How Much Does Experian Cost?

• CreditWorks (basic): $15 per month, $149 annually
• CreditWorks Premium: $25 per month, $250 annually
• IdentityWorks: $10 per month, $100 annually
• IdentityWorks Premier: $20 per month, $200 annually
• Optional add‑ons (fraud alerts, score simulator, credit monitoring extensions) typically add $2 - $5 per month

Experian offers four paid subscriptions, each bundling credit monitoring with identity‑theft tools at a set monthly or annual price.

• CreditWorks - $9.99 / month (or $99 / year). Includes weekly credit report updates, alerts for new inquiries and score changes, and access to Experian's credit education hub.
• CreditWorks Premium - $19.99 / month (or $199 / year). Adds daily credit monitoring, identity‑theft alerts, up to $1 million insurance, and a monthly credit‑score simulator.
• IdentityWorks - $12.99 / month (or $129 / year). Provides daily credit‑file monitoring, alerts for personal data exposure, and $1 million theft protection.
• IdentityWorks Premier - $24.99 / month (or $239 / year). Packs all IdentityWorks features plus dark‑web scanning, VPN access, and a dedicated fraud‑resolution specialist.

These snapshots set the stage for the detailed cost comparison in the next section.

Pay‑as‑you‑go: Experian bills the three CreditWorks tiers each month at full price - Basic $24.99, Plus $29.99, Premium $34.99 - so you pay the listed amount every 30 days with no long‑term commitment (Experian CreditWorks pricing details).

Lock‑in a year: Choose the annual plan and Experian applies a 20 %‑ish discount, turning the same tiers into $19.99, $24.99 and $29.99 per month (paid as a single $239.88, $299.88 or $359.88 charge), saving roughly $60‑$80 compared with monthly billing.

Yes - you can access Experian data at no cost, but only a limited version. Experian offers a free tier that provides your Experian credit score, a monthly credit report snapshot, and basic fraud alerts; you sign up at Experian.com and never pay unless you upgrade.

Additionally, the federal Annual Credit Report service lets you download your full Experian report once a year for free (free annual Experian report). Both options give you essential monitoring without the monthly fee discussed in the 'monthly vs annual Experian costs' section, and they serve as the baseline before you consider paid plans such as CreditWorks or IdentityWorks, which we cover later.

You can slash your Experian bill by hunting promos, using free trials, and timing your purchase.

1. Check Experian's official promo page for seasonal deals (e.g., Black Friday 20 % off the first year of IdentityWorks) and copy any coupon code.
2. Activate the 30‑day free trial of IdentityWorks Premium; it gives full access without charge and lets you compare features before committing.
3. Switch from a month‑to‑month plan to an annual subscription after the trial; the annual rate is $19.99 /mo versus $24.99 /mo (see 'monthly vs annual Experian costs').
4. Use a referral link from a current subscriber; both parties receive $5 off each month for the first three months, effectively lowering the net cost.
5. Bundle Experian's credit monitoring with a partner service (e.g., a budgeting app) that offers a combined discount of $3 - $5 per month, reducing the overall expense shown in 'hidden fees and extras you might pay.'

These steps let you capture all available savings before the service starts charging.

Experian's advertised prices often omit several add‑ons that can bump your bill.

• Activation or set‑up fee - most new subscribers pay a one‑time $9‑$12 charge before the first month's service starts.
• Paper‑mail delivery surcharge - opting for mailed credit reports adds roughly $2‑$3 per month to any plan.
• Premium add‑on modules - features like 'Score Tracker' or 'Credit Alerts Pro' cost an extra $5‑$7 monthly on top of the base price.
• Late‑payment penalty - missing a payment deadline triggers a $15 reinstatement fee and may suspend monitoring until paid.
• Identity lock removal fee - unlocking your Experian Freeze after a freeze request incurs a $15 service charge, separate from the identity‑protection fees discussed later.

Experian IdentityProtect+ costs $9.99 per month if you bill monthly, or $99.99 per year (about $8.33 /mo) when you choose the annual plan; Experian IdentityProtect Premium is priced at $19.99 per month or $199.99 per year (roughly $16.67 /mo). Both plans include credit monitoring, dark‑web alerts, and identity‑theft insurance, and the rates already cover the core service you'll use.

Additional charges appear only if you add optional extras such as premium identity‑theft restoration or extended insurance, and sales tax applies where required; these items are detailed in the 'hidden fees and extras you might pay' section that follows.

Experian offers two core products for small‑business credit monitoring, each with clear monthly and annual rates.

• Business Credit Report - $39 / month or $399 / year. Provides a detailed credit file, scores, and tradeline analysis.
  
• Business Credit Monitor - $29.95 / month or $299 / year. Sends real‑time alerts when key data changes, helping you spot fraud early.

Optional add‑ons such as deeper fraud alerts or extra user seats have separate fees that vary; the exact amounts appear on the Experian small‑business pricing page.

These two plans cover the essential tools most owners need, and the next section will compare the cost impact of choosing monthly versus annual billing.

Three real‑world situations let you decide if Experian's cost matches the protection you need.

• You check your score only a few times a year. A $19.99 / month (or $199 annual) CreditWorks subscription supplies monthly alerts and a free score, enough for occasional monitoring without the premium add‑ons.
• You've been a victim of identity theft or live in a high‑risk area. Upgrading to $24.99 / month (or $239 annual) IdentityWorks adds dark‑web scanning, fraud alert assistance, and $1 M insurance, making the higher price worthwhile.
• You run a small business and need to watch vendor credit. The $29.99 / month (or $299 annual) CreditWorks Plus for Business provides daily business‑credit updates and alerts, justifying its cost if a bad vendor could affect cash flow.

You can cancel Experian and get a full refund if you do it within the 30‑day money‑back guarantee.

1. Review your plan  -  IdentityWorks, CreditWorks, and IdentityProtect all include a 30‑day refund clause; the guarantee does not apply after the first month.
2. Reach out to Experian support  -  call 1‑866‑397‑3742 or use the online chat linked in the Experian terms and conditions page. State 'I want to cancel and request a refund.'
3. Confirm cancellation in writing  -  ask for an email confirmation that includes the cancellation date and refund amount. Save the email for future reference.
4. Disable auto‑renewal  -  log into your account dashboard, go to 'Subscription Settings,' and turn off the renewal toggle to prevent another charge.
5. Monitor your bank statement  -  ensure the refund posts within 5‑7 business days; if it doesn't, contact support again citing the confirmation email.

Follow these steps promptly and you'll receive your money back without hassle.