If you’re trying to choose a medical alert system, LifeFone is a great starting point. It’s among the most affordable medical alert systems we’ve found and has one of the best GPS units in the industry.
We like that LifeFone offers support for older adults and their caregivers with an array of medical alert systems, emergency response devices, and extra care services.
You can expect competitive pricing, friendly customer service, and a whole buffet of product options from LifeFone.
No contracts
No equipment fees
Excellent signal range
Caregiver resources
Interpreters available for any language
Five Diamond-certified monitoring 
No caregiver app for in-home system
No voice activation Unless you buy a few accessories, you'll pay $0 for LifeFone equipment. Monthly monitoring costs between about $30 and $46 per month, depending on which medical alert device you choose.
However, LifeFone offers several upgrades that can significantly increase the monthly cost. Choosing all of them inflates LifeFone's price to between $65 and $83 per month.
We'll break down the cost of LifeFone to help you decide what's worth paying for and what you can do without.
LifeFone's costs can be divided into three categories:
The minimum starting price for a LifeFone system is $0 up front and $24.95 per month for the At-Home Landline base unit and pendant.
LifeFone's monthly monitoring fees depend on the equipment you want to use, and its prices run about average compared to other medical alert companies.
LifeFone's lowest starting price ($29.95/mo.) is for the landline system, putting it on par with other top brands like Medical Guardian and Medical Care Alert.
If you can afford to pay for a full year in advance, you'll get a discounted rate equivalent to one free month of monitoring.
Package | Monthly fee | Base equipment | Maximum range | Optional fall detection | Learn more |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $29.95/mo. | Base unit, Waterproof pendant or wristband | 1,300 ft. | $5.00/mo. | View Plans | |
| $34.95/mo. | Base unit, Waterproof pendant or wristband | 1,300 ft. | $5.00/mo. | View Plans | |
| $39.95/mo. | Base unit, Waterproof pendant or wristband, Mobile unit with charger | At home: 1,400 ft. On-the-Go: 600 ft. between mobile unit and pendant | $10.00/mo. | View Plans | |
| $43.95/mo. | Water-resistant mobile help button with speaker and charger | Unlimited | $5.00/mo. | View Plans | |
| $45.95/mo. | Water-resistant mobile help button with speaker and charger | Unlimited | $5.00/mo. | View Plans |
Info current as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
Here's where you'll need to hold onto your wallet if you're looking for an affordable system: LifeFone offers optional services and perks for additional monthly fees.
Most are geared toward remote caregiving and require specific LifeFone products. We've described each option, its monthly cost, and required equipment in the table below.
Info current as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
Cost concerns aside, we love that LifeFone offers professional remote caregiving services as an extra layer of protection. Not everyone can rely on loved ones to check in with them and make sure they haven't fallen, gotten lost, or forgotten to take their medicine. This level of care sets LifeFone apart from other medical alert companies.
Buying optional equipment is the only time you'll owe LifeFone an up-front fee. Here's what you can get:
LifeFone's vanity pendant covers the in-home help button, making it look like a gorgeous necklace. Since it feels good to look good, this pendant can be a great confidence booster and help you wear the button everyday.
The vanity pendant costs $71.95 and only works with the At-Home landline or cellular systems (not the At-Home and On-the-Go system).
LifeFone's wall button adheres to any surface with sticky tape and Velcro. We recommend putting wall buttons in the bathroom or near stairs so that you can get help if you fall and aren't wearing your pendant—which might happen during a late-night bathroom break.
Each wall-mounted help button costs $39.95.
LifeFone sells a basic lockbox for $29.95. Or you can get a Master lockbox—available in hanging or wall-mounted styles—for $39.95
LifeFone agents share the lockbox code during an emergency so that first responders can enter your home quickly—and without busting down the door.
Even though LifeFone charges extra for quite a few services, you do get some valuable stuff for free.
LifeFone is one of the few top medical alert companies to offer a free lifetime warranty. If your equipment stops working due to a manufacturer defect, LifeFone replaces it for free, no matter how long you've been a customer.
If your equipment is damaged for any other reason, you might have to pay to replace it. LifeFone's $5-a-month Protection Plan replaces equipment for a small fee, no matter how or why it was damaged. The replacement fee is $6 for a help button and $29 for a base unit or VIP device.
The in-home pendant buttons contain batteries that last for around five years. LifeFone monitors the batteries and sends you a new one for free when needed. It's one less thing for you to think about and pay for.
LifeFone will provide an additional pendant and monitoring service for your spouse for no additional charge. Automatic fall detection for spouses is an additional $5 a month for the At-Home systems and $10 per month for the At-Home and On-the-Go system.
Shipping is the only other thing you'll need to pay for when signing up for LifeFone. Ground shipping starts at $16.95.
LifeFone charges no installation or activation fees.
LifeFone offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. This is the only time you can return accessories for a refund, and the 30-day period starts once the equipment ships.
Monitoring fees are refunded on a prorated basis. You can cancel halfway through the month and get money back for the days remaining in the month.
All leased equipment must be returned before the service is officially canceled and your refund is processed. You have to pay for return shipping. There may be an extra fee if the equipment is damaged and you weren't subscribed to the monthly Protection Plan.
Brand | Fall detection | In-home range | Landline system | GPS pendant | Learn more | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $5.00/mo. | 1,300 ft. |  Yes | Yes | View Plans | ||
| $10.00/mo. | 1,000 ft. | Yes | Yes
| View Plans | Read review | |
| $10.00/mo. | 1,300 ft. |  No | Yes | View Plans | Read review | |
| $10.00/mo. | 1,300 ft. | Yes | Yes | View Plans | Read review | |
| $10.00/mo. | 400 ft. | Yes | Yes | View Plans | Read review |
Info current as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
LifeFone blends in when it comes to starting prices, but its price range is much tighter than the others. Companies like Bay Alarm Medical and Philips Lifeline start just under $30 but can cost up to $50 to $60 per month with higher-tiered packages.
Once you zoom out on LifeFone, its 1,300-foot base station range is a little less impressive. This is about standard for other at-home systems in the industry, but this isn’t a bad thing. If your loved one prefers to stay cozy at home, they have plenty of options.
Where LifeFone really comes on top is with add-on features and fair prices. It charges half the price for fall detection per month, and it offers caregiver services and emergency packages the others don’t.
The LifeFone’s at-home Medical Alert systems use a base station that plugs into the wall.
Once installed and ready to go, the base station provides a direct line to the monitoring center. When you press the emergency button on your pendant, wristband, or the base station itself, you’ll get a helpful monitoring pro to assist you with your emergency.
You can choose a cellular connection or one through your home’s landline. Either way, the system has a 32-hour backup battery to get you through power outages or electrical problems.
All systems also come with your choice of a waterproof emergency button pendant or watch that you can use up to 1,300 feet away from the base unit. If you choose a fall detection pendant, you’ll have a range of only up to 600 feet. When you press the help button on the medical alert device, it sends a signal to the base unit, and the base unit will call the LifeFone monitoring center for you.
LifeFone's medical alert pendant and watch help buttons have batteries designed to last two to five years, and LifeFone monitors their battery life for you.
When LifeFone agents detect that the battery life has dropped below 20%, they will send you a fully charged replacement device at no cost, so you never have to worry about changing batteries.
The VIP and VIPx units from LifeFone give you the freedom to leave the house, city, and state without being far away from help. They're like a tiny wearable base station you can tuck under your shirt or into your pocket.
Just like the LifeFone base station, you can call for help directly from these devices using two-way talk. They also have vibration feedback for those with hearing or vision impairments.
The LifeFone VIPx mobile system can be paired with a couple of extra features that aren't available with the VIP medical alert device:
The VIP device has a longer battery life, lasting up to 30 days versus the VIPx's limit of 16 days. The fall detection system and caregiver tool place extra strain on the VIPx, so its functional battery life is around just five days with these features.
Add-on devices include fall detection, a vanity pendant, lock boxes, a wall-mounted help button. Add-on services include caregiver tools like check-in calls by LifeFone agents or medication reminders.
LifeFone’s Mobile Alert app turns your mobile device into a medical alert system with a simple download and a monthly subscription.
This add-on feature is available for LifeFone users or caregivers. It includes three buttons so you can get specific help:
The Mobile Alert app costs $8.95 for new LifeFone customers and $5.95 for current customers.
LifeFone's Family Guard app is the same as the Mobile Alert app but includes GPS tracking for up to three family members. You can also do the following:
The Family Guard app starts at $9.95 per month for individuals. Each additional user increases the price by approximately $5.95 per month. Call LifeFone for a custom quote if you want to add more than three people to your account.
The VIPx Caregiver Mobile App pairs with the VIPx device to keep caregivers in the loop.
Here's what caregivers can see on the VIPx app:
There's also a "find my device" feature that prompts the VIPx to ring until located.
The LifeFone VIPx caregiver app costs $8 per month.
Setting up your LifeFone is as simple as plugging it into a wall outlet. All units come preprogrammed and ready to go.
Once you have your unit plugged in, you press the help button and an agent will walk you through the rest of the setup and testing process. Agents will make sure your medical alert button pendant or watch works in all areas of your home.
When we started researching other LifeFone reviews, we kept expecting to dig up some dirt, but LifeFone came up surprisingly clean.
It gets rave reviews from the majority of users, and the few who give it lower reviews are usually still pretty satisfied, with no major problems.
Like any product, there are a handful of decidedly unsatisfied customers, but we didn't notice any recurring trends or major red flags with this medical alert company.1 It gets an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau.
LifeFone's customer support is available 24/7, and we like that you can pay your bills and update your customer care profile online or by snail mail.
Another LifeFone feature we like is the Emergency Care Plan.
Rather than an automatic call to emergency services, or a standard list of people to call in an emergency, you can create your own customized plans of action for various potential emergency situations.
For example, if you've just gotten into a tricky spot and need a hand getting up, LifeFone can call a neighbor or nearby family member to come assist you rather than calling emergency responders.
You can make changes to your Emergency Care Plan by phone, email, web portal, or through the mail. LifeFone never charges for false alarms.
If we were to create our own medical alert system, LifeFone would be it. It's simple to install, it has quick response times, and it's easy to cancel at any time. We like the straightforward pricing and wide variety of add-on options and devices for helping seniors and their families have more peace of mind, like fall detection and the mobile app.
Like anyone, we always love a better deal, so we wouldn't mind an even lower monthly price. Still, you get a lot for your money, and LifeFone outperforms competitors on enough fronts to make the moderately higher fees worth it.
Yes. The LifeFone base station can use any landline connection. Just call LifeFone when you're ready to move (or even just go on vacation), and agents will update the address on your account to ensure that emergency services can find you if you call for help.
It depends. If you're still independent and like to go out on your own, but you worry about the risk of medical emergencies, an on-the-go plan with GPS is a good option.
If you're more of a homebody, or if you usually have a companion with you when you leave the house, then an at-home plan will be sufficient and cost less. Keep in mind that you can always transition between the two by subscribing to a combination plan.
In addition to getting a medical alert system with fall detection, it's important to do what you can to reduce the risk of falls.
Regular checkups to test hearing, balance, and vision are important, as well as frequent blood pressure testing and treatment of illnesses that may cause low blood pressure or muscle weakness.
At home, you can look for and remove potential trip hazards like loose rugs and items on the floor. Add secure handholds and extra traction to areas that might be tricky to navigate, like the tub.2
Our Senior Safety FAQ can help you learn more about keeping your aging loved ones safe.
For our LifeFone review, we combed through the LifeFone website, watched every video, and read every FAQ to better understand the ins and outs. We read what LifeFone customers had to say about using the service, and we checked its Better Business Bureau profile for red flags. We also compared its prices, features, and policies to other companies on our list of best medical alert systems to determine LifeFone's relative value.
Read our full methodology to better understand how we rate and review products.
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