Life Alert vs Philips Lifeline

Date Updated: July 28, 2025

Written by:

Rachel Lustbader

Rachel Lustbader is a writer and editor with a background in healthcare and technology. Her work has been published on websites including HealthCare.com, BiteSizeBio.com, BetterHelp.com, Caring.com, and PayingforSeniorCare.com. She studied health science and public health at Boston University.

Both of Rachel’s grandmothers had very positive experiences in senior living communities, and Rachel saw firsthand the impact that kind, committed caregivers and community managers can have on seniors’ and their family members’ lives. With her work at Caring, Rachel hopes to help other families find communities, caregivers, and at-home products that benefit elderly loved ones and make life less stressful for family caregivers

Medical alert systems make it easier for seniors to maintain independent living while providing peace of mind for relatives and caregivers. These devices, which can be wearable units or buttons installed in the home, work by sending an alert to a centralized call center when an emergency occurs. Having a medical alert system gives families peace of mind and ensure that seniors get tended to quickly if a fall or other medical event should occur.

When you’re ready to choose a medical alert system, side-by-side comparisons can help you decide between the dozens of options available. Our detailed guides give you at-a-glance information to simplify your decision, and we break through the marketing jargon to showcase the features that might be most important to you.

This guide covers medical alert systems from two popular companies, Life Alert and Philips Lifeline. These U.S.-based companies have both been in business for decades, and they offer similar basic functionality along with extra features that might be beneficial to individuals with specific needs.

We determined between the two companies that Philips Lifeline is the better choice for budget-conscious seniors due to it’s $0 down for equipment fees, low monthly plans and no contract to get locked into. Also Philips Lifeline has more services in its plan than Life Alert.

Philips Lifeline Overview

With more than 7.5 million subscribers in the U.S., Philips Lifeline is the largest medical alert business in the country. Philips is the only FDA-approved medical service alert system in the U.S., and the company has a wide range of models and price points to choose from. The HomeSafe plan includes a base unit with a 500′ range and wireless monitoring device that can be worn on your wrist or as a pendant on a necklace, while the GoSafe 2 plan uses mobile technology for medical monitoring coverage anywhere you go. GPS location tracking and fall detection are available with some plans. The call monitoring centers for Philips Lifeline are all based in the U.S. and Canada, and the operators have access to interpreters who can provide service in up to 140 languages.

One unique feature of Philips Lifeline is the ability to add an automated medicine dispenser that can be programmed to release the right dose up to six times per day and sends an alert to caregivers if a dose is missed. An optional voice extension box, which extends the range of the device to around 1,500′, makes this system even more effective, especially in a large home.

Pros of Philips Lifeline:

Well-established U.S.-based company
Device designed by a physician
Simple, all-inclusive pricing
Lightweight wearable devices
Automatic battery monitoring
Battery replacement included in plan
GPS location services and fall detection included
No annual contract required
Average response time of 11 seconds

Cons of Philips Lifeline:

No discounts available for additional members of the same household
No price guarantee, so the monitoring costs could increase over time
Equipment guaranteed for one year only
Activation fees of $50-$149 per device drive up overall costs

Life Alert Overview

With over 150,000 seniors as customers and a history dating back to 1979, Life Alert is one of the most well-established medical alert device companies in the business. Life Alert is well known for its popular “Help! I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!” ad campaigns that highlight the challenges many seniors face while trying to remain independent. The company’s knowledgeable call center operators have access to medical records and previous call details, and Life Alert operators help oversee the emergency response to ensure everything gets taken care of throughout the process.

The In The Home plan from Life Alert offers reliable basic service if you just need a medical alert system that is home-based, but the On The Go plan is only available as an add-on, not a separate service you can use anywhere. The In The Bath plan, which includes a wall-mounted HELP button for the bathroom, is only available as an add-on to the basic In The Home plan. You can choose from a landline-based or cell phone-based system to use with the In Home base unit. A mandatory contract locks you into this service for three years.

Pros of Life Alert:

Well-established U.S. company
Operates own call centers, no outsourcing
Batteries don’t require recharging
Mobile app connects directly with monitoring center
Waterproof bathroom HELP button for shower and tub use
In-house setup included
Maintains an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau

Cons of Life Alert:

3-year service contract required
No fall detection available
High one-time fees
On the Go service only available as an add-on plan

Pricing Comparison

For basic monitoring services, Philips Lifeline is cheaper than Life Alert. The three-year contract requirement of Life Alert locks you into the higher pricing, so you may not be able to switch companies if you find something you like better. Philips Lifeline, on the other hand, has month-to-month billing. Both companies have upfront fees, such as device and activation fees, that make the initial cost higher than the recurring monthly charges. Philips Lifeline also offers some ways to save money, such as self-installation, which costs $19.95 instead of professional installation by a Philips technician, which costs $99.

Our Pick

Both Philips Lifeline and Life Alert offer reliable basic medical alert services, but the straightforward pricing and added features make Philips Lifeline stand out. Both companies provide options for in-home and on-the-go use, and Life Alert also has a bathroom button option for seniors prone to slipping and falling on damp floors or in the shower. Specific add-on options from Philips Lifeline, such as the automatic medication dispenser and voice extension box, help ease the burden on caregivers and improve the usefulness of the entire system.

The Philips Lifeline system lets you choose the outside-the-home option on its own if that suits your lifestyle better than an in-the-home plan, while the Life Alert system requires you to have the in-home option to get the portable device. This can drive costs up significantly for seniors who prefer an on-the-go option. The bathroom button offered by Life Alert is also an add-on, so it isn’t available as a solo system. If you’re already making adjustments to your home to help facilitate independent living, physical home modifications that reduce the risk of falling might be more beneficial than a separate bathroom button.

Compare More Medical Alert Systems

Click on the links below to read about Medical Alert system comparisons.