How Much Does TransUnion Cost?

• TransUnion charges $14.95  -  $24.95 for a one‑time credit report (price varies by state and whether you add a credit score) - see TransUnion credit report pricing.
• The basic credit‑monitoring subscription costs $24.95 per month, providing weekly updates and fraud alerts - details at TransUnion monitoring plans.
• The premium plan adds identity‑theft protection, dark‑web monitoring, and insurance coverage for $39.95 per month - see TransUnion premium identity protection.
• A family/friends add‑on lets up to five users share the service for $49.95 per month - information at TransUnion family plan.
• Optional extras such as identity‑theft insurance or credit‑score boost tools run $9.95  -  $19.95 per month and are not required for core monitoring - see TransUnion optional add‑ons.

You can obtain a free TransUnion credit report without paying the typical $10‑$15 one‑time fee by using any of the following legitimate avenues.

• AnnualCreditReport.com - federally mandated site that provides one free TransUnion report each 12‑month period (no subscription required).
• Consumer Financial Protection Bureau - lists state‑specific free‑report laws; for example, California residents may request an additional free TransUnion report once per year under the California Consumer Credit Reporting Agencies Act.
• Credit card or bank portals - many major issuers (e.g., Chase, Discover) embed a free TransUnion report in their online dashboard as a perk for account holders.
• Free credit‑monitoring apps - services such as Credit Karma or Mint pull a TransUnion report at no charge, updating it monthly.
• Identity‑theft victims - filing an identity‑theft report with the FTC grants up to three free TransUnion reports within a year, per the FCRA.
• TransUnion's own consumer page - the company offers a 'Free Credit Report' button that triggers the same annual report you receive from AnnualCreditReport.com.

TransUnion charges are governed mainly by the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act, which permits bureaus to set reasonable fees for a credit report, a one-time report, or a subscription but does not impose a dollar ceiling. State statutes add pockets of protection: California, New York, Virginia and several others require free credit reports for victims of identity theft, active‑duty military, or households below a certain income, and the 2023 federal Annual Credit Report Act guarantees one free credit report per year for every consumer.

Those provisions can eliminate or reduce fees for eligible users, which is why the 'find free TransUnion report options' section matters.

Because there is no uniform cap, TransUnion fees vary by product and jurisdiction. In 2024 a typical one-time report runs $10‑$20, while a subscription usually costs $15‑$30 per month, trending higher where additional services are bundled.

Knowing the baseline helps you evaluate the cost trade‑offs discussed in the next 'one‑time report versus subscription prices' segment. For detailed legal guidance see Fair Credit Reporting Act guidance and state free credit report laws.

One‑time reports cost between $25 and $30 when you buy directly from TransUnion's consumer portal, and the fee may drop to $10 during promotional periods or when you qualify for a free annual credit report under the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

Subscription plans bundle a credit report with monitoring and alerts; the basic Credit Monitoring service runs about $19.99 per month, while Identity Protection with fraud‑resolution assistance averages $24.99 per month, and both options often offer a discounted annual rate if you pay upfront. See TransUnion credit monitoring plans for current pricing.

TransUnion's identity protection plans start around $19.95 per month and can rise to $39.95 per month, with yearly billing that typically reduces the monthly rate.

• Credit Monitoring Basic - $19.95 / month (or $199 / year). Includes weekly credit report updates and alerts for new inquiries.
• Credit Monitoring Plus - $29.95 / month (or $299 / year). Adds daily score tracking, dark‑web scans, and identity theft insurance up to $1 million.
• Identity Protection Complete - $39.95 / month (or $399 / year). Provides all Plus features plus 24/7 fraud resolution support and coverage for credit‑report‑related expenses.

Each plan is a subscription separate from the one‑time credit report charge, which remains $9.95 when you request a single report outside a monitoring package.

These tiered fees set the baseline for the hidden TransUnion charges discussed next.

Hidden TransUnion fees often appear after the initial report purchase and can add up quickly. Below are the most common charges you might miss in 2024.

• Processing fee of $2-$5 per one-time credit report, applied automatically at checkout
• Monthly subscription fee for credit monitoring, typically $12-$15, even if you only wanted a single report
• Optional credit lock or freeze fee, usually $5-$10 each time you activate or lift the lock
• Paper-copy delivery charge, about $3 per mailed report, which many users overlook when ordering online
• Dispute filing fee, $10-$20 per dispute if you use TransUnion's premium dispute service instead of the free self-service option
• Early-termination fee for annual identity-theft-protection plans, often 20% of the remaining balance
• 'Premium alerts' add-on, $4-$6 per month, that stacks on top of the basic monitoring subscription

TransUnion's charges differ sharply by why you need a report, so here are five common situations with the actual fees you'll likely see in 2024.

1. You want a single credit report after a big purchase - A one‑time report from TransUnion's website costs $12 to $20, depending on whether you add a fraud‑alert add‑on ($5) or a credit‑score view ($3). TransUnion one‑time report pricing
2. You monitor your score monthly to catch mistakes - The basic subscription (Credit Monitoring) is $19.95 per month, billed annually ($239 total). It includes unlimited credit‑report access and alerts for new inquiries. TransUnion credit‑monitoring plan
3. You need identity‑theft protection after a breach - The Identity Protection Plus package adds dark‑web scanning and emergency concierge for $29.95 per month. Some users qualify for a 15 % discount when they enroll for 12 months upfront. TransUnion identity‑protection pricing
4. You are a small‑business owner reviewing employee credit - Business Credit Monitoring starts at $49 per month for up to three employees, with $9.99 per additional employee. Annual contracts reduce the rate to $44 per month. TransUnion business‑credit rates
5. You are a student who just graduated and needs a free report - Through AnnualCreditReport.com you can obtain a free TransUnion report once a year, but if you want a current score the same $12‑$20 one‑time fee applies. This option was covered in the 'find free TransUnion report options' section. Free annual credit report portal

Bundling services, leveraging discount programs, and timing promotions are three uncommon ways to lower your TransUnion bill.

First, combine a TransUnion subscription with a partner product - many banks, mobile carriers, or insurance firms offer a bundled credit‑monitoring add‑on for $5‑$10 less per month than the standalone price listed on the TransUnion pricing details.

Second, qualify for niche discounts such as student, senior, military, or credit‑union member rates; these can shave 15%‑30% off the typical $15‑$30 monthly fee and often require only proof of status.

Third, align the subscription start date with a tax‑year refund or a promotional free‑month trial, then cancel before auto‑renewal; this avoids the $10‑$15 one‑time report charge that many users overlook, a point we flagged in the hidden‑fees section before exploring cheaper alternatives later.

Choose a cheaper TransUnion alternative when you only need occasional insight and a full‑service subscription would cost more than the value you receive.

Typical scenarios include:

• You have a stable credit file and only want the yearly snapshot you can get from the official free annual credit report.
• Your budget is tight and you can monitor credit changes manually through bank alerts or personal budgeting tools.
• You already subscribe to a different credit‑monitoring service that covers all three bureaus, making an extra TransUnion subscription redundant.
• You are investigating a specific issue (e.g., a dispute) and do not require ongoing identity‑theft protection.

If you opt for a lower‑cost path, the next step is to cancel any existing TransUnion subscription to stop recurring charges.

If TransUnion refuses to remove the death listing after you've submitted proof, file a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau; go to CFPB online complaint portal, attach the same documents you used in your dispute, reference the TransUnion case number, and let the agency forward the file to the credit bureau for a standard 45‑day response window.

If the CFPB route stalls or you want a faster remedy, pursue a small‑claims action in the county where you reside; file a claim for up to $5,000 for the reporting error, bring copies of your dispute letters, proof you're alive, and any TransUnion refusal notice, and the court will issue a judgment that can compel correction and award statutory damages.

TransUnion bills businesses a per‑report charge that typically starts around $25 for a single credit report, but most companies opt for a subscription or bulk‑purchase program that reduces the unit cost dramatically; for example, the CreditView subscription begins at $30 per month for up to five users and scales down to $0.10 per report when you order ten thousand inquiries in a quarter, while the API package adds a $99 monthly platform fee plus $0.03 per inquiry, and larger enterprises can negotiate custom rates that may drop below $0.05 per report depending on industry, contract length, and volume

- so the exact fees vary, and you'll need to request a quote from TransUnion's sales team to lock in the best bulk pricing, a point you'll revisit when learning how to cancel recurring charges later in this guide.