Experian review

Experian sells monitoring straight from one of the three bureaus, and its ladder of plans lets you start for nothing. The free membership shows your Experian credit report and FICO Score and includes Experian Boost, which adds utility, phone and streaming payments to your file. Core at $4.99 a month adds FICO Scores for mortgage, auto and card lending, a score simulator, Experian CreditLock and fraud resolution specialists. Plus at $14.99 leans toward money tools such as bill negotiation and cash advances. Premium at $24.99 is the plan for identity protection: it adds your Equifax and TransUnion reports with FICO Scores, Social Security tracing, financial account monitoring, social media scans and up to $1 million of identity theft insurance. Plus and Premium start with a 7-day free trial that needs a card. The trade-off is that full three-bureau coverage costs about twice what Aura charges on an annual plan, though Experian bills month to month.

Who it is for

People who want FICO Scores and a free starting point, with an upgrade path to three-bureau monitoring.

Price

Free plan; Core $4.99 per month; Premium with all three bureaus $24.99 per month.

Core $4.99 per month
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 8, 2026.

Key features

• Free Experian credit report and FICO Score with no credit card required
• Experian CreditLock and fraud resolution from the $4.99 Core plan
• Equifax and TransUnion reports and FICO Scores on Premium
• Social Security tracing, financial account monitoring and address change validation on Premium
• Up to $1 million identity theft insurance on Premium

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: Real FICO Scores rather than an educational score
• Strength: A permanent free tier
• Strength: Plans can be switched at any time
• Weakness: Three-bureau coverage needs the $24.99 Premium plan
• Weakness: The 7-day trial needs a credit card
• Weakness: Free and Core plans focus on the Experian file only

Key facts

• Free plan: Experian report and FICO Score
• Core: $4.99 per month
• Plus: $14.99 per month
• Premium: $24.99 per month
• Free trial: 7 days on Plus or Premium

Where it ranks

Experian is No. 2 in our Best Credit Monitoring Services verdict.