Medical Alert Review 2025

Our team tested personal emergency response products developed by Medical Alert to help you decide whether it’s the right choice for your medical alert system needs. Their testing uncovered benefits, including unique fall detection options and a fast response time of 15–25 seconds, but it also has some drawbacks. 

Keep reading to discover Medical Alert customer reviews, the pros and cons to keep in mind, and how to find the best medical alert system for you.

Why we like Medical Alert

We chose Medical Alert as one of the top medical alert or personal emergency response systems for its all-in-one technology, fast response time, and longtime presence in the home safety market. The all-in-one technology of the Medical Alert wearable help button gives you access to all of the necessary functions, like fall detection and emergency help at the press of a button, without having to wear an additional necklace like some other medical alert systems with fall detection. We also like that the brand now offers a modern-looking smartwatch with health tracking benefits like step counting and heart rate monitoring.

Medical Alert was founded in 2004 by Connect America, which has a solid reputation of assisting older adults in living independently for 45 years. In our survey, a majority of users reported they had a good experience with their Medical Alert purchase.

Pros and cons of Medical Alert

Pros

• 30-day, risk-free trial
• No equipment fees or long-term contracts
• Fall detection option for $10 per month

Cons

• Activation fee of $49 on some systems
• Limited add-on options, and only one on-the-go system
• No warranty, and protection plan costs extra

Compare Medical Alert models

Medical Alert reviews

Home system

What you should know about Medical Alert’s home system

The Medical Alert home system is offered in two versions: cellular and landline connection. The landline connection is the company’s least expensive option and can be used without a cellphone or strong cellular connection. The help buttons are waterproof, so users can wear them in the shower or bath. Research shows the most common locations for a fall at home are, in order, bedrooms, bathrooms, and stairs.Unlike the mobile system described below, which has a five-day battery life, the backup battery life for the home system is 30 hours. But as long as your home system is plugged into an outlet, the backup battery won’t be an issue. The backup battery is designed to work in the event of a power outage.

The home system device range is 800 feet (a bit more than the length of two football fields), whereas the mobile system has an unlimited range.

Additionally, other medical alert companies, such as Medical Guardian and Lifefone, have longer ranges of 1,300–1,400 feet for their home devices. Since the Medical Alert home system device range is limited, you’ll have to stick closer to home to ensure your device will still work.

If you’re searching for an at-home device with a longer range and more add-ons, such as medication reminders, it might be better to go with MobileHelp or Bay Alarm Medical. The medication reminders feature is not included in Medical Alert products and can be a valuable asset to maintaining a healthy life.

Mobile system

What you should know about Medical Alert’s mobile system

The Medical Alert mobile system is different from the home system. With GPS location tracking and an unlimited device range, the Medical Alert on-the-go system can give medical alert system users, their caregivers, and their loved ones more confidence to go out into the world, knowing they’ll have 24/7 access to emergency help in the United States.

The mobile device battery lasts for five days, nearly four times longer than the home system. Medical Alert home systems also come with a backup battery. Having a long-lasting rechargeable battery can save time and provide reassurance when you’re away from home.

Medical Alert Smartwatch

What you should know about the Medical Alert Smartwatch

The Medical Alert Smartwatch could be the right device for you if you’re active and frequently on the go. The watch can track your steps and your heartrate, so it’s great to take on walks or hikes with friends. Importantly, it also has GPS location tracking, so if you are lost or need help and no one is around, emergency services can pinpoint your location.

We appreciate that the product is waterproof, so you can take it into the shower or for a swim. And it has voice prompts and/or vibrations which can alert you when help is on the way or just if your battery is low and needs charging.

How much does a Medical Alert system cost?

The starting monthly cost for a Medical Alert system ranges from $27.95–$47.95, depending on which system and payment plan you choose. You can pay month to month, or you can receive a discounted rate if you pay semi-annually (every six months) or annually.

Medical Alert costs and payment plans

• The home system (landline) is $27.95 per month or $19.95 per month if you pay annually (one payment of $239.40).
• The home system (cellular) is $37.95 per month or $29.95 per month if you pay annually (one payment of $359.40).
• The mobile system is $47.95 per month, or $39.95 per month if you pay annually (one payment of $479.40).
• The smartwatch is $39.95 per month, or $34.95 per month if you pay annually (one payment of $419.40).

How to pay for Medical Alert systems

To purchase a medical alert system from Medical Alert, visit the company’s website and select the system you’d like to buy. You can choose from monthly, semi-annual, or annual payment plans. You’ll also have the option to add fall detection for $10 per month, and a protection plan for $1 per month, either of which you can decline or add to your cart. Depending on how quickly you need your medical alert system, you can choose standard ground shipping or one-day shipping at an additional cost.

Medical Alert accepts payments from all major credit cards, including Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover.

Medical Alert warranty

Medical Alert does not include a warranty, a standard that is similar to many other companies, such as Medical Guardian and Bay Alarm Medical, but you do have the option of including a protection plan with your subscription.

The Medical Alert protection plan costs $5 per month and covers $350 in the event your system is lost, stolen, or damaged. The coverage amount of $350 covers the annual cost of most Medical Alert systems.

The Medical Alert app and accessories

The Medical Alert smartphone app allows users to contact customer support, test their systems, check battery status, and update their emergency contact list. The app also gives caregivers the ability to check in and monitor multiple accounts.

Fall detection

For an additional $10 per month, you can add fall detection to your subscription. Medical Alert fall detection devices have built-in sensors that detect when the user falls or moves rapidly from standing to a horizontal position. If the device detects a fall, a trained Medical Alert specialist will contact you to assess the situation and call for emergency assistance as needed, whether that is notifying your caregivers or emergency services. If the specialist is unable to make contact with you, emergency services will be called immediately. 

Protection plan

For $5 per month, Medical Alert users can add a protection plan, which covers $350 in the event your system is lost, stolen, or damaged, and covers the annual cost of most Medical Alert systems. With your subscription, you will also be eligible for discounts on accessories, such as a lockbox.

Lockboxes

Lockboxes are weatherproof containers that hang from your front exterior doorknob to provide emergency responders access to a house key so they can enter your home without damaging your doors or windows. Lockboxes cost $10 per month and your medical alert specialist will only share your lockbox code with emergency services in the event of an emergency.

Medical Alert customer service

You can contact the Medical Alert customer service team by phone at 800-906-0872, Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m ET, or through the contact form on the Medical Alert website. 

To learn more about Medical Alert at-home systems, on-the-go devices, and accessories, visit the Product Guides section on the company website.

Compare Medical Alert vs. other companies, as of 2025

Will Medical Alert help prevent falls?

Medical Alert does not guarantee the prevention of all falls. But for $10 per month, the company does offer fall detection, where the medical alert system detects a fall and automatically notifies monitoring center specialists, who will then notify emergency services for you.

Fall detection features are offered in medical alert devices worn on the wrist and around the neck at chest level. We recommend chest-level necklaces, as research shows wrist-worn devices produce more false alarms due to quick and jerky arm and hand movements that are not typical of the body’s mobility. 

Is Medical Alert fall detection accurate?

Keep in mind fall detection does not detect 100% of falls. For example, falling from a height, such as a standing position, versus falling from a bed or chair will affect the sensor differently due to the difference in the velocity, or speed, of the fall. Slower falls are not always detected by the fall detection sensor.

We independently tested Medical Alert’s fall detection with multiple test falls and found it to be successful. The company reached out immediately to verify whether the user needed assistance. 

Importance of falls prevention

According to our survey, users said the most important feature in a medical alert system was automatic fall detection. This is crucial protection for the more than one out of four people 65 and older that fall each year. Preventing falls is important for helping older adults to maintain their health and independence.