CleverDings Plain comparisons of household help apps

LifeLock vs Malwarebytes Scam Guard in 2026

Compare LifeLock, Malwarebytes Scam Guard, and Postal Buddy for household security, device protection, scam checks, and mail help.

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CleverDings is published by the makers of Benefit Buddy, Postal Buddy and Packing Buddy, which are compared here alongside other apps.

LifeLock offers identity protection plans such as LifeLock Core, which starts at $10.42 per month. [1] Malwarebytes Scam Guard is included in all plans and protects PCs, Macs, Androids, and iPhones. [2] [2] Postal Buddy is an app that tells an older person, in big print and out loud, what each letter they photograph is. [3]

OptionOwn priceWhat its source says it is
LifeLock$10.42 per month or $124.99 today for LifeLock Core [1] [1]LifeLock Core for people with checking and credit accounts; LifeLock Advanced for people with multiple checking, savings, CDs, and credit accounts [1] [1]
Malwarebytes Scam Guardnot published [2]Scam Guard included in all plans; protects PCs, Macs, Androids, and iPhones; up to $2 million in identity theft insurance [2] [2] [2]
OptionSenior side free forever; Plus is $9.99 a month or $79 a year [3]App that tells an older person, in big print and out loud, what each letter they photograph is [3]

The short answer

LifeLock offers identity protection plans, stating that LifeLock Core is for people with checking and credit accounts, starting at $10.42 per month. [1] Malwarebytes includes Scam Guard in all plans, protecting PCs, Macs, Androids, and iPhones, and offers Identity Theft Protection with up to $2 million in insurance. [2] [2] [2] Postal Buddy is an app that tells an older person, in big print and out loud, what each letter they photograph is. [3]

If a household needs digital device protection and scam screening on computers and phones, Malwarebytes states that its plans cover those devices. [2] If a household needs account protection starting with checking and credit accounts, LifeLock describes LifeLock Core for that role. [1] If an older family member needs help understanding physical letters, Postal Buddy explains photographed mail. [3]

What LifeLock, Malwarebytes Scam Guard is built for

The facts available for LifeLock and Malwarebytes Scam Guard describe distinct security services. LifeLock states that its LifeLock Core tier is for people with checking and credit accounts, with annual pricing starting at $10.42 per month. [1] Its page also states that LifeLock Core individual annual payment is $124.99 today. [1] For households managing broader accounts, LifeLock lists LifeLock Advanced for people with multiple checking, savings, CDs, and credit accounts. [1]

Malwarebytes states that Scam Guard is included in all plans. [2] Its plans protect PCs, Macs, Androids, and iPhones. [2] Malwarebytes also states that Identity Theft Protection includes identity theft insurance of up to $2 million. [2] The available facts for these rivals do not describe physical paper mail handling. Households looking at either service should check their websites to see specific setup requirements and exact plan terms.

What Postal Buddy is built for

Postal Buddy is made by the team that publishes this site. Postal Buddy is an app that tells an older person, in big print and out loud, what each letter they photograph is. [3] You take a photo of each letter you get, and Postal Buddy tells you, in big print and out loud, what it is. [3] The app can read its explanation of a letter out loud. [3]

For a bill, it shows the sender, the amount and the due date. [3] For a suspected scam, it says not to pay or call the number on it; Postal Buddy says it never calls a letter safe. [3] Its web scam check is free and needs no account; Postal Buddy tells you what looks wrong and says nothing is kept. [3]

The older person does not have to sign in; family helpers sign in. [3] Plus adds a Monday email on what needs doing, what was caught and what changed; on the free plan, one family member gets a Monday email with how many letters came. [3] Plus includes alerts for a scam asking for money, a bill about to go overdue, a government letter, or a bill that jumped. [3]

Pricing and fees

LifeLock states that LifeLock Core individual annual pricing starts at $10.42 per month. [1] Its page also states that LifeLock Core individual annual payment is $124.99 today. [1] Pricing for LifeLock Advanced is not published in the provided facts, so check the site for costs. [1]

Malwarebytes states that Scam Guard is included in all plans, and includes up to $2 million in identity theft insurance with Identity Theft Protection. [2] [2] Specific retail subscription prices for personal device plans are not published in the provided facts, so check the Malwarebytes website for current pricing.

Postal Buddy says the senior side is free forever; Plus costs $9.99 a month or $79 a year, with a 30-day Plus trial and no card needed when the first helper joins. [3] Its web scam check is free and needs no account. [3]

Getting started

For LifeLock, its page notes that LifeLock Core is for people with checking and credit accounts, starting at $10.42 per month. [1] The facts do not state onboarding steps, so check the LifeLock website to see what details are required to set up protection.

For Malwarebytes Scam Guard, Scam Guard is included in all plans, which protect PCs, Macs, Androids, and iPhones. [2] [2] The facts do not state specific installation steps, so check the Malwarebytes site to download software onto household devices.

You can try a demo with a made-up family without an account. [3] The older person does not have to sign in; family helpers sign in. [3] The app is made for phones and the web. [3] A web app is listed, but the Postal Buddy website says 'Opening soon'. [3] Its web scam check needs no account. [3]

Things to check before you choose

Ask these neutral questions of any security or mail tool before choosing:

How to choose

If a household needs protection across PCs, Macs, Androids, and iPhones, Malwarebytes says its plans cover those devices. [2]

If a household needs protection tailored for checking and credit accounts starting at $10.42 per month, LifeLock states that LifeLock Core is for people with checking and credit accounts, starting at $10.42 per month, or $124.99 as a one-time annual payment. [1] [1]

If an older family member wants an app that explains photographed letters in big print and out loud, Postal Buddy says it does that. [3]

If you want to try a mail tool with a made-up family without an account, Postal Buddy offers a demo. [3]

If you need a free web scam check that requires no account, Postal Buddy provides that on the web. [3]

Frequently asked questions

Is Postal Buddy free for seniors?

Postal Buddy says the senior side of the app is free forever. [3] Its web scam check is also free and needs no account. [3] For extra tools, Plus costs $9.99 a month or $79 a year, with a 30-day Plus trial and no card needed when the first helper joins. [3] On the free plan, one family member gets a Monday email with how many letters came. [3]

Does Malwarebytes Scam Guard work on mobile phones?

Malwarebytes states that its plans protect PCs, Macs, Androids, and iPhones. [2] In addition, Scam Guard is included in all plans. [2] The facts provided here do not state setup details for specific operating system versions. Households should visit the Malwarebytes site to check system requirements for specific household phones, tablets, or desktop computers before installing software.

Does Malwarebytes provide identity theft insurance?

Malwarebytes states that its Identity Theft Protection includes identity theft insurance of up to $2 million. [2] Scam Guard is included in all plans. [2] The approved facts do not list terms or claim processes for this coverage. Households should check the provider website to review coverage rules, restrictions, and claim steps.

What does LifeLock Core cost per year?

LifeLock states that LifeLock Core individual annual pricing starts at $10.42 per month. [1] Its page also states that LifeLock Core individual annual payment is $124.99 today. [1] Its page describes LifeLock Core as protection for people with checking and credit accounts. [1] Additional tiers exist, including LifeLock Advanced. [1] Check the provider website for renewal rates.

Does an older person have to create an account for Postal Buddy?

The older person does not have to sign in, while family helpers sign in. [3] An older person takes a photo of each letter received, and Postal Buddy tells them what it is in big print and out loud. [3] Postal Buddy is an app that tells an older person, in big print and out loud, what each letter they photograph is. [3]

Postal Buddy says the senior's side is free forever; Plus costs $9.99 a month or $79 a year, with a 30-day Plus trial and no card needed when the first helper joins. [3]

Try Postal Buddy

Sources

  1. LifeLock, lifelock.com, read 2026-10-09
  2. Malwarebytes Scam Guard, malwarebytes.com, read 2026-10-19
  3. Postal Buddy's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)

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