Is free credit monitoring enough, or do I need a paid service?

For many people, free credit monitoring is enough to watch for errors and early signs of fraud, especially when paired with a free credit freeze. Free tools typically track one bureau and alert you to major changes. Paid services add extras like three-bureau monitoring, dark web scanning, Social Security number alerts, and identity-theft insurance and restoration help. Whether those are worth it depends on your risk and budget, not on a promise of a better score.