LifeFone vs Medical Guardian

Here's how the two compare on what each company publishes, with prices checked Oct 25, 2026.

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	LifeFone	Medical Guardian
Devices we track	6	3
Lowest monthly price	$24.95/mo (LifeFone At-Home Landline)	$27.95/mo (Medical Guardian MGHome Landline)
Lowest 3-year cost with fall detection	$1078.20 (LifeFone At-Home Landline)	$1006.20+ (Medical Guardian MGHome Landline)
Device fee	None	Not stated
Fall detection	Extra monthly add-on	Extra monthly add-on
Works away from home	Yes, on mobile devices	Yes, on mobile devices
Smartwatch option	Yes	No
Month to month, no minimum term	Yes	Yes
Cancelling	No setup, activation or equipment charges; you can cancel at any time and get back unused prepaid charges once the equipment is returned.	No long-term contract and no activation fee; it issues pro-rated refunds for unused service, but a footnote says cancellation fees may apply.
	See LifeFone	See Medical Guardian

A + means a fee isn't published, so the real total is higher. Shaded cells are lower. Want two specific devices? Compare any two.

We also wrote up Medical Guardian vs LifeFone for a Parent Who Lives Alone.

LifeFone devices

LifeFone · At home

LifeFone At-Home Cellular

In-home coverage without a landline

Paid yearly: $30.95/mo ($371.40 a year)^src
Device fee: None
Fall detection: +$5/mo^src

Range up to 1,300 ft
32-hour backup battery
Cellular, no landline needed

Cancelling: No setup, activation or equipment charges; you can cancel at any time and get back unused prepaid charges once the equipment is returned.^src

View current priceChecked Oct 25, 2026

LifeFone · At home

LifeFone At-Home Landline

In-home coverage over a landline

Paid yearly: $24.95/mo ($299.40 a year)^src
Device fee: None
Fall detection: +$5/mo^src

Range up to 1,300 ft
32-hour backup battery
Needs a landline

Cancelling: No setup, activation or equipment charges; you can cancel at any time and get back unused prepaid charges once the equipment is returned.^src

View current priceChecked Oct 25, 2026

LifeFone · Watch

LifeFone Safe Watch Active

A smartwatch alert for a parent who would not wear a pendant

Paid yearly: $43.95/mo ($527.40 a year)^src
Device fee: None
Fall detection: Extra; price not published^src

Battery about 24 hours
GPS location

Cancelling: No setup, activation or equipment charges; you can cancel at any time and get back unused prepaid charges once the equipment is returned.^src

View current priceChecked Oct 25, 2026

LifeFone · Home and away

LifeFone VIP Active

An on-the-go button with optional location requests

Paid yearly: $37.95/mo ($455.40 a year)^{sources differ}
Device fee: None
Fall detection: +$5/mo^src

Battery up to 5 days
GPS location

Cancelling: No setup, activation or equipment charges; you can cancel at any time and get back unused prepaid charges once the equipment is returned.^src

View current priceChecked Oct 25, 2026

LifeFone · Home and away

LifeFone VIP flex

An on-the-go button worn several ways

Paid yearly: $39.95/mo ($479.40 a year)^src
Device fee: None
Fall detection: Extra; price not published^src

Battery up to 5 days
GPS location

Cancelling: No setup, activation or equipment charges; you can cancel at any time and get back unused prepaid charges once the equipment is returned.^src

View current priceChecked Oct 25, 2026

LifeFone · Home and away

LifeFone VIPx2

A long-battery mobile button with an optional caregiver app

Paid yearly: $39.95/mo ($479.40 a year)^src
Device fee: None
Fall detection: +$5/mo^src

Battery up to 18 days
GPS location

Cancelling: No setup, activation or equipment charges; you can cancel at any time and get back unused prepaid charges once the equipment is returned.^src

View current priceChecked Oct 25, 2026

Medical Guardian devices

Medical Guardian · Home and away

Medical Guardian Guardian Flex

A wearable for a parent who goes out, worn on a necklace or belt clip

Billed monthly: $44.95/mo^src
Paid yearly: $39.95/mo ($479.40 a year)
Device fee: Not stated
Fall detection: Extra; price not published^src

GPS location
Cellular, no landline needed

Cancelling: No long-term contract and no activation fee; it issues pro-rated refunds for unused service, but a footnote says cancellation fees may apply.^{sources differ}

View current priceChecked Oct 25, 2026

Medical Guardian · At home

Medical Guardian MGHome Cellular

In-home coverage without a landline

Billed monthly: $38.95/mo^src
Paid yearly: $34.95/mo ($419.40 a year)
Device fee: Not stated
Fall detection: Extra; price not published^src

Range up to 1,400 ft
32-hour backup battery
Cellular, no landline needed

Cancelling: No long-term contract and no activation fee; it issues pro-rated refunds for unused service, but a footnote says cancellation fees may apply.^{sources differ}

View current priceChecked Oct 25, 2026

Medical Guardian · At home

Medical Guardian MGHome Landline

In-home coverage over a landline

Billed monthly: $31.95/mo^src
Paid yearly: $27.95/mo ($335.40 a year)
Device fee: Not stated^{sources differ}
Fall detection: Extra; price not published^src

Range up to 1,400 ft
32-hour backup battery
Needs a landline

Cancelling: No long-term contract and no activation fee; it issues pro-rated refunds for unused service, but a footnote says cancellation fees may apply.^{sources differ}

View current priceChecked Oct 25, 2026

See our picks in the best medical alert systems, or rank every device by three-year cost.