any losses. Every Aura plan comes with a $1,000,000 insurance policy to cover eligible losses and costs caused by identity theft. This protection encompasses identity theft-related stolen funds, as well as legal and travel costs and reimbursement for the time off you may need to fix identity theft problems. However, the insurance won’t cover people younger than 18 years of age.
Alerts for changes to bank accounts and property titles. If there are suspicious changes to your bank accounts or auto and property titles, Aura will send you an alert. Suspicious activity may include someone adding another owner to your title or removing you from your bank account.
Monitoring your credit reports and scores. Aura monitors all three credit bureaus for changes to your credit file and will alert you to any change in activity.
Setting parental controls. You can choose what content your children are exposed to, filter harmful content and manage how much time your kids spend online. Aura will also send you cyberbullying and online predator alerts.
Other Benefits
- VPN protection to safeguard your identity when you’re online
- Spam blocking to help protect you from phishing scams and unwanted calls
- AI-powered “Safe Browsing” feature to block threatening sites
Fine Print
Aura offers a 14-day free trial for each membership plan with a 60-day money-back guarantee. After the trial period expires, you will be automatically billed for the service you selected. At the end of each billing cycle, your subscription will automatically renew unless you cancel it.
How Aura Stacks Up
| AURA | LIFELOCK | IDENTITY GUARD | |
|---|---|---|---|
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Monthly Plan Cost
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$12 to $15
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$7.50* to $34.99
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$8.99** to $29.99
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Identity Theft Insurance
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Up to $1 million
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$25,000 to $1 million
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Up to $1 million
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Credit Monitoring
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Three-bureau monitoring comes with all plans
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Monitoring of at least one bureau comes with all plans
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Only with Total and Ultra plans
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Aura isn’t the cheapest, depending on how you pay for the plans, but it’s competitive with other services.
Aura differs from other options in that every plan has the same robust features. Its family plan, which includes up to five adults and unlimited children, is a great value if you want to cover grandparents or adult children and siblings.
The Better Business Bureau has received 83 complaints about Aura in the past three years compared to 1,354 for Lifelock.
Featured Partner Offers
1
LifeLock Ultimate Plus with Norton 360
$24.99 to $40.99 per month, if billed annually
Yes
$1 million per adult and child
1
LifeLock Ultimate Plus with Norton 360
On LifeLock's Secure Website (or call 866-775-3167 for details)
2
IdentityForce Ultra Secure+Credit
$17.99 to $26.90 per month
Yes
$1 million
3
IDShield 3 Credit Bureau Monitoring
$19.95 to $34.95 per month
Yes
$3 Million
Is Aura for You?
Aura may be a strong option for individuals and families seeking thorough security features. With credit monitoring from all major bureaus, VantageScore 3.0 credit scores and various security tools like antivirus and VPN, Aura keeps users informed about their financial health and online safety. Families can benefit from the discounted family plan, making it appealing for those prioritizing identity and financial protection.
While Aura’s monthly cost of $15 and yearly cost of $144 may be reasonable for some, it could be considered too expensive for people on a tight budget, especially considering there are more affordable or even free options for basic credit monitoring. Additionally, those seeking frequent credit reports or credit improvement tools may need to explore other options.
Alternatives to Aura
Aura vs. Lifelock
Aura and LifeLock both offer identity theft insurance coverage and remediation services, including monitoring for potential hackers and identity thieves, as well as dark web monitoring and other digital security features.
Both companies offer a wide range of cybersecurity products, such as antivirus protection, VPN and password management. However, LifeLock provides some of the highest insurance coverage in the industry, with up to $3 million, while Aura offers $1 million in coverage.
When comparing the standard Lifelock plan, priced at $7.50 per month if paid annually, with Aura’s basic plan, priced at $9.99 per month with annual payment, it’s important to consider the value each offers for the cost. Lifelock’s Standard plan includes privacy monitoring, dark web monitoring and stolen wallet protection, which covers assistance in canceling or replacing various cards and documents if your wallet is stolen. However, it only provides one-bureau credit monitoring.
On the other hand, Aura’s basic plan offers more extensive features, including monitoring from all three credit bureaus, antivirus protection for up to 10 devices, financial transaction monitoring, bank fraud monitoring and monthly credit score updates. While Aura’s basic plan is slightly more expensive, it provides a broader range of protection and monitoring services, making it more valuable for the cost, especially if you prioritize comprehensive coverage and monitoring across various aspects of your financial and online security.
Aura vs. IdentityForce
Aura and IdentityForce provide similar protection against identity theft and financial fraud. However, IdentityForce’s plans offer $2 million in identity theft insurance, double the coverage provided by Aura.
In terms of cost, Aura offers more affordable options than IdentityForce. Aura’s individual plan starts at $12 per month ($9 per month with an annual subscription), while IdentityForce+Credit is $35 per month ($29 per month annually).
For family plans, Aura is priced at $45 per month ($20 per month annually), whereas the IdentityForce+Credit family plan costs around $40 per month (about $33 per month annually). IdentityForce’s family plan is limited to two adults and 10 kids, which may not affect most families.
Find the Best Identity Theft Protection Services of 2024
Methodology
When creating this review, the Forbes Advisor staff considered important factors such as each plan’s security features, pricing, insurance coverage, credit bureau monitoring, terms, customer service quality and user experience. The editorial team responsible for scoring, fact-checking, and the overall assessment has more than 25 years of combined expertise in editing and personal finance.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How do fraudsters and thieves get access to my personal information to begin with?
Thieves can get your personal information in numerous ways. They might steal your mail or wallet; they might hack into your computer on a public Wi-Fi network. Advanced hackers may send phishing emails to try to get you to volunteer your personal information. Your personal information can also be stolen through a significant data breach involving a retailer, bank or other entity.
Does Aura offer family plans?
Yes, Aura offers family plans that protect up to five adults and unlimited children. You can also purchase an individual plan for just one person or a couples plan for two.
Why do I want all three credit bureaus monitored?
Different information may be reported to different credit bureaus, so having only one bureau monitored can make you more susceptible to fraud. Most experts recommend monitoring all three of your credit reports for the best results.
What are the cons of Aura?
Aura provides numerous security features, but one major drawback is that Aura uses a service called Plaid to connect with your bank accounts to monitor suspicious activity. Entrusting a company with access to your bank account data is already a concern, and involving a third party may further cause apprehension.
Is Aura better than McAfee?
Both Aura and McAfee are leading cybersecurity providers; choosing between them hinges on individual priorities, preferences and requirements. McAfee offers diverse cybersecurity solutions, with its more comprehensive plans providing antivirus software, internet security and identity theft protection.
In contrast, Aura specializes in identity protection and credit monitoring services. While McAfee boasts a lengthy track record in antivirus technology, Aura shines with its focus on identity security, featuring capabilities such as dark web scanning. User experience varies based on personal inclinations and specific features; some favor McAfee’s interface and others find Aura’s more intuitive.
Ultimately, people prioritizing identity theft protection may lean towards Aura, while McAfee caters more comprehensively to users seeking robust antivirus and internet security features.
Can Aura be trusted?
Aura holds an A+ accreditation from the BBB and earns 4.7 stars on Trustpilot. Additionally, Aura provides several guarantees, including $1 million identity theft insurance on all plans, a 60-day money-back guarantee on annual plans and a 14-day free trial.
What is the dark web?
The dark web includes part of the internet that is not indexed by a search engine. Many dark web sites compile and sell personal information including Social Security numbers, credit card numbers and various personal details that can be used for identity theft and fraud.
