LifeFone: Costs, Systems, and Plans

LifeFone currently offers six different systems. These include two at-home options and four mobile options. I’ll discuss these LifeFone systems in detail below.

At-Home Landline

This system uses a landline to connect to emergency help. Perfect for older adults who spend the majority of their time at home, LifeFone’s At-Home Landline system includes a base unit, your choice of a help button necklace or wristband, and optional fall detection for an extra $5 each month.

At-Home Cellular

LifeFone’s At-Home Cellular System is nearly identical to its At-Home Landline system. The cellular system, however, uses AT&T’s 4G cellular network and is slightly more expensive.

At-Home & On-the-Go, VIPx

A mobile system, the VIPx uses a cellular connection to connect the wearer to help. Water-resistant, lightweight, and compatible with fall detection (built into the device), the VIPx is one of our favorite GPS medical alert systems. It’s also compatible with LifeFone’s caregiver app.

To learn more about this system, check out my hands-on LifeFone review.

At-Home & On-the-Go, VIP Active

Slightly more affordable than the VIPx, the VIP Active has a similar feature set: cellular connection, water resistance, and optional fall detection. Unlike the VIPx, however, this device is not compatible with the LifeFone caregiver app.

At-Home & On-the-Go, VIP flex

While the VIPx may resemble Medical Guardian’s MGMini Lite, the VIP flex will cost slightly less, at $43.95 per month. The device can be worn around the wrist or around the neck with its included attachments, and it features the option of fall detection.

>> Compare: Medical Guardian vs. LifeFone

At-Home & On-the-Go, Safe Watch Active

Lifefone’s medical alert watch combines the functionality of a mobile medical alert with the discreet design of a smartwatch. In addition to its medical alert features and GPS capabilities, this device also features a pedometer and a heart rate monitor.

LifeFone offers a far larger selection of add-on services than most personal emergency response brands. Here’s an overview of some of your options:

LifeFone Add-On Services

• Activity Assurance caregiver tool: For $6 per month, At-Home Landline and At-Home Cellular users can set up Activity Assurance. With activity assurance, you’ll receive daily check-ins from one of the company’s monitoring centers. A specific tone is played on your base unit each day, and a representative will call to check in if you don’t press a button within 15 minutes to confirm you’re safe and at home. If you don’t answer the call, the center will dispatch emergency services. Regular interaction between you and the monitoring center can provide peace of mind for your caregivers if they can’t see you every day.
• Daily check-in calls: For an additional $19 per month, you can receive a daily call from a monitoring center agent. The call is customized to fit your needs, whether it’s a brief conversation or simply a wellness check. Older adults are at a higher risk of loneliness and social isolation, issues connected to dementia, anxiety, depression, heart disease, and more.
• Location services: With location services, caregivers for On-the-Go GPS subscribers can use their mobile device to access their loved one’s GPS location via the LifeFone Caregiver Portal. This service is particularly helpful for caregivers helping individuals with memory problems or who enjoy being out and about alone.
• Fall detection: Depending on which LifeFone medical alert system you choose, fall detection can be added for $5 per month. I’m a big advocate for fall detection, especially if it costs as little as $5 a month. Each year, 3 million older adults are treated in emergency departments for fall-related injuries. Considering what a single emergency room visit can cost, $60 a year doesn’t seem so bad.

LifeFone Add-On Accessories

• Vanity Pendant: One of LifeFone’s newest options, the vanity pendant looks like a beautiful tiered necklace made of the finest metals. You’d never guess it was a medical alert system. This fashion statement comes at a somewhat high cost — $49.95 — but you may want to consider it if it means you’ll feel more confident wearing a medical alert.
• Hanging Master Lock Box: Designed to fit around your doorknob, the $39.95 hanging Master lockbox provides quick access to your house keys for first responders or other individuals entering your home during an emergency. Equipped with a password lock, it ensures only those who have your password can access your keys.
• LifeFone Hanging Lock Box: A $29.95 LifeFone hanging lockbox safely stores your house key so emergency services can access it with a secret code during an emergency.
• Mobile Device Charging Cradle: If you travel frequently, then you may appreciate having this convenient $39.95 extra charging cradle for your mobile system.
• Leather Carrying Case for Mobile Device: Priced at $18.95, LifeFone’s protective carrying case for the On-the-Go systems’ mobile device will keep it in the best condition possible while you aren’t wearing it.

Expertly Examined

From Cody McGonagill

Firefighter/EMT

I often encounter patients who, unfortunately, lack family members to act as caregivers. For these individuals, a daily check-in feature or caregiver option on medical alert systems can be particularly valuable, providing a crucial support system when everyday medical and caregiving help is limited.

LifeFone medical alert systems can be purchased online through the company’s website. If you have questions about your order status or which system fits you best, customer service is available by phone 24/7. You can also reach LifeFone by email for system or service needs.

LifeFone Cancellations and Refunds

To cancel your LifeFone subscription, call 1-800-940-0262 and tell the agent you are canceling your service. Since your equipment is rented, you must return it (at your own expense) to avoid further charges and receive your prorated refund.

LifeFone Warranty Policy

Every LifeFone system is backed by a 100 percent lifetime warranty for normal wear and tear, including free battery replacement. Any damage beyond normal wear and tear, such as accidents, loss, or theft, is not covered by LifeFone’s lifetime warranty. For $5 per month, the company offers a protection plan with additional equipment support. Instead of paying several hundred dollars to fix your medical alert, LifeFone’s protection plan will replace one base unit and two emergency help buttons per year.

Available on LifeFone’s VIPx systems, the VIPx caregiver app allows caregivers to track a number of helpful metrics from their smartphone, including, system location, battery life, steps counted, and any times the user pressed their help button. If a loved one misplaces their system, this app can also be used to generate a sound on the VIPx, allowing you to quickly find it. This app requires an $8 monthly subscription charge.

LifeFone Monitoring

LifeFone’s subscription monitoring plans cost between $25 and $40 per month, depending on your system. Monitoring is the only recurring fee LifeFone charges unless you add accessories or services. Considered one of the best medical alerts for couples, LifeFone protects spouses at no extra cost. The free spouse coverage is an exceptional deal, since many medical alert systems charge full price to cover a second individual.

LifeFone has three monitoring centers: one primary center in White Plains, New York, and two U.S.-based backups. The company provides choices within its monitoring, such as having the monitoring center call or text your emergency contacts before requesting first responders. If you sign up for a daily check-in or your caregiver requests Activity Assurance, expect to hear from the monitoring center frequently.

LifeFone’s medical alert systems offer top-of-the-line monitoring options along with a wide variety of products and add-ons you can customize to fit your needs. LifeFone is one of my picks for this year’s best medical alert systems.

LifeFone is great for:

• Reasonable prices: Life Alert costs as much as $90 per month, so I appreciated that LifeFone’s most affordable systems cost less than a third of this amount. Because of this, LifeFone is one of our favorite Life Alert alternatives.
• Affordable add-ons: Accessories make a medical alert system more efficient, more aesthetically pleasing, or easier to use. Additional emergency wall buttons ensure you can always reach help during an emergency, for example, and vanity pendants provide a stylish way to wear your safety button. LifeFone offers an abundance of unique and affordable add-ons, which make it a more enticing brand — particularly since some medical alerts, such as Lifeline, have almost no add-ons.

Expertly Examined

From Cody McGonagill

Firefighter/EMT

In my time as a firefighter, I have found that prevention is the most effective way to save lives. Unfortunately, I have seen the consequences when preventive measures are not taken, resulting in harm to victims. Offering a range of monitoring packages for medical alert devices, especially at a competitive price, can be highly advantageous for customers. Many of the elderly individuals I speak with are on fixed budgets, so having comprehensive packages from a single provider can enhance safety in multiple areas while minimizing financial stress.