ADT Medical Alert System Review

We've put ADT under the microscope many times. This time, we review its three medical alert systems.
Best for existing ADT customers
ADT Medical Alert
4 out of 5 stars
4
Monitoring starts at
$29.99
/mo
  • pro
    Discounts for current ADT customers
  • pro
    Multiple monitoring centers
  • pro
    Price lock guarantee

Info as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

Cathy Habas
Nov 15, 2023
Icon Time To Read7 min read

SafeWise experts have years of firsthand experience testing the products we recommend. Learn how we test and review

You’re probably familiar with ADT’s home security systems, but did you know there's ADT also sells and monitors medical alert systems too? And if you already have an ADT security system, you can get discounts on a medical alert device for loved ones.

ADT provides two types of in-home medical alerts (landline and cellular) plus a mobile device. Each package comes equipped with an emergency button to reach any of ADT’s six US-based monitoring centers. It's the quality of those monitoring centers that sets ADT apart from other medical alert companies, but ADT's medical alert equipment and features are a little lackluster.

pro
Pros
pro Discounts for ADT customers
pro Price lock guarantee
pro Reliable professional monitoring
pro Landline and cellular options available
pro Button batteries replaced for free
pro Lifetime warranty
pro Month-to-month contracts
con
Cons
con Low range for in-home systems
con Limited availability for fall detection
con No companion app for caregivers
con No trial period

ADT Medical Alert cost

ADT's medical alert equipment is leased to you for free. You'll pay a monthly fee and—unless there's a special deal running—an activation fee (about $29), and a shipping fee (about $10). You also have the option to pay quarterly or yearly, which could save you between $24 and $48 per year.

Monthly fees start at around $30 for the landline in-home system (Medical Alert Basic), $38 for the cellular in-home system (Medical Alert Plus), and $40 for the mobile system (On-the-Go). 

Adding accessories to your ADT Medical Alert system increases the cost:

  • Wall buttons cost $2.99/mo. each
  • Lockboxes cost about $30
  • Fall detection pendants cost $11/mo. each

Offers and prices subject to change. Fall detection pendant doesn't detect 100% of falls. See full disclaimer.

No long-term contract required

ADT's medical alert systems are available with month-to-month agreements, making it easy to cancel any time. Just make sure to read the fine print if you sign up during a special promotion—some of ADT's best medical alert deals are only available if you sign an annual contract.

You can get a pro-rated refund if you need to cancel at any point during your billing cycle. For example, if you paid for yearly billing and cancel at month six, you'll be refunded for the remaining six months. 

Compare ADT Medical Alert monthly costs

Package
Monthly cost
Current offer*
Fall detection
Learn more
$3 off monthly monitoring, free activation and free 2-day shipping* Not available
$3 off monthly monitoring, free activation and free 2-day shipping* Extra $11/mo.
$3 off monthly monitoring, free activation and free 2-day shipping* Extra $11/mo.

*Requires a month-to-month agreement. Excludes taxes. First month monitoring due at time of purchase. Fall detection pendant does not detect 100% of falls. See full disclaimer.

How ADT Medical Alert compares to other brands

ADT Medical Alert's sole outstanding feature is its monitoring centers. Many other medical alert companies also use TMA Five Diamond-certified monitoring centers, but ADT's unique in that it doesn't outsource its monitoring—all of its centers are owned and managed by ADT. Plus, ADT's Medical Alert monitoring agents undergo specialized training in senior-sensitivity.

Other than that, ADT Medical Alert isn't noteworthy. It's not the only medical alert company with a price lock guarantee, lifetime warranty, or free equipment lease. Its prices are also average for the industry.

We do like that, unlike some other medical alert companies (Bay Alarm, we see you!), ADT doesn't charge extra for its lifetime product warranty—everything is included in your monthly monitoring price.

You don't get a free trial period with ADT Medical Alert, nor do you get free or discounted spouse coverage. Bay Alarm Medical, Medical Guardian, and LifeFone all have more to offer than ADT Medical in that regard.

That said, ADT Medical Alert is a good alternative to Life Alert if you're looking for a company with basic equipment and a long history of excellent customer service.

ADT Medical Alert vs. the competition

Brand
Best for
Lowest monthly price
In-home range
Backup battery
Landline option available
Learn more
Best overall1000 ft.32 hrs.
Icon Yes  LightYes
Best wearable options1300 ft.32 hrs.
Icon Yes  LightYes
Most trusted name600 ft.20 hrs.
Icon Yes  LightYes
Best for fall detection800 ft.30 hrs.
Icon Yes  LightYes
Best at-home system1,300 ft.32 hrs.
Icon Yes  LightYes

Info as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change. Fall detection pendant does not detect 100% of falls. See full disclaimer.

A closer look at ADT Medical Alert products

ADT Medical Alert Basic: Home-based landline system

Landline system

ADT Medical Alert Basic is the most budget-friendly option of ADT’s products. At just under $30 per month, you get a landline-connected base station and your choice of waterproof panic pendant or wristband. The wristband help button option comes in black or white. 

Your loved one will need an existing landline to use the system. But installation is as easy as plugging in a cable. Landlines may be slowly phasing out, but they’re a good choice for rural areas or places with poor reception.

As in all home-based medical alert systems, the wearable emergency button needs to stay close to the base station. ADT’s Basic system gives Mom or Dad a 300-foot radius before the connection fades.

Compared to other medical alert systems, 300 feet is pretty limited. But it’s enough if your loved ones live in a small home or apartment.

Unfortunately, automatic fall detection isn’t available with this system. But you can upgrade to the Plus package to get that feature with an at-home system.

Thumbs Up
Temperature monitoring

Both ADT Medical Alert Basic and ADT Medical Alert Plus monitor ambient temperature. This feature helps alert you to temps that are too hot or too cold—a very important thing to watch as older people are more at risk to the dangers of extreme temperatures.

ADT Medical Alert Plus: Home-based cellular system

Cellular system

ADT Medical Alert Plus is an at-home medical alert system like the Basic package. But instead of a landline, it uses a cellular signal to connect with an ADT monitoring center.

And like the Basic package, the wearable needs to stay within range of the base station. Thankfully, the Plus package doubles the range to 600 feet.

The base station looks similar to other medical alert systems and comes with comparable features like automatic fall detection.

But ADT adds temperature monitoring, something we don’t see often in medical alert systems. This feature shows the ambient temperature of the home, allowing your loved one to stay comfortably in the Goldilocks zone (not too hot, not too cold). With temperatures getting more extreme across the country, this feature is more important than previously thought. Older people are more vulnerable to the ill effects of extreme heat and cold.

Fall detection pendant does not detect 100% of falls. See full disclaimer.

ADT On-The-Go: Mobile system

Mobile system

ADT On-The-Go is a GPS medical alert system your loved ones can take with them. From the golf course to the garden, they can call for help and connect with an ADT monitoring operator whenever they need assistance.

The system is made of a two-way speaker button and a waterproof medical alert pendant (or wristband, their choice). The two devices sync up and work together to form a mobile medical alert system. The GPS and lanyard must stay together at all times. But both pieces are small enough to fit in pockets and purses.

We like that the On-the-Go mobile medical alert base station also pairs with wall buttons. This means you don't have to pay for a separate in-home base station to enjoy complete coverage.

Unlike our favorite medical alert systems with GPS, there's no way for loved ones to see your location with the ADT On-the-Go. That information is only shared with ADT's monitoring centers after you press the help button.

ADT Medical Alert customer service 

If you have questions or comments, calling is by far the fastest way to reach ADT—and you can get a hold of someone at any time. ADT agents are available 24/7, unlike some other medical alert companies with limited business hours. Look for the 24/7 telephone number in your product user guide or on the Medical Alert equipment.

When you call, you may encounter some upselling tactics, though. So brace yourself and take a look through the site so you know what you’re looking for before you call.

We tested ADT’s customer service via the live chat service on the company’s website. A bot greets you when you start the chat, requiring you to jump through some hoops before reaching a real customer service rep.

And the process can be tricky since the bot’s navigational questions are mainly focused on ADT’s home security.

Battery life monitoring and free replacement

ADT Medical Alert continuously monitors the battery life of its help buttons. They'll send you a free replacement button well before your existing one runs out of juice.

This is a service we love to see when ranking and reviewing medical alert companies, but it's not unique to ADT Medical Alert. Medical Guardian, Medical Alert, Life Alert, and others offer the same service for free.

Thumbs Up
ADT's redundant monitoring centers

ADT has six US-based monitoring centers throughout the country. So no matter what time or day your loved one needs assistance, there’s always someone standing by.

These redundant monitoring centers work as backup for each other in case of power outages, storms, or other natural disasters. So if the center nearest to your loved one loses power, there’s sure to be another online.

Final word 

Of ADT’s medical alert systems, our favorite is the On-the-Go GPS package. It’s competitively priced compared to similar units and gives your loved one more freedom to move about their house, neighborhood, and community.

To sum it all up, ADT offers basic but easy-to-use medical alert systems at average prices. 

ADT Medical Alert FAQ 

Yes, USAA members get a discount on ADT medical alert systems: $3 off the monthly monitoring fee, free activation, and two-day shipping. Two-day shipping is available Monday through Friday; Saturday and Sunday delivery isn't available. Existing ADT customers may be able to save on monthly medical alert monitoring—ask when you call to order your ADT Medical Alert system.

Yes. Some of our other favorite home security providers like Vivint and Frontpoint offer panic pendants and medical alert systems. 

Similar to ADT, you can bundle these products with your main home system if you have an older family member living with you or want to give them a medical alert system linked to your home security devices. 

Probably not, but we recommend consulting a Medicare specialist to be sure.

Read more in our guide: Are Medical Alert Systems Covered by Medicare?

How we reviewed the ADT medical alert system 

This isn’t the first time SafeWise has put ADT under the microscope. So we used what we already know about the company. We also sifted through fine print to get details on the payment process, activation fees, and more.

To top it off, we compared the ADT system to other popular medical alert devices, looking at prices, equipment, and monitoring perks. Learn more about how we conduct our reviews from our methodology page.

Disclaimers

Fall detection: Fall detection pendant does not detect 100% of falls. Fall Detection monitoring service is only available with Medical Alert Plus and On-The-Go Emergency Response systems.

$3 off monthly monitoring, free activation, and free 2-day shipping: Requires a month-to-month agreement for Medical Alert Systems starting at $29.99 per month. First month monitoring due at time of purchase. Excludes taxes. Offer excludes professional installation which may be available upon request for an additional fee. Offer includes $3 off monthly monitoring for ADT medical alert systems. An ADT Medical Alert system is not an intrusion detection system or medical device; ADT is not a ‘911’ emergency medical response service and does not provide medical advice, which should be obtained from qualified medical personnel. Fall Detection monitoring service is only available with Medical Alert Plus and On-The-Go Emergency Response systems. Digital cellular service not available everywhere or at all times. The On-The-Go emergency system and services use and rely on the availability of cellular network coverage and the availability of global positioning system (GPS) data to operate properly. The GPS is not operated by ADT. Prices subject to change. Systems remain property of ADT. Cannot be combined with other offers or discounts and is available for new customers only. No termination fees. 2-day shipping delivery Monday through Friday. Saturday and Sunday delivery are not available. 2-Day shipping valued at $9.99; free activation valued at $29. Expires 12/21/23

Cathy Habas
Written by
Cathy Habas
With over eight years of experience as a content writer, Cathy has a knack for untangling complex information. Her natural curiosity and ability to empathize help Cathy offer insightful, friendly advice. She believes in empowering readers who may not feel confident about a purchase, project, or topic. Cathy earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Indiana University Southeast and began her professional writing career immediately after graduation. She is a certified Safe Sleep Ambassador and has contributed to sites like Safety.com, Reviews.com, Hunker, and Thumbtack. Cathy’s pride and joy is her Appaloosa “Chacos.” She also likes to crochet while watching stand-up comedy specials on Netflix.

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