Best Medical Alert Systems with No Monthly Fee for 2022

The Top No Monthly Fee Medical Alert Systems

The best-known medical alert systems put the user in touch with a call center staffed by professional attendants. But for those who don’t need—or can’t afford—to go through a call center to get help, no-monthly-fee systems, which put the user in touch with selected personal contacts or with their local 911 operators, might be worth looking into. Here’s our list of some of the best systems currently available in this rapidly expanding market, divided into categories.

The ideal no-monthly-fee system would provide all the features of the best monitored systems, including two-way communication through the device, ease of use, and—most importantly—automatic fall detection, where the device will automatically send for help when the user takes a sudden, and possibly debilitating, fall. That’s why we’ve chosen the Future Call SOS pendant as the best option in the home medical alert system category. It offers fall detection, and allows the user to make emergency calls (and ordinary calls) through the slim, wearable pendant device.

Fall detection is relatively rare among no monthly fee medical alert systems, but the best systems still include a lot of the functions of their monitored competitors. That’s why the Freedom Alert Emergency System stands out despite not offering fall detection. This highly rated system allows the user to talk directly via the wearable pendant with the people the system reaches via landline.

In the event the caller can’t speak, the system plays a pre-recorded message that allows the person receiving the call to forward it to the local emergency operator. What’s more, it also offers flexibility in how the system makes contact with people in case of an emergency: the user can choose whether to call personal contacts only, call personal contacts and then 911, or call 911 immediately.

Some of the most popular monitored systems (the systems with their own call centers) only allow communication with their operators through the system’s in-home base station. When the wearable signaling device activates this base station it simply works like a speakerphone. Many no-monthly-fee systems operate in the same way, replacing the proprietary call center with a pre-set list of personal contacts and local emergency dispatchers.

In this category of no-monthly-fee systems, the Personal Assistance Voice Dialer II (PAVDII) from ATS offers some of the best features. While the user does have to communicate through the base station, the automated dialing system can work its way through up to 30 telephone numbers, and the user can pre-record a message that allows the people called to forward the distress signal on to the local 911 dispatchers at the press of a button.

Mobile help buttons—which call for help via a cellular connection—are becoming more and more popular among monitored systems these days, and there are some solid options among no-monthly-fee systems as well. One of the best is the mobile help button from Mace, a pager-sized device that allows the wearer to contact their local 911 dispatchers and talk to them as if they had called them on a cell phone. Lightweight and easily portable, it is definitely one of the best no-monthly-fee systems out there.

As smartphones become more common, more companies are providing devices for people who want a medical alert solution that travels with them and works with a smartphone or other mobile device. The V.ALRT is a leader in this category: it works via a Bluetooth connection with a smartphone, and it’s a small, discreet, separate device that can be clipped onto a bag or worn on the wrist or hanging from the neck. Once activated, it will first text, and then call, three pre-programmed phone numbers, sending a help message and GPS location information. If you’re a senior who’s comfortable with smartphones and mobile technology, this may be the device for you.

Not all no-monthly-fee systems work via telephone: a few work via the internet and a household WiFi network. Wolf-Guard, a home security company, offers one of the best of these systems: not only does it allow the user to contact a list of registered friends and family via the internet, the Wolf-Guard system also includes a webcam that allows two-way communication, a help button to send alerts, a motion detector, and a remote that allows the user to control what the camera sees. For seniors comfortable with technology, this system could help them feel much more secure in their homes.

While the Medical Alert Panic Button from ATS doesn’t come with all the features of the Wolf-Guard system, it does allow the user to contact many people at once using the internet and a smartphone app. Sleek and easily portable, it’s as useful as a household pager/signaler as it is for people calling remote responders for help.

Some seniors may not have to worry about contacting someone outside their house: they may have a spouse, relative, or other live-in caregiver who can provide assistance in case of an emergency. There’s always the possibility, however, that they won’t be able to call for help in a crisis, especially if privacy or limited mobility demand that they remain in a separate room, apartment, or portion of the home. That’s why in-home paging systems can be useful.

In this category, the popular CallToU wireless caregiver pager system stands out: it gives the user two waterproof help buttons that they can use to signal three included receivers simultaneously, allowing the caregiver to place these receivers anywhere they’re needed in the home. These pager/chime units are nicely designed, and offer the user a selection of alert signs and ringtones.

Like the CallToU system, the Daytech Caregiver Pager provides a wearable help button that signals a discreet, stylish, wristwatch-type device that the caregiver can wear anywhere. What’s more, the wristwatch receiver can work with multiple help buttons simultaneously, allowing a caregiver to take care of more than one person at a time. But what makes the Daytech pager stand out is its range: 1000 feet—close to quarter of a mile. For those with large homes, or for seniors who rely on caregivers who may need to get outdoors on occasion, this long-range pager is perfect.

Do You Want A No-Monthly-Fee Medical Alert System?

As people get older, the risk of a fall increases. That’s just basic biology: as we age, our balance, eyesight, and muscular strength tend to diminish, and these trends make falls more likely. In addition, our bones tend to become less resilient as we grow older, making falls much more likely to lead to significant injury.

Falls are bad enough by themselves, but a significant additional danger faces the victim of a fall: the risk that they might lie unconscious or unable to move for a long time afterward. Time is of the essence when you’re injured, but an older person living alone could very well go unconscious and undiscovered for a long time—or, worse, remain conscious and unable to call for help. Nor are falls the only potentially debilitating emergencies that demand quick response: strokes, heart attacks, and other crises can make it hard to reach help while precious minutes tick by.

One solution to this problem is medical alert systems. These systems provide seniors living alone a way to call for help even if they can’t reach a phone—and sometimes these systems will even call for help automatically if the user has a fall. The most well-known of these systems put the senior in touch with a call center where technicians can hear what’s going on and contact family or emergency responders as appropriate. But given the expense of such monitored systems—which are offered on a subscription basis, and can easily cost as much as $50 a month or more—there’s a growing market in technology that makes it easy for seniors living alone to quickly contact personal contacts or their local 911 operator directly.

Monitored vs. No Monthly Fee

While unmonitored, or no-monthly-fee, systems may seem attractive because of the price, they’re not for everyone. They commonly work by automatically rolling through a list of pre-programmed phone numbers in order to connect the person in distress with someone who can help. They will—usually as a last resort—connect the person in distress with their local emergency call center, but before that friends and relatives essentially serve as the call center, giving them the responsibility of involving emergency personnel. For that reason, no-monthly-fee systems are best for clients who:

Have caregivers or relatives close by

It can be highly stressful to receive a long-distance call for help and not be able to check in on (or offer assistance to) a relative or loved one. Many relatives might prefer that a professional call center be the first contact in the event of an emergency for that reason.

Have personal contacts involved in their care

Family may be at a loss, too, if they’re not clear about the health problems the client faces. Here again, it might be better to have a professional call center be the first contact.

Will only need outside help in case of an emergency

A call to 911 will likely escalate to an emergency response, while the call centers provided by many monitored systems can provide medical advice and sometimes order prescription refills in order to head off an emergency before it happens. For that reason, non-monitored systems are good for people who are in regular contact with their medical providers, and will probably only need help in an emergency.

Have good social support

Some call centers understand that their clients are sometimes lonely, and are happy to receive calls from clients who just want to talk. Since a senior reaching out to socialize won’t want to call 911, it may be better to connect them with a monitored system and a fully staffed call center.

How Does A No-Monthly-Fee System Work?

There are four main categories of no-monthly-fee systems:

Automated dialer telephone

In this system, the user presses a help button which activates a base station which in turn dials each number in a list of personal contacts. When they reach a person—or the local 911 call center, if 911 is included in the list—the user can talk to the person on the other end of the call either through the device that contains the help button or through the base station.

Mobile help button

Some systems work via cellular networks, and will either contact a list of phone numbers or put the user in touch with their local emergency call center directly. Some models allow the user to speak to emergency responders through the help button itself; some require the user to communicate through a linked mobile device like a tablet or smartphone.

WiFi or internet-based systems

Some systems don’t use landlines or cellular networks, but instead send out the user’s distress signal over the internet via their home wireless network. Beyond that, such systems work very much like the automated dialer systems above.

In-home pager systems

The simplest systems don’t even call outside the home, but instead alert a family member or caregiver within the home via a pager.

Features To Look Out For And Things To Consider

There’s a wide variety among no-monthly-fee systems, and not all features are available with all systems, but here’s a look at some things to look out for as you shop around:

Range

Most systems give the user a signalling device (usually comprising a large, easy-to-press button) to keep on their person. When pressed, the button is supposed to initiate the process of calling for help, but this will only happen if the user is within range of the base station. This range varies widely based on the type of system, so keep an eye out for this as you shop, and make sure a narrow range won’t limit your ability to move where you like in your home.

Two-way communication

Some signaling devices allow the user to speak with people on the other end of the line directly; some don’t. If you’re worried you might not be able to operate a smartphone (for a mobile help button) or you might not be able to get within hailing distance of a base station (for an automatic dialer system), look out for devices that you can keep on your person and use to communicate directly.

How many people you contact and in what order

With automatic dialing systems and some mobile systems you can choose a set number of people to contact, and you can set the order in which you contact them. As you shop around, keep an eye on how many contacts you can call, and how easy it is to program the call list.

How easy it is to set up the system

Some systems are plug-and-play, and will work right out of the box, while others aren’t as easy to get working. As you shop for systems, look into how comfortable you’re likely to be with setting them up, and make sure that you can get help with setup if you need it.

Not everyone needs a medical alert system, and a no-monthly-fee system might not be the right system for everyone. If you think one is right for you, however, a no-monthly-fee system can save you hundreds of dollars every year and give you some badly-needed peace of mind. As you consider a medical alert system as a means of helping you age in place, be sure to give no-monthly-fee systems a chance. You may find that they’re exactly what you’re looking for.