LifeFone vs. Medical Alert

As our loved ones age, it's only natural that we worry about their safety- especially when they live alone. One way to ease our minds is to get them a medical alert system, which can give them the independence they desire while ensuring that help is always close by in case of an emergency.

Medical alert systems can be classified into three main types: home-based, on-the-go, and combination of the first two types. These systems are not only for seniors - people of all ages can benefit from having a medical alert system, especially those with chronic illnesses or disabilities. Individuals who live alone, whether because of choice or circumstance, are also recommended to have a system in place.

LifeFone and Medical Alert are well-known medical alert companies in the US. So, which one should you choose for yourself or your loved one? Here's a detailed comparison of the two providers to help you make an informed decision.

	LifeFone	Medical Alert
Overall Grade	Overall Grade: A-plus	Overall Grade: A
Costs
Monthly Cost Price	$29.95 - $45.95	$22.95 - $42.95
Device Cost	$0	$49
Shipping Fee	$11.95	$NaN - $NaN
Cancellation Fee	No fee	No fee
Fall Detection Fee	$0 - $10	$10
Cellular Fee	n/a	n/a
Spouse Monitoring	$39.95	$0
Features
Connectivity Option	Landline, Cellular or Cellular	Landline, Cellular or Cellular
Two-way Speaker & Microphone	Yes	Yes
Home-based Back Up Battery Life	32 hours or 30 hours	30 hours
On-the-go Battery Life	720 hours or 384 hours	120 hours
Button Range	1300 ft or 1400 ft	800 ft
Water Resistant	Yes	Yes
GPS Tracking	Yes, some plans	Yes, some plans
Caregiver App	Yes, some plans	Yes
Response Time	15 seconds	30 seconds
More Details	See All Plans	See All Plans

LifeFone

Pros:

• A reputable medical alert system provider for over 40 years
• Offers a device with a range of coverage up to 1400ft
• Every system comes with a 100% lifetime warranty.
• No activation and cancellation fees
• 24/7 monitoring, including holidays
• Offers a wide range of additional optional devices
• Offers a 30-day money-back guarantee; any unused prepaid amount will be refunded pro-rated
• Impressive battery life of up to 30 days

Cons:

• Prices and packages can be difficult to understand as the website can be overwhelming
• Optional services and add-on features might cost a significant amount of money

Medical Alert

Pros:

• Offers affordable plans with no long-term contracts required
• Offers a 30-day risk-free trial period with a full money-back guarantee
• Free Medical Alert Connect app
• Free Lockbox on all system plans

Cons:

• Limited coverage that range up to 800ft only
• Offers the same standard features that other companies offer
• Charges one-time fee of $49 for its devices

LifeFone Overview

LifeFone has been in the business of providing medical alert systems for over 40 years now. The company offers a wide range of products, from at-home to on-the-go devices with nationwide coverage, giving their customers plenty of options to choose from.

One of the things that set LifeFone apart from its competitors is its 100% lifetime warranty on all devices. This means that if your device ever breaks and stops working, you can get a replacement for free. The company also has a no-activation and cancellation fee policy. Another thing is that they offer the VIPX Caregiver Mobile App that adds a number of premium features to your plan such as steps tracker, device ringer, and more.

Medical Alert Systems

At-Home Landline

At-Home Landline is a landline-connected home-based medical alert system that can be purchased for a monthly cost of $29.95. It has two-way communication and a range that covers up to 1300ft. In case of power interruption, the device can still function for approximately 32 hours. Plus, the system can be upgraded with a wearable fall detection that costs an additional $5 a month.

The At-Home Landline also has a room temperature sensor that will notify the user's caregiver or family member if the temperature in the house rises above or falls below their customized settings. The device may also answer incoming calls. So, if the user's landline phone rings, they can simply push their help button to have the device pick up the call for them.

At-Home Cellular

If you don't have access to a landline and still want to be protected, the At-Home Cellular is a great option. However, since it uses a cellular connection, there is always a chance of losing service in areas with poor cellular reception. So we recommend inquiring with Life Fone's customer support first to see if their coverage is available in your area.

This plan is basically similar to their At-Home Landline, they only differ in the type of connection used. This system uses AT&T's 4G cellular network and can be purchased for a monthly cost of $34.95.

At-Home and On-The-Go

This plan is ideal for those who spend a lot of time away from home, as it provides both home-based and mobile protection. The system covers a range of up to 1400ft from the base unit and up to 600ft from the mobile device. This system uses AT&T's 4G LTE cellular network and can be purchased for a monthly cost of $39.95. A wearable fall detection pendant can be added to this plan at an additional cost of $10 a month.

The system's base unit has more advanced features than the typical in-home base units as it features a lighted display that shows the time, date, and ambient temperature. It also has a signal strength indicator to help you find the best location for the base unit inside your home. And lastly, the device can last up to 32 hours on a backup battery in case the power goes out. The mobile device included in this plan has GPS location tracking and a battery life that lasts up to 30 hours on a single charge.

At-Home and On-The-Go VIP

LifeFone's At-Home and On-The-GO VIP plan consists of an all-in-one voice-in-pendant that can be worn as a necklace or on a belt clip and works with LifeFone's 4G LTE cellular service to provide nationwide coverage.

The device has a battery life of up to 30 days, is waterproof, and is suited for individuals who are frequently away from home. It also has GPS location tracking that users can be located anywhere as long as they're within cellular range. The At-Home and On-The-GO VIP plan can be purchased for a monthly cost of $43.95. Unfortunately, this system does not offer a fall detection function.

At-Home and On-The-Go VIPX

A small, lightweight, and powerful device that uses Verizon or AT&T 4G LTE cellular network coverage for nationwide reach is what you get with this system. The device is water-resistant so users may wear the device in the rain or in the shower where accidents are more likely to occur. It also has a clear two-way speaker and microphone that allows you to talk directly with a response agent. Additionally, the device has GPS location tracking and a battery life that can last up to 16 days.

The At Home and On-The-Go VIPX system is available in black, white, and silver colors. It is slightly more expensive than the VIP plan at $45.95 a month. For an extra $8 a month, users may opt to access the company's caregiver app that allows caregivers to track the location, activity, first motion of the day, button presses, and battery levels of their loved ones. Moreover, optional automatic fall detection can be added to this plan for an additional monthly cost of $5.

Medical Alert Overview

Medical Alert is a company that provides emergency medical alert monitoring services to seniors that has headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and is considered a pioneer in the medical alert monitoring industry. The company is owned by Connect America, a government-approved provider of home health monitoring and personal emergency response technology. They have 15 field service and support locations across the US, and all of them are members of the Medical Alert Monitoring Association (MAMA).

Medical Alert's system plans are the most straightforward among the systems we've looked at, offering only the most fundamental and urgent features needed by individuals who seek immediate assistance in an emergency. In addition, Medical Alert provides free Lockbox services with every system plan to ensure that emergency responders will have easy access to the user's home in case they can't get to the door. The company also offers a very affordable protection plan that covers the cost of system replacement in case of theft, loss or damage for only $1 a month.

Medical Alert Systems

Home System - Landline

Home System - Landline is the most affordable plan offered by Medical Alert that costs only $22.95 a month with a one-time device fee of $49. It features a base unit with a clear two-way speakerphone and a waterproof help button that is safe to use in the shower. It provides protection that covers a range of up to 800ft from the base unit and a backup battery that can last up to 30 hours in case the power goes out.

This system can also be upgraded with an automatic fall detection pendant that costs an additional $10 a month. It can detect sudden downward movement and will automatically place a call to the emergency response center even if the user is unable to press their help button.

Home System - Cellular

For those who do not have a landline phone and whose homes have enough AT&T signal strength, this system from Medical Alert may be the best for you. The Home System - Cellular offers the same features and inclusions as the Home System - Landline but connects through cellular network. It costs $32.95 a month with the same one-time device fee of $49. This too can be upgraded with an automatic fall detection pendant for an additional $10 a month.

Mobile System

The Mobile System includes a waterproof help button that may be worn as a wristband or as a pendant. It has a two-way speakerphone for clear communication with emergency response operators, a battery life of up to 5days, as well as a GPS location tracker that can quickly locate the user in case of an emergency.

Users are covered anywhere they go across the US as long as there is a strong AT&T cellular signal. This system costs $42.95 a month with a one-time device fee of $49 and an additional $10 a month if you opt for the optional fall detection pendant.

When it comes to pricing, Medical Alert offers a more affordable monthly monitoring fees that cost only from $22.95 to $42.95. However, considering all other costs and features that come with the systems, LifeFone is actually more affordable in the long run.

Medical Alert charges lower monthly monitoring fees, but it does require a one-time device fee upon purchasing a plan. LifeFone, on the other hand, does not charge any sort of device fee. In addition, LifeFone charges only $12 for shipping fee while Medical Alert charges $15.50 to $35, depending on the system you choose.

LifeFone charges an additional $5 a month for the optional fall detection while Medical Alert charges their customers an extra monthly cost of $10 for the same service. Furthermore, LifeFone charges a one-time fee of $39.95 for an extra button for spouse monitoring while Medical Alert does not offer this service so you have to pay for another system plan to get more protection.

Let's now talk about the features of the two companies' systems. Both companies offer basic features such as two-way voice communication, fall detection, and GPS location tracking. However, there are some key differences that set the two apart.

First, LifeFone's devices are more advanced with its base units having a larger display screen, a room temperature sensor and signal indicator. Medical Alert's base units, on the other hand, do not have these features. Second, LifeFone's base units can last up to 32 hours on backup battery while Medical Alert's base units can only last a maximum of 30 hours if the power goes out. Two hours could mean the difference between life and death in an emergency situation.

Lastly, LifeFone's mobile device offers an extensive battery life of up to 30 days while Medical Alert's device can only last up to 5 days. LifeFone's devices can also cover a range of up to 1400ft while the other one can only cover up to 800ft.

Monitoring Center

Both medical alert providers have US-based UL-listed monitoring centers that operate 24/7, including on holidays. Their monitoring centers are staffed by well-trained multilingual emergency operators who are taught to follow strict response protocols.

One major difference between LifeFone and Medical Alert when it comes to their monitoring centers is that LifeFone's response rate is capped at 15 seconds while the latter's is 20 seconds. While both response times are pretty fast, every second counts in an emergency so it's good to know that calls and alerts can be attended to as fast as possible.

Additionally, LifeFone's monitoring center is also FM-approved and TMA Five Diamond Certified which means that it meets the highest standards in the industry. Plus, the company's unique emergency care plan allows users, their caregivers and family members to customize the company's care agents' response to fit their specific needs. For instance, the care plan can be set up so that agents will only contact the user's family members or friends in case of an emergency instead of first responders. This way, family and friends can provide emotional support or check on the user's well-being without having to involve first responders unless absolutely necessary.

Medical Alert, on the other hand, does not have a custom emergency care plan but it does offer a free Lockbox service. This service gives first responders quick and easy access to the user's home in case the user is unable to open the door. It prevents any damages to the property that could be caused by forced entry and it also helps first responders get to the user as fast as possible.

OUR PICK

After taking a closer look at the two companies, we can say that LifeFone is better than Medical Alert in so many ways. While both providers offer great features and services, LifeFone is just slightly better overall. From the affordability of its plans to the features and quality of its devices, LifeFone takes the cake.

The company's devices are more advanced and have longer battery lives. Additionally, its monitoring center has a faster response time which is crucial in emergency situations and it is FM-approved and TMA Five Diamond Certified. Which means users can be assured that they're getting the best possible service.

Moreover, the company's custom emergency care plan allows users to tailor the monitoring center's response for a personalized approach. This added level of customization and flexibility is something that Medical Alert does not offer.