Medical Care Alert vs. Medical Guardian Review
See how these two medical alert systems stack up against each other in terms of cost, wearability, and fall detection.
- Medical Guardian and Medical Care Alert are two of the largest companies selling medical alert systems today. Both companies offer mobile devices, home units, and wearables.
- Medical Guardian devices cost about $32–$47 per month. Medical Care Alert devices cost about $30–$40.
- Medical Guardian does not offer a trial period.
- You can add fall detection to both brands’ devices for $10 per month.
- Medical Guardian has a longer range on its home unit by 400 feet.
At NCOA, we take the time to research, test, and recommend products that aim to help you live a healthier life. We’ve spent more than 3,000 hours researching medical alert systems to give you the most accurate product reviews. To find the best medical alert systems, we:
- Consulted with doctors and licensed adult caregivers who specialize in working with older adults
- Put more than 35 devices through a series of 16 different tests at our in-house lab
- Mystery shopped more than 15 brands
- Surveyed more than 1,000 medical alert system users and caregivers
- Interviewed experts on older adults falls risk
- Worked with older adults to test medical alert systems and get their opinion
- Read thousands of verified customer reviews
We’re constantly testing new medical alert systems to give you the most accurate and up-to-date recommendations. Read more about our medical alert system review methodology.
Medical alert systems are great for people living alone or aging in place. “A medical alert system doesn’t mean you’re giving something up, it means you’re putting a safeguard in place so you can continue living life on your own terms,” said Tina Sadarangani, ANP-C, GNP-BC, PhD, RN, creator of The Enlightened Caregiver and a board-certified geriatric nurse practitioner.
But with so many medical alert systems on the market, it can be hard to know which one is right for you. When we surveyed older adults who had medical alert systems, our respondents reported using products from at least 20 different brands.1
To help narrow down your search, we've tested 36 of the top medical alert systems to identify the pros and cons of each. This Medical Care Alert vs. Medical Guardian review will compare the cost, setup, and user experience of two major medical alert system brands to help you find the right medical alert system for you.
Medical Guardian
- Fast response time
- Longest in-home device range
- Strong battery life
Medical Care Alert
- Fast response time
- EMT/EMD-certified emergency staff
- Text notifications to emergency contacts
Medical Care Alert vs. Medical Guardian: An overview
Both Medical Care Alert and Medical Guardian sell medical alert systems in mobile devices, home units, and wearables. Medical Guardian was the top pick overall in our Best Medical Alert Systems roundup, but that doesn’t mean Medical Care Alert doesn’t pull ahead in some categories when we compare the two systems. Medical Care Alert gives customers a free lockbox so emergency services can access the house key. Most companies either charge you around $3 monthly or a one-time fee of $30 for a lockbox. Another benefit: Medical Care Alert’s monitoring center staff are all EMT/EMD trained.
Both Medical Care Alert and Medical Guardian let you involve caregivers and family via smartphone. Medical Care Alert has a text message option and caregiver portal. Medical Guardian has both an online portal and a care app.
The Medical Care Alert’s home system has a range of 1,000 feet, while the Medical Guardian MG Home’s range is 1,400 feet. Fall detection is an optional add-on for all devices across both medical alert systems.
Note: Fall detection requires a separate necklace (and a $10 charge) for both home systems. While you can just add fall detection to all the GPS devices both brands offer, fall detection cannot be added to the necklace that comes with the home units. Both companies will issue you a new necklace containing fall detection technology.
When it comes to appearance, there are more differences between the two systems. The standard necklace for the Medical Care Alert Home is somewhat discreet, while the Medical Guardian’s MG Classic looks like a medical alert system button. Both brands allow you to convert your home unit help buttons from wristband to necklace. Only Medical Guardian offers a GPS wristband option that is not a smart watch (the MG Mini Lite).
Compare Medical Care Alert and Medical Guardian devices
| Comparison Features | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Landline in-home system | Longer range on Medical Guardian | ||
| Cellular in-home system | It costs $5 more to opt for cellular on Medical Care Alert, and $7 more to opt for cellular on Medical Guardian | ||
| GPS wearable | Both brands have two-way talk, but the Home and Away Mini has longer battery life (5 days compared to MG Mini’s 3) | ||
| Smartwatch | MGMove is more feature-rich, with health tracking and apps. MCA is simpler and cheaper |
Medical Guardian review
Medical Guardian
- Fast response times
- Longest in-home device range
- Strong battery life
- Device types: Home, mobile, wearable
- Fall detection: $10/month
- Caregiver alerts: Yes
- Connection type: Landline or LTE
Pros
- Call cancellation
- Home unit has long range
- Clear audio
Cons
- Fall detection is a separate necklace
- Not discreet
- More expensive than some competitors
Our testing experience with Medical Guardian
Medical Guardian scored highest in our testing, earning a 9.9 out of 10. We evaluated Medical Guardian on customer service, setup, user experience, and features.
Not every medical alert system has call cancellation, but Medical Guardian does, which may be helpful for users who accidentally trigger alerts. Our testers noted that even if a call accidentally gets through, the Medical Guardian monitoring center is understanding and audio is clear. In our testing experience, Medical Guardian’s monitoring center team and customer support specialists were top notch. Another perk was the long range of the home unit. At 1,400 feet, it beat out its competition by hundreds of feet.
Response times were also consistently fast. Our testers did find that calling for help on the smart watch, the MG Move, is much quicker if you use the touchscreen instead of the buttons on the side.
Buttons are also one of the biggest issues with the Medical Guardian Home. On the home console, the “power” and “volume” buttons look almost the same, which led to a ranking of 4 out of 5 for device setup. “It feels like they could be different colors to make it easier to distinguish,” said one tester. Medical Guardian also scored a 4 out of 5 for help button testing because the buttons are not clearly labeled and may not be intuitive. “The instructions are very clear,” said a tester, “But I would not have been able to conduct the test or know which buttons to push without the instructions.”
Medical Guardian’s customer service and warranty
- Warranty information: Medical Guardian offers a one-year manufacturer’s warranty that will replace your device if it’s defective. The warranty doesn’t cover spills, drops, or normal wear and tear damage.
- Trial period: Medical Guardian doesn’t offer a free trial period.
- Returns: You can cancel your Medical Guardian service any time, with no cancellation fees. If you had an annual plan, the company will prorate your refund for the months you didn’t use. You’ll need to return any unpurchased equipment, and there may be a restocking fee.
Customer service
- Website: Visit the customer support page to fill out an online contact form.
- Phone: 800-313-1191, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET, and Saturday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET (technical support only)
- Email: info@medicalguardian.com
- Chat: You can find the Medical Guardian chat in the lower right-hand corner of the website to ask the automated representative some of your immediate questions.
Medical Care Alert review
Medical Care Alert
- Fast monitoring center response
- EMT/EMD certified operators at monitoring center
- 14-day trial with full refund
- Device types: Home, mobile, smart watch
- Fall detection: $10/month
- Caregiver alerts: Yes
- Connection type: Landline or LTE
Pros
- Free lockbox
- Subtle necklace on the Home system
- Shower-safe help button necklace
Cons
- No call cancellation
- Two-way communication isn’t on all devices
Our testing experience with Medical Care Alert systems
Our testers wished the devices had call cancellation, like we experienced with Medical Guardian. And not every device had two-way communication. This means some simply have a button you push and help arrives whether you need it or not. But Medical Care Alert had superb monitoring center response times, the audio was clear, and the monitoring center staff was always friendly.
Testers also like the appearance of Medical Care Alert’s devices. “You can’t tell that it’s a medical alert necklace,” said one tester about the Home Alert Medical System’s home jewelry button. “It’s a very unique and discreet design that looks like a necklace I would actually wear.” This is good news for the almost 7% of our respondents who said their biggest challenge with their medical alert system was “it makes me feel old or helpless to be seen wearing it.” 1
Medical Care Alert’s customer service and warranty
- Warranty information: Medical Care Alert’s warranty covers all services, repairs, and battery replacements. The In-Home System has a 100% lifetime replacement policy.
- Trial period: If you return your Medical Care Alert device within the 14-day trial period, you get a full refund. If you decide to cancel your subscription at a later date, call Medical Care Alert to notify them and then return your equipment by mail.
Customer service
- Website: You can reach Medical Care Alert through its contact form.
- Phone: 1-877-913-3680, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET; Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET
- Chat: Available on the website
Medical Guardian vs. Medical Care Alert Cost comparison
| Comparison Features | Medical Care Alert |
Medical Guardian |
|---|---|---|
| Home unit monthly cost (landline) | $29.95 |
$32 |
| Home unit monthly cost (cellular) | $34.95 |
$39 |
| GPS wearable monthly cost | $39.95 |
$44–$48 |
| Smart watch monthly cost | $39.95 |
$43 |
| Fall detection monthly cost | $10 |
$10 |
| Equipment fee | $150 (watch only)* |
$150–$200 |
| Lock Box | Free |
$3/month |
*No other Medical Care Alert device has this fee
How to choose the best medical alert system for you
“Simplicity and ease of use are critical,” Sadarangani said when it comes to finding the best medical alert system for you. “Families should look for devices that are simple, comfortable, and discreet.” But personal preference matters, too. If you’re not a watch person to begin with, a medical alert wristband or smart watch might not be the best device for your lifestyle.
Both Medical Guardian and Medical Care Alert have a variety of styles. If you’re like 47% of our survey respondents and wear your medical alert system on your neck, you might prefer the Medical Care Alert Home, the MG Home, or the MG mini.1
Exactly one quarter of our respondents wear their medical alert system on their wrist, though studies would advise against that because wristbands can have less accurate fall detection.1,2
Frequently asked questions
Is Medical Care Alert or Medical Guardian cheaper?
If you’re looking for a simpler medical alert system, Medical Care Alert is cheaper. Medical Guardian has some equipment fees, and its devices consistently cost around $5 more than Medical Care Alert’s devices.
What is the biggest difference between Medical Guardian and Medical Care Alert?
There are a few key differences between Medical Guardian and Medical Care Alert. Medical Guardian is a bit more expensive, and Medical Care Alert’s monitoring center is staffed with EMT-trained employees. Beyond that, the device-level differences are Medical Guardian’s longer home unit range and wider array of wearables and unique features.
Is Medical Care Alert legit?
Yes, Medical Care Alert is a legitimate medical alert system company. Medical Care Alert has a monitoring center, customer service center, and a variety of medical alert system devices.
Do both Medical Guardian and Medical Care Alert have live monitoring centers?
Yes, both Medical Guardian and Medical Care Alert have monitoring centers that answer help button calls 24/7.
Questions? Email us at reviewsteam@ncoa.org.