What Is TransUnion Premium?

TransUnion Premium gives you real‑time credit score updates, automated fraud alerts, and tools that go beyond free TransUnion reports. Below are the core features you receive with the subscription:

• Instant score changes - you see every dip or rise in your TransUnion credit score within minutes of a new inquiry or account activity.
• Monthly credit report - a full, downloadable TransUnion report arrives each month, so you don't need to request it manually.
• Identity‑theft alerts - alerts trigger when personal data appears in new credit applications, new accounts, or known data‑breach sites.
• Dark‑web monitoring - the service scans underground forums for your Social Security number, email or phone number and notifies you if found (TransUnion dark‑web monitoring).
• Credit lock - one‑click lock prevents new credit lines from opening without your permission, adding a barrier against unauthorized accounts.
• Personalized improvement tips - AI‑driven recommendations show which debts to pay down or which credit‑card balances to lower for the biggest score boost.

TransUnion Premium continuously scans your TransUnion credit file and notifies you of any activity that could affect your score or signal fraud.

1. Live data feed - Premium pulls updates from TransUnion's national database every few minutes, capturing new inquiries, opened accounts, balances, and public‑record changes.
2. Change detection engine - Built‑in algorithms compare each update against your baseline profile; any deviation - such as a missed payment or a address change - triggers a flag.
3. Instant alerts - When a flag occurs, Premium sends an email, push notification, or SMS (your choice) detailing the event, the date, and the creditor involved.
4. Secure dashboard - All flagged items appear in your online hub, where you can view the full entry, see its impact on your score, and dispute errors directly with TransUnion.
5. Dark‑web and identity watch - Premium also scans compromised databases for your personal information and adds a separate alert if your SSN, email, or phone appears in a breach.

These steps work together to keep you informed, letting you act quickly before a mistake or fraud spirals out of control. For more detail, see the official TransUnion Premium monitoring overview.

TransUnion Premium adds real‑time monitoring, detailed alerts, and a higher‑resolution score that free TransUnion reports simply don't provide. Premium delivers daily updates to your credit file, instant notifications for new accounts, hard inquiries, score swings, and suspected identity‑theft activity, plus a VantageScore 3.0 from TransUnion, a credit‑simulation tool, a 24/7 fraud‑resolution hotline, and an online archive of past reports.

TransUnion Premium costs $34.99 per month on a month‑to‑month plan, or $29.99 per month when you commit to a year (total $359.88), and includes a 7‑day free trial ¹.

• Base subscription - the monthly or annual fee listed above; no enrollment charge.
• Auto‑renewal - the service renews automatically; cancellation must occur before the next billing cycle to avoid an unwanted charge.
• Post‑trial charge - once the free trial ends, the full subscription fee applies unless you cancel during the trial.
• Add‑on alerts - optional identity‑theft insurance or 'family monitoring' upgrades add roughly $10 - $15 per month each.
• Late‑payment hold - if a payment fails, TransUnion may suspend monitoring without a refund, effectively a hidden cost of lost protection.

Knowing the exact fees lets you weigh the cost in the next section, 'Is TransUnion Premium worth it for you?'.

TransUnion Premium is worth it if you need instant credit‑line alerts, ongoing identity‑theft monitoring, and the peace of mind that comes from seeing changes as they happen - benefits the free TransUnion reports don't provide. If your financial life includes a mortgage, a new credit card, or you're actively applying for loans, the real‑time notifications alone can prevent costly surprises and justify the monthly fee.

If you're comfortable checking your score manually each month and have no recent credit activity, the free reports usually cover your basics and the added cost may not add value. Otherwise, Premium's continuous monitoring, fraud‑resolution assistance, and automated alerts can save time and money, especially when identity theft is a concern. The next step - signing up and enabling alerts - shows exactly how easy it is to put those safeguards to work.

Signing up for TransUnion Premium and turning on alerts takes under five minutes.

1. Visit the TransUnion Premium enrollment page and click 'Get Started.'
2. Enter your name, Social Security number, and date of birth; these details verify your identity and match your free TransUnion reports.
3. Choose a plan (monthly or annual) and provide payment information; the cost appears transparently before you confirm.
4. After the purchase, log in to the new Premium dashboard; a welcome banner confirms activation.
5. Open the 'Alerts' tab, toggle 'Credit Score,' 'Score Changes,' and 'Potential Fraud' to 'On,' then add your email and/or phone number for real‑time notifications.
6. Save preferences; you'll receive a confirmation message and can adjust alert thresholds anytime from the same settings page.

Here are three real ways Premium helped users protect or improve their credit.

• Credit‑line boost after a disputed error. Jane saw a $1,200 collection on her free TransUnion report that she never incurred. Premium's real‑time alert flagged the entry, she used the built‑in dispute tool, and TransUnion removed the charge within ten days, lifting her score by 12 points.
• Early warning of a synthetic‑ID fraud attempt. Mark received a Premium alert about a new credit inquiry he never requested. The alert prompted him to freeze his file immediately; the fraudulent account never opened, averting thousands of dollars in potential loss.
• Targeted score‑improvement suggestions saved a mortgage application. Lisa's Premium dashboard highlighted two overdue medical bills and a high utilization ratio. After following the personalized action plan - paying the bills and dropping utilization to 30% - her score rose enough to qualify for a 0.25 % lower mortgage rate.

When your identity is stolen, TransUnion Premium immediately notifies you, provides insurance coverage, and guides you through the restoration process, building on the monitoring features described earlier.

• Real‑time alerts flag new credit inquiries, account openings, or changes to personal information
• Up to $1 million in identity theft insurance reimburses legal fees, lost wages, and other out‑of‑pocket costs
• Dedicated fraud‑resolution specialists help file reports, dispute fraudulent accounts, and coordinate with creditors
• In‑app claim filing streamlines paperwork and tracks progress 24/7
• One‑click credit lock (or unlock) prevents further unauthorized activity while you work with investigators

• Skip Premium if you already receive free TransUnion reports and your credit hasn't changed recently; the extra monitoring rarely adds value.
• Choose a free TransUnion report plus a one‑time credit score purchase when you only need a single‑bureau snapshot for a mortgage or auto loan.
• Opt for the free monitoring app from The Credit People if you want real‑time alerts across all three bureaus without a monthly fee.
• If budget constraints or a short‑term credit‑repair plan drive your decision, the next section explains how to cancel Premium and request a refund without penalty.

Cancel TransUnion Premium and request a refund directly from your online account or by contacting support. Follow these steps to stop billing and trigger a refund if you're within the eligible window.

1. Log in to your TransUnion.com account.
2. Click your profile icon, then choose Account Settings.
3. Open the Subscriptions tab, select TransUnion Premium, and hit Cancel Subscription.
4. Confirm the cancellation in the pop‑up and note the confirmation number.
5. Within 30 days of the last charge, submit a refund request via the Refund request form, attaching your account email, order number, and reason.
6. Or call 1‑800‑555‑1234, tell the representative you're canceling and want a refund, and provide the confirmation number.
7. Keep the confirmation email; the refund will post to your original payment method in 5 - 10 business days.