Medical Guardian vs. Bay Alarm Medical

Medical Guardian and Bay Alarm Medical are both four-star medical alert companies in our book, offering similar policies, accessories, and pricing structures. Bay Alarm Medical is more affordable, and the enhanced tech in Medical Guardian’s devices makes them easier to use when it counts. We’re calling it a draw since the best choice depends on which of those two factors matters most to you.

We’ll list the similarities, break down the differences, and share our testing insight to help you choose the best medical alert system for yourself or a loved one.

Medical Guardian offers more products than Bay Alarm Medical—especially in terms of mobile devices—and includes a voice-activation option. Medical Guardian’s systems also feature better technical specifications, such as longer battery life and Wi-Fi-assisted GPS, which translates to a better experience overall.

Read our Medical Guardian review to learn more.

Bay Alarm Medical’s equipment fees and monthly rates are more affordable than Medical Guardian’s (see our medical alert systems comparison). There’s no equipment charge for any of its in-home systems, and its mobile GPS device costs about $45 less than Medical Guardian’s.

Bay Alarm Medical provides a great entry-level system, but we experienced slower-than-average answer times, short signal ranges, and poor battery life during testing. 

Read our Bay Alarm Medical review to learn more.

Medical Guardian and Bay Alarm Medical’s features, policies, and equipment overlap in many ways. Here’s what you can expect from both companies.

• Landline options
• AT&T cellular coverage

• Free spouse coverage
• No activation or installation fees
• No extra charge for caregiver app
• In-home fall detection for an extra $10/month

• 32-hour back-up battery
• One type of fall detection sensor (tri-axial accelerometer)
• Location tracking and battery alerts on caregiver app
• No medication reminders or motion alerts
• TMA Five-Diamond certified monitoring centers

The sheer number of similarities makes it tough to choose between Medical Guardian and Bay Alarm Medical, but we’ve found the two major differences that’ll clarify your choice: price versus equipment.

• If you want the lowest prices, go with Bay Alarm Medical.
• If you’re willing to spend a little extra to get equipment with a longer range, better battery life, and innovative tech, choose Medical Guardian.

Bay Alarm Medical’s annual cost is lower than Medical Guardian’s, even after buying extra equipment.

Medical Guardian charges a monthly fee for its accessories, making it the cheaper option for short-term use. Because Bay Alarm Medical sells most of its accessories for a flat rate, it’s more expensive up front but more affordable each month. After about one year, the cost difference balances out in Bay Alarm’s favor.

You’ll save $10 per month on a landline system by choosing Bay Alarm Medical versus Medical Guardian. And if you want a cellular system, Bay Alarm saves you around $125 up front and $5 per month.

To review Bay Alarm Medical versus Medical Guardian, we compared the two brands across 36 criteria. We also tested the performance of Bay Alarm Medical equipment. Learn more about our methodology.

• How to Choose a Medical Alert System
• Types of Medical Alert Systems and How They Work
• Medical Alerts with the Best Battery Life
• Best Medical Alert Systems with GPS
• Lifeline vs. Medical Guardian