Pro Tip: Life Alert is not the only medical alert system — take a look at my favorite Life Alert alternatives.
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August 6, 2021
Founded in 1987, Life Alert is one of the most widely known medical alert systems. Thanks to their famous commercials, the Life Alert name has become synonymous with in-home protection. However, there are a few key aspects of this company you should consider before investing in their system.
In this article, I’ll review all things related to Life Alert: their systems, their monitoring, and their baffling requirement of long-term contracts.
Pro Tip: Life Alert is not the only medical alert system — take a look at my favorite Life Alert alternatives.
| In-Home System | $49.95 per month |
| Mobile System | $89.95 per month |
| Most Affordable System | $49.95 per month |
| Fall Detection | Not available |
| Extra Users | $10 per month |
| Protection Plan | $198 lifetime warranty |
If you’re interested in Life Alert systems, you’ll have to order the system over the phone since there’s no current option that allows you to order online. Further, their equipment is only available for leasing (not owning), and the company requires a three-year contract. For more detailed information about pricing and the individual systems, Life Alert suggests contacting them to get a free brochure.
Currently, Life Alert offers three systems: Life Alert Basic, Life Alert Basic with help buttons, and Life Alert Basic with help buttons and mobile. Additionally, none of the systems provide fall detection capabilities. Also, surprisingly, I found out that there’s actually an expensive one-time membership fee of $198. While this includes the activation fee and other up-front costs, it’s fairly pricey compared to more affordable systems.
This system starts at $49.95 per month, with a one-time cost of $95. It’s intended for those who spend a majority of their time at home. With 72 hours of backup battery, the Life Alert Basic comes with one main base station unit that uses either a landline or cellular connection. By pressing the medical alert button, a user will activate two-way communication and wait for emergency dispatchers to come on the line and alert paramedics if needed.
This second-tier system has an up-front cost of $96 and a monthly $69.95 subscription charge. In addition to the main unit, this package comes with a help button that comes in the form of either a wristband or a pendant (both are waterproof). The main unit uses a landline or cellular network which connects to both the monitoring center and the help buttons. For peace of mind, the help buttons work within an 800-foot range of the base station and come with a seven-year battery life.
As the third and most expensive plan starting at $89.95 per month, with a one-time fee of $198, this premiere package comes with a base station, a pendant, and a mobile pendant. The only difference is that the second pendant comes equipped with built-in GPS to provide users with more peace of mind when they’re on the go. The GPS system works to pinpoint a user’s location and alerts the Life Alert monitoring center when there’s a medical emergency either in or outside the home. As a plus, the mobile pendant has a battery that can last up to 10 years.
FYI: Life Alert doesn’t list their prices on their website, so you’ll have to contact them and speak to a salesperson to learn more about the equipment.
| System | Life Alert Basic | Life Alert Basic With Help Buttons | Life Alert Basic With Help Buttons and Mobile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly Price | $49.95 | $69.95 | $89.95 |
| Initial Fees | $95 | $96 | $198 |
| For Use | In-home | In-home | In-home and away |
| Equipment | Life Alert Base Station | -Life Alert Base Station -Help Button (wristband or pendant) |
-Life Alert Base Station -Help Button (wristband or pendant) -Mobile pendant |
| Connection Type | Landline or cellular connection | Landline or cellular connection | Landline or cellular connection |
| Fall Detection | No | No | No |
| Caregiver Portal | No | No | No |
| Additional Features | 72-hour battery backup | -Help buttons have a 7-year battery life -Waterproof pendants or wristbands |
-Built-in GPS -Mobile pendant with a 10-year battery life |
For users who prefer adding more features to their system, Life Alert provides a few options. While their add-ons are not as exhaustive as other medical alert systems such as Bay Alarm Medical, they are still helpful for extra protection.
Wall help button: For extra protection, these waterproof wall help buttons provide peace of mind for older adults. Using a cellular connection, they can be attached to high-risk areas where users are most likely to fall. This could include areas such as the bathroom, shower, or stairway. For convenience, these buttons don’t require any power outlets to work and have a battery life of 10 years.
Home security help button: In the event of a home intrusion, this button helps provide an extra layer of protection. The user can simply push the home security button, which connects them to a security dispatcher. From there, the dispatcher can alert the police or scare away an intruder using a loud voice through the speaker.
There is no other way to purchase from Life Alert other than over the phone. For some people, this may be less convenient, as it may require them to listen to an extended sales pitch. However, Life Alert has maintained its high standards and is a trusted name in medical alert systems, which justifies why they might prefer establishing communication with potential customers over the phone rather than modern online checkouts with little social interaction.
With Life Alert, refunds are only offered in the event that a user transitions to a care facility or passes away. In terms of warranty, users can enjoy a free lifetime guarantee warranty and the flexibility of leasing, rather than purchasing their equipment from Life Alert. For instance, your equipment will be replaced if it breaks, regardless of how long you’ve had it. However, keep in mind that Life Alert charges $49 to replace any lost pendants.
FYI: Not sure which medical alert system has the best features? For a comprehensive system comparison, read our helpful guide on Life Alert vs Lifeline.
Life Alert offers a free user-friendly app for both iPhone and Android users. The app is designed to help users contact the monitoring center in the event of a medical emergency or home intrusion. Users who can’t access their physical help button can press a large red emergency help button on their smartphone for at least three seconds. When I checked the iOS app version, I was also pleased to see a variety of protection services listed — ranging from medical and fire protection, to gas poisoning protection, and to everything in between.
As a trusted brand for over 30 years, Life Alert has been used by hundreds of thousands of people that require monitoring both on the go and at home.
With UL Certified Monitoring Centers in the U.S., Life Alert provides 24/7 help. Since 2008, Life Alert claims to have saved a person from a catastrophic situation every 11 minutes — with the total figure now surpassing over 500,000. Other credentials that are worth pointing out include an A+ rating as an accredited business with the Better Business Bureau, along with a five-star Consumer Affairs accredited rating. Additionally, Life Alert is Five Diamond certified with the International Central Station Alarm Association.
“Help! I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!” is a phrase that many of us have heard at least once on TV. Overall, Life Alert is a trusted brand that owns and operates its own monitoring centers in the U.S. and provides speedy response times. It’s also the only company endorsed by former U.S. Surgeon General C. Everett Koop. Another plus is that their batteries don’t require constant charging or replacing and last for nearly a decade compared to other medical alert systems. Life Alert also excels by connecting with its customer base over the phone, rather than having them make online transactions.
To learn more about Life Alert, check out my hands-on Life Alert review.
Unfortunately, Life Alert has learned that many adults are receiving prerecorded, unsolicited calls from medical alert imposters claiming to be from their company. These recordings either mention that “someone has purchased a Life Alert system for you” or may say they want to send upgraded Life Alert equipment. Life Alert doesn’t perform cold calls, so you shouldn’t give out your personal — or any other — information over the phone if you didn’t initiate the call. Life Alert is currently investigating this telemarketing scam.
Life Alert currently employs over 600 people in the U.S. and has twice the number of dispatchers per member compared to traditional alarm companies.
Unfortunately, Life Alert doesn’t offer automatic fall detection as a feature on their products.
Life Alert takes a sales approach and encourages potential customers to call for a free brochure. This also gives them the time to connect with a potential buyer and explain some of their other offerings not mentioned on the website.
The Life Alert’s Basic plan starts at $49.95 per month, with a one-time fee of $95.
