Life Alert Review & Cost Comparisons
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Due to Life Alert’s decades in the medical alert system industry, its name is often synonymous with medical alert systems. On paper, this should give it a great edge over its competitors, and you’d expect that it would be an industry leader and the gold standard for medical alert systems. Unfortunately, the company has not kept up with the latest technology and does not provide customers with the value and flexibility that many other companies in the industry do today.
Life Alert offers a basic selection of medical alert systems (such as home systems and mobile devices), as do all of its competitors. Unlike most other companies, it does not offer free trial periods, free activation, and contract-free service. One of the largest concerns is its three-year medical alert service contract policy – it’s very prohibitive to those who don’t want to lock themselves into a large monthly bill. Even worse, many customers report going through a major hassle to cancel the contract if needed, and many times no refund is offered.
Life Alert’s start-up costs are also a major issue. Most of its competitors offer free activation, free equipment, and self-installation. None of these are provided by Life Alert. Starting fees with the company can cost up to $200 – that’s before considering monthly service fees. In addition, none of these costs are available on its website, requiring potential customers to call in and speak with high-pressure salesmen just to discover these costs.
Takeaways: What You Should Know About Life Alert
As a pioneer in the space, Life Alert has been in the medical alert system business since 1987. Despite its longevity in the industry, Life Alert fails to keep up with competitors offering a wider range of service options at lower costs.
Some of its main issues include:
- High start-up fees
- No free trial period
- Binding contracts (and cancellation difficulties)
- Few and outdated device options
The Bottom Line
Our opinion is that, if you’re looking for a medical alert system for yourself or a loved one, you should consider other brands such as Bay Alarm Medical, MobileHelp, or Medical Guardian. All of these brands offer more services and better technology at a lower cost and much more flexibility.
How Life Alert Compares to Other Medical Alert Systems
Despite its long-standing presence in the medical alert space, Life Alert lacks quite a few basic features that most of its competitors offer. Below is a table comparing the basic services of Life Alert versus other top medical alert systems.
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Pros and Cons of Life Alert Medical Alert Systems
Pros:
- Devices have impressive battery life
- No extra cost for cellular in-home system
- All devices are fully waterproof
Cons:
- Costs are significantly higher than the industry average
- Mandatory 3-year contract with cancellation fees
- No cost information on website
- No free trial
- No fall detection service
- No free spouse monitoring
- No easy self-installation
- Outdated website with old graphics and low-quality videos
Life Alert’s Costs
Life Alert, Bay Alarm Medical, MobileHelp, and Medical Guardian are four of the biggest names in the medical alert system industry. These companies have years of experience and a variety of products and plans.
Looking closer at its costs, however, it’s easy to see how Life Alert trails far behind its three major competitors. The table below compares a variety of costs associated with these four medical alert systems, and clearly Life Alert charges much more than the others.
*Information found from third-party sources as it was not available on the company website.
With much more cost-effective options on the market, it’s easy to see that Life Alert’s competitors are a better choice, especially for those on a budget. Activation fees and contracts can make it a prohibitively expensive option, and there are many more cost-effective medical alert services with flexible contracts and cancellation policies.
Life Alert’s Devices and Plans
Starting Costs and Contracts
All Life Alert customers have to pay a one-time fee of approximately $95. The fee varies slightly based on the level of protection customers choose. This fee includes shipping, in-home installation, and activation. There are no other startup costs.
Life Alert requires customers to sign a three-year contract. Users may only cancel their service prior to the end of their contract for “qualifying circumstances,” such as moving to a nursing home. Otherwise, if a user does choose to end their service in the middle of their contract period, they may be responsible for paying for the remaining months of the contract.
Plan and Device Overview
In-the-Home
In-the-Bathroom
On-the-Go
Monthly Cost
$49
$19 Additional
$19 Additional
One-time Fees
$95
$96*
$96*
Type of Device
In-home
In-home
Mobile
Connection
Landline/Cellular
Landline/Cellular
Cellular
Battery Life
72-hour backup
Up to 10 years
Up to 10 years
Water-Resistant
Yes, fully waterproof
Yes, fully waterproof
Yes, fully waterproof
Shower-proof
Yes
Yes
Yes
Range
800-1,000 feet
Unlimited
Unlimited
Fall Detection
Not available
Not available
Not available
*If all three levels of protection are selected, then the one-time fee is $198
When doing the research for this Life Alert review, our team discovered that Life Alert’s medical alert service plans can be somewhat confusing, but here are the basics of what you need to know:
- Life Alert breaks down its plans into three levels of protection: Signature In-Home Service, Bathroom HELP Button, and HELP On the Go with GPS.
- The tiers build on one another (so, if a customer selects either the Bathroom HELP button or HELP On the Go, they will also receive the Signature In-Home Service) and can be designed to fit a person’s lifestyle and budget.
Signature In-Home Medical Alert System
Pricing
In-the-Home costs $49 a month, plus a one-time fee of $95. Life Alert offers a quarterly and annual payment plan. If you pay annually, the 12th month is free.
Device Information
This in-home system may be used with either a landline or cellular connection for no extra fee. It comes with one waterproof and showerproof wearable help pendant, and a base station with a 72-hour backup battery and a range of up to 1,000 feet. The pendant battery lasts up to 7 years and does not need charging. Fall detection is not available with any device, as Life Alert believes the technology is still inferior and customers become frustrated with the number of false alarms.
Bathroom HELP Button
Pricing
This medical alert system costs an additional $19 a month with a one-time set-up/programming fee of $1 to be used in conjunction with Life Alert’s Signature Service. Users must also pay the $95 one-time fee required for In-the-Home service.
Device Information
Another level of Life Alert’s protection, this level includes the Signature In-Home system plus a wall-mounted bathroom HELP button. The HELP button has a built-in two-way speaker and microphone which triggers a call to the monitoring center when pressed, so it functions as an additional personal help button. The wall-mounted HELP button is uniquely designed by Life Alert for shower/tub protection and is completely waterproof. However, it also may be set up anywhere in the home where users would like extra protection – it is not only for bathroom use.
HELP On the Go with GPS
Pricing
HELP On the Go with GPS is Life Alert’s mobile medical alert device. This system costs $19 additionally a month with a one-time set-up/programming fee of $1 when used in conjunction with Life Alert’s Signature Service. If paired with both the in-home and bathroom protection, the cost is an additional $39 and the one-time charge is increased by $102.
Device Information
HELP On the Go is an upgraded package to Life Alert’s Signature In-Home service. It includes a portable medical alert device with a cellular connection and GPS to protect users outside of the home. The mobile unit is waterproof and showerproof, and the battery never needs charging and can last up to 10 years.
Life Alert Monitoring and Mobile App
Life Alert operates its own monitoring center. The center is U.S.-based and UL-listed. According to the Life Alert website, the center is “saving a life from catastrophe every 11 minutes.”
Operators spend up to a year training, and always have users’ health history on file to access during an emergency and give to paramedics. They also send notifications to users’ listed contacts to let them know that their loved one placed an emergency call and may need assistance. More importantly, Life Alert stays on the line and manages an emergency from start to finish so its customers never feel alone.
Extra Features
Life Alert Mobile App and Phone Access
Life Alert users may download the company’s mobile app, which allows them to contact the monitoring center directly through their smartphone. If users are in an emergency and have their phone handy, they can press a button in the app to connect with the monitoring center. In certain situations, some seniors may find this option simpler than pressing their personal help button. It is also a good backup in case a user finds themselves in an emergency when they are not wearing their medical alert device.
Seniors who do not have a smartphone have the option of calling the monitoring center through a normal cell phone. They will be given the phone number for the center, and can simply dial it into their phone to connect if they are in an emergency and are not wearing their help button. Life Alert recommends that users add the number to their speed dial for simplicity.
What Customers Are Saying About Life Alert
Life Alert’s prohibitive costs and lackluster benefits make for a hard sell in a market with many better options. A lot of customers have voiced their complaints online, as well. Below are just a few comments from former customers who were greatly dissatisfied with Life Alert:
“Terrible customer service. They are only interested in their payments. Had service for my disabled father and they would do the bare minimum to assist. Would not recommend. There are other better options out there.” – Rigo S
“Life Alert is absolutely dreadful. If ZERO stars were an option on review I would have selected that. I got Life Alert for my father. Shortly thereafter he needed 24/7 in home care. I tried cancelling Life Alert and provided them with documentation that my father has fulltime in home care. Also sent back equipment. To this day being months later they are still calling and harrassing my father, his in home help, our business office, my husband and also myself. “ – Lisa H
“My mother has had a bracelet and a necklace with Life Alert for several years. We have put new measures and methods and people with her to make sure she is safe round the clock. I called LA to cancel sub and they told me they require a DEATH CERTIFICATE to discontinue service. I reminded the person that they are a service and we are paying for that service and no longer require it, thus wanting to cancel. She told me I had not set up the account and would need the person who set it up to call & cancel. That person DID call to cancel and was told the same that they told me. They want a death certificate or no cancel.” – Lavon P
Alternative Medical Alert Companies to Consider
There are numerous other medical alert systems available that may be a better option than Life Alert. You can learn more about these companies below:
| Overview Of The Top Recommended Medical Alert Systems | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Best for Customer Service
|
Bay Alarm Medical
|
See Packages → Read Our Review → |
|
Most Affordable In-Home System
|
MobileHelp
|
See Packages → Read Our Review → |
|
Best for Seniors Who Don’t Want to Wear a Pendant
|
Aloe Care
|
See Packages → Read Our Review → |
|
Editor’s Choice
|
Medical Guardian
|
See Packages → Read Our Review → |
|
Best Value
|
MedicalAlert
|
See Packages → Read Our Review → |
|
Best Standalone Mobile App
|
LifeFone
|
See Packages → Read Our Review → |
|
Best Hands-Free System
|
GetSafe
|
See Packages → Read Our Review → |
|
MedicalCareAlert
|
See Packages → Read Our Review → |
|
ResponseNow
|
See Packages → Read Our Review → |
|
Lifenet
|
See Packages → Read Our Review → |