MobileHelp Medical Alert System Review

The bottom line: MobileHelp offers a range of pricing and equipment

When you start looking for a medical alert system, it can be hard to choose between an at-home or GPS-based system. MobileHelp gives you both in one system for under $50 per month. Most packages don’t require activation fees either—all you pay for is monitoring. 

That said, MobileHelp’s equipment isn’t the sleekest out there. The GPS wearable stuffs a lot of features into one device, making it bigger than many of the others we’ve seen. It’s a handy device for loved ones to have, but it could get in the way of daily activities or feel uncomfortable after a long day of wearing it. 

Our approach

We used information from hands-on testing, customer reviews, research, and my father-in-law’s real-life experience to review MobileHelp’s medical alert systems. We considered customer policies, equipment and package offerings, monthly fees, and how easy the system was to understand and operate.

Our full rankings methodology has more details about how we rank and review products and services.

MobileHelp pricing

MobileHelp’s pricing structure is easy to understand and transparent from the start. For the five packages available, each comes with the option to pay every month, every three months, every six months, or every twelve months. 

While $400 and up seems like a lot for a medical alert system, you’ll save money by paying in larger chunks once or twice a year. We like that you can adjust your payment schedule for what works for you and your family.

Info current as of 07/17/20. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

We’ve come across plenty of medical alert systems with high entry prices and lots of extra fees. And we have some good news for you: MobileHelp is the exception. You won’t incur equipment fees. All you’ll have to pay for is monitoring. 

The MobileHelp Classic kit is the only one that comes with a one-time processing fee ($49.95). Aside from that, you won’t have to worry about any extra costs looming around the corner. 

The flexible payment schedule makes MobileHelp more accessible to folks of all pay grades, especially families caring for multiple older loved ones. And no matter what schedule you choose, there are no contracts, so you can return it anytime.

Cancellation and refunds 

MobileHelp doesn’t require you to sign a contract, but cancellation can be a little tricky. 

If you received your equipment directly from MobileHelp, you need to send it back to cancel your service. The return shipping fees are your responsibility, and MobileHelp won’t cancel your service until they receive the equipment. 

The bad news is you could get charged for a month you didn’t need if the equipment doesn’t arrive on time. But the good news is you’ll get a prorated refund based on the monthly cost—even if you paid in advance at a discounted rate. 

If you purchased your equipment through a third-party, like Amazon, you don’t need to return it to MobileHelp. In that case, all you need to do is call MobileHelp customer service. MobileHelp will cancel your service effective the day you call, and you’ll get a prorated refund of any prepaid service that was unused.

According to MobileHelp’s terms of service, you won’t get a refund if your remaining balance is less than $15 when you cancel. MobileHelp also notes that its pricing is subject to change without notice. There’s no price-lock guarantee like you get with other alert companies such as Bay Alarm Medical. 

We dive deeper into details when we look at MobileHelp’s customer service.

MobileHelp tech and equipment 

MobileHelp offers your garden variety of medical alert equipment including an at-home system and GPS wearable. For at-home systems, you can choose a cellular or landline connection for the base station and the type of waterproof wearable that suits you best. 

But the MobileHelp Duo and Mobile Duo packages were what really turned our heads. 

The MobileHelp Duo kit comes with an at-home cellular base station and a GPS wearable. So it works for older adults, whether they’re home or out running errands. The Mobile Duo package comes with two wearable GPS units, making it perfect for older couples.

MobileHelp package comparison 

Data effective 07/17/2020. Offers and availability subject to change.

MobileHelp Classic

The MobileHelp Classic is one of two at-home packages. It comes with a base station and a waterproof wearable to wear as a wristband or lanyard (the choice is yours). 

Your loved one can call for help from the base station’s large red emergency button or from the single button on their wearable. As long as they’re within 1,400 feet from the base station, help will never be far away. 

The base station itself has adjustable volume, a test and reset button, and of course, its giant red help button that’s easy to find in an emergency. Because the MobileHelp Classic system uses a cellular signal, you won’t need a landline to use it. 

This system uses AT&T’s cellular signal (but you don’t need to be an AT&T customer). If you can get AT&T coverage in your area, the MobileHep Classic should work just fine.

MobileHelp Wired

The MobileHelp Wired system is a lot like the MobileHelp Classic. Its wide base station is fitted with a large emergency button and stays in range of the waterproof wearable. The biggest difference is that the Wired system requires a landline connection. 

A landline connection is a good choice for those living in rural areas or places without AT&T coverage. Just like the MobileHelp Classic, your loved one can call for help from their wristband, lanyard, or base station. 

The base station has a powerful speaker and microphone so they can talk to the monitoring operator on the other side. They’ll need to stay within 1,300 feet of the base station for the wearable to work, which gives them room to move freely about the house and even down the block.

MobileHelp Duo

The MobileHelp Duo is our pick of the bunch from MobileHelp. It comes with an at-home cellular unit (like the one in the MobileHelp Classic) and a wearable GPS unit. At $41.95 per month, it can be a little pricey for some families, but it becomes more affordable with quarterly or semiannual payments. 

We like that you get the best of both worlds in this kit. Just like the MobileHelp Classic, your loved one will get a lightweight wearable and an at-home base station. These devices keep them safe whether they’re at home, in the garden, or cooking dinner. 

When they leave the house, they can use the GPS lanyard. It sends their location to the monitoring center when they need help out of the house. 

Our only complaint is that the GPS unit is bulky. So it’s not always easy to wear, especially during exercising or physical activity. But its bulk comes from its built-in speaker and microphone that help the wearer to speak with operators and call for help.

Mobile Duo

For older couples living together, finding an alert system that covers both partners’ needs can be tricky. The Mobile Duo delivers two standalone GPS units for each person. Both devices have two-way communication and don’t need to stay within range of a base station. The GPS tech can track your loved one if they need help in or out of the house or if they get lost.

MobileHelp Solo

With just one GPS unit, the MobileHelp Solo is the simplest package in the bunch. It’s a no-fuss option for any family looking for a simple supplement to independent living. Loved ones can leave the house, go to doctor’s appointments, and call for help anywhere they need it as long as they have their GPS unit with them. 

MobileHelp customer service

In our interactions with MobileHelp, the customer service representatives and monitoring center operators were helpful and patient. Our only real complaint is the return and refund policy, especially if you’re sending back the equipment after a loved one has passed away. 

The company doesn’t provide packaging to return the equipment in, and you’re responsible for the return shipping costs. On top of that, you can’t even cancel your service until MobileHelp has received the equipment. That means you’re being charged for service after your family member is no longer using it. 

But the company does some other things right. 

MobileHelp has a no-risk, 30-day trial, so you can find out if you like the MobileHelp equipment and service before you shell out any money. We also like that MobileHelp’s policies, packages, and pricing are transparent and simple. 

There aren’t any surprises or additional fees waiting for you—but the company makes it clear that prices are subject to change without notice. That means your monthly cost could increase.

How MobileHelp stacks up

Info current as of 07/17/20. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

We’ve lined up MobileHelp against some of the best medical alert systems we’ve reviewed. Here’s what we found. 

• No equipment fees: MobileHelp only charges for monitoring. Companies like GetSafe and Philips Lifeline charge for equipment.
• Adjustable payment schedule: MobileHelp and Medical Guardian are the only two medical alert systems we’ve found that let you space out your payments for monitoring. The rest of these companies charge month to month. 
• Automatic fall detection is a standard extra: MobileHelp, along with these other companies, charge $10 extra per month for fall detection equipment. One exception is Philips Lifeline which includes this feature in the price, making it one of the best options for fall detection.
• Monitoring changes with your equipment package: While MobileHelp doesn’t charge equipment fees, it does increase monitoring prices by package. GetSafe, on the other hand, charges for equipment (between $200 and $300), but all monitoring costs $24.95, regardless of the package you choose. 
• Lackluster equipment: MobileHelp’s equipment doesn’t need to be chic per se, but they could stand to update the look and function. Other companies, like Medical Guardian, have more modern options like the Freedom Guardian smartwatch or the Family Guardian security system.

A final word on MobileHelp

MobileHelp lets you choose when to pay for monitoring and has a few unique equipment packages. But its return and cancellation policies could use some improvements, especially if you’re in the midst of grieving a loved one. 

For anyone looking for an affordable, easy-to-use medical alert system, MobileHelp is worth your attention. Its equipment may not be head-turning, but the at-home and on-the-go systems provide independence for loved ones for when they need it most.

MobileHelp FAQ 

How does MobileHelp’s fall detection work?

Fall detection is an optional add-on from MobileHelp that costs an extra $10 per month. If you choose this feature with your medical alert system, you’ll get a special wearable with automatic fall sensors built in. 

These sensors detect the sudden height/speed changes usually present in falls. When the device senses these changes, it calls for help automatically in case its wearer isn’t conscious and can’t press the button.

Does MobileHelp have an app for caregivers?

No, it doesn’t. But other systems like Medical Guardian do. 

Is MobileHelp waterproof?

Yes. The alert buttons with the at-home systems and the GPS unit are all waterproof. So your loved one can wear them in the shower, bath, swimming pool, or in the rain.

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• Best Medical Alert Systems 
• Most Affordable Medical Alert Systems 
• Best Medical Alert Systems with Fall Detection 
• How to Talk to Your Parents about Medical Alert Systems