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Home > MobileHelp vs Bay Alarm Medical

MobileHelp vs Bay Alarm Medical

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COVID-19 Update: Medical Alerts are considered essential devices during the COVID crisis, so monitoring and customer service centers are still open and ready to help. To learn more about how these and other essential products can keep older adults safe and connected during this crisis, take a look at our list of 10 essential products.

Seniors today who want to remain independent while taking steps to ensure their safety and security are increasingly turning to medical alert systems. These high-tech devices connect directly to a 24/7 emergency response center through a speakerphone that’s either built right in to a wearable medical alert device or integrated into a base unit that’s placed in the user’s home, eliminating the need to dial a phone to call for help.

Many medical alert companies even have automatic fall detection pendants that will initiate a call for help when the device detects the wearer has suffered from a sudden fall, providing extra peace of mind for subscribers and their loved ones. Other common features include GPS location tracking, which lets the emergency call center pinpoint the exact location of a caller, and a PIN-coded lock box that medical alert customers can use to store a spare house key in case of an emergency.

Our Side-by-Side Comparison

Sorting through all the various medical alert systems, features and options can be overwhelming, so to help you narrow down your choices, we’ve researched dozens of top-tier medical alert monitoring companies. Our team of senior care experts has compiled all our research into a series of straightforward comparison guides that highlight the similarities and differences between two leading medical alert providers to help you pick the one that’s best for you and your loved ones.

In this article we take an in-depth look at MobileHelp and Bay Alarm Medical, two of the best-rated emergency monitoring companies. Each offers similar services and pricing, although MobileHelp does have a smartwatch device while Bay Alarm Medical has the only in-vehicle crash detection medical alert device on the market.

Below you’ll find a chart that outlines key information on each company followed by a detailed company profile and our recommendations for which system is the best choice for different users.

MobileHelp Bay Alarm Medical

COSTS

Up-Front Equipment

$0-$349.95

$0-$79

Monthly Monitoring

$19.95-$41.95

$19.95-$39.95

Activation Fee

$0

$0

CONTRACT

Long-Term Contract

No

No

Optional Monthly Add-Ons

+$10/month for automatic fall detection

Fall detection +$10/month

FEATURES

Water-Resistance Wearable Devices

Yes

Yes

Fall Detection

Yes

Yes

GPS Location Tracking

Yes

Yes

Mobile App/Online Dashboard

Yes

Yes

RELIABILITY/PERFORMANCE

Connection

Landline or cellular (AT&T 4G/LTE)

Landline or cellular (AT&T 4G/LTE)

Range (From in-home base unit)

Up to 600′

800′-1000′

Battery Life on Help Button

In-home pendant and wrist button are non-rechargeable and rated to last 5 years

Up to 24 hours on the mobile GPS pendant

Up to two years on fall detection pendant

Up to five years on standard help buttons

Battery Back-up on Base Unit

Up to 30 hours

Up to 32 hours

OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES

PIN-protected lockbox

Up to 3 wireless wall-mountable HELP buttons (for in-home systems)

TRELAWEAR smart pendant

Wall-mounted HELP buttons

Extra wearable help button for additional user in same household

Overview of MobileHelp

MobileHelp is an established Florida-based medical alert company that offers a complete range of medical alert systems that includes landline and cellular-based devices. Its monthly monitoring costs are comparable with other leading names in the industry, and it has consumer-friendly cancellation policies.

MobileHelp’s lineup of personal call buttons includes a basic in-home device that is worn around the neck on a simple lanyard, an automatic fall detection pendant, a mobile pendant and base unit and a medical alert smart watch. The company also sells a line of jewelry-style medical alert pendants called TRELAWEAR that’s designed to increase user compliance by making the emergency call button look like a piece of fashion jewelry.

Pros of MobileHelp:

  • Operates two domestic call centers (Syracuse, NY, and Corona, CA) that provide service in English, Spanish and 240 additional languages through a third-party translation company
  • Emergency operators have a minimum of two years post-secondary education and/or two years of military service
  • Offers unique TRELAWEAR jewelry-style pendants that feature hand-cut resin stones and choice of a gold or silver finish
  • The MobileHelp Connect app sends authorized caregivers and loved ones emergency and low-battery alerts and provides information about users’ locations at no additional cost
  • The MobileHelp Smart Watch works as a discrete emergency call button with enhanced health monitoring features, such as a step counter and heart rate monitor

Cons of MobileHelp:

  • Up-front costs for Smart Watch are high, and there’s no option to finance device costs
  • No price guarantee — monitoring costs may increase over time
  • No discounts for a roommate/spouse help button

Overview of Bay Alarm Medical

Bay Alarm Medical is an established, well-reviewed medical alert provider that receives high reviews for offering low monthly monitoring costs and basic, no-frills services that are reliable and cost-effective.

Bay Alarm Medical actively markets its products and services to subscribers of all ages and abilities, including school-aged children and adults who live alone. One of the most innovative devices offered by Bay Alarm Medical is its On The Road device and monitoring system. This unique plug-in, GPS-enabled device combines advanced integrated crash detection technology with traditional two-way medical alert monitoring, connecting drivers with the call center in the event of an automobile crash. The On The Road device also has a user-activated help button, and the mobile automotive service includes a mobile phone app that gives users access to the GPS location of the vehicle.

Pros of Bay Alarm Medical:

  • Established U.S. company based in California
  • Free activation and shipping
  • Free roommate or spouse monitoring
  • 30-day risk-free trial period for new subscribers
  • Call-monitoring technicians are certified emergency dispatchers
  • World’s first medical alert system to offer an in-car medical alert service with automatic crash detection
  • Services available in multiple languages through a third-party translator company

Cons of Bay Alarm Medical:

  • Plan pricing can be difficult to understand
  • System upgrades, such as fall monitoring and extra call buttons, can quickly increase the total monthly service costs
  • The On The Road mobile app may not be user-friendly for seniors and those who don’t use a smartphone

Pricing Comparison

There’s very little difference in the price of monthly medical alert monitoring between these two companies. Each offer basic in-home medical alert systems that start at $19.95 per month, and optional fall detection costs an extra $10 per month through either MobileHelp or Bay Alarm Medical.

One notable exception to the pricing similarities is MobileHelp’s Smart device, the medical alert smartwatch that users must purchase for $349.95. There’s nothing to compare this to through Bay Alarm Medical, as the cost of all of its devices is included in the monthly monitoring price.

Our Pick

Overall, we can’t choose a clear winner between MobileHelp and Bay Alarm Medical as both companies are well-rated by consumers, offer similar basic services and have similar price plans for comparable services and products.

MobileHelp’s innovative jewelry-style TRELAWEAR pendants may help increase compliance among subscribers who are reluctant to wear a traditional medical alert pendant or wrist button. The TRELAWEAR pendants are designed to look and feel like costume jewelry, complete with a hand-cut black onyx resin stone set on a silver or gold-toned pendant case with matching chain.

For users who operate a vehicle, Bay Alarm Medical’s On The Road service is well worth considering as it combines the features of a traditional medical alert system with advanced crash response and geo-locating services. This service may appeal to seniors and new drivers alike as well as those who spend a lot of time driving in inclement weather or unfamiliar areas.

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