Bay Alarm Medical is a user-focused company that offers exceptional customer service and highly customizable devices. Our testers rated their interactions with Bay Alarm’s response center staff as a 10/10, earning it Best Customer Service in our guide to the best medical alert systems. With home, mobile, and smartwatch options available, Bay Alarm Medical offers a variety of devices to fit your needs and lifestyle.

In this Bay Alarm Medical review, we’ll outline the different features of each type of device, what our testers thought of their experiences with Bay Alarm, and how to decide which medical alert system is right for you.

Bay Alarm SOS Home

VISIT SITE

VISIT SITE

• Excellent customer service
• Many styles and device types to choose from

• On-the-go devices with long battery life

Why we recommend Bay Alarm Medical 

We recommend Bay Alarm Medical because of its focus on making the user experience a positive one. They had an excellent average response time of 31 seconds. This meant when we pressed the help button, it took about 30 seconds to get someone on the line to answer our call. Asking for help can be difficult, but their friendly and professional emergency response center staff make it easier. They never made us feel awkward or embarrassed for calling, even when we were testing our devices many times in a row. When we called the customer service line acting as a potential user, we were impressed by their empathy. 

Because the most effective medical alert system is one that you wear consistently, we think it’s very important that the device you own is one you’ll want to use.¹ If you are nervous about speaking to unhelpful or unfriendly monitoring center staff, then you’ll be less likely to push the button when you need to. A large majority (93%) of Bay Alarm users in our survey said their interactions with customer service and/or monitoring center staff was “very positive and helpful.” That’s 12% higher than the average of all companies (81%). No other company in our survey had such high customer satisfaction. 

We also like that Bay Alarm Medical has a separate customer support line that’s open seven days a week. Only one other medical alert company we’ve reviewed (Medical Guardian) offers this. 

And Bay Alarm Medical offers a large range of customizable wristband options and special button coverings called Bella Buttons that turn a necklace-style button into jewelry. Because research has shown that many adults are reluctant to wear medical alert devices because of their clinical appearance, we like that Bay Alarm Medical provides the opportunity to personalize your device into something more discreet.²

Table 1 Comparing Bay Alarm Medical devices

Comparison Features	SOS Home Visit Sitefor SOS Home	SOS Micro Visit Sitefor SOS Micro	SOS Smartwatch Visit Sitefor SOS Smartwatch	SOS All-In-One 2 Visit Sitefor SOS All-In-One 2
Max. battery life (hours)	32-hour backup battery	36	8	72
Fall detection?	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
GPS tracking	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Standout features	Only at-home device	Small, discreet device	Smartwatch with touch screen	Works as both at-home and GPS device

Bay Alarm Medical pros and cons

Bay Alarm Medical’s friendly and professional response center staff, plus its seven-day customer support line, make it a great option for people who might feel nervous or hesitant to call for emergency help. 

We also like that Bay Alarm Medical offers different ways to customize or dress up a device to look more like jewelry. And because they offer so many different models, it’s easier for you to find the exact type and appearance that best fits your lifestyle.

One drawback is that Bay Alarm Medical has some additional fees we wish weren’t included. They charge one-time equipment fees ($30–$199.95) for almost all of their devices. A lockbox costs $30, which is a little more expensive than other brands. And free shipping is only for a few plans. Shipping tends to be free with other brands that offer annual subscriptions. Other companies like MobileHelp don’t charge device fees, and many of their plans include a free lockbox and shipping.

Bay Alarm Medical device reviews

SOS Home

The SOS Home is Bay Alarm’s most affordable medical alert system model. It has an excellent average response time of 31 seconds and detected 3/3 test falls. The SOS Home is a great option for someone who spends most of their time in their home.

SOS Home

VISIT SITE

VISIT SITE

• Uses either landline or cellular connection
• Covers 1,000 feet, which is about three football fields

• Most affordable system on this list

SOS Home features

• Device type: At-home
• Fall detection: Yes with the cellular option
• Max. battery life: 32-hour backup battery
• GPS tracking: No
• Caregiver alerts: Yes
• Connection type: Landline or LTE

What’s different about the SOS Home

The SOS Home connects a base unit to either a landline or cellular network and provides 1,000 feet of coverage, which is about the length of three football fields. If you spend most of your time in your house or backyard, this should be more than enough coverage. It comes with a button you can wear on a necklace or around your wrist. The landline option plugs into an outlet in the wall, while the cellular option uses either AT&T or Verizon’s networks. You don’t need to have a cellphone contract with either service to use the SOS Home. 

It’s important to check the strength of the network coverage in your area, which you can do by going to either AT&T’s coverage map or Verizon’s coverage map. If you live somewhere rural, it might be better to choose the landline option.

When our testers installed the SOS Home and tested the help button, they liked that there was a verbal confirmation that the device was connected to the coverage network. “Each time after the call or reset, the device says ‘LTE, five bars’ indicating that the network connection is strong,” one tester said. This is helpful for people who might worry that their device isn’t properly connected.

And when we pressed the button and connected to the emergency response center, we found the staff to be very professional and friendly. “I had a very easy and pleasant experience with the operator,” said a tester.

But one thing our testers did notice is that you have to press a tiny button on the back of the medical alert device to cancel a call before it connects to the response center. This extra step was hard for testers to remember when they were flustered, trying to quickly cancel a call.

SOS Micro

About the size of a traditional watch, the SOS Micro is a discreet medical alert device option that’s great for people who like to spend time out of the house. It includes real-time location tracking and five different band options that make it look like a regular watch.

SOS Micro

VISIT SITE

VISIT SITE

• Compact and discreet size
• Customizable bands

• User-friendly interface

SOS Micro features

• Device type: GPS
• Fall detection: Yes
• Max. battery life: 36 hours
• GPS tracking: Yes
• Caregiver alerts: Yes
• Connection type: LTE

What’s different about the SOS Micro

When our testers unpacked the box, they liked how easy it was and the way everything was clearly labeled. “I liked the slim size of the package and I liked how it contained just the necessities,” one tester said. “It didn’t feel overly complicated, which was great.”

We also appreciated how simple the charging process is. The SOS Micro fits into a charging cradle that blinks red while charging. “It is very easy to charge,” one tester said. “You just plug the cradle into the wall and place the mobile device into the cradle.”

The SOS Micro is about the size of a regular watch. It comes with either a necklace, belt clip, or wristband to customize how you want to wear it. Plus, the wristbands come in five colors, so you can pick the one that fits your style the best. Our testers like how easy it was to switch between the different ways to wear the device.

One tester said, “You can remove the band and use the belt clip if desired. The lanyard easily pops on and off of the device and you can slide the device into the belt clip.”

The SOS Micro has a large button and a speaker on its interface. This makes it a great alternative to the SOS Smartwatch if you want the appearance of a watch without the extra apps or features of a smartwatch.

But if you press the help button, you can’t cancel the call and must talk to the response center. 

SOS Smartwatch

The SOS Smartwatch is similar to the SOS Micro, but it has a touchscreen that includes additional apps, rather than just a button and speaker. With GPS tracking and optional automatic fall detection, the SOS Smartwatch is a great choice for someone who wants more flexibility and features in their medical alert device.

SOS Smartwatch

VISIT SITE

VISIT SITE

• Step counter, time, and local weather features
• No smartphone required for use, unlike other smartwatches

• Sleek smartwatch look

SOS Smartwatch features

• Device type: GPS smartwatch
• Fall detection: Yes
• Max. battery life: 8 hours
• GPS tracking: Yes
• Caregiver alerts: Yes
• Connection type: LTE

What’s different about the SOS Smartwatch

The SOS Smartwatch looks and wears like a traditional smartwatch, but you don’t need to have a smartphone for it to work. Like the SOS Micro, the SOS Smartwatch connects to a local cellular network without requiring a contract.

We like that the SOS Smartwatch offers additional features like a step counter and the local weather. These types of apps can help encourage users to be more active, an important part of staying mobile and healthy while we age. We also like the real-time location tracking and the GPS monitoring, which makes it easier for help to reach you quickly.

We don’t like how short the battery life is. Bay Alarm says the range is anywhere from six to eight hours, depending on use and connectivity. Six hours isn’t very long, which means you either might have to return home to charge the watch—which takes two to three hours—or risk having a non-working device. 

SOS All-In-One 2

The SOS All-In-One 2 combines features of the SOS Home and Micro. This mobile device has its own base and a wearable button you can take into the shower or sleep with. With the brand’s longest battery life (72 hours) and the flexibility to wear either the unit or button, this option is great for people who want their devices to address a variety of needs.

SOS All-In-One 2

VISIT SITE

VISIT SITE

• Mobile unit and a wearable button
• Longest battery life (72 hours) from Bay Alarm Medical

• Works as both an in-home and mobile unit

SOS All-In-One 2 features

• Device type: GPS 
• Fall detection: Yes
• Max. battery life: 72 hours
• GPS tracking: Yes
• Caregiver alerts: Yes
• Connection type: LTE

What’s different about the SOS All-In-One 2

The SOS All-In-One 2 includes a small unit (2.5 x 1.8 inches) you can wear around your neck, on a belt clip, or store in your pocket or purse. You also get an additional wearable button. We like that this model comes with the button option in case you want something more discreet, but you do have to still carry the base unit with you if you leave the house. Unlike the SOS Home, which has 1,000 feet of coverage, the SOS All-In-One 2 has 600 feet, or about one and a half football fields.

When our testers unpacked the SOS All-In-One 2, some of them found the instructions difficult to read. “The user manual is just very small and kind of inconvenient to read,” one tester said. “It's not like a typical booklet style manual, it's one long strip of paper that folds up.” We wish the instructions were more user-friendly, especially for people who might have vision issues.

Once the devices were set up, our testers found this one to be very clinical looking. “I don't like how the device constantly has a light blinking on it,” one tester said. “I don't think it would bother me as the person wearing it, but I could see it being annoying for friends or family seeing the blinking light at all times. The red help button makes it a bit obvious that it's a medical alert system, but the overall size is good.”

While the SOS All-In-One 2 might not be as discreet as the Micro or Smartwatch, it did have the longest battery life of them all (72 hours). This is important if you’re often away from home from morning until night. And if the unit’s appearance really bothers you, you can keep it stashed in a purse or pocket and wear the button, instead. We were also impressed by the SOS All-In-One 2’s fast response time (42 seconds) and their excellent customer service.

How much do Bay Alarm Medical devices cost?

Bay Alarm Medical’s devices cost anywhere from $24.95–$39.95 per month. The SOS Micro, All-In-One 2, and Smartwatch all have one-time equipment fees. Some additional features include:

• Fall detection: Costs $10 per month. Fall detection technology senses if you experience a fall and calls the emergency response center, even if you can’t press the button yourself. Check out our story on the best medical alert systems with fall detection to learn more.
• Lockbox: Costs $30. A lockbox holds a code-protected key to your house that emergency responders can use to enter without breaking your door or window.
• Wall buttons: Costs $35 each or $130 for four (a $10 discount.) You can mount wall buttons low to the ground in high fall risk places like the bathroom or by the bed.

Table 2 Bay Alarm Medical costs

How to save money on Bay Alarm Medical devices

One of the simplest ways to save money on a Bay Alarm Medical device is to choose the annual subscription plan instead of the monthly. If you do so, you’ll get an additional free month and free shipping.

And if you have a spouse or other family member in your home who could benefit from a medical alert device, Bay Alarm Medical lets you purchase an additional button without paying for a separate subscription.

Medicare or Medicaid typically don’t cover medical alert devices, but you might be able to use your health savings account or flexible spending account to pay for it. If you have private insurance, you might have coverage; double-check your insurance policy before purchasing anything.

Bay Alarm Medical accessories and options

Bay Alarm Medical has one of the widest ranges of accessories and options for customers to choose from. Some of these medical alert system features and accessories include:

• Bella Bands and Charms: Bella Bands and Charms allow you to customize the appearance of your wearable button. The charms cover the button and make it look like a regular necklace.
• Caregiver tracking: Caregiver tracking allows designated contacts to have real-time location tracking in case you need help, as well as alerts if your button is pushed.
• Vial of Life: This waterproof container has forms that you can fill out with your emergency medical information and history for responders to use in case you’re unable to communicate.

The Bay Alarm Medical user experience

Our testers found Bay Alarm Medical’s devices to be user-friendly. They thought installation was simple and clear, with a “plug-and-play” setup that means you only have to find a good outlet to charge your devices. 

Once our testers were wearing their devices, they liked how easy it was to switch between the different types of wear—either necklace, wristband, or belt clip—but they did find them to be slightly clinical. “It's comfortable and the optionality is great, but it's still pretty clear it's a medical alert system,” one tester said.

We do think that the option to add a Bella Charm over the necklace or a Bella Band to make the wristband look more like a watch is a good alternative for people reluctant to wear a medical alert device.

When we tested the device, we were impressed by what we considered excellent customer service from the Bay Alarm Medical response staff. They were friendly, warm, and professional. “They're very cheerful and kind,” one tester said. “I like how they tell me their name and say mine.” 

When we called the customer service line, the person introduced themselves and walked us through the different device options without acting pushy or sales-y. They seemed genuinely concerned about our well-being. When we told the customer service representative we were looking for a device for our mother who recently fell, the representative sounded compassionate and engaged. The representative asked us several questions about our mother. When they asked us whether she still drives, we said, “Yes,” and the representative responded, “Go her!” We really appreciated the personal touch. It felt like the representative was a partner helping to care for our mother, not just trying to make a sale.

Bay Alarm Medical’s customer service and warranty

• Warranty: The standard warranty covers manufacturer defects or “wear and tear.” You can purchase a protection plan for your device for issues like loss or theft for $2.95–$4.95/month.
• Trial period: 15 days 
• Customer service:
  • Phone: 877-522-9633, Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. PT; Saturday and Sunday, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. PT and 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m PT
  • Email: cs@bayalarmmedical.com
  • Chat: Chat on website, Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 3:30 pm PT, and Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. PT 

Are Bay Alarm Medical devices right for you?

We think that Bay Alarm Medical devices are a great choice for people who might be anxious about speaking to a medical professional, especially during an event as stressful as a medical emergency. Their warm and friendly staff encourage communication and can reassure someone who is upset or afraid.

When our tester called the Bay Alarm Medical line posing as a potential customer, the representative asked thoughtful questions, made sure to follow up about the potential user’s needs and goals, and was kind and supportive.

If you don’t like speaking to medical professionals—particularly over the phone—because you’ve had a negative experience, you might be hesitant to push the help button, even if you really need to. Choosing a device from Bay Alarm Medical can ease those fears and help you feel more empowered to take the steps needed to get help.

Before choosing a specific device, ask yourself these questions:

• What goals or needs are you hoping to achieve with a medical alert device?
• How would you feel most comfortable wearing a device?
• Do you tend to stay at home or leave the house frequently?

Frequently asked questions

Questions? Email us at reviewsteam@ncoa.org