Medical Guardian vs. Bay Alarm Medical

We tested Bay Alarm equipment and compared it to Medical Guardian across 36 categories.
Best equipment
Medical Guardian
Medical Guardian
4.8 out of 5 stars
4.75
Starts at
$29.95
/mo
  • pro
    Voice-activated wall buttons
  • con
    14-day money-back period
Best price
Bay Alarm
Bay Alarm Medical
4.8 out of 5 stars
4.75
Starts at
$24.95
/mo
  • con
    Standard wall buttons only
  • pro
    30-day free trial

Info current as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

SafeWise experts have years of firsthand experience testing the products we recommend. Learn how we test and review. We may earn money when you buy through our links.

Medical Guardian and Bay Alarm Medical are both four-star medical alert companies in our book, offering similar policies, accessories, and pricing structures. Bay Alarm Medical is more affordable, and the enhanced tech in Medical Guardian’s devices makes them easier to use when it counts. We’re calling it a draw since the best choice depends on which of those two factors matters most to you.

We’ll list the similarities, break down the differences, and share our testing insight to help you choose the best medical alert system for yourself or a loved one.


Image: Cathy Habas, SafeWise


Medical Guardian pros and cons

pro
Medical Guardian pros
pro Landline and cellular systems
pro Fall detection and GPS options
pro Free caregiver app
pro Voice activation
pro Free low-battery button replacements
pro Prorated refunds
con
Medical Guardian cons
con Lifetime warranty costs extra
con No price lock guarantee

Medical Guardian is best for reliable performance

Medical Guardian offers more products than Bay Alarm Medical—especially in terms of mobile devices—and includes a voice-activation option. Medical Guardian’s systems also feature better technical specifications, such as longer battery life and Wi-Fi-assisted GPS, which translates to a better experience overall.

Read our Medical Guardian review to learn more.

Bay Alarm Medical pros and cons

pro
Bay Alarm Medical pros
pro Landline and cellular systems
pro Fall detection and GPS options
pro Free caregiver app
pro 30-day trial
pro Price lock guarantee
con
Bay Alarm Medical cons
con No voice activation
con No free low-battery button replacements
con Lifetime warranty costs extra

Bay Alarm Medical is best for affordability

Bay Alarm Medical’s equipment fees and monthly rates are more affordable than Medical Guardian’s (see our medical alert systems comparison). There’s no equipment charge for any of its in-home systems, and its mobile GPS device costs about $45 less than Medical Guardian’s.

Bay Alarm Medical provides a great entry-level system, but we experienced slower-than-average answer times, short signal ranges, and poor battery life during testing. 

Read our Bay Alarm Medical review to learn more.


Medical Guardian vs. Bay Alarm Medical similarities

Medical Guardian and Bay Alarm Medical’s features, policies, and equipment overlap in many ways. Here’s what you can expect from both companies.

Similar connectivity

  • Landline options
  • AT&T cellular coverage

Similar pricing perks

  • Free spouse coverage
  • No activation or installation fees
  • No extra charge for caregiver app
  • In-home fall detection for an extra $10/month

Similar accessories

Medical Guardian's wall button (left) versus Bay Alarm Medical's (right). Image: Cathy Habas, SafeWise

Other similarities

  • 32-hour back-up battery
  • One type of fall detection sensor (tri-axial accelerometer)
  • Location tracking and battery alerts on caregiver app
  • No medication reminders or motion alerts
  • TMA Five-Diamond certified monitoring centers

Medical Guardian vs. Bay Alarm Medical differences

The sheer number of similarities makes it tough to choose between Medical Guardian and Bay Alarm Medical, but we’ve found the two major differences that’ll clarify your choice: price versus equipment.

  • If you want the lowest prices, go with Bay Alarm Medical.
  • If you’re willing to spend a little extra to get equipment with a longer range, better battery life, and innovative tech, choose Medical Guardian.

Best prices: Bay Alarm Medical

Bay Alarm Medical’s annual cost is lower than Medical Guardian’s, even after buying extra equipment.

Medical Guardian charges a monthly fee for its accessories, making it the cheaper option for short-term use. Because Bay Alarm Medical sells most of its accessories for a flat rate, it’s more expensive up front but more affordable each month. After about one year, the cost difference balances out in Bay Alarm’s favor.

Compare Bay Alarm Medical vs. Medical Guardian equipment fees

Brand
Landline equipment
Cellular equipment
Mobile GPS
Smartwatch
Extended warranty
Learn more
Free leaseFree lease$99.00$159.00$2.95/mo.
Free lease$124.95$149.95$199.95$6.99/mo.
Brand
Lockbox
Wall button
Extra pendants
Jewelry pendants
Vial of Life
Learn more
$30.00$35.00$39.00$25.00$8.00
$2.99/mo.$2.99/mo.$2.99/mo.$2.99/mo.Free

Info current as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

Compare Bay Alarm Medical vs. Medical Guardian in-home packages

Info current as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

You’ll save $10 per month on a landline system by choosing Bay Alarm Medical versus Medical Guardian. And if you want a cellular system, Bay Alarm saves you around $125 up front and $5 per month.

Compare Bay Alarm Medical vs. Medical Guardian mobile packages

Plan
Lowest monthly cost
Equipment cost
Caregiver app
Fall detection
Learn more
$99.00
bulletYes
bulletExtra $10/mo.
$159.00
bulletNo
bulletNo
$99.00
bulletYes
bulletExtra $10/mo.
$149.95
bulletYes
bulletExtra $10/mo.
$124.95
bulletYes
bulletExtra $10/mo.
$199.95
bulletExtra $5/mo.
bulletNo

Info current as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

Medical Guardian's Mobile Guardian (left) versus Bay Alarm Medical's mobile GPS button (right). Image: Cathy Habas, SafeWise

Bay Alarm’s SOS Smartwatch is the most affordable mobile medical alert device offered by either company, and its monitoring fee is $10 cheaper per month than Medical Guardian’s starting price. Medical Guardian's equipment fees are also higher than Bay Alarm Medical's for similar devices. 

Best equipment: Medical Guardian

Bay Alarm Medical and Medical Guardian recently updated their buttons to the same design. Image: Cathy Habas, SafeWise

Bay Alarm Medical improved its mobile devices in 2022—they're now neck-and-neck with Medical Guardian's in terms of weight and tracking technology. Medical Guardian still has the upper hand with a longer range for its in-home buttons.

Medical Guardian also sells voice-activated buttons, whereas Bay Alarm Medical doesn’t offer any voice-activated equipment. This feature is important if you or a loved one doesn’t want to wear a help button or might forget to put it on. All they have to do is say, “Help me, help me” to connect to the monitoring center.

You might not think you need a voice-activated button right now, but at least with Medical Guardian it’s easy to add one to your system in the future.

Brand
Pendant range
Voice-activation options
Max. mobile battery life bullet
Location technology
Lightest option bullet
Learn more
1,000 ft.
bulletNo
3 daysGPS + 4G + Wi-Fi1.8 oz.
1,400 ft.
bulletYes
5 daysGPS + 4G + Wi-Fi1.3 oz.

Info current as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

It’s a draw: Medical Guardian and Bay Alarm Medical

The old Medical Guardian pendant (left) was slightly larger than the old Bay Alarm Medical pendant (right). Image: Cathy Habas, SafeWise

Since the winner of this match-up depends heavily on your budget or equipment needs, we declare a tie.

  • Medical Guardian features voice-activated buttons and enhanced tech but requires a heftier investment.
  • Bay Alarm Medical offers standard equipment at an affordable price.

Still undecided? Read our full Medical Guardian and Bay Alarm Medical reviews to learn more.

FAQs

Medical Guardian's mobile products connect to the AT&T 4G LTE network.

Bay Alarm Medical's mobile devices connect to AT&T and Verizon 4G LTE networks.

No, Medical Guardian doesn't offer a price lock guarantee. Bay Alarm Medical does.

How we decided: Medical Guardian vs. Bay Alarm

To review Bay Alarm Medical versus Medical Guardian, we compared the two brands across 36 criteria. We also tested the performance of Bay Alarm Medical equipment. Learn more about our methodology.

Cathy Habas
Written by
Cathy Habas
With over eight years of experience as a content writer, Cathy has a knack for untangling complex information. Her natural curiosity and ability to empathize help Cathy offer insightful, friendly advice. She believes in empowering readers who may not feel confident about a purchase, project, or topic. Cathy earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Indiana University Southeast and began her professional writing career immediately after graduation. She is a certified Safe Sleep Ambassador and has contributed to sites like Safety.com, Reviews.com, Hunker, and Thumbtack. Cathy’s pride and joy is her Appaloosa “Chacos.” She also likes to crochet while watching stand-up comedy specials on Netflix.

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