I have worked with seniors as a social worker for over 20 years, so I know how important medical alert systems can be. Many older adults who live alone spend less time with friends and family as they age, making medical alert systems such as Alert1 more essential than ever.
Alert1 has been in business since 1988, with nationwide service and support for up to 190 languages. In this review, I’ll take a closer look at its systems and put some of its features to the test.
Alert1 Pros and Cons
After a few weeks with my Alert1 system, here are my main takeaways:
Alert1 Pros
Optional fall detection: Packages with fall detection cost only about $10 more per month than those without, a reasonable price for added protection.
Wide monthly price range: With so many contract-length options, you can pay anywhere from $16.95 to $61.95 for your system’s monthly monitoring costs, a wide range that will suit many customers with different needs.
Cellular or landline systems: You don’t need a landline to use Alert1’s systems, and you may choose between AT&T and Verizon if you opt for cellular.
Alert1 Cons
No app: Alert1 doesn’t have mobile applications for iOS or Android, so there’s no way to digitally keep track of the user or their activity.
Add-ons could add up: Although the accessories are optional, it’s easy to get carried away with so many choices.
Alert1 Logo
Alert1 Systems Overview
Alert1 currently offers three different medical alert systems: a traditional in-home medical alert, a mobile unit, and a bundled combination of the two systems:
In-the-Home Medical Alert: Alert1’s in-home system is the perfect way to protect your loved one in and around the home. Its 600-foot range offers a wide protection scope, and its loud speakerphone can ensure proper communication with Alert1’s monitoring center. This unit can operate with an existing landline or a cellular connection, though the latter option costs an additional $10 per month.
On-the-Go Medical Alert: For more active users, Alert1’s mobile system is a great way to stay safe just about anywhere you go. With its built-in cellular connection and speakerphone, you can use it to make emergency calls from anywhere with a proper signal.
On-the-Go + Home Fall Detection: Combining both systems and adding fall detection, this is a great way to keep peace of mind in any environment. What’s more, this bundled system costs less than purchasing the two systems separately.
FYI: Both Alert1’s mobile and in-home systems have the option of fall detection for an additional $10 per month.
Alert1 Medical Alert Features
Two-way talk
Yes
Connectivity
Cellular or landline
Average response time
20 seconds
In-home range
400 to 600 feet
Fall detection
$10 per month
Caregiver portal
Not available
Using My Alert1 Medical Alert System
Upon receiving my Alert1 bundled system with fall detection, I opened the box and found the following:
1 in-home base unit
1 wristband help button
1 in-home fall-detection pendant
1 all-in-one mobile unit
1 charging cradle
Backup batteries: Alert1’s in-home systems have a backup battery that lasts up to 24 hours, meaning your system will still function as intended during a power outage.
Installation
Setting up my Alert1 systems was a breeze. For the in-home system, all I had to do was plug the base unit into a wall outlet, wait a minute to establish a cellular connection, and then press the help button to perform a test. My fall-detection pendant was already paired with the system.
Installing my mobile unit was similarly easy. I placed the mobile pendant in the charging cradle, plugged the cradle into the wall, and waited until the mobile unit glowed blue. To test the system, I simply pressed the unit’s help button and waited for an operator to confirm the unit was working as intended.
Alert1 Home
Another important aspect of setting up your system is creating a list of custom contacts. When I purchased my system over the phone, I gave the Alert1 representative a list of nearby loved ones. This way, if I had a non-life-threatening emergency, the response agents could contact my neighbor instead of jumping to emergency services.
Performance
To start testing my in-home system, I walked around my home and made emergency calls with my wrist help button. In every part of my home — including my backyard and front porch — my help button was able to communicate with my base unit. Additionally, with the base unit’s loud speakerphone, I was able to communicate with response agents when they answered my calls.
Alert1 also bills its help buttons as showerproof. Even after being submerged in water, my help buttons — including my fall-detection pendant — still functioned perfectly. I was also impressed by the accuracy of the unit’s fall detection. It accurately detected my fall to the ground and triggered response calls. In my experience, there were no false alarms.
Alert1 On the Go Cellular
I was equally impressed by the On-the-Go system’s performance. No matter where I went — the library, the park, and even the shower — my mobile unit was able to make calls and accurately detect my falls. I was also impressed by how accurately response agents were able to track my location. A GPS function like this is essential for mobile units, since a user may not be able to relay their location during an emergency.
What I loved most about the mobile unit was its all-in-one design. Most mobile medical alert systems require an additional button for fall detection, but Alert1’s is built right into the mobile unit along with the help button and speakerphone. I was also impressed by the battery life, which lasted between two and three days on a single charge.
Overall, I was impressed by the performance of both Alert1 systems. Fall detection worked accurately, the devices stood up to drops and water damage, and monitoring agents responded to each of my calls promptly. On average, it took about 20 seconds for my calls to be answered.
Alert1 Pricing
Like most medical alert companies, Alert1 does not let you purchase its equipment. Rather, the company leases it to you, which means you pay a monthly fee for both the equipment and monitoring service. For example, my In-the-Home + On-the-Go + Fall Detection system cost $49.95 per month. This price, however, required me to sign up for a 10-month contract. If I wanted to start on a monthly basis, then this service would have cost $58.95 per month.
The in-home landline system costs $19.95 per month, and the in-home cellular and mobile systems each cost $29.95 per month. Fall detection can be added to all these systems for $10 per month, which is the standard price for most medical alert companies.
For more information on Alert1’s costs and systems, check out my Alert1 pricing page.
On-the-Go + Home Fall Detection
Final Thoughts on Alert1
Alert1 aims to create quality medical alert systems at affordable price points, and in my opinion, they’ve done just that. With Alert1, you won’t find many cutting-edge features such as smartphone apps or caregiver features, but you will find a quality medical alert system that will be there for you when you need it most.
I’d recommend Alert1 if you’re looking for:
Affordable in-home systems: Starting at under $20 per month, Alert1 offers one of the most affordable medical alert systems on the market. What’s more, its mobile unit starts at $29.95 per month, which is pretty cheap compared to other mobile systems.
Advanced fall detection: Fall detection has become a standard feature across medical alert systems, but false alarms abound. Alert1 impressed me with the accuracy of its fall detection on both its in-home and mobile systems.
An all-in-one mobile unit: Mobile medical alert systems often require additional pendants for fall detection. Alert1’s mobile unit, however, has this function built-in, so you won’t have to lug around additional help buttons.
I wouldn’t recommend it if you want:
Caregiver features: Medical alert systems are all about giving peace of mind not only to the user, but also to their loved ones. I appreciate it when companies include a companion app or caregiver portal, where loved ones can keep track of help calls or other system activity. Unfortunately, Alert1 doesn’t include a feature like this. If you’re looking for detailed caregiver tracking features, I’d recommend checking out a system from Aloe Care Health or QMedic.
Alert1 offers a home package, a fall-detection package, an on-the-go package, an on-the-go package with fall detection, and a combination home and on-the-go package with fall detection.
Depending on which package and contract length you choose, Alert1 costs anywhere from $16.95 to $61.95 a month — or more if you add the extended warranty or smoke detector monitoring.
Yes, Alert1’s devices are waterproof with IP ratings of 67, which means they are completely dust-tight and can be immersed in water up to one meter.
Written By
Amie Clark
Amie has been writing about senior care products and services for the last decade. She is particularly passionate about new technologies that help improve the quality of life for seniors and their families. Seeing her parents and grandparents age made Amie ask herself, “Would this be good enough for my loved ones?” In her spare time, Amie enjoys outdoor adventures and spontaneous road trips. Learn more about Amie here
41 Comments
My mother died in 2015 and I notified I Alert 1 after her death. Alert 1 keeps charging my credit card an annual fee. I have sent letters and talked to their customer service department. They said they would take care of things and here I am July of 2021 and what do I see on my credit card for last month? A charge from Alert 1 in the sum of $443.40. Stay away from this company. They will rip you off.
Be very careful when dealing with this company. The contract terms are very rigid considering that they are dealing with the elderly and are not flexible to any circumstance. Once you are billed there is no way to cancel the program and receive a refund. Their customer care staff while pleasant are held to a script that only supports their revenue and no desire to work with customers and you can not speak with anyone with authority.
Alert1 is really innovative going by its functions and the added monitoring features. I have seen cases where a lack of communication aggravated the whole situation when someone fell on the ground. I think the timing is the key and Alert1 is a smart way to keep us informed.
I am stunned that an annual plan does not allow for a pro-rated refund if you cancel. My mother is having serious problems with defective equipment. Whe there is a power fail, machine vibrates so much and gets hot, that it bounces. If my mother isn’t there to hit a button until power comes back on, she thinks there might be a fire. She just had another power fail and called to ask me to cancel because she is afraid of equipment! We have had good service on emergencies but last tech I spoke with offered no replacement equipment. Said he saw no issues on his end. What do you suggest? Go to Consumer Affairs for help? Thank you.
I’d give them one more try to fix this for you. Let them know you’re going to discuss with BBB if they don’t fix your issue. Many medical alert companies scan our website to see what consumers are saying about them. This is the reason we advocate that consumers understand the Terms & Conditions before signing anything. Get your info in writing (like rebates, how to cancel, etc.) Some companies out there do offer prorated rebates, but many do not.
Thank you. I contacted them today and was able to speak with an outstanding rep who also spoke with my mother and subsequently obtained approval to replace her defective equipment. My mother is so relieved! And I am also relieved that since I cannot obtain any refund, that I have not lost all of my money. They finally believe that my mother is telling the truth; that the equipment is not working properly regardless of their tech not being able to see this remotely. We have had their plan and equipment over 5 years and they have always been great, until this equipment issue. Now that I know they offer no refunds for prepaid annual plans, I will look at going monthly when this annual term lapses, or go to a company that offers pro-rated refunds. Makes no sense that on a monthly plan, I might lose a month’s payment, but on an annual plan, I lose all of my money. To not disclose these terms upfront before automatically taking the money each year does not seem like something consumer affairs or the FTC would find very ethical. Too bad. I honestly think that if they were more transparent, they would have more customer allegiance. Thank you again for your advice. Respectfully.
The service itself was fine but the company was terrible in the end. Circumstances were such that my mother’s service was no longer needed right when the annual charge showed up on her credit card. I called to cancel and was told that the company would not cancel without Power of Attorney documentation. This is understandable and I faxed it to them. I called again a few days later and again asked to cancel when I was then told that no cancellation could occur until they received all of their equipment back. I mailed the equipment with tracking and called again after the package had been delivered. On this third call to Alert1 I was then told that since I was past 30 days into the new annual period, their policy was such that my mother had to pay the entire year. They could easily have given me all of the information on the first call made it easier for me to expedite this, but I guess their policy is to complicate and stretch the cancellation process past 30 days so their other policy of keeping a year’s worth of their subscriber’s money can be used.
Hi Paul. Thanks for getting in touch. We are very sorry that your experience was not stellar. Please send us your loved one’s account information, and your contact information to reviews@alert1.com and we will look into what happened and contact you. Thank you!
Hi Steve. Thanks for getting in touch. We are very sorry that your experience was not stellar. Please send us your loved one’s account information, and your contact information to reviews@alert1.com and we will look into what happened and contact you. Thank you!
I think it is very telling that Alert1’s replies are all the same. Yes my service was not stellar. Far from it. It was HORRIBLE! Their robotic replies show how unfocused they are on providing any kind of customer service. Run from this company!
Hi Steve! It really seems like your experience was certainly not the best and we are very sorry for that. We would really like to speak with you regarding your concerns and see if we can resolve them for you! For your privacy and security, please send your contact information to reviews@alert1.com and we will reach out to you by phone as soon as we receive it. We look forward to speaking with you!
Awful company. Sales rep told me it would ship and be at my house in one business day if I ordered now all for $550 for the year. Week later and we are still waiting for it. Decided to call few other companies and they were half the cost. I complained and said I wanted my money back but was told I have to wait until it comes open package, test product, repackaged and ship back to make sure UPS did not damage the product. Ohhhhhh and the product is not due to arrive until another 3 days. So that puts my delivery exactly 1 week and 2 days from your lie of next day delivery. Do not have your employees to people who are already dealing with a sick loved one.
Hi Sandra. Thanks for getting in touch. We are very sorry that your experience was not stellar. Please send us your loved one’s account information, and your contact information to reviews@alert1.com and we will look into what happened and contact you. Thank you!
I purchased alert 1 about 2 weeks ago for my 91 year old mother. She had 2 false alarms and police showed up at her apartment. She did not push the button at all. She’s so upset that we packed it up and sent it back today. Customer service wanted to charge her 39.95 plus 5.95 shipping for a replacement necklace, the one she had they admitted was defective but yet wanted to charge us. I told them I want 100% refund, we’ll see what happens, l would not recommend this company to anyone,, all they want to do is rip off the elderly who almost all live on a fixed income.
Hi Debbie. Thanks for getting in touch. We are very sorry that your experience was not stellar. Please send us your loved one’s account information, and your contact information to reviews@alert1.com and we will look into what happened and contact you. Thank you!
I wish I had these comments before I signed my mother-in-law up for Alert 1. We just cancelled the service and returned the unit. They received it 8 days after our billing date (I cancelled on the billing date). I was told that I will not get any credit since the unit was not received before the billing date. Even though the representative who gave me the return authorization code told me they had to have the unit before giving me a refund. What a scam.
Hi Janet Thanks for getting in touch. We are very sorry that your experience was not stellar. Please send us your loved one’s account information, and your contact information to reviews@alert1.com and we will look into what happened and contact you. Thank you!
I purchase an Alert 1 device with the promise of coverage at my mother’s home. Wrong. There was absolutely no coverage. We had the device on less than 5 minutes. Returned the device and cancelled the service. A refund is being issued less the activation fee of $60. So for 5 minutes of service or no service it cost us $60. Got no where with customer service.
Bad public relations. Buyer Beware.
Hi Darlene. Thanks for getting in touch. We are very sorry that your experience was not stellar. Please send us your loved one’s account information, and your contact information to reviews@alert1.com and we will look into what happened and contact you. Thank you!
My mother just went into hospice and no longer needs this Alert 1 service/device. We were billed for another year with out being notified. Since they billed 50 days before my mom started in Hospice, we=should be eligible for ANY partial refund from an invoice in August that they billed a second years fees to our credit card without a notification. . However, they say we are not eligible for a partial refund.
Sure wish I could get a years pay for 60 days service.
Not real happy. with Alert1.
Hi Shaw. Thanks for getting in touch. We are very sorry that your experience was not stellar. Please send us your loved one’s account information, and your contact information to reviews@alert1.com and we will look into what happened and contact you. Thank you!
I recently purchased a one year subscription and the needed equipment from Alert1 for a medical alert system to be used by my mother ($325). When I contacted my mother, she stated her friend had a much lower priced device that would serve the same purpose and would contact 911 directly, unlike Alert 1, which goes through an operator at Alert1. I researched the other product and it plugs into a home phone and has a pendant that the individual wears. The individual can push a button on the pendant (just like the Alert1 product) and it connects the individual directly to 911. The pendant allows the individual to speak with the 911 operator. This product is a onetime purchase of $125, vs. Alert1 at $325 per year.
I ordered the other product the next day and also contacted Alert1 and informed them that I wanted to cancel the service and get a refund. Using a very inappropriate sales tactic, the customer service representative informed me that her own grandmother had used the device that called 911 directly and had died because of the device. She went on to tell me that the 911 service had eventually gotten tired or responding to her grandmother and stopped responding to her grandmothers 911 calls. The customer service representative encouraged me to keep the Alert1 system so my mother would have the same fate as her grandmother. This has to be the most pathetic sales tactic I can possibly imagine, and the company should be ashamed they are using such unethical tactics to get people to buy or keep their product.
I insisted on still canceling the service and the customer service representative stated I just need to ship back the equipment when I received it which my mother did within two days of getting it. A tracking number indicated Alert1 received the device a few days later and I contacted Alert1 to see about the status of my refund. I was told that since I did not open the box and test the equipment, I was not eligible for any refund. I spoke to a supervisor named Jamie and told her what I had been instructed to do by their own employee. Jamie said she would check into it and submit a request for a refund for a possible approval.
I contacted Jamie a week later and she said my refund was denied due to my failure to test the equipment as per their policy. Jamie acknowledged that I had called to cancel the service on a day after I ordered it, but said she could not verify what instructions I received.
Also, on the Alert1 webpage they advertise to have an A+ rating with the BBB, and according to the BBB, they only have a B rating.
What a horrible company, I would not recommend to anybody!!
Hi Derrick. Thanks for getting in touch. We are very sorry that your experience was not stellar. Please send us your loved one’s account information, and your contact information to reviews@alert1.com and we will look into what happened and contact you. Thank you!
My father-in-law, Ed, was recently in the hospital and subsequently enter a rehabilitation center to regain his physical strength. When it was time to be released, he was informed by the woman he had been in a relationship and lived with that he could not come home. He left to his daughter’s home with only two pairs of sweats and two shirts. (Name redacted), the woman, would not let him get his things. In a relationship and acquiring possessions and now he was basically homeless. From his clothes to a class ring from school, he was denied. Now living with his daughter we finally obtained the Alert 1 unit. Service automatically renewed on September 18th and we called to cancel on September 24th. Tough luck! We’re still charged for the month. No compassion; no understanding; no empathy from a company that is built upon the same. Alert 1 does the job unless you as a family have a crisis. Then it’s “not their problem. “They’re running a business.”
I had a very similar experience with Alert 1 after getting it for my Dad. The difference was that we had ordered the ‘Fall Protection’ device because my Dad has Parkinson’s. After falling twice with the device on and no alert going off, I took the 8 hours trip to see what the problem was. We tried a number of ways, including dropping it on the floor, wearing it and actually falling on the floor our selves and nothing set it off. Realizing we probably had a faulty unit, we requested a new one. They sent it and charged us $5.95 for shipping it!! Are you kidding?? Two weeks later he was taken by ambulance to the E.R. for another fall that resulted in a 7 week stay and of course, the fall detector never went off. When we tried to cancel the service or at least put it on hold, we were told, ‘sorry, no refunds and no pause in the service.
Turns out he was falling because his ‘long time live-in girlfriend was overmedicating him! Now we have to continue to pay for the ‘service’ until we can get the equipment back from her!! My Dad is now safely living with my sister and doing much better, just out an additional $35 a month! Thanks for keeping him safe Alert 1…
Hi Lisa. Thanks for getting in touch. We are very sorry that your experience was not stellar. Please send us your loved one’s account information, and your contact information to reviews@alert1.com and we will look into what happened and contact you. Thank you!
Hi Ed. Thanks for getting in touch. We are very sorry that your experience was not stellar. Please send us your loved one’s account information, and your contact information to reviews@alert1.com and we will look into what happened and contact you. Thank you!
Alert 1 is not customer friendly. They monitored my deceased mother for a year then hit us hit our credit card with another charge for 2015. When the service was cancelled, there was no correspondence with me until my credit card was charged for another year.
These folks are unethical and I wouldn’t recommend them or the service. By the way be prepared to be on hold infinitely when you have a questions about an invalid charge.
Hi Mark. Thanks for getting in touch. We are very sorry that your experience was not stellar. Please send us your loved one’s account information, and your contact information to reviews@alert1.com and we will look into what happened and contact you. Thank you!
Buyer Beware:
Our mother was suffering from a terminal illness and had recently fallen twice while alone at home. After searching the internet for a Medical Alert service with fall protection we found a highly recommended company, Alert – 1. AARP and several other organizations gave high ratings for the Alert -1 fall protection service. One of the selling points on their website and voiced by their salesperson was that if you cancel and return the equipment within the first 30 days you are entitled to a full refund. They also stated that you can cancel the service at any time. Knowing mom was in the final stages of life, this was important in the making the decision to purchase this service. Our assumption was that a partial refund would be made if the service was no longer needed. Don’t assume anything!
Following mom’s death I promptly returned the equipment and requested a partial refund for the unused portion of the 1 year service. I was told that Alert – 1 was under no obligation to make a refund since we utilized the service for more than 30 days. Mom passed away 50 days after purchasing the service. I tried to plead my case but it seemed to fall on deaf ears. They said I should have elected the quarterly or semi-annual payment options instead of the annual plan but because I elected the annual plan they would not refund any money. I thought that was an odd statement since the quarterly or semi-annual payment options were never offered at the time I purchased the service. Do not elect the annual plan and expect a refund should your loved one pass on before the year is up.
Because of Alert -1’s poor customer service policies regarding refunds, I would not recommend them, especially to families of the terminally ill.
So sorry to hear about your mother Steve. Thank you for sharing your feedback with other families who may be looking at this (and similar) devices for their loved ones.
Hi Steve. Thanks for getting in touch. We are very sorry that your experience was not stellar. Please send us your loved one’s account information, and your contact information to reviews@alert1.com and we will look into what happened and contact you. Thank you!
Hi Steve. It definitely seems you’ve had some troubles. We would appreciate if you would send your contact information to reviews@alert1.com so we may speak with you. Thank you!
Alert 1 service is prepaid, so if your parent no longer needs the service for any reason it is not pro rated, no refund! Just a word of warning – must be in the fine print.
Hi Luke. Thanks for getting in touch. We are very sorry that your experience was not stellar. Please send us your loved one’s account information, and your contact information to reviews@alert1.com and we will look into what happened and contact you. Thank you!
My grandpa used to rely on grandma for his daily medications and scheduled check-ups, unfortunately she kept forgetting, too. With these new alert systems and security devices, they’ll fare way better.
I’d give them one more try to fix this for you. Let them know you’re going to discuss with BBB if they don’t fix your issue. Many medical alert companies scan our website to see what consumers are saying about them. This is the reason we advocate that consumers understand the Terms & Conditions before signing anything. Get your info in writing (like rebates, how to cancel, etc.) Some companies out there do offer prorated rebates, but many do not.
Sounds like a terrible experience Derrick. Thanks for sharing with our community. – A
So sorry to hear about your mother Steve. Thank you for sharing your feedback with other families who may be looking at this (and similar) devices for their loved ones.
Thank you for the warning Luke and for sharing your feedback with us and other families who are considering a medical alert system for a loved one.