Life Alert vs Medical Alert
Although Life Alert and Medical Alert have their similarities, such as industry experience, medical alert battery life, and lifetime equipment warranty, there are key differences to be aware of if you want peace of mind that the company you choose is the best option for you or your loved one.
When comparing monthly cost, upfront fees, contract requirements, customer satisfaction, and other company offerings, Medical Alert has Life Alert beat. Keep reading to explore the mentioned differences.
Overview
Life Alert
$49.95 - $89.95
None
$95
36 Months
Lifetime
1000 ft
37 Years
Medical Alert
$19.95 - $42.95
None
None
None
Lifetime
Up to 800 ft*
20 Years
Ratings
Life Alert
Medical Alert
Reviews
Life Alert
Reviews
Medical Alert
Reviews for Life Alert
Helpful Favorable Review
Bonnie Dean
May 9th, 2024
I like the safe feeling of knowing that I can get help quickly. The unit was so easy to set up. My wife stepped out for a few minutes and I got up and lost my balance and went down. If we had Life Alert, she would have been alerted to come home. That is when we decided that we needed it.
Helpful Critical Review
Danny Scotti
February 29th, 2024
Edited March 1st, 2024
Review Source
I hope your system works much better than the people I had to speak to on the phone mostly unprofessional very confusing. Say that again very confusing. I almost canceled twice while talking to the people because I thought they were all knuckleheads and I’m gonna trust them with someone’s life, still shaking my head at this
Reviews for Medical Alert
Helpful Favorable Review
Charlotte Zeb
May 15th, 2024
DETAILS
Verified Customer
Review Source
Prefer not to have fall detection. Too sensitive. May go off even when doing something as simple as pulling a shirt over head. Husband will not use at all because of sensitivity. Would prefer simply push button when needed. Perhaps someone will contact us about this problem.
Helpful Critical Review
Mina
March 6th, 2024
Denver, CO
Verified Customer
Review Source
The app is worthless. Whenever we get a quick flash message that a button has been pushed, we don’t know what happened. The notification makes no sound, and goes away after we see it. The bracelet falls off constantly. Emergency services folks are wonderful but we never know the outcome unless we call their direct number.
The Final Word
Medical Alert's monthly fee ranges from $18.29–$32.04 (annual), $19.95–$34.95 (semi-annual), or $22.95–$37.99 (month-to-month), depending on which plan you choose. Paying annually will give you the biggest savings. We'll use the month-to-month prices to explain additional Medical Alert package details. You can add an automatic fall detection pendant to any of Medical Alert's plans for an additional $10 per month.
The At-Home Landline package costs $22.95 per month and includes a waterproof emergency button pendant or bracelet and a base unit with two-way audio. The At-Home No Landline package costs $32.95 per month and includes a waterproof emergency button pendant or bracelet and a base unit with two-way communication, but it does not include a landline. The system is wirelessly connected to Medical Alert's emergency response operators.
Medical Alert's On-the-Go package is $37.95 per month and includes a newly designed help button for the wrist or a necklace button. You also receive GPS location services and a handheld device with a carrying case.
Life Alert's price point is quite a bit more expensive at $69.99 per month. Life Alert is also not transparent about its pricing and doesn't include any information regarding its package options or pricing on its website.
Medical Alert has cheaper prices and allows for more flexibility with its plans.
Upfront Fees (Winner: Medical Alert)
Medical Alert does not have an equipment fee or activation fee, making its services completely free upfront other than the monthly cost. Life Alert, however, requires a $96 equipment fee.
With Life Alert's high monthly monitoring cost and expensive upfront fee, Medical Alert is the cheaper medical alert option.
Special Promotions (Winner: Medical Alert)
Medical Alert offers free shipping (annual plans only), a free month of service (annual plans only), and a 30-day money-back guarantee (all packages eligible). Life Alert promotions are limited, as no promotions are listed on its website other than a free first aid kit when you order.
Contract (Winner: Medical Alert)
Medical Alert does not require a contract with its services, although you can receive a discount if you pay semi-annually or annually.
Life Alert requires a three-year contract, typically unheard of in the medical alert industry. The majority of medical alert companies are similar to Medical Alert and do not require any sort of long-term contract.
It's concerning that Life Alert has such a lengthy contract, and its company reviews note this as one of the most frustrating details about its services.
Online Ordering (Winner: Medical Alert)
Medical Alert offers online ordering for all of its products, making the purchasing process quick and easy.
Life Alert does not offer online ordering, and its website is outdated and offers little information.
Equipment Warranty (Winner: Medical Alert and Life Alert)
Both Life Alert and Medical Alert offer lifetime warranties on their equipment. This is on par with other medical alert providers. However, many companies have warranty limitations, so be sure to double-check that Life Alert and Medical Alert cover your desired equipment under warranty before purchasing.
Battery Life (Winner: Medical Alert and Life Alert)
Medical Alert's and Life Alert's backup battery life for their at-home medical alert system both last 72 hours. Many medical alert providers only have backup batteries that last 24 hours or less.
Range/Distance from Base Station (Winner: Life Alert)
Medical Alert's range/distance from the base station is 600 feet, while Life Alert's is 800 feet. Although not a huge difference, Life Alert is the company to go with if you're looking for the longer range.
Automatic Fall Detection (Winner: Medical Alert)
Medical Alert offers fall detection for all of its medical alert systems for $10 extra per month. Life Alert, however, does not have fall detection capabilities for any of its products. If you're looking for peace of mind that a fall will be detected without having to manually press the panic button, we suggest choosing Medical Alert.
Safety Certification (Winner: Medical Alert and Life Alert)
Life Alert and Medical Alert are both UL Accredited and Five Diamond Certified. This means that both of their monitoring centers are complete with a fully trained and licensed staff to assist you or your loved one in an emergency situation.
Mobile App (Winner: Medical Alert)
Medical Alert offers a Caregiver App that allows you to check on your loved one who is using the medical alert device. The app has location monitoring, communication capabilities, alert notifications, and additional resources.
Life Alert does not have its own mobile app, making Medical Alert's services more convenient for consumers looking to stay on top of their loved one's status at all times.
Customer Reviews (Winner: Medical Alert)
Consumer reviews are a great indication of whether you can trust a company and its services to be satisfactory. Unfortunately, Life Alert has more than 100 reviews, and 80 percent of those reviews are one-star. Customers mainly complain about poor customer service and cancellation issues because of the required three-year contract.
Medical Alert reviews are quite the opposite; with more than 1,000 reviews, the majority of Medical Alert's reviews are five-star. Customers highlight exceptional customer service, quality equipment, and quick response times.
If you're looking for a trusted company with a satisfied customer base, Medical Alert is the best choice.
Life Alert vs Medical Alert: Which is the better option?
With cheaper monthly fees, no equipment fee or activation fee, no long-term contract, and special promotions for its customers, Medical Alert is the more affordable medical alert provider. In addition, Medical Alert has automatic fall detection available for all of its medical alert systems as well as a mobile app for you to check in on your loved one who is using the alert device. Life Alert provides neither of those, making its technology less advanced. Also offering a robust website with online ordering, Medical Alert is more transparent about its prices and offerings when compared to Life Alert.
Finally, the majority of Medical Alert reviews are positive and highlight the company as a trusted medical resource, while Life Alert has almost all negative reviews that note the company as a dissatisfactory service.
When comparing Life Alert vs. Medical Alert, we definitely recommend Medical Alert.
