Aura Identity Theft Protection Review – Financial Shield Security

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by Aidan Kang, CFA

Senior Writer

Identity Theft

UPDATED: January 02, 2023

Aura is one of the most widely trusted identity theft prevention tools on the market. Several tech websites and media platforms recommend it.

At a glance, you’ll immediately notice that the company offers cheaper services than its competitors. However, does it fare well in terms of functionality?

Affordable fees make fraud prevention accessible, but robust and effective services still trump low prices. After all, ineffective tools only give a false sense of security.

If you’re undecided about Aura, this review is for you. Like you, we’re looking for an ID theft protection tool that provides excellent value for money, not just cheap rates.

So we tried Aura ourselves! Our team tested the platform, explored its features, referenced legit user reviews, researched official resources, and compared it with its competitors.

You’ll gain first-hand insights into Aura without actually signing up for an account.

Please read without skipping. We’ll explain why iOS, macOS, and Android users might want to consider other options for device protection. You’ll end up disappointed if you don’t manage your expectations.

Let’s dive into our Aura identity theft protection review!

What is Aura?

Hari Ravichandran, the current CEO, founded Aura in 2019. Despite the company’s lack of tenure, it’s one of the most widely known ID theft prevention companies today—even major publications like Business Insider and Forbes recommend it.

Aura rose to the top for its robust, affordable services. You’d be hard-pressed to find another full-suite package at the same price point.

At a basic level, Aura strives to provide a one-stop-shop solution for all your data privacy and security needs. You’ll get credit monitoring, fraud prevention, and ID theft restoration.

	Individual $15 / Month $144 / Annually	Couple $29 / Month $264 / Annually	Family $50 / Month $444 / Annually
Credit Monitoring	Three Bureau: Equifax, TransUnion Experian	Three Bureau: Equifax, TransUnion Experian	Three Bureau: Equifax, TransUnion Experian
Credit Reports	Annually: Equifax, TransUnion,   Experian	Annually: Equifax, TransUnion,   Experian	Annually: Equifax, TransUnion,   Experian
Credit Scores	Monthly: Vantage (Equifax)	Monthly: Vantage (Equifax)	Monthly: Vantage (Equifax)
Credit Lock & Credit Freeze	Experian Credit Lock Users will be alerted if someone attempts to apply for credit while their file is locked	Experian Credit Lock Users will be alerted if someone attempts to apply for credit while their file is locked	Experian Credit Lock Users will be alerted if someone attempts to apply for credit while their file is locked
VPN Protection	Up to 10 Devices / Adult	Up to 10 Devices / Adult	Up to 10 Devices / Adult or Child
Secure Browser	Up to 10 Devices / Adult	Up to 10 Devices / Adult	Up to 10 Devices / Adult or Child
Antivirus	Up to 10 Devices / Adult	Up to 10 Devices / Adult	Up to 10 Devices / Adult or Child
Password Manager
Identity Theft Insurance Coverage	Up to $1 Million Lost Wages: $2,000 per week, for   5 weeks maximum Travel Expenses: $1,000 per policy period Elder Care, Spousal Care, and Child Care: $2,000 per policy period Certified Public Accountant Costs: $1,000 per policy period	Up to $2 Million Lost Wages: $2,000 per week, for   5 weeks maximum Travel Expenses: $1,000 per policy period Elder Care, Spousal Care, and Child Care: $2,000 per policy period Certified Public Accountant Costs: $1,000 per policy period	Up to $5 Million Lost Wages: $2,000 per week, for   5 weeks maximum Travel Expenses: $1,000 per policy period Elder Care, Spousal Care, and Child Care: $2,000 per policy period Certified Public Accountant Costs: $1,000 per policy period
Dark Web Monitoring	Credit cards, Date of birth, Driver's license, Email address, Mailing address, Phone number, Financial account numbers, Health Insurance ID, Passport, SSN or SIN, Loyalty Cards, National Provider ID	Credit cards, Date of birth, Driver's license, Email address, Mailing address, Phone number, Financial account numbers, Health Insurance ID, Passport, SSN or SIN, Loyalty Cards, National Provider ID	Credit cards, Date of birth, Driver's license, Email address, Mailing address, Phone number, Financial account numbers, Health Insurance ID, Passport, SSN or SIN, Loyalty Cards, National Provider ID Child dark web monitoring
Privacy Monitor	Spam and Junk Mail removal Aura will request to remove your info from over 15 brokers to take control of your data & privacy	Spam and Junk Mail removal Aura will request to remove your info from over 15 brokers to take control of your data & privacy	Spam and Junk Mail removal Aura will request to remove your info from over 15 brokers to take control of your data & privacy
Lost Wallet Restoration	Cancel and replaces lost cards	Cancel and replaces lost cards	Cancel and replaces lost cards
Member Support	24/7 Customer Support	24/7 Customer Support	24/7 Customer Support
Program Platforms	Windows MacOS Android	Windows MacOS Android	Windows MacOS Android
Data Breach Notifications
U.S Based Restoration
ID Verification Monitoring	Get notified if your identity & SSN are being used for high-risk transactions, like payday loans.	Get notified if your identity & SSN are being used for high-risk transactions, like payday loans.	Get notified if your identity & SSN are being used for high-risk transactions, like payday loans.
Parental Controls			Mobile device management Content blocking & filtering Screen time limits Internet usage & history tracking
Identity & SSN Monitoring	SSN Monitoring	SSN Monitoring	SSN Monitoring Child SSN Monitoring
Criminal Identity Theft Alerts	Monitors if your identity has been used by criminals	Monitors if your identity has been used by criminals	Monitors if your identity has been used by criminals
Credit Card & Banking Transaction Alerts	High-risk transaction alerts Bank account takeover monitoring	High-risk transaction alerts Bank account takeover monitoring	High-risk transaction alerts Bank account takeover monitoring
401K & Investment Account Activity Alerts
Pay Day Loan Alerts
Address Change Verification	Alerts users of address change requests at USPS	Alerts users if someone tries to  requests at USPS	Alerts users if someone tries to  requests at USPS
Monitor Changes In Property Ownership	Alerts users if someone tries to  steal your home title	Alerts users if someone tries to  steal your home title	Alerts users if someone tries to  steal your home title

What are Aura’s key features?

Aura primarily attracts clients with affordable fees. Its full-suite package just costs as much as the entry-level and mid-tier plans of other ID theft prevention companies.

However, Aura doesn’t just offer low rates. You can rest assured that it effectively prevents identity theft attacks and fraudulent transactions through the following services:

Identity and SSN monitoring

At the core of Aura is its ID monitoring feature. Generally, the system tracks online and offline resources for various personal information—which you’ll have to disclose right from the get-go.

Aura doesn’t explicitly list everything it monitors. However, based on independent reviews and official resources, we found that the company scours public records, court orders, police charges, online listings, and data broker websites for unusual activities involving your name.

You’ll get real-time alerts if Aura spots anything. We didn’t get alerts while testing the platform, but users who did seemed satisfied with the prompt, accurate results.

In many cases, you could even trace the breach source. Trust us—the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and your local law enforcement agencies would have a much faster time catching hackers if they had this information.

3-bureau credit monitoring

Financial ID theft only seems unlikely until it happens to you. Unfortunately, it occurs more often than people think; statistics show that 47% of Americans have experienced financial fraud in the past two years.

Of course, you can report fraudulent transactions. However, prevention is better than cure, and you’d do well to stop crooks before they get the chance to abuse your banking information.

Don’t rely too much on commercial banks and lenders. At the end of the day, they’ll prioritize their best interest over yours.

To take matters into your own hands, use tools like Aura to monitor your 3-bureau credit reports for transactions, purchases, and loan applications using your information. Keep an eye out for unauthorized items.

If possible, inform your bank and the credit bureaus immediately so that they can still reverse certain transactions.

Bonus: We like that Aura also monitors payday loans. Other ID theft prevention tools overlook them since these lenders don’t report to credit bureaus—making them more challenging to track.

Dark web monitoring

The dark web serves as a hotbed for various cybercrimes. Since anyone can access these pages as anonymous users, many misuse their privacy to commit fraudulent transactions.

You can get almost anything here. Reports show that crooks trade illegal substances, smuggled firearms, and even sex workers here, so it’s not unusual to find listings of stolen personal data.

Technically, you can monitor the dark web yourself. However, doing so only puts you at risk, plus you’ll need special cybersecurity tools to access dark web pages.

Fortunately, you can use Aura to scan the dark web instead. Its sophisticated crawlers will scour millions of listings for unauthorized transactions, conversations, and listings involving your identity.  

ID verification monitoring

Identity thieves don’t exclusively want to steal your money. Many save stolen IDs for when they must undergo identity verification procedures at government offices, law enforcement agencies, and police departments.

Crooks can use your name for any offense, from traffic violations to criminal charges. To make matters worse, you’ll likely only find out about them once the cops do a background check on you or the court summons you for a trial.

With that said, you can prevent criminal ID theft attacks if you spot them immediately. Aura will scan court and police records for mentions of your personal information and inform you of anything unusual.

Reach out to the cops and FTC if you believe your ID was misused for criminal ID theft.

Credit lock and freeze 

If you suspect your banking information has recently been compromised, set up a fraud alert on your credit reports. 

It warns lenders and banks that crooks might abuse your identity for fraud. They must do an identity check on anyone using your information for loan applications, credit card purchases, and checkbook requests.

Meanwhile, a credit freeze stops transactions altogether. No institution or individual, including yourself, can pull your frozen credit reports, thus nearly eliminating the risk of crooks committing financial ID theft.

You can set up fraud alerts and credit freezes with credit bureaus. However, if you subscribe to Aura, you can do them from within the app and without contacting anyone.

Investment tracking

Most people rarely track their long-term investments. After all, capital appreciation on mutual funds, blue-chip stocks, 401(k) accounts, and retirement funds takes years.

Unfortunately, infrequent monitoring leaves room for cyberattacks. Crooks can siphon your hard-earned funds and transfer them into untraceable, anonymous blockchain wallets.

You can check your accounts yourself. However, if you don’t have much free time to do so, use Aura’s investment tracker instead.

It will notify you of unusual activities in your investment accounts. That way, you can still respond to fraudulent attacks without actively monitoring your long-term investments.

ID theft recovery assistance

The FTC provides ID theft restoration assistance through its online portal. After you file a report for identity theft, you’ll receive a detailed plan containing the preventive measures to take and the organizations to contact.

Although helpful, note that the FTC won’t actually guide you. Let’s face it—you can only prepare for ID theft to an extent, so you might still feel lost even with the FTC’s guidance.

If you want step-by-step support, sign up for Aura.

In the event of ID theft, it will assign you a cybersecurity and restoration specialist based in the U.S. You can rest assured that they have your back throughout the entire ID restoration process.

ID theft insurance

Aura provides $1 million of ID theft insurance coverage per person. The company states that ID theft victims can use these funds to recover their lost data, pay for legal fees, hire an attorney, and even cover miscellaneous expenses like lost income. 

However, as with all insurance policies, claims undergo processing. The company reserves the right to dismiss requests that supposedly don’t meet its requirements.

We generally judge how companies process claims based on reviews. Unfortunately, Aura has only been around for a couple of years, so not enough claims have been made for us to make an objective, accurate assessment.

VPN

Whether you know it or not, third parties have access to your traffic. Your internet service provider, website administrators, and government agencies can redirect your requests and extract your data.

To browse anonymously, you’ll need a VPN. It encrypts and encapsulates your traffic so third parties will only see useless ciphertext if they intercept your network.

It’s a helpful add-on to your Aura plan.

Anti-malware protection

Aura carries simple anti-malware features. They’re nothing fancy, but they detect common threats like infected files and potential phishing links.

Again, it’s a great add-on. You may consider exploring other more robust cybersecurity programs for sophisticated, advanced anti-malware systems.

Important: Although Aura offers various cybersecurity features, we encourage using other programs for device protection. It doesn’t work well on iOS, macOS, and Android devices.

In fact, Aura just released the Android version of its app last year. Although it’s compatible with various OS versions and device models, it seems challenging to navigate.

Based on the reviews we read, long-term users also frequently complain about bugs.

Thankfully, the app runs better on Apple devices. However, note that several cybersecurity features of Aura (i.e., anti-malware protection, VPN, password management) are unavailable on iOS and macOS devices.

Password management

All Aura plans come with a simple password manager. Use it to keep track of your login credentials on various websites, although it might not work well across different devices.

Don’t worry—you can get password managers for cheap elsewhere. Look for anti-malware programs and cybersecurity tools that also offer it as an add-on tool.

How much does Aura cost?

Aura offers affordable, straightforward packages. Unlike other ID theft prevention companies, you won’t have trouble navigating its three simple pricing options, namely:

Individual

Aura doesn’t have entry-level plans. Although the Individual package comes with the lowest monthly fees, it already carries all the features the company offers.

Rest assured that you’ll get PII monitoring, 3-bureau credit tracking, insurance, and ID theft restoration. You can even run the app on up to 10 devices.

However, the Individual plan only protects one user, and every device linked must belong to you. Otherwise, Aura might cancel your subscription.

Monthly fees start at $15 per month, but you can bring it down to $12 if you pay the annual bill of $144 right off the bat.

Note: All plans come with 3-bureau credit monitoring. Although Aura actively scours all your financial transactions, you’ll only get 3-bureau credit reports per annum.

Couple

As its name suggests, the Couple plan is a two-member subscription model. It equally protects two adult users, who can each link up to 10 devices to the account.

The Couple plan doesn’t offer any new features. You’ll get the exact monitoring, insurance, and device security features you did with the Individual package. 

However, it comes with $2 million of ID theft insurance. Each registered user can file up to $1 million worth of claims, regardless of whether they both got attacked or not.

Monthly fees start at $29 per month. If you pay the annual bill of $264 upfront, you’ll bring down the monthly rates to just $22.

We think the Couple package provides excellent value. But with the annual savings at just $24, it doesn’t wholly surpass the Individual plan.

Family

The most expensive plan in Aura’s lineup is its Family package. Like the first two plans, it comes with PII monitoring, credit tracking, and device security, which you can extend to up to five different users.

However, it also carries several added features. Apart from the ones we listed before, you’ll also get family ID theft protection, parental controls, and child SSN monitoring.

They basically track your kids’ personal information. Over 1.25 million minors get their identities stolen every year, so don’t ignore child ID theft attacks.

Moreover, the plan comes with a $5 million insurance policy. Each registered user is entitled to claim up to $1 million worth of insurance if they fall victim to fraud.

Monthly fees start at $50 per month. You can lower it to $37 monthly if you pay your household’s $444 annual bill upfront.

Note: Although Aura’s pricing system is simple and easy to understand, it also lacks versatility. You can’t customize your plan.

Regardless of the package you purchase, you’ll get the same cybersecurity and PII monitoring services. The only difference is the Couple and Family plans can accommodate more users.

With that said, we still like the simplicity of Aura. Just manage your expectations because you might end up disappointed if you want customizable packages tailored to your needs and budget.

Our experience with Aura

By now, you likely have a good idea of what Aura offers. We just finished listing the details of all three packages available, plus their services and features.

However, what is it actually like to use Aura? To give you first-hand insights into the company’s ID theft protection services, let’s assess the following areas:

1. Web Interface

Generally, a web interface refers to the app’s overall desktop experience. It encompasses everything, from designs to functionality.

After using the Aura platform, we can say that it has a relatively straightforward and navigable interface. You won’t need help using it the first time.

Upon logging into your account, you’ll immediately see the homepage containing six different sections. They all come with clear descriptions, the fields contain instructions about which PII to input, and the buttons come with explicit instructions. 

For maximum results, we suggest focusing on the following categories:

• Identity: You’ll find all ID theft monitoring cases here. It will contain all the PII you need to be monitored, unresolved warning signs leading to fraud, plus all your ongoing cases.
• Transactions: In this section, you can link your financial accounts. If the system detects any potential threats or warning signs involving financial ID theft, you’ll see them here.
• Credit: The Credit section focuses on credit monitoring and tracking. All potentially fraudulent credit transactions, unauthorized loan applications, and credit report requests will go straight here.
• Online Security: You’ll find Aura’s add-on services in the Online Security tab. It doesn’t offer much value, but it’s still worth exploring since you’ve already paid for it.

Of course, feel free to explore the other sections. Just know that you’ll find the most high-value services of Aura in these sections.

2. Platform functionality

After exploring the different features of Aura, we can conclude that it has a functional, convenient app. You can do everything from within the app.

It eliminates the need for you to contact commercial banks, credit bureaus, and lenders when executing certain tasks.

For instance, let’s say you need to set up fraud alerts on your credit report. Technically, you can do so for free without the help of Aura, but you’ll have to contact and negotiate with credit bureaus yourself.

On the other hand, Aura users can set up fraud alerts on the app. All they have to do is click a few buttons, and they’re good to go—there’s no need to call bureaus or banks anymore.

3. Cross-platform usability

Aura is available on iOS, macOS, Android, and Windows devices. Moreover, if you opt for the family plan, every user can run the app on up to 10 devices each.

At a glance, Aura seems like the perfect option for large households. Although we share the same sentiment, we don’t think it utilizes the best cross-platform technologies.

Other brands function better across multiple devices.

As we mentioned above, the Android version of Aura still has bugs. Although the company fixes issues before releasing new versions, it might take time before we get a streamlined, fully functional Android app.

As for iOS and macOS users, expect a better-performing app. However, Apple has dozens of rigid restrictions that prevent third-party apps from running certain security features, thus crippling Aura’s device protection features.

4. Customer support

Aura provides decent customer service. Unlike other ID theft companies that communicate strictly by email, it has a hotline open 24/7.

Just go to the benefits section of the app. Here, you’ll see the customer support section containing all the company’s listed hotlines and contact information.

Unfortunately, the company has only been around since 2019. We don’t have enough legit reviews yet to decide how Aura handles its insurance claims and ID restoration requests.

So far, however, we don’t see much flak. Based on existing testimonials, Aura seems to have a streamlined system for taking complaints and reports—which clients find reassuring.

You can check out what it looks like in the back end through our review here.

What are the alternatives to Aura?

Aura is an excellent ID theft protection tool, but it won’t suit everyone. As we mentioned, its packages lack customization, which clients with super-specific cybersecurity needs might dislike.

If you don’t find Aura’s features appealing, look into alternatives. Dozens of cybersecurity companies offer PII monitoring nowadays, so you won’t run out of options.

To jumpstart your research, however, we narrowed them down to the top four:

LifeLock

As we mentioned, Aura lacks diversity. Yes, the straightforward packages are easy to understand, but some clients prefer customized solutions better suited to their needs.

If you share the same sentiment, try LifeLock. Admittedly, it has confusing pricing and package systems with six tiers.

Most first-timers won’t bother checking through all of them. However, if you have experience with cybersecurity technology and know what you want, these packages might fit the bill.

Just make sure to familiarize yourself with all the company’s services. Extensively research each item before signing up for an account, or else you’ll get a package that matches your budget more than your needs.

But don’t worry—contrary to popular belief, LifeLock’s prices aren’t that bad. The cheapest entry-level plan for single users costs  $7.50 a month, while the full-suite family package costs $46.99 monthly.

IdentityIQ

Aura features a sophisticated credit monitoring system. Sadly, it only provides one credit report a year, which yields negligible benefits because credit bureaus already give out annual credit reports for free.

Most people don’t need extensive monitoring. However, you might have to check your credit reports more frequently if you perform multiple transactions for work and personal purposes.

Otherwise, an error might fall through the cracks.

For more frequent credit reports, check out IdentityIQ. Its mid-tier plan provides bi-annual reports, while the full-suite package comes with up to 12 credit reports per annum.

Just note that it also costs twice as much as Aura. If you want monthly credit reports, you’ll have to pay $25.50 to $29.99 a month.

IdentityForce

Aura comes with a sophisticated ID theft prevention system. It has one of the most widely trusted PII tracking and credit monitoring technologies, which helped it to dominate the market in just two years.

However, Aura has its shortcomings. As you might have noticed, its lack of experience makes it challenging to assess the company’s ID theft spotting, restoration, and insurance claims approval process.

If you want a more tenure, established option, try IdentityForce. Steve Bearak founded the company in 2005, and TransUnion offered to buy its parent company Sontiq in 2021.

Also, IdentityForce offers one of the most robust packages on the market. Its full-suite plan carries all the cybersecurity and data privacy features the average consumer needs, from online PC protection tools to PII monitoring.

Monthly fees start at $17.99. However, expect to spend around $23.99 if you want a robust, extensive ID theft protection system.

IDShield

Although Aura provides ID theft restoration and lost wallet assistance, few of its clients have actually had the chance to use these services. We couldn’t even find enough reviews about them.

If you want proven ID theft assistance from a widely known cybersecurity company, opt for IDShield. It takes ID restoration up a notch by hiring private investigators.

With their help, you’ll have much better chances of recovering your lost data and reporting perpetrators to the authorities. You can also use investigation findings to take legal action.

Monthly fees start at $14.95. However, we recommend the full-suite plan at $19.95 because it already comes with 3-bureau credit monitoring.

Is Aura identity theft protection any good?

Overall, Aura offers affordable, reliable services. No other cybersecurity company provides 3-bureau credit monitoring, real-time ID theft prevention alerts, and extensive insurance coverage for just $12 to $15 a month.

It’s best to check out its competitors. We guarantee you’ll only get entry-level packages and basic cybersecurity services at the same price.

Admittedly, Aura lags when it comes to device protection. However, if you really need extra security, you can use your savings to purchase a more robust anti-malware system.

Also, you don’t have to take our review at face value. If you still have doubts, sign up for a 14-day free trial first—you’ll get your money back if Aura doesn’t meet your expectations.

Aidan Kang, CFA

Aidan has been writing about personal finance for over 6 years. Prior to this, he worked as a Corporate Finance Analyst where he specialized in Due Diligence, Company Valuations and more. He is a CFA charterholder.