MobileHelp vs Life Alert

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

According to the National Council on Aging, “falls are the leading cause of fatal and non-fatal injuries for older Americans.” Although it’s impossible to completely eliminate the risk of suffering from a fall or other medical emergency, a medical alert system can make all the difference when it comes to getting help quickly. These small, personal medical devices are designed to be worn either on a pendant or on a wrist band which connects users with an emergency response call center immediately when activated.

Medical alert systems have become popular among seniors, adults with medical conditions and people who need the peace of mind that comes with knowing they can call for help by simply pressing a button. Most emergency help button systems require users to subscribe to a monitoring service, and in some cases, medical alert systems are covered by Medicaid and private insurance providers.

There are now dozens of companies offering a wide range of medical alert devices, services and monitoring options, which can make choosing the best medical alert system challenging. To help you narrow down your choices, we’ve researched all the major emergency response system providers and compiled comprehensive guides comparing different companies and services.

In this guide we compare MobileHelp and Life Alert, two established medical alert providers based in the United States. We’ve found that MobileHelp is a clear winner based on available add-ons, affordability and lack of long-term contract requirement.

MobileHelp Overview

Headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida, MobileHelp offers a full lineup of medical alert devices, including landline-based and cellular systems activated by a pendant or wrist-worn help button.

Another innovative device offered through MobileHelp is the TRELAWEAR pendant. This small, stylish pendant is designed to look and feel like a piece of jewelry, complete with hand-cut resin stones set in either a gold or silver pendant paired with a small MobileHelp mobile device.

MobileHelp is committed to providing subscribers with high-quality emergency response services in English, Spanish and over 200 additional languages. The company operates two medical alert call centers staffed by operators who have a minimum of two years of post-secondary education or two years of military service.

Pros of MobileHelp:

The two call centers located in Syracuse, New York, and Corona, California, are staffed by emergency response specialists who have completed extensive preemployment background checks, drug screening and a 6-week in-house training program
The user-friendly line of TRELAWEAR jewelry-style emergency call pendants appeals to subscribers who want a discrete, fashionable alternative to traditional medical alert pendants
MobileHelp’s free app, MobileHelp Connect, lets authorized loved ones and caregivers access GPS location information when paired with a GPS-enabled medical alert device
MobileHelp has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, and its medical alert devices are FCC certified and UL listed
Subscribers can cancel at any time without penalty, and any prepaid monthly fees are refunded on a prorated basis

Cons of MobileHelp:

To get the lowest monthly monitoring prices, subscribers need to prepay a 12-month contract
In order for the cellular-enabled devices to function, users must be in an area that has AT&T cellular coverage

Life Alert Overview

Life Alert is the company that coined the famous tagline, “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up,” making it one of the most recognized names in the industry. Its U.S.-based emergency call center handles over 2 million calls a year and is five-diamond CSAA and UL certified.

Life Alert offers three landline and cellular-based systems with waterproof call buttons that can be worn on a pendant or a watch-style wrist strap and has a non-rechargeable battery that lasts up to 7 years. GPS location tracking is included with all cellular-connected devices, and wireless service is available anywhere in the U.S. where GSM mobile phones work.

Pros of Life Alert:

All medical alert buttons are fully waterproof
Device batteries don’t need to be changed or charged for 7-10 years
One of the oldest and most recognized names in the industry
Life Alert was endorsed by former U.S. Surgeon General C. Everett Kopp
GPS location monitoring is available through cellular-connected devices
Spouse coverage is available at a reduced fee
The wireless, waterproof help button can be placed in a bathroom, on a bedside table or anywhere else within 800′-1000′ of the base unit

Cons of Life Alert:

Life Alert doesn’t offer fall detection service
Subscribers must sign a three-year service contract which can only be cancelled if the subscriber dies or requires around-the-clock care
Plan pricing isn’t posted on the company website — potential subscribers must phone a sales center for information on costs
Life Alert options and services are pricey when compared with other medical alert companies

Price Comparison

With up-front equipment costs ranging from $95-$198 and monthly monitoring fees starting at $49.95, Life Alert’s prices are significantly higher than comparable services through MobileHelp, which offers monthly plans starting at $24.95 per month. With the exception of the TRELAWEAR pendant, equipment costs are included in MobileHelp’s prices, while Life Alert users must also pay an up-front fee for the basic landline-based devices.

Our Pick

Although both of these companies offer similar basic medical alert monitoring services, we prefer MobileHelp because it has much lower monthly costs, a wider range of devices and much more consumer-friendly policies than Life Alert. We also like that MobileHelp offers fall detection service, which isn’t offered by Life Alert.

Life Alert requires new subscribers to sign up for 3 years of monitoring service, which prevents subscribers from switching to another medical alert company as technology evolves. We also dislike the fact that Life Alert doesn’t disclose their prices online, and prospective subscribers must call a sales center for information while MobileHelp’s prices are clearly listed on the company’s website.

Compare More Medical Alert Systems

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