Best Affordable Medical Alert Systems

Most Affordable Lineup

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Most Affordable On-the-Go System

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Most Affordable High-Tech System

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Medical alert systems can provide peace of mind and enhanced independence for older adults who live alone. But medical alert systems are an investment. They can cost $20 to $70 a month, depending on the system. Social Security benefits are just $475 a month on average,1 so seniors living on a fixed income may find it challenging to fit this into their budget.

We’ve learned that selecting the right medical alert provider can make all the difference in affordability. Below, we’ve pared it down to the six most affordable systems. So, if you’re looking for a great system that’s easy on the wallet, you’re in the right place.

Our Top Providers for Affordable Medical Alert Systems

Bay Alarm Medical - Most Affordable Lineup
Lively - Most Affordable On-the-Go System
Medical Guardian - Most Affordable High-Tech System
LifeFone - Most Affordable System With Fall Detection
Alert1 - Most Affordable System for Long-Term Use
QMedic - Most Affordable System With Caregiver Integrations

How We Chose the Best Affordable Medical Alert Systems

We compared prices and considered the value of a dozen systems on the market. From there, we selected the six most affordable medical alert systems. To make the cut, a system had to be affordable, of course, but also reliable and easy to use. As you’ve probably discovered, a low price doesn’t always mean a quality product. Fortunately, that doesn’t ring true for these systems. Despite their affordability, these top six systems offer trusted protection and quality equipment.

1. Bay Alarm Medical: Most Affordable System Overall

Bay Alarm Medical prices start at $24.95 per month. These are some of the lowest prices in the industry, earning Bay Alarm Medical a top spot on our list. We’re also big fans of the company’s cost transparency, meaning you won’t be caught off guard by any hidden activation or installation fees. Keep an eye out for deals on their website, too, as Bay Alarm Medical offers special discounts throughout the year.

If you’re looking to bundle an in-home system and GPS system, Bay Alarm Medical offers some great deals to help you save. Their bundled systems start at $51.95 per month and protect you both in your home and on the go. Bay Alarm Medical offers three different GPS systems: the SOS Mobile, which is a traditional mobile device, the SOS Smartwatch for active users, or the SOS All-in-One, which can be worn in multiple ways.

Call to Order: 844-946-1712

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Ease of use	Equipment	Service & Response	Features & Tech	Pricing
Excellent	Excellent	Excellent	Excellent	Excellent

Please scroll to the right for more info.

Pros

Transparent pricing
Seasonal deals and promotions
No long-term contracts
30-day risk-free trial
No activation fees
U.S.-based monitoring center
Caregiver tracking features
No hidden costs or long-term contracts

Cons

Small product lineup

Bay Alarm Medical Pricing

System	Starting price	Equipment fee	Activation fee	Installation fee	Designated purpose
SOS Home	$24.95 per month (landline) $29.95 per month (cellular)	No	No	No	In-home use with a landline or cellular connection
SOS Mobile	$31.95 per month	$99	No	No	On-the-go help button
SOS Smartwatch	$34.95 per month	$159	No	No	On-the-go for active users
SOS All-in-One	$39.95 per month	$99-$129	No	No	In-home and on-the-go use

The Bottom Line

If you’re looking for a reliable system at the right price, this provider is a solid choice. As you’ll read in our Bay Alarm Medical review, their products are simple and easy to use. They don’t have a large catalog of products or fancy features, but if you prefer affordability over frills, Bay Alarm Medical has you covered.

Call Bay Alarm Medical

Call to speak with a Bay Alarm Medical representative. Get your questions answered, products recommended, and ask about current deals and promotions.

Call to Order: 844-946-1712

Visit BayAlarmMedical.com

Answer a few questions on Bay Alarm Medical's website to get a quote on the best product and plan for you. This process is slower than calling a representative.

Get A Quote

2. Lively: Most Affordable On-the-Go System

Lively is known for providing mobile medical alert protection at a price that won’t hurt your wallet. Their prices are $5 to $15 cheaper per month than most on-the-go systems, so they were an easy choice for our list. Lively offers two senior-friendly cellular phones, the Jitterbug Smart3 and Jitterbug Flip2, and one traditional, mobile medical alert system, the Lively Mobile Plus. These systems are great for older adults who are often on the go or enjoy outdoor activities like biking, walking, and golf.

Lively offers three Health & Safety Packages at various prices, starting at $24.99 per month. If you want all the bells and whistles you’ll pay $34.99 per month. Fall detection costs an additional $9.99 per month. Though their monthly rates are fairly low, Lively does charge one-time activation and equipment fees, so keep that in mind when you’re budgeting for your purchase.

Current Lively Deal: Lively is running a spring savings promotion. You’ll receive 25 percent off the Jitterbug Smart 3 or Jitterbug Flip2 with this deal!

One other option that might be a good fit for a tight budget is using Lively’s health and safety features with a device you already own. The Lively app can be accessed on an Apple Watch, iPhone, or Alexa-enabled device. This will save you on the cost of new equipment and activation fees. Prices start at $24.99 per month.

Call to Order: 866-461-7793

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Ease of use	Equipment	Service & Response	Features & Tech	Pricing
Excellent	Above Average	Excellent	Excellent	Excellent

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Pros

On-the-go protection
Low monthly service fee
No long-term contracts
Health & Safety Package options
30-day money-back guarantee

Cons

Only mobile systems available
Equipment and activation fees

Lively Pricing

System	Starting price	Equipment fee	Activation fee	Installation fee	Designated purpose
Mobile Plus	$24.99 per month	$49.99	$35	No	On-the-go protection with wearable help button
Jitterbug Smart 3	$24.99 per month	$149.99	$35	No	Medical alert features coupled with smartphone functions
Jitterbug Flip2	$24.99 per month	$99.99	$35	No	A flip phone with medical alert features
Lively on Apple Watch, iPhone, or Alexa-enabled device	$24.99 per month	N/A	No	No	Safety features on your own device

The Bottom Line

Affordable mobile medical alert systems can be hard to find. Though Lively charges equipment and activation fees, they are one-time costs. Their recurring monthly service fees are affordable compared to other GPS systems we’ve seen, so they have our stamp of approval. If you’re not a fan of using a smartphone, we recommend going with Lively’s Mobile Plus system. Check out our full review of Lively’s medical alert products for more information.

3. Medical Guardian: Most Affordable High-Tech System

As a leader in the medical alert industry, Medical Guardian offers top-notch technology and service. Their smartwatch-style mobile system, the MGMove, is modern and discreet, and the MyGuardian customer care portal makes managing your service easy. Medical Guardian’s prices are a little higher than most of its competitors’, but we think the technology and features are worth the extra dollars. Besides, if you pay quarterly or annually for your service, you can save a few bucks every month, which really adds up over time.

Call to Order: 855-919-4522

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Ease of use	Equipment	Service & Response	Features & Tech	Pricing
Excellent	Excellent	Excellent	Excellent	Excellent

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Pros

No long-term contracts
Sleek systems
Discounts for paying quarterly or annually
Online customer care portal
Smartwatch-style system option
Landline, cellular, and on-the-go options
No activation fees

Cons

Equipment fees for some systems
Relatively high monthly rates

Medical Guardian Pricing

System	Starting price	Equipment fee	Activation fee	Installation fee	Designated purpose
Classic Guardian	$29.95 per month	No	No	No	In-home use with a landline
Home 2.0	$37.95 per month	$149.95	No	No	In-home use without a landline
Mini Guardian	$39.95 per month	$149.95	No	No	On-the-go help button
Mobile 2.0	$44.95 per month	No	No	No	On-the-go help button
MGMove	$39.95 per month	$199.95	No	No	On-the-go use, smartwatch style

The Bottom Line

If you’re looking for the absolute lowest price, you won’t find it with Medical Guardian. What you will find is quality, high-tech systems that are discreet and convenient. We think their prices are still affordable for seniors who have a little wiggle room in their budgets. Seasonal deals and paying quarterly (or annually) can help you save some money when purchasing a system from Medical Guardian.

Call Medical Guardian

Call to speak with a Medical Guardian representative. Get your questions answered, products recommended, and ask about current deals and promotions.

Call to Order: 855-919-4522

Visit MedicalGuardian.com

Answer a few questions on Medical Guardian's website to get a quote on the best product and plan for you. This process is slower than calling a representative.

Get A Quote

4. LifeFone: Most Affordable System With Fall Detection

As we age, our risk of experiencing a fall goes up.2 LifeFone has fall detection available as an add-on for most of their systems at $5 — which is $5 to $10 less per month than their competitors. Their affordable automatic fall detection is what landed them on our list. LifeFone’s other add-ons are a bit expensive, though, so just be aware that adding all the bells and whistles will bump up your monthly bill.

LifeFone has special offers throughout the year, like free shipping or one free month of service. Ask your customer service representative if there are any current discounts. You can also save on the cost of your LifeFone products by paying quarterly or annually instead of monthly.

Call to Order: 844-292-4049

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Ease of use	Equipment	Service & Response	Features & Tech	Pricing
Above Average	Above Average	Above Average	Above Average	Above Average

Please scroll to the right for more info.

Pros

Discount for quarterly or annual plans
No long-term contract
Inexpensive fall detection
30-day money-back guarantee
Lifetime warranty
Landline, cellular, and GPS options

Cons

The add-ons can get expensive.
Only English- and Spanish-speaking care agents are available.

Lifefone Pricing

System	Starting price	Equipment fee	Activation fee	Installation fee	Designated purpose
At-Home Landline	$29.95 per month	No	No	No	In-home use with a landline
At-Home Cellular	$34.95 per month	No	No	No	In-home use without a landline
At-Home & On-the-Go	$39.95 per month	No	No	No	In-home and on-the-go use
At-Home & On-the-Go, VIP Active	$43.95 per month	No	No	No	On-the-go help button
At-Home & On-the-Go, VIPx	$45.95 per month	No	No	No	Small on-the-go help button
At-Home & On-the-Go Smartwatch Active	$49.95 per month	No	No	No	Smartwatch

The Bottom Line

Falls are the leading cause of fatal and nonfatal injuries in those over age 65.3 A system with automatic fall detection can give you peace of mind that help is on the way if you need it. LifeFone’s price for automatic fall detection is one of the lowest we’ve seen, and when we tested out LifeFone’s systems, we found them simple to use.

5. Alert1: Most Affordable System for Long-Term Use

Alert1 provides a significant discount for selecting their 10-month plan over their month-to-month option. By selecting the 10-month service plan, you can get medical alert protection for $19.95 per month. This is a savings of $9 per month over the month-to-month plan. Alert1 also waives the $19.95 activation fee, and you can cancel at any time. If you plan to have your medical alert system for the long term, we’d recommend selecting the 10-month plan to save over $100 on your first year of service. For even lower prices on an Alert1 system, ask about their veteran and AARP member discounts.

See Pricing

Ease of use	Equipment	Service & Response	Features & Tech	Pricing
Below Average	Below Average	Average	Below Average	Average

Please scroll to the right for more info.

Pros

No long-term contracts
Foreign language support
Prorated refunds available
Landline, cellular, and GPS options

Cons

Potentially overwhelming system and add-on options
Activation fee for month-to-month subscriptions

Alert1 Pricing

System	Starting price	Equipment fee	Activation fee	Installation fee	Designated purpose
In-the-Home	$28.95 per month ($19.95 per month for 10 months)	No	$19.95	No	In-home use without a landline
In-the-Home + Fall Detection	$38.95 per month ($29.95 per month for 10 months)	No	$19.95	No	In-home use with fall detection
On-the-Go	$38.95 per month ($29.95 per month for 10 months)	No	$19.95	No	On-the-go help button
On-the-Go + Fall Detection	$48.95 per month ($39.95 per month for 10 months)	No	$19.95	No	On-the-go help button with fall detection
On-the-Go Wrist Watch with GPS + Pedometer	$38.95 per month ($29.95 per month for 10 months)	$179	$19.95	No	On-the-go watch-style system
On-the-Go + In-the-Home + Fall Detection	$58.95 per month ($49.95 per month for 10 months)	No	$19.95	No	In-home and on-the-go use with fall detection

The Bottom Line

For seniors looking for a great deal on a medical alert system, Alert1 may be the “one” for you. If you opt for the 10-month plan and snag any available promos, you can get a great price on a medical alert system for yourself or a loved one. As you’ll read in our Alert1 review, we found the multitude of add-on options and pricing a bit confusing, but their customer support agents were happy to help us sort out which system was best for our needs.

6. QMedic

QMedic’s insightful caregiver dashboard and low service fee is what earned them a spot on our list. In our in-depth review of QMedic, we found that the systems are ideal for caregivers who want protection for their aging loved ones while they’re away. In addition to providing medical alert protection, QMedic’s systems monitor activity, sleep patterns, and compliance with wearing the help button. This data is available via the caregiver dashboard.

You may find QMedic’s pricing to be a perk or a drawback. The company only offers annual plans, so you’ll need to pay for 12 months of monitoring upfront. Depending on the system you choose, this could be $300 or $400. It comes out to $25 a month for the in-home cellular system, which is quite inexpensive compared to competitors.

Ease of use	Equipment	Service & Response	Features & Tech	Pricing
Average	Average	Below Average	Below Average	Average

Please scroll to the right for more info.

Pros

No equipment or activation fees
Robust caregiver integration features
Proactive alerts for abnormal behavior
Free shipping
30-day trial period
Free monitoring for a spouse or roommate

Cons

Required upfront payment for a year of service
No fall detection option

QMedic Pricing

System	Starting price	Equipment fee	Activation fee	Installation fee	Designated purpose
Cellular Medical Alert System	$300 per year ($25 per month)	No	No	No	In-home use without a landline
Mobile GPS Medical Alert System	$400 per year ($33.33 per month)	No	No	No	On-the-go help button

The Bottom Line

As long as paying upfront for a year of service isn’t a deterrent for you, QMedic is very affordable. With free shipping and no extra fees, it’s a straightforward expense. Caregivers need all the help they can get, and QMedic’s monitoring provides peace of mind and valuable insights. However, if you cancel your service, they won’t refund you for the months of unused service.

Still looking for the right device for you? Get more insights from our experts by checking out our list of this year’s best medical alert systems.

Does Medicare Cover Medical Alert Systems?

Original Medicare does not typically cover the cost of a medical alert system. If you have a Medicare Advantage plan (Medicare Part C), though, it may cover the full or partial cost of a medical alert system. Contact your plan representative to see if your plan offers coverage.

Are There Free Medical Alert Systems?

Getting a free medical alert system is possible for some seniors, but it will definitely take some digging. Here are a few resources you can tap into to see if a free medical alert system is an option for you.

Medicaid: If you’re a senior receiving Medicaid benefits, your plan may cover the cost of a system. If not, you may need to request a waiver from Medicaid. For further assistance, contact your local Medicaid agency.
VA benefits: Some senior veterans may qualify for a free medical alert device. The free system provided by Veterans Affairs is very basic compared to the robust devices from leading brands, but if the system is free, you may still find it beneficial.
Area Agency on Aging: Your local Area Agency on Aging may be able to help you find resources, such as grants or scholarships, to fund your medical alert system. Reach out to your local agency to explore potential benefits.

Can I Get a Discount on a Medical Alert System?

If you can’t get a free medical alert system, you may be able to get one at a discounted price. Here are a few tips for getting the lowest price on your medical alert system:

If you have a landline, use it. Running your in-home medical alert system through a landline is a little cheaper than using cellular service.
Watch for seasonal deals. Many medical alert providers run special rates during the holidays. You’ll see providers offering special deals and discounts on Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Veterans Day, Black Friday, and New Year’s Day.
Ask for a discount. Ever heard the saying “if you don’t ask, you don’t get”? You won’t get the discount you don’t ask for. While you’re on the phone with the customer service representative, don’t be shy; ask for a discount or waived fee. The worst they can do is say no!

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Reviewed By

Linda Schlenker

Senior Safety Expert

Linda’s Acclaimed Career in Senior Care Linda Schlenker is a comforting voice for seniors and caregivers across the U.S. For nearly three decades, Linda has helped seniors remain safe in their own homes, while helping them to regain priceless independence and peace… Learn More About Linda Schlenker

Written By

Morgan Redding

Writer and Editor

Morgan has been writing about the senior living industry for the past five years. In addition to over 400 hours of research on topics like medical alert systems, health insurance, and technology for older adults, she also brings her previous experience working… Learn More About Morgan Redding

Citations

NCOA. (2021). Get the Facts on Economic Security for Seniors.
NIH. (2021). Prevent Falls and Fractures.
NCOA. (2021). 6 Falls Prevention Steps to Help Your Older Loved Ones.