Medical Guardian vs. LifeStation

Humans, regardless of age, are prone to accidents and illnesses. No one is exempt from a fall, a heart attack, or a sudden illness. In these cases, time is of the essence and every second counts. This is where medical alert systems can be a lifesaver – quite literally.

Medical alert systems are designed to provide assistance in the event of an emergency. They can be used both in and out of the home, giving users the peace of mind that they will be able to get help should they need it.

There are many different medical alert system companies on the market, each with its own features and benefits. Two of the most popular medical alert companies in the market today are Medical Guardian and LifeStation.

Both Medical Guardian and LifeStation have a long history in the medical alert industry. Both providers offer a variety of medical alert products, ranging from basic to more sophisticated systems. And both companies have a strong reputation for providing quality service.

So, which is the better provider? Let’s take a closer look at each company to see how they compare.

	Medical Guardian	LifeStation
Overall Grade	Overall Grade: A	Overall Grade: A-minus
Costs
Monthly Cost Price	$29.95 - $39.95	$32.95 - $49.95
Device Cost	$0 - $199.95	$0 - $99.95
Shipping Fee	$12.5	$12.5
Cancellation Fee	No fee	No fee
Fall Detection Fee	$1 - $10	n/a
Cellular Fee	n/a	n/a
Spouse Monitoring	$0 - $2.99	$0 - $3.95
Features
Connectivity Option	Cellular or Landline	Cellular or Landline
Two-way Speaker & Microphone	Yes	Yes
Home-based Back Up Battery Life	32 hours	32 hours
On-the-go Battery Life	120 hours, 120 hours or 24 hours	120 hours or 120 hours
Button Range	1400 ft, 500 ft or 1300 ft	600 ft, 650 ft or 200 ft
Water Resistant	Yes	Yes
GPS Tracking	Yes, some plans	Yes, some plans
Caregiver App	Yes, some plans	Yes, some plans
Response Time	20 seconds	28 seconds
More Details	See All Plans	See All Plans

Medical Guardian

Pros:

• Availability of fall detection and GPS location tracking feature
• 24/7 US-based monitoring
• Plans can be customized according to preference
• Offers a wide range of coverage

Cons:

• Extra button for spouse monitoring is not available on all devices
• Equipment fees can be expensive
• Offers limited add-ons only

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 cannot be connected to a landline
• No caregiver app
• Buttons can only cover a range of 600ft to 650ft

Medical Guardian Overview

Medical Guardian was established in 2005 and is one of the most well-known medical alert companies in the market today. Their company is based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with a monitoring center that operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 365 days a year. This company is popular in the industry for its modern-looking medical alert devices, highly-trained operators, and innovative technology.

Medical Guardian's home-based system starts at $29.95 a month with an additional $10 for fall detection. Whereas their on-the-go systems offer a fixed monthly monitoring fee of $39.95 with a one-time equipment fee that differs depending on the device. What's great about this company is that users have the option to customize their system to best fit their needs which is perfect for individuals who want extra layers of protection.

Medical Alert Systems

Classic Guardian

The Classic Guardian costs $29.95 a month plus an extra monthly cost of $10 if users opt for the optional wearable fall detection. This system includes a base unit that connects to the user's home landline and a wearable help button that can be worn as a necklace or wristband.

The base unit features an SOS flashlight and a backup battery that can last up to 32 hours. This means users could still get the help they need even in the event of a power outage. The wearable help button that comes with the system is water-resistant, so users may take it even in the shower where accidents can still happen. Plus, it has a range that covers up to 1300ft from the base unit so users can still be protected even when they're in the backyard or running errands around the neighborhood.

Home 2.0

Home 2.0 is another home-based system from Medical Guardian that includes a base unit and a help button. This system, however, connects to the 4G-LTE cellular network instead of a home landline phone. The system costs a monthly monitoring fee of $34.95, with a one-time device fee of $124.95. You may also opt to add a wearable fall detection device for an additional $10 per month.

This system includes a base unit with a built-in speaker and microphone for clear two-way communication, a backup battery that can last up to 32 hours, and a range that can cover up to 1400ft. This system also includes a waterproof wearable help button that can be worn as a pendant or wristband. This system looks and feels more modern than the Classic Guardian.

Mobile 2.0

The Mobile 2.0 comes with a monthly cost of $39.95 plus a one-time device fee of $124.95. The plan includes a mobile base device that is both light and portable, which can be attached to your belt or carried in a purse plus a personal help button that can be worn around your neck or as a wristband.

The mobile device features a built-in speakerphone for easy and clear communication with the monitoring center and a battery life that can last up to 5 days once fully charged. The device is waterproof so users may take it in the shower or even out in the rain. Plus, the personal help button can function as far as 500ft away from the base unit.

Mini Guardian

The Mini Guardian comes with a monthly cost of $39.95 and a one-time device fee of $149.95. The mobile help button included with this system is lightweight and can be worn necklace-style, clipped to the user's belt or clothing, or placed in a pocket.

The device includes a built-in high-definition speakerphone for direct contact with an emergency response operator, as well as a long-lasting battery that can last up to 5 days when fully charged. This mobile device can be used anywhere there is a strong cellular connection and it is waterproof, so users will not have to worry about getting it wet when outside during a rainstorm.

MG Move

This system comes with a monthly monitoring fee of $39.95 and a one-time equipment fee of $199.95. The MG Move is a waterproof smartwatch-like medical alert device with built-in fall detection, battery life that can last up to 24 hours, and additional functions such as a step tracker and weather app. This device also comes with reminders for events or medications, and a button to call for help in an emergency.

LifeStation Overview

LifeStation is a 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. This company has been in the industry for over 18 years and has a long history of providing quality service and innovative products.

LifeStation offers three different home-based systems and two mobile systems to choose from, so there is an option for every budget and need. 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.

The system also includes standard features that are common in medical alert systems. Their devices are waterproof and come with GPS location tracking as well as an automatic fall detection capability, which can really be helpful in the event of an emergency.

Medical Alert Systems

At Home Standard

The At Home Standard plan includes a base unit and a personal help button and comes at a monthly cost of $32.95. The base unit connects to the AT&T cellular network, has a clear two-way speaker and microphone, and a backup battery that can last up to 32 hours in case of power interruption. The waterproof personal help button that comes with the plan can be worn as a pendant or wristband and can cover a range of up to 650ft from the base unit.

At Home Supreme

The At Home supreme includes everything in the At Home Standard with a free Lockbox. The Lockbox is a secure and convenient way to store keys for emergency responders in case of an incident when you are not able to get to the door. It prevents any damage to your property as well caused by forced entry.

Additionally, 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

Sidekick Standard is an on-the-go system that comes with a monthly monitoring fee of $37.95 plus a one-time device cost of $99.95. It comes with a small, lightweight waterproof pendant with a built-in two-way speaker and microphone for clear communication with the monitoring center. The device can last up to 5 days on a full charge and 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 comes with a monthly monitoring fee of $49.95 plus a one-time device cost of $99.95. This includes everything in the Sidekick Standard plan, plus a fall detection feature that can automatically detect if a fall has occurred and send an alert to the monitoring center.

Sidekick Smart

Sidekick Smart is a low-key and high-tech option for a medical alert system. It comes with a monthly cost of $43.95 plus a one-time device cost of $99.95. This includes a smartwatch that has built-in two-way communication, GPS location tracking, and fall detection capabilities 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 lovely pendant is a must-have for fashionable seniors who don't want to wear or be seen wearing a typical medical alert device. The pendant is made of high-quality materials, including a brass casing 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 base unit.

Let's talk about how these two providers compare in terms of pricing.

Medical Guardian offers systems that are valued from $29.95 up to $39.95 a month while LifeStation's systems cost from $32.95 up to $49.95. Right off the bat, we can see that LifeStation is a bit more expensive than Medical Guardian. However, when it comes to one-time device costs, Medical Guardian charges from $124.95 up to $199.95 while LifeStation only charges $99.95 for its Sidekick plans.

Medical Guardian is deemed to be more expensive at this point but it does offer a lower starting monthly price. It's important to keep in mind that these initial prices will likely change so Medical Guardian can really be more affordable in the long run compared to LifeStation.

When it comes to shipping fees, Medical Guardian charges $12.50 while LifeStation charges $13. Additionally, an extra button for spouse monitoring costs an additional $2.99 a month with Medical Guardian whereas it costs an extra $3.95 a month with LifeStation.

If users opt to add automatic fall detection on top of their chosen plans, it costs an additional monthly fee of $10 with Medical Guardian while LifeStation already includes the feature with some of its system plans.

You'll know the true value of your money once you see what these two companies have to offer in terms of features.

Medical Guardian offers home-based systems that connect to either a landline or cellular network. LifeStation, on the other hand, only uses a cellular network for the connectivity option so those individuals who live in areas with spotty signal or no signal at all won't be able to use their services.

Both of their home-based systems include a two-way speaker and microphone for clear communication with the response center, backup batteries that can last up to 32 hours in case of a power outage, and a range that can cover up to 1400ft with Medical Guardian and 650ft with LifeStation.

In terms of on-the-go systems, both companies offer waterproof devices that can last up to 5 days on a single charge. They also have a caregiver app and GPS location tracking feature so users can always be easily located in case of emergency.

In addition to the usual medical alert systems, LifeStation also offers a jewelry-like pendant that functions as a personal help button. The device is made of high-quality materials and it has a range of 200ft. It needs to be paired with the company's Mobile LTE device in order for it to work.

Monitoring Center

The monitoring center is the heart of a medical alert system as it is where all the emergency alerts are received and processed.

Medical Guardian has its own TMA Five Diamond Certified US-based monitoring center that operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including on holidays. The company's monitoring center is equipped with the latest technology and security so they can provide the best possible service to their customers.

The company boasts a response rate of an impressive average of 20 seconds. Once an alert is received, the monitoring agent will assess the situation and if they deem it to be a non-emergency, they will try to reach out to the user through the two-way speaker system. If there is no response or if the agent can tell that the user is in danger, they will immediately dispatch emergency services to their location.

Their emergency response operators are available in English and Spanish, and even if you don't speak any of these two languages, their operators can still be able to communicate with you using a translation service.

LifeStation also has its own US-based monitoring centers located in New Jersey and Texas that are operational 24/7. Both monitoring centers are UL-listed and CSAA Five Diamond Rated, which indicates that they meet the industry's highest quality and reliability standards. They have an average response time of 28 seconds and their operators can accommodate other languages than English.

With LifeStation, two care specialists answer all alerts so that somebody is always there to provide support until help arrives. This extra level of care is one way we show our customers how much we appreciate their business.

OUR PICK

After carefully comparing the features and services of Medical Guardian and LifeStation, we have to say that our pick is Medical Guardian.

Medical Guardian is the better choice for a medical alert system because of its features, monitoring center, and overall value. The company's home-based system is more affordable than LifeStation's, and it also has a longer range and battery life. Plus, the company offers a home-based system that connects to a landline phone, which is perfect for those who live in areas with a bad cellular signal.

Medical Guardian also has its own state-of-the-art monitoring center which is TMA Five Diamond Certified, which is the highest certification that a monitoring center can achieve. This means that the company meets the industry's highest standards for quality and reliability. Additionally, their response time is 20 seconds on average, which is pretty impressive. After all, every second counts in an emergency situation.

Both companies provide excellent services, but we believe that Medical Guardian is the better overall choice for a medical alert system.