Medical Guardian Prices and Deals

The Fast Facts: Medical Guardian’s Packages and Pricing

A Closer Look at Medical Guardian’s Systems and Value

Medical Guardian provides a diversified lineup of systems at various price points. You’ll pay anywhere from $32.95 to $44.95 per month when you choose a monthly plan. To cut down your overall costs, you can pay for Medical Guardian’s systems annually and save 16%, or up to $45 a year.

We would have liked to have seen a 30-day free trial period to test Medical Guardian’s systems, like LifeFone and Bay Alarm Medical offer. But we appreciate that, unlike other companies we've reviewed, including Lively, Medical Guardian doesn’t charge activation fees for their systems. When comparing prices with other brands, it is always important to include these extra fees in your cost analysis. In addition, we really like  MyGuardian’s free customer care portal and app. It allows you to manage all of your billing, health, and safety information in one place.

MGClassic

Testing out MGClassic

At $32.95 per month, MGClassic is Medical Guardian’s lowest-priced package. If you live in an area with poor cell reception or are on a tight budget, we recommend MGClassic. This is the company’s only landline option, and it’s designed for in-home use.

The system comes with a base station and a waterproof, wearable emergency pendant. We could call for help by pressing the button on the base station or pendant, and Medical Guardian’s monitoring center always responded in under a minute. Then, we just used the two-way talk feature to let them know what we needed. We’re big fans of the system’s long in-home range of up to 1,300 feet (one of the longest ranges in the industry) and the 32-hour backup battery.

Check out our video review below with SeniorLiving.org Editor-in-Chief, Jeff Hoyt, for a closer look at our experience with Medical Guardian’s systems.

MGHome Cellular

Testing out Medical Guardian's MGHome Cellular system

Good news, homebodies! MGHome Cellular is ideal for seniors who spend most of their time at home. It’s a bit more than MGClassic, at a cost of $37.95, and it has a one-time equipment fee of $149.95. The main differences between the two systems is that the MGHome Cellular base station has a sleeker design and runs on cellular and Wi-Fi connections rather than a landline. We found that this system blended in better than the MGClassic, as it’s more modern looking. You can also add fall detection for $10 per month, which is in line with industry rates. We’d recommend going with MGClassic if you want the lowest-cost Medical Guardian system available.

Expert Insights

From Taylor Shuman, Senior Tech Expert

I highly recommend adding fall detection to any medical alert system. Though it’s an extra monthly fee, it can ensure you get the help you need after a fall, even if you can’t press your help button. Since over 1 in 4 seniors fall every single year, this added protection is worth the cost in m book.1

The base station for MGHome Cellular comes with a 32-hour backup battery, a high-speed connection that utilizes AT&T 4G LTE and Wi-Fi, and a two-way talk speaker. And, notably, the coverage range between the help button and the base station was improved in 2020 from 600 to 1,400 feet! With this extensive range, we could easily call for help, no matter where we were in our two-story home.

MGMini

MGMini — One of Medical Guardian’s on-the-go medical alert systems

The MGMini, priced at $39.95 per month, is excellent for those who don't want a bulky mobile system. The MGMini comes with built-in GPS, cellular, and Wi-Fi technology, so you can take it with you anywhere and stay protected. This all-in-one mobile device weighs just over one ounce and is about half the width of their traditional GPS options, so it's discrete and sleek. We often forgot we were wearing it, and we could easily tuck it under a sweater. Since it’s one of Medical Guardian's least expensive mobile options, the MGMinie is good for those on a budget. Just keep in mind that there is a one-time $149.95 equipment fee.

MGMini Lite

Trying out Medical Guardian's MGMini Lite

Priced at $44.95 per month, MGMini Lite is a bracelet device with advanced GPS tracking designed for those who spend time away from home. It’s sleek and simple to use — just strap it on like a watch. For comparison, Bay Alarm Medical doesn’t offer a basic wrist-worn system, and their equipment isn't quite as sleek as Medical Guardian’s. LifeFone offers similar waterproof mobile products, but at higher monthly costs.

MGMini Lite is also smaller than Medical Guardian’s other mobile options. Since the help button is attached to the wristlet, you’ll have it on hand wherever you go. The device is waterproof, so we kept it on at all times during testing, even in the shower or while doing the dishes. If you’re looking for a simple, easy-to-use mobile option that also works well at home, consider MGMini Lite.

MGMove

Testing out the MGMove watch

MGMove, a smartwatch medical alert system, is Medical Guardian’s newest addition. It costs $39.95 per month (or $36.62 per month with an annual plan), plus a $199.95 equipment fee.

This smartwatch features a touchscreen face with a step tracker, weather app, and Shake to Wake feature. During testing, we found that it looks like a normal smartwatch, so no one could tell we were wearing a medical alert system! With optional apps, users can text and talk with designated contacts, and caregivers can track the user’s location in real-time and set up reminders. MGMove has a battery life of up to 24 hours, making it comparable to other watches from providers we’ve reviewed.

If you are looking for a simpler smartwatch with fewer bells and whistles at a lower monthly cost, we recommend checking out Bay Alarm Medical’s SOS Smartwatch. It has the same monthly rates as Medical Guardian, but its equipment fee is around $50 less.

Add-On Accessories: Pricing and Features

How To Get the Best Deal With Medical Guardian

To get the most bang for your buck, we recommend going with the annual payment option. You can save up to $45 every year by paying annually, depending on the package you pick. Medical Guardian also offers perks with the annual payment option, such as free shipping, extra equipment, and a free month of service. A pretty great deal, if you ask us!

If you’re worried about committing to Medical Guardian for an entire year, don’t stress about it. You can cancel your service at any time. If you’ve paid for services upfront that you haven’t used yet, you’ll receive a prorated refund. For example, if you paid for a full year of service but decide to cancel after five months, you’ll receive a refund for the seven remaining months of service.

Medical Guardian vs. the Competition

Medical Guardian is a great option for those who want sleek, high-tech systems. But how does the brand compare to other companies? Let’s take a look.

Medical Guardian is a great option if you’re looking for a home system that can be used with a landline, particularly with its impressively long indoor range of 1,300 feet. (LifeStation and Lively, on the other hand, don’t offer landline home medical alert systems.) Medical Guardian also offers fall detection for $10 per month, which is pretty typical for the industry.

Medical Guardian’s products are durable and reliable, and they offer many of the same features that other top emergency medical alert systems do. For example, like LifeFone’s smartwatch and Bay Alarm Medical’s SOS Smartwatch, Medical Guardian’s watch has a step tracker, and it can be worn in the shower.

If you’re interested in sending messages via your medical alert watch, the MGMove’s messaging features aren’t as advanced as for example the Apple Watch. But we love the easy-to-use touchscreen and the text-to-speech feature, which isn’t offered with many other medical alert watches.

When it comes to cost, Medical Guardian is one of the pricier medical alert brands. If you’re looking for a more budget-friendly option, you may want to consider other companies like Bay Alarm Medical or MobileHelp. However, if it works for your budget, we think Medical Guardian’s advanced features and excellent customer service are worth the cost.

Our Methodology: How We Evaluated Medical Guardian’s Systems for Price and Value

Our tech team spent 100 hours researching and testing Medical Guardian systems. Our evaluation took into account our personal experience testing Medical Guardian devices and systems, and previous testing data from similar products we’ve reviewed in the past to see how Medical Guardian measures up in terms of price and value. We considered the following criteria:

• Pricing and value: We do a careful cost-benefit analysis to help seniors gauge whether Medical Guardian products and monitoring offer good value for the price. We took note of equipment fees, ongoing monitoring costs, and shipping and activation fees. We also investigated company discounts, seasonal promotions, whether there’s a free trial to try the product, and other ways to save.
• Buying process: We know your time is valuable, so we took note of how clear and intuitive Medical Guardian’s purchasing process is, including whether extra or ongoing costs and fees are well-explained.
• Setup: We carefully considered the steps involved in setting up Medical Guardian’s products, including whether instructions were clear and easy to follow and how simply and quickly our testers were able to get systems up and running.
• Device testing: To gauge product durability and reliability, we spent a week using the systems at home and on the go. We tested them indoors and outdoors, on walks, and, if a system was waterproof, in the shower. Then, we made test calls to ensure they still worked as they should.
• Response times: We tested each system 10 times to determine the average response times of Medical Guardian’s emergency call agents. To test fall-detection accuracy and response times, we mimicked falling onto couch cushions and dropped the pendant from chest height 10 times.
• Features for caregivers: Seniors interested in medical alert devices might appreciate features and apps that make it easy to share health and safety information with caregivers. We test these features thoroughly, because we know they can be important for seniors who want to maintain their independence while assuring loved ones that they’re safe and healthy. We were impressed with the Medical Guardian app, which lets users add emergency contacts, view the device’s location, see an emergency call log, create an emergency plan, update billing information, and set reminders.
• Customer service: We spoke with Medical Guardian’s customer service team multiple times to make sure they were able to offer swift and competent assistance when needed.

The Bottom Line on Pricing and Value for Medical Guardian

While Medical Guardian’s prices are slightly higher than the costs for companies we’ve reviewed, like LifeStation, we found that the prices for their mobile alert systems match the quality and advanced features. In other words, you get what you pay for. Plus, you can save on monthly rates with an annual payment plan.

All in all, Medical Guardian’s equipment is durable, sleek, and takes advantage of the latest high-tech features, making it a top medical alert system provider. If you’re willing to pay a little extra, Medical Guardian’s systems can go a long way for you and your family.

Watch our video review of Medical Guardian below for a closer look at this provider.