Credit lock vs credit freeze: which one actually protects you?
Use a credit freeze. It does the same job as a lock, it is free at all three bureaus, and your rights are written into federal law. A lock is a company product whose terms the bureau sets and can change.
By the editors of ProtectYour.com Last reviewed 5 min read
Key takeaways
- Freeze, not lock: both block new lenders from reading your report, but a freeze is free and guaranteed by federal law.
- A credit lock is a product the bureau offers under its own contract terms, and at Experian and TransUnion it comes with a paid monitoring plan.
- A freeze must be placed within one business day of an online or phone request and lifted within one hour.
- Either one only works at the bureau where you set it, so you need all three: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.
- Pay for a lock only if you want the bundled monitoring for its own sake.
They do the same basic job
A credit freeze and a credit lock both stop a credit bureau from handing your report to a new lender. Without the report, most lenders will not approve a card, loan or phone contract, so someone using your name and Social Security number gets turned down. Neither one affects your credit score, and neither stops your existing cards and loans working.
The difference is not what they block. It is who guarantees the protection, what it costs, and what you agree to when you sign up.
A credit freeze: a legal right, free
A freeze (the law calls it a "security freeze") is set out in the Fair Credit Reporting Act, section 605A(i), which is 15 U.S.C. 1681c-1(i). Congress added it in the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act of 2018, and it took effect in September 2018. The statute says:
- The bureau must place the freeze "free of charge" when you ask and prove who you are.
- It must be in place within 1 business day of a request made online or by toll-free phone, or 3 business days for a mail request.
- The bureau must send confirmation within 5 business days and explain how to remove it.
- It stays on until you ask for it to come off.
- A temporary or permanent lift requested online or by phone must happen within one hour.
The FTC's summary is short: "There's no cost to place or lift a credit freeze, and it doesn't affect your credit score." See the FTC's page on credit freezes and fraud alerts. Step-by-step instructions for each bureau are in our guide on how to freeze your credit.
A credit lock: a product, on the bureau's terms
A lock is not defined in any statute. It is a feature each bureau builds into its own account or subscription, governed by that product's terms of use. What we found on each bureau's own site in October 2026:
- Experian CreditLock is "a feature of a premium account". Experian's CreditLock page offers Experian Premium free for 7 days, then $24.99 a month, and says that if you cancel while locked, your file is unlocked at the end of the billing period. Experian also states that CreditLock is a separate service from a security freeze, and that you can always freeze for free.
- TransUnion says in its own freeze vs lock explainer that "credit freezes are always free, but credit locks may be a part of a paid service", and that a lock is managed through a credit monitoring subscription's page or app.
- Equifax includes an "Equifax credit report lock" in its consumer plans and still offers sign-in for older Lock & Alert accounts. Its freeze is a separate, free service. See Equifax's lock page for the current plan details.
Read what you sign
Credit freeze vs credit lock, side by side
Freeze vs lock
| Credit freeze | Credit lock | |
|---|---|---|
| Blocks new lenders from your report | Yes | Yes |
| Cost | Free by federal law | Varies; at Experian and TransUnion part of a paid plan |
| Rules set by | Fair Credit Reporting Act section 605A(i) | The bureau's product terms |
| Time to place | Within 1 business day (online or phone) | Usually instant in the app |
| Time to lift | Within 1 hour (online or phone), often instant | Usually instant |
| If you stop paying | Not applicable | The lock can end with the subscription |
| Covers all three bureaus at once | No, set at each | No, set at each |
The speed advantage of a lock has mostly gone. Bureau freeze apps and websites now lift a freeze in seconds in most cases, and the one-hour legal deadline is a ceiling, not the usual wait.
Which one to use
For almost everyone: freeze at Equifax, Experian and TransUnion, and leave it on. Lift it at one bureau for a few days when you apply for credit (ask the lender which bureau it uses). This is the setup the FTC recommends, and it costs nothing.
A paid plan with a lock can make sense only if:
- You want that bureau's credit monitoring, alerts or identity theft insurance for their own sake, and
- You have weighed it against the free alternatives covered in is identity theft protection worth it?
Even then, you can keep the freeze on as well. A freeze and a lock do not conflict, and the freeze keeps working if the subscription lapses.
What neither one stops
Both protect only against new credit that needs a report from that bureau. Neither stops someone using a card number you already have, filing a tax return in your name, using your health insurance, or taking over your phone number. For those:
- Tax returns: get an IRS Identity Protection PIN.
- Your phone number: set up SIM swap and port-out protection with your carrier.
- Existing accounts: transaction alerts and two-factor authentication.
If someone has already used your identity, start at IdentityTheft.gov and follow our guide to what to do if your identity is stolen. This page is general information, not legal or financial advice.
Common questions
Is a credit lock the same as a credit freeze?
No. Both block new lenders from seeing your credit report, but a freeze is a free right under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, while a lock is a product each bureau offers under its own terms, often as part of a paid monitoring plan.
Is a credit freeze or a credit lock better?
For most people a credit freeze is better. It is free at all three bureaus, the bureaus must place it within one business day and lift it within one hour of an online or phone request, and it does not depend on keeping a subscription.
Is Experian CreditLock free?
No. Experian says CreditLock is a feature of its premium membership, listed in October 2026 at $24.99 a month after a 7-day free trial. A security freeze at Experian is free.
Do I need to freeze or lock at all three bureaus?
Yes. A freeze or lock only applies at the bureau where you place it, and lenders may check any of Equifax, Experian or TransUnion, so protect your file at all three.
Your next step
Related guides
- How to freeze your credit at Equifax, Experian and TransUnionA credit freeze is free, takes about half an hour for all three bureaus, and is the single best defense against someone opening accounts in your name.
- Is identity theft protection worth it? What you get, and what you can do freeIdentity theft protection services mostly watch and alert. The free credit freeze prevents more. A paid plan can still make sense for some people.
- What to do if your identity is stolen: a step-by-step recovery planIdentity theft recovery is mostly paperwork done in the right order. Start with the FTC report, because almost every other step asks for it.
- The IRS Identity Protection PIN: how to get one and why it is worth five minutesAnyone with an SSN or ITIN who can verify their identity can get a free six-digit IP PIN from the IRS. With it, a tax return filed under your number without the PIN is rejected, which blocks the most common form of tax identity theft.