Medical Alert vs. LifeStation

The freedom that comes with living independently until old age results in a sense of fulfillment. Hence, older adults have estimated the importance of aging in place more than ever as they cross the threshold of their senior years. While mobility and health decline with growing older, getting a reliable medical alert system is considered a priority among the elderly who want to continue living in the comfort of their own home.

Medical alert systems are intended to provide peace of mind and confidence among independent seniors to keep them safe in any unfortunate incidents. These helpful tools come in a wide variety of design and features, so it can be challenging to narrow down your options for subscription.

The key to picking the right medical alert system is to identify your own particular needs and preferences and choose which system is best suited to your needs. To help you weigh your options, we conducted an extensive research about two of the top-performing medical alert systems, Medical Alert and LifeStation and collected relevant information on their cost, features, and services.

	Medical Alert	LifeStation
Overall Grade	Overall Grade: A	Overall Grade: A-minus
Costs
Monthly Cost Price	$22.95 - $42.95	$32.95 - $49.95
Device Cost	$49	$0 - $99.95
Shipping Fee	$NaN - $NaN	$12.5
Cancellation Fee	No fee	No fee
Fall Detection Fee	$10	n/a
Cellular Fee	n/a	n/a
Spouse Monitoring	$0	$0 - $3.95
Features
Connectivity Option	Cellular or Landline	Cellular or Landline
Two-way Speaker & Microphone	Yes	Yes
Home-based Back Up Battery Life	30 hours	32 hours
On-the-go Battery Life	120 hours	120 hours or 120 hours
Button Range	800 ft	600 ft, 650 ft or 200 ft
Water Resistant	Yes	Yes
GPS Tracking	Yes, some plans	Yes, some plans
Caregiver App	Yes	Yes, some plans
Response Time	30 seconds	28 seconds
More Details	See All Plans	See All Plans

Medical Alert

Pros:

• Affordable monthly monitoring fees
• No long-term contracts required
• 30-day risk-free subscription with a full money-back guarantee
• Free Medical Alert Connect app
• Free Lockbox on all system plans

Cons:

• Device range is limited
• Offers standard features that other companies offer
• Charges one-time equipment fee of $49

LifeStation

Pros:

• Availability of automatic fall detection and Find My Loved One location services for caregivers
• Offers a uniquely designed medical alert device
• Does not require long-term contracts
• Does not charge cancellation fees
• Offers a 30-day money-back guarantee for new customers
• Affordable extra buttons cost for spouse monitoring
• Offers waterproof and longer-lasting on-the-go devices

Cons:

• Charges higher amounts compared to other providers
• Home-based systems does not offer landline connection
• No caregiver app
• Buttons can only cover a range of 600ft to 650ft

Medical Alert Overview

Medical Alert is a specialized company that is part of Connect America, an established company that operates over 15 field service and support locations across the U.S. Among the known medical alert companies in the industry, Medical Alert counts as one of the most popular providers because of their reliable monitoring and affordable rates.

What sets it apart from the rest is that they focus on giving the best value on their systems. Their devices mainly focus on delivering high quality monitoring without the nonessentials. They also have budget-friendly rates and comprehensive pricing plans.

Medical Alert offers three system plans, all of which come with no activation fee and low-cost monthly monitoring fees. They also offer a very affordable protection plan that costs only &1 per month, which covers system replacement in case of theft, loss or damage.

Medical Alert Systems

Home-System Landline

Home-System Landline is Medical Alert’s most basic plan, and also the most affordable, having a starting cost of $22.95 per month. It includes an in-home base unit which connects to a standard landline connection, and a water-resistant wearable help button in the form of a neck pendant or a wristband. The device has an 800-ft range as measured from the base console. It also has a reliable battery that can provide up to 30 hours of power in case of a power outage. An optional fall detection may be added to this plan for only $10.

Home-System Cellular

For seniors who do not have a standard landline connection at home, Medical Alert also offers an alternative system. The Home System-Cellular can be purchased for a monthly fee of $32.95, and requires a strong connection to AT&T network. This system has the same range and features as the landline model. The water-proof wrist and neck pendant have an 800-foot range that provides secure coverage in all areas of your home. An optional upgrade for an automatic fall detection is charged at a standard charge of $10 every month.

Mobile System

This system is the best option for seniors who are always on the go. Medical Alert prices their mobile system for $42.95 on a monthly subscription. The plan includes a compact, water-resistant mobile device that allows immediate access to Medical Alert’s monitoring center with just one press on the help button, that comes as a wearable wristband or pendant. It mainly features a two-way speaker that allows a clear communication with the emergency response operators, and a GPS location tracker that can readily locate the user in case of an emergency. The battery has a capacity of up to 5-days, which is a perfect choice for seniors who want a device they can use for long periods of time. This system can also be upgraded to have fall detection monitoring for $10 a month.

LifeStation Overview

LifeStation is a family-owned medical alert company that offers both home-based and mobile systems, making it a great choice for those who want reliable protection both at home and on the go. Operating from their headquarters in New Jersey, they focus on providing quality service and innovative products.

Being in the industry for over 18 years, their long history allowed them to build a reputation of a reliable and established medical alert system. LifeStation offers three different home-based systems and two mobile systems to choose from, which gives a wide set of options for the users depending on their budget and their needs. However, all their devices work only through the 4G-LTE cellular network and it can be a major consideration for seniors residing in locations with a spotty cellular network.

With an excellent performance, LifeStation has earned an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau and they are also TMA-certified. Their monitoring centers are UL-listed and CSAA Five Diamond Certified which means that they are held to the highest industry standards. These emergency call centers are staffed with professional care specialists who are highly trained to effectively manage any emergency situation as needed, which gives seniors and their loved ones the peace of mind that they want.

Medical Alert Systems

At Home Standard

LifeStation is known to provide great assistance with their systems in ways not offered by other medical alert providers. Their At-Home Standard plan costs $32.95 per month. The system connects to a cellular network, and includes a base station and a waterproof, wearable help button. The coverage is up to 650ft from the base unit. The system has a clear two-way speaker and microphone and a backup battery that can last up to 32 hours in the event of a power outage.

At Home Supreme

At Home Supreme basically includes everything in the At Home Standard plan along with a few extras. It is priced for a monthly monitoring fee of $44.95, and it already comes with a free Lockbox that allows emergency responders to access your home if you're unable to open the door in an emergency.

One of its perks is that the fall detection fee is already covered in their base monthly price. It also has a backup battery that can last up to 32 hours with the same coverage of 600 ft from the base console.

Sidekick Standard

LifeStation has a decent lineup for their on-the-go system. Sidekick Standard costs $37.95 for their monthly monitoring, plus a one-time device cost of $99.95. The device is a wearable pendant that is compact, lightweight, and equipped 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 to help you easily find out where your loved ones are if they wander off.

Sidekick Supreme

LifeStation’s Sidekick Supreme also belongs to their roster of on-the-go systems. It costs $49.95 a month for monitoring, and a one-time device fee that costs $99.95. This includes everything in the Sidekick Standard plan, plus a fall detection feature which is basically an integrated motion sensor that can automatically detect if a fall has occurred and send an alert to the monitoring center.

Sidekick Smart

If you’re looking for a discreet medical alert system that does not give off the vibes of a life alert system, Sidekick Smart is a good option. This system integrated advanced tech in its features, to include a modern touch-screen watch that can track your steps and monitor your heart rate. The device is also water-resistant, with Bluetooth technology, a built-in two-way speaker, GPS location tracking, and fall detection capabilities that allows 24/7 access to emergency help. It 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 pendant is the best choice for fashion-forward seniors who want a medical alert system that could go with their style. The pendant is aesthetically 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 is synced with a wireless 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 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 base unit.

When narrowing down your options for a medical alert system subscription, the first thing to consider is the cost and the payment terms offered by the company. Let’s compare the pricing strategy of Medical Alert and LifeStation to help you make an informed decision on your purchase.

What sets apart Medical Alert from LifeStation is that they offer straightforward systems with an affordable monthly rate which ranges from $22.95-$42.95 for their monitoring. Medical Alert focuses on providing the highest value for their systems at an affordable price, which saves us from the stress of additional and hidden fees.

LifeStation’s monthly monitoring fees range from $32.95-49.95 per month, with an upfront device cost of $99.95. Medical Alert ships their equipment for $15.5-$35, while LifeStation ships their systems for $13. Both companies charge a standard fee of $10 additional monthly cost for the optional automatic fall detection feature.

Overall, Medical Alert’s pricing is considerably more budget-friendly than the cost of LifeStation. When subscribing to a medical alert system, it is important to choose one that offers low monthly monitoring rates as the price adds up to a lot of expenses in the long run.

Upon reviewing both company’s features, it is reassuring to find that Medical Alert’s systems are simple and straightforward, and don’t have too many add-on features. On the other hand, LifeStation offers a wide variety of products and services to cater to the needs of its customers, emphasizing their modern on-the-go systems, which includes options for a Smartwatch and a unique luxurious pendant.

We appreciate the features and tech of LifeStation, particularly its decent lineup of modern on-the-go systems. To note, Sidekick Smart features a pedometer to track step count, a heart rate monitor to support a healthy lifestyle, and a weather forecast. They also have an option for seniors who want a stylish life alert system through LifeStation Luxury. This is the most uniquely crafted mobile medical alert system, as they have a sophisticated, jewelry-like pendant that matches the taste of fashion-forward seniors without leaving the essential functions of an effective medical alert device.

Medical Alert keeps things simple, sticking mostly with the urgent and basic features needed in a medical alert system. They particularly designed their systems to provide a balance of quality and affordability, which seniors can appreciate in the long-term. They also have a connectivity option for landline, which LifeStation lacks as they only have cellular connection.

Monitoring Center

For a medical alert system to work efficiently, their monitoring center must reach a certain level of standard to effectively regulate their emergency response operations. We highly appreciate the exceptional monitoring service of both providers, as they give independent seniors peace of mind with their 24/7 professional monitoring and their fast response time.

Medical Alert and GetSafe both have monitoring centers that operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and provide nationwide coverage across all 50 states in the country. This gives seniors the assurance that they are protected any time in case a medical emergency occurs, or an incident happens in which they may need urgent assistance. Both companies also have considerably fast response rate: MedicalAlert has an average of 30 seconds to respond to an alert, and LifeStation has a slightly faster response rate capped at 28 seconds.

Medical Alert connects to a UL-listed monitoring center, where highly trained responders dispatch immediate help as soon as they receive an alert.Their operators utilize International Language Line, which enables Medical Alert to offer real-time assistance in over 140 different languages.

LifeStation keeps pace as they have two US-based monitoring centers located in New Jersey and Texas which are also both UL-listed and CSAA Five Diamond Certified which means that they are held to the highest industry standards.

OUR PICK

While Medical Alert and LifeStation have company goals that are anchored to providing a reliable and efficient monitoring and emergency response system, we definitely vouch for Medical Alert after weighing the cost, features, and services offered by both companies.

Our pick for this specific comparison is Medical Alert, mainly because they are able to systemize their medical alert devices to create a balance of functionality for a competitive pricing. While LifeStation provides a wider option for seniors for both in-home and mobile systems, they lack an option for landline connectivity which Medical Alert offers. This is an important consideration as there are areas that have weak cellular connection, so LifeStation’s devices may not be able to efficiently work on such locations.

We like that LifeStation provides a wide array of options especially for tech-savvy seniors, however, Medical Alert performs exceptionally with their simplified systems which integrate all the necessary features of a reliable medical alert system. It surely gives long-term cost-efficiency, which is the most important consideration for a personal emergency response system subscription.