MobileHelp vs. Bay Alarm Medical, Hands-On Comparison
Key Findings
- MobileHelp systems start at $24.95 per month for an in-home cellular system, while Bay Alarm Medical’s cellular system costs $29.95 monthly.
- In our series of test calls, Bay Alarm Medical connected us to help in an average of 16 seconds, while MobileHelp systems averaged 26 seconds.
- Bay Alarm Medical includes a free caregiver app that allows you to track the location of GPS systems; MobileHelp systems lack this feature.
FYI: While both Bay Alarm Medical and MobileHelp performed well in our tests, neither had the fastest response times of all systems. To see who came out on top, read our guide to this year’s best medical alert systems.
Why Trust TheSeniorList?
At TheSeniorList, our team of caregivers, experts, and health-care professionals conducted over 5,000 hours of in-depth research and testing to recommend the most reliable brands and devices. In this process, our team:
- Tested 50 medical alert devices from 15 different brands.
- Surveyed 1,250 seniors and caregivers on medical alert system usage.
- Consulted with nurses, EMTs, and caregivers who are experts at caring for older adults.
- Published dozens of videos that demonstrate our medical alert system testing.
- Evaluated verified customer reviews of medical alert companies from the Better Business Bureau.
How We Test Medical Alert Systems
Most medical alert companies sell a variety of systems, including in-home systems, mobile systems, and smartwatches. Each device has its own unique features, but they all offer the same basic function: connecting a user to help in an emergency. With this in mind, we evaluate every medical alert system on the following criteria:
- Response times: The faster a medical alert system connects you to help, the better. For each system, we performed 10 test calls, counted how long it took to receive a response and calculated an average.
- Ease of use: In an emergency, it's important that a user can successfully activate their system. So, we carefully evaluated each device's design — with simplicity at the forefront.
- Customer care: A human touch is key to caregiving. With this in mind, medical alert companies must offer impeccable customer service — from the agents at their monitoring centers to their support personnel.
- Pricing and contracts: We analyze device costs, subscription costs, contract requirements, and other fees associated with a medical alert system purchase.
- Extra features: We test out voice commands, caregiver apps, fall detection, activity monitoring, and any other features included with a medical alert system.
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|---|---|---|
| Editor's Ratings | ||
| Starting Price (Home System) | $24.95 per month | $24.95 per month |
| Starting Price (Mobile System) | $34.95 per month | $29.95 per month |
| Minimum Contract Requirement | 1 month | 1 month |
| Average Response Times | 26 seconds | 16 seconds |
| Fall Detection | $5.50-$11 per month | $10 per month |
| Caregiver App | Not available | Included |
| Smartwatch Option | Not available | Yes |
| Contact | ||
| Phone Number |
Call for best price:
800-915-8738 |
Call for best price:
855-675-0754 |
| Website | View Packages Links to MobileHelp | View Packages Links to Bay Alarm Medical |
MobileHelp Overview
One of the most affordable medical alert providers, MobileHelp currently offers four different systems. The Classic Cellular and Classic Landline are its two home systems, and the Solo and Micro are MobileHelp’s mobile medical alerts.
To learn more about our hands-on experience with these systems, read our in-depth MobileHelp review.
MobileHelp Systems Compared
| MobileHelp System | Monthly Starting Cost | Connection | For Use | Additional Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Classic Cellular | $24.95 | Cellular | At home |
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| Classic Landline | $24.95 | Landline | At home |
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| Micro | $34.95 | Cellular | At home and on the go |
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| Solo | $34.95 | Cellular | At home and on the go |
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FYI: While both Bay Alarm Medical and MobileHelp offer fall detection, neither scored top marks in our fall detection tests. To see which device detected 80 percent of falls, read our guide to the best fall detection devices.
Bay Alarm Medical Systems Overview
In our years of testing medical alert systems, Bay Alarm Medical devices consistently perform among the best. Currently, the company offers four different systems. Each is compatible with the Bay Alarm Medical app, which allows caregivers to remotely track their loved one’s system.
To learn more about our experience with these systems, read our full Bay Alarm Medical review.
Bay Alarm Medical Systems Compared
| System | Monthly Cost | For Use | Additional Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| SOS Home |
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At home |
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| SOS All-In-One 2 | $34.95 | At home and on the go |
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| SOS Micro | $29.95 | At home and on the go |
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| SOS Smartwatch | $39.95 | At home and on the go |
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Costs and Contracts
For in-home systems, MobileHelp costs are slightly lower than those of Bay Alarm Medical. The company’s in-home cellular system costs $24.95 per month, as does the in-home landline system. Compare this to Bay Alarm Medical’s pricing, which starts at $24.95 for its landline system and $29.95 for its in-home cellular system.
Bay Alarm Medical’s mobile systems are slightly more affordable in terms of monthly fees. The company’s SOS Micro costs $29.95 per month, and the SOS All-In-One 2 costs $34.95 per month. Compare this to MobileHelp’s two mobile systems, which each cost $34.95 per month. While Bay Alarm Medical’s mobile systems are slightly more affordable, they do require one-time device fees of $129. MobileHelp charges nothing for the use of its equipment.
In terms of contracts, neither company requires long-term deals; you can cancel your service at any time and stop making monthly payments, unlike Life Alert systems.
Performance
In our series of 10 test calls with each company, Bay Alarm Medical tended to provide quicker access to help — averaging 16 seconds across our calls. MobileHelp systems took an average of 26 seconds. While this is 10 seconds longer, it’s still among the faster response times we have tested.
With mobile systems, we found that options from both companies were able to accurately report our GPS location to response agents. Fall detection was also mostly accurate from both companies; each system accurately detected a majority of our test falls. MobileHelp fall detection costs $11 per month compared to Bay Alarm Medical’s $10. However, this difference is negligible.
Extra Features
Where MobileHelp falls short is in its lack of a caregiver app. With Bay Alarm Medical, we could use the company’s smartphone app to track a device’s location, receive alerts when an emergency call is placed, and monitor the device’s cellular strength. MobileHelp has yet to offer this type of functionality.
For an extra $2.99 per month, MobileHelp subscribers can send text alerts to loved ones when a system places an emergency call. However, a similar feature is free on Bay Alarm Medical.
The Verdict
Bay Alarm Medical and MobileHelp consistently rank among our top-rated medical alert systems. For most users, either company will provide adequate protection.
However, if you’re looking for the most affordable home systems, then we’d recommend MobileHelp. If, however, you want the ample features of a caregiver app, then Bay Alarm Medical will likely be the better option.