GetSafe vs. LifeStation

As humans age, it is only natural for our bodies to go through changes. We may find that we don’t quite move as quickly as we used to or that we need a little more help with everyday tasks. For seniors, this can sometimes mean giving up some of their independence. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Medical alert systems give seniors the ability to live independently while still feeling secure knowing that help is just a button press away.

Luckily, these systems are designed not just for elders but for anyone who may need assistance in an emergency situation. Whether you are a normal, healthy individual who lives alone, or you have a medical condition that puts you at risk, a medical alert system can give you peace of mind knowing that you can get help when you need it.

GetSafe and LifeStation are two of the best and most well-established medical alert providers. While both companies offer a variety of features and benefits, there are some key differences between them that you should be aware of before making a purchase. Read on to learn how these two companies compare in terms of cost, features and overall efficiency.

	GetSafe	LifeStation
Overall Grade	Overall Grade: A	Overall Grade: A-minus
Costs
Monthly Cost Price	$24.95	$32.95 - $49.95
Device Cost	$79 - $279	$0 - $99.95
Shipping Fee	$12	$12.5
Cancellation Fee	No fee	No fee
Fall Detection Fee	$10	n/a
Cellular Fee	n/a	n/a
Spouse Monitoring	$25	$0 - $3.95
Features
Connectivity Option	Cellular	Cellular
Two-way Speaker & Microphone	Yes	Yes
Home-based Back Up Battery Life	32 hours	32 hours
On-the-go Battery Life	No	120 hours or 120 hours
Button Range	No	600 ft, 650 ft or 200 ft
Water Resistant	Yes	Yes
GPS Tracking	No	Yes, some plans
Caregiver App	No	Yes, some plans
Response Time	20 seconds	28 seconds
More Details	See All Plans	See All Plans

GetSafe

Pros:

• Offers non-wearable medical alert devices
• Monthly monitoring fees are affordable and budget-friendly
• Offers a 30-day free trial period for new customers
• Does not require long-term contracts
• Availability of extra buttons as add-ons

Cons:

• Does not offer a mobile system for on-the-go protection
• Expensive one-time equipment fee
• Does not offer high-tech devices such as smartwatch or touchscreen tablet
• Lacks extra features like activity tracking, medication reminders, etc.

LifeStation

Pros:

• Offers automatic fall detection feature
• Find My Loved One provides care providers with location-based services.
• Offers device with a beautiful jewelry-like appearance
• No long-term contracts and does not charge a cancellation fee
• 30-day money-back guarantee for new customers
• Low-cost monitoring for spouses and loved ones
• On-the-go devices can last up to days

Cons:

• Plans are considerably more expensive than other providers
• No landline connection for a home-based system
• No caregiver app

GetSafe Overview

In 2015, GetSafe was launched as part of the Bay Alarm Family of Companies, which owns Bay Alarm Medical. GetSafe is known for offering an affordable fixed monthly monitoring fee of $24.95 regardless of the number of buttons and devices users opt to add to their plan. They do charge an upfront one-time device fee, but the amount is basically based on how much coverage your home requires. Additionally, GetSafe only provides home-based medical alert systems and their mobile device may only be purchased as an add-on.

GetSafe's systems come with a base unit, voice-activated wall button, and standard wall button with three options to get help: call, press, and pull.

The base unit connects to a 4G-LTE cellular network. It includes a two-way speakerphone so users can communicate with the monitoring center straight from the unit. It also comes with a backup battery that lasts up to 32 hours and an emergency button that, when pressed, will immediately send a signal to the monitoring center and start the help process. This product also has a great look to it, coming in a white finish that would go well with any type of home decor.

The voice-activated wall button is a small, wireless and water-resistant device that can be placed anywhere in your home – next to your bed, in the bathroom, on the staircase, or any place at home where accidents are most likely to happen. It is voice-activated and has a button and a pull-cord that gives users various ways to get help.

The standard wall button is wireless, water-resistant, and easy to install but it lacks a voice-activation feature. It has a button and a pull-cord so users can get help in different ways.

Medical Alert Systems

Starter

GetSafe’s Starter is the company's most basic plan. It consists of a 4G-LTE base unit, a voice-activated wall button, and a personal help button. All of GetSafe's systems come with a monthly monitoring fee of $24.95 and this plan comes with a one-time device fee of $79. This plan is intended for small apartments or homes with only one bedroom.

Standard

The Standard plan includes one 4G-LTE base unit, two voice-activated wall buttons, one standard wall button, and one personal help button. This plan costs $24.95 a month plus a one-time equipment fee of $179. This is intended for most single-family houses with two to three bedrooms.

Select

This plan includes one 4G-LTE base unit, three voice-activated wall buttons, two standard wall buttons, and one personal help button. This plan comes with a monthly monitoring fee of $24.95 plus a one-time device fee of $279. GetSafe's Select plan is designed to provide protection for larger, multi-level homes with many bedrooms and bathrooms.

LifeStation Overview

LifeStation is a medical alert company with 18 years of experience. They have systems for both in-home and mobile use, so you're covered whether you're at home or out and about. However, all their devices work only through the 4G-LTE cellular network and it can be a major consideration since not all areas in the country have a strong cellular signal.

In addition, the company offers standard features that are found in most medical alert systems. Their devices are waterproof and come with GPS location tracking and an automatic fall detection feature that can be really helpful in case of an emergency.

Medical Alert Systems

At Home Standard

The At Home Standard plan consists of a base unit that works through the AT&T cellular network and a water-resistant help button that can be worn as a pendant or wristband. The system has a clear two-way speaker and microphone, a backup battery that can last up to 32 hours in the event of a power outage, and a range that covers up to 650ft from the base unit. This plan costs $32.95 a month.

At Home Supreme

LifeStation's At Home Supreme comes with a monthly monitoring fee of $44.95. This system includes everything in the At Home Standard plan plus a free Lockbox that allows first responders to access your home if you're unable to open the door in an emergency. The system's monthly subscription plan already includes automatic fall detection. The base unit also comes with a backup battery that can last up to 32 hours, however, it only covers a range of 600ft.

Sidekick Standard

This on-the-go system costs $37.95 a month for monitoring, plus a one-time device cost of $99.95. It comes with a small, lightweight pendant with a built-in two-way communication help button that is water resistant and can last up to 5 days after being fully charged. It also has GPS tracking and a caregiver app called Find My Loved One so you can easily find out where your loved ones are if they wander off.

Sidekick Supreme

The Sidekick Supreme costs $49.95 a month for monitoring, plus a one-time device cost of $99.95. This includes everything in the Sidekick Standard plan, plus an automatic fall detection feature that can detect if a fall has occurred and automatically send an alert to the monitoring center.

Sidekick Smart

If you're looking for a more discreet and high-tech medical alert system, Sidekick Smart is an excellent option. You can get this plan for $43.95 a month with a one-time equipment fee of $99.95. This includes a smartwatch that has built-in two-way communication, GPS location tracking, and fall detection feature as well as 24/7 access to emergency help.

Sidekick Smart also comes with a pedometer to track step count, a heart rate monitor to push you toward a healthier lifestyle, and a weather forecast feature so you can always be prepared for the day ahead. Plus, the smartwatch is water-resistant and can last up to 5 days on a single charge, so you don't have to worry about it running out of power when you need it most.

LifeStation Luxury

This beautiful pendant is a must-have for fashion-forward seniors who don't want to wear or be seen wearing a typical medical alert device. The pendant is carefully crafted with high-quality materials, including a brass case with rhodium-colored plating, a center-faceted blue resin stone, and a 30" brass chain.

The pendant pairs wirelessly via bluetooth with LifeStation's Mobile LTE device, which connects to a 24/7 emergency monitoring center. In case of an emergency, the wearer can push the help button on the pendant that will trigger the Mobile LTE device to call for help. This on-the-go system costs $43.95 a month and the pendant has a 1-year life span and a range of 200ft from the device.

Let's take a look at how GetSafe and LifeStation compare in terms of cost.

GetSafe's monthly monitoring fee is at a fixed price of $24.95 whereas LifeStation's fees range from $32.95 up to $49.95 a month. Right off the bat, you can see that GetSafe offers a more affordable option for those on a budget. When it comes to one-time equipment fees for on-the-go devices, GetSafe charges from $79 up to $279 depending on the system you choose whereas LifeStation charges $99.95 for the Sidekick Smart plan.

GetSafe and LifeStation charge a reasonable amount for their shipping fees at $12 and $13, respectively. One major difference between the two companies in terms of pricing is that GetSafe charges an additional $10 a month if users opt for the automatic fall detection while LifeStation included the feature for free for some of its systems.

Additionally, when it comes to extra buttons for spouse monitoring, GetSafe charges an additional one-time payment of $25 upfront while LifeStation charges an additional $3.95 a month for each extra button.

Considering all these costs, GetSafe seems to be the more affordable option for those who are looking for a quality medical alert system without breaking the bank.

Both providers offer a wide range of products with multiple features, giving customers plenty of options to choose from. Let's compare the features of GetSafe and LifeStation to see which company offers the best value.

GetSafe's systems connect to a 4G-LTE cellular network. They are all wireless and can not connect to a telephone landline so if you're looking for a system that doesn't have a complicated installation process, GetSafe is a great option. The company offers non-wearable devices perfect for those who are not comfortable wearing anything around their necks or wrists. Though all the systems come with a personal help button so users who are comfortable wearing one can still choose to do so.

The company's home-based systems offer two-way speakerphone capabilities and a backup battery that can last up to 32 hours.

GetSafe does not offer an on-the-go system instead, the company offers a mobile GPS help button as an add-on to their plans. It's a significant issue since some individuals may want to feel secure outside of their homes as well.

On the other hand, LifeStation also offers home-based systems that only work through the 4G-LTE cellular network. The company's device can only cover a range of 600 to 650ft. Nonetheless, fall detection is already included in their Supreme package so users won't have to pay an additional cost for the feature. Plus, they offer a free Lockbox that usually comes as an add-on to most medical alert systems.

The company also has on-the-go systems that include a small mobile device that can be worn as a pendant or clipped on the belt. This device also has a two-way speakerphone, fall detection, and GPS tracking capabilities and can even last up to 5 days on a full charge. The company also offers a smartwatch with a pedometer for step tracking, a heart rate monitor, and a sensor for weather changes.

Monitoring Center

Monitoring centers are a vital part of any medical alert system, as they provide the 24/7 coverage that is necessary to ensure that help is always available when you need it.

GetSafe's monitoring centers are located in Utah and Idaho while LifeStation's monitoring centers are located in New Jersey and Texas. Their monitoring centers are UL-listed and CSAA Five Diamond Certified, which means they meet the highest standards in the industry for quality and reliability.

GetSafe's monitoring center has an average response time of 20 seconds whereas LifeStation's response rate is an average of 28 seconds. One thing that sets GetSafe monitoring centers apart is that they can support more than 170 languages as they utilize LanguageLine services to provide assistance for non-English speakers. This means GetSafe provides a wider reach and can support a larger customer base.

OUR PICK

GetSafe is the better option for those who are looking for an affordable and reliable medical alert system. Though the company does not offer any on-the-go systems, they make up for it with their wide range of home-based products and features. The company's monitoring center is also one of the best in the business, with an average response time of 20 seconds and extensive multilingual support.

LifeStation is a good option for those who are looking for an on-the-go system, as the company offers a few different mobile products. However, their home-based systems are not as robust as GetSafe's, and their monitoring center's average response time is 28 seconds. This is a significant difference, and it could mean the difference between life and death in an emergency situation.