Credit monitoring vs. identity monitoring: What’s the difference?
Quick insights
- Credit monitoring is a service that tracks your credit and alerts you of changes to your credit reports.
- Identity monitoring is a service that keeps an eye out for your personally identifiable information (PII).
- You can sometimes find both types of services within the same app, service or tool.
Credit monitoring is a service—either free or paid—that keeps an eye on an individual’s credit report and alerts them about changes. Identity monitoring, on the other hand, looks for PII across the web, in places like credit applications, public records and chat rooms.
In today’s digital age, individuals might find these services more helpful now than ever. It can be helpful to understand the differences between credit monitoring and identity monitoring, especially if you’re comparing services to decide which features or tools you are looking for. Let’s explore.
What is credit monitoring?
Credit monitoring is a service that tracks changes to your credit reports. The tool or service might send you notifications or alerts if they notice changes that appear in your credit report, like:
- New hard credit checks
- New or closed accounts
- Any change to your credit score
- Changes in your credit utilization
- Any late or delinquent payments
There are free credit monitoring tools available, like Chase Credit Journey®, an online platform that anyone, including non-Chase customers, can use. Some companies offer paid options.
But regardless of whether you use a free or paid service, credit monitoring can be helpful to your credit because it allows you to keep an eye on the factors that affect your credit score. This can also help you detect potential fraud by noticing unauthorized activity.
What is identity monitoring?
Identity monitoring is a service that scans the web for your personal information and alerts you of activity linked to it. These services typically monitor online locations including:
- Public records
- Credit applications
- Websites
- The dark web
If your information is found on the dark web, for example, you will typically receive an alert or notification. Some services might also help you if identity theft does occur. Some identity monitoring tools might also offer identity theft insurance.
According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, as of September, 2025, prices may vary for paid identity monitoring services, ranging from a few dollars a month to over $15 a month.
Things you could consider before subscribing
Some services combine features of both types of monitoring, so you might be able to find some tools that will cover both. Other apps or tools might focus more on one or the other, so if you’re looking more for identity monitoring or credit monitoring, make sure you review the features and services you’d get with any tools or services you’re considering.
In general, keeping an eye on both your personal information as well as the information on your credit reports can be a proactive way to stay on top of your information.
If you’re trying to decide between the two, identity monitoring is more for those who want to be notified when activity linked to their personal information is found, helping them stay alert to possible identity theft or fraud. Credit monitoring might be more helpful for those who are looking to keep an eye on their credit score and the factors influencing it.
In conclusion
It can be important to protect your personal and financial data, so tools like credit monitoring and identity monitoring might come in handy as helpful support. You may want to consider enrolling in Credit Journey®, which offers both credit and identity monitoring services.
