One Call Alert Review

I often see One Call Alert pamphlets at local pharmacies. If you've seen them too and are wondering if this is a legit company, the answer is yes. One Call Alert is owned by Medical Guardian, one of the biggest names in the industry. In comparison to its parent company, One Call Alert sells simpler equipment at a more affordable price. 

If you've already done a bit of research into medical alerts, you may have noticed that One Call Alert products look exactly like those sold by MobileHelp. They even cost the same and come with the same perks. This isn't a coincidence — MobileHelp used to own One Call Alert. Now, Medical Guardian owns both companies.

In the past, there were some subtle differences between MobileHelp and One Call Alert. MobileHelp offered more equipment options and discounts for quarterly or annual payments. Now, the two companies are virtually identical.

You lease all equipment from One Call Alert, so you don’t need to make a significant up-front investment.

The main cost associated with One Call Alert is its monthly monitoring fee. You can choose to pay on a month-to-month, quarterly, or annual basis. Right now, no discounts are displayed at checkout for paying quarterly or annually, but other sections of the site claim that the price should decrease for advanced payments. It may be worth ordering over the phone to ask for these deals. 

Here are some of the other One Call Alert fees you should know about:

• Ground shipping is free when you pay annually, but other shipping options may cost $12.50 and up.
• Fall detection is optional and costs an extra $10 a month.
• A protection plan costs $6.99 per month.

As we mentioned, One Call Alert is exceptionally similar to MobileHelp. But MobileHelp has more to offer, including wall buttons, a unique touchscreen tablet/base station, and optional services like medication reminders and activity tracking.

Since it’s so important for friends and family members to stay in the loop, we prefer to see medical alert systems with caregiver features—which One Call Alert doesn’t have.

All in all, One Call Alert gets left behind by the competition. There are better options for similar prices.

One Call Alert doesn’t require a long-term contract, but you’re welcome to pay up to a year in advance—which could be a smart move since it provides a buffer against any sudden price increases. You’ll get a prorated refund if you cancel before using all of the days you paid for—minus all shipping and processing fees if canceling after the 30-day trial period.

Because One Call Alert leases its equipment, there are no warranties. You simply send back a defective unit and get a replacement. Beware, though, that One Call Alert may fine you up to $650 if they believe the system was damaged “as a result of negligence or misconduct.”¹ The optional $6-a-month Connect Premium service protects you from this hefty fine.

You’ll get hit with the same $650 fee if you fail to return the equipment after canceling the service. Return shipping is at your expense.

You can get in-home and mobile devices from One Call Alert, as well as a bundled package that includes both. 

With the exception of the landline system, all One Call Alert devices connect to AT&T’s cellular network. The landline system is also the only equipment package that isn’t compatible with a fall detection pendant or wall button. 

• Fall detection pendants cost an extra $10/mo.
• Wall buttons cost an extra $2.99/mo. each
• Extra wearable buttons cost an extra $2.99/mo. each
• A lockbox is available for an extra $2.99/mo.

One Call Alert’s Mobile Solo system covers all the bases. It works as both an in-home and mobile system, so you don’t have to worry about losing coverage when you head out. Just make sure you grab the base unit before you leave the house.

It does the same job as the Duo package but costs less per month.

One Call Alert provides professional medical alert monitoring services through Rapid Response Monitoring. You can also pay an extra $2.99 per month for OnGuard alerts. Anyone you designate as an emergency contact will be immediately notified via text when you call the monitoring center. 

Apart from that, One Call Alert offers no extra services. While medication reminders are mentioned on the One Call Alert website, we didn’t see any option to add that service during checkout.

You’ll also miss out on activity tracking and a web-based caregiver portal.

One Call Alert provides phone support, live chat, and email support. We found overwhelmingly positive reviews from both One Call Alert and MobileHelp users, but we did read some reviews written by people who struggled to get refunds or cancel the service.

One Call Alert is not BBB accredited, but its parent company is.

For our One Call Alert review, we studied the company’s history and judged its relative value by comparing it to MobileHelp—its affiliate—and other medical alert brands. We combed through One Call Alert’s terms and conditions to verify its contracts and policies, and read real user reviews to look for patterns and red flags. Learn more on our Safewise methodology page.

One Call Alert’s products and services are a little on the basic side, but the Duo bundles can be an affordable option for couples.

Neither One Call Alert nor MobileHelp is our top choice for interactive caregiving features. Be sure to view our complete list of the best medical alert companies for more options.