GetSafe Medical Alert Review

Despite a recent price hike, GetSafe's still an affordable medical alert—not to mention effective.
Affordable medical alert system
Get Safe
4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5
Starts at
$27.95
/mo
  • pro
    Voice-activated button
  • pro
    Flat monthly fee for all plans
  • con
    Upfront equipment fee
Cathy Habas
Nov 03, 2022
Icon Time To Read7 min read

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

GetSafe medical alert systems are self-installed, streamlined, and affordable. It takes only a few minutes to set up a GetSafe system, and its monitoring professionals are polite and responsive.

While you do need to pay an initial equipment fee for a GetSafe medical alert system, the professional monitoring service is the same from package to package. So whether you’re opting for the smallest or largest kit, it’s $27.95 every month after that.

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This week's GetSafe deals

🔥 GetSafe is currently offering 10% off select medical alert system plans+ free shipping for new customers!  

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

pro
Pros
pro Flat monthly fee
pro Voice-activation in all plans
pro Non-wearable options
pro 30-day risk-free trial
pro Generous starter plan
con
Cons
con Up-front equipment cost
con No landline option

GetSafe pricing 

Even though GetSafe recently raised its rates, it's still among the most affordable medical alert systems. For around $80 down and $27.95 per month, you can get started. Compared to fee-heavy systems like Life Alert, GetSafe offers better value for better equipment.

Plus, the in-home monitoring price doesn’t change with the number of accessories you buy. It costs $27.95 to have your system monitored, whether you have two buttons or ten.

The only exception to that flat-rate monitoring fee is if you buy a Mobile GPS Help Button. It costs an extra $20 per month to monitor, $5 per month for caregiver tracking, and another $5 per month for fall detection.

Compare GetSafe medical alert packages

Package name
Equipment cost
Monthly cost
Home size
Standard wall button
Voice-activated wall button
Learn more
$79
0-1 bedroomsNone1
$179
2-3 bedrooms12
$279
4+ bedrooms23

Info as of post date. Offers and availability subject to change.

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GetSafe medical alert equipment

GetSafe’s medical alert system includes must-haves like an emergency call pendant and base station with each product package. But it’s the only medical alert kit we’ve encountered that adds more advanced equipment to sweeten the deal. If you’ve tried a medical alert system and found the wearables uncomfortable, the wall buttons are a great alternative.

Base station

The GetSafe base station uses a cellular connection—no landline required. It features a loud two-way speaker so you can clearly hear the monitoring center agents when you need help.

Place it in a central location in your home to ensure the standard wall button and optional wearable button stay within range. The GetSafe base station communicates with those accessories across a maximum of 1,300 feet.

Standard wall button 

GetSafe Medical Alert wall button

Most medical alert systems offer a wall button. GetSafe’s button is waterproof and has a cellular connection to your base station so that you can install it anywhere in your home. Experts recommend placing wall buttons in areas like the base of your stairs or the shower. The bright red button is easy to see and recessed into the device to reduce false alarms.

Extra wall buttons cost $35.

Voice-activated wall button

GetSafe voice activated emergency button

Like the name suggests, a voice-activated wall button lets you contact monitoring professionals by calling for help. This accessory can be a lifesaver, especially if you’ve fallen and can’t reach other medical alert buttons. But this particular device allows you to call for help three ways: say “Call 911, Call 911,” pull its cable, or press the button. It’s also waterproof and wireless, so you can place it anywhere in your home.

GetSafe is one of the few medical alert systems that includes a voice-enabled button in its starter kit. Most services consider this device an add-on, so we're impressed that it's included even in the most affordable plan.

Extra voice-activated buttons cost $79

Wearable lanyard button

GetSafe caters to people who don't want to wear a help button. Nonetheless, wearable pendants are a wise choice, ensuring that help is always within reach.

Just in case you come around to the idea of wearing a help button, GetSafe includes its lightweight lanyard button in every package.

Additional buttons can be purchased for $25 each, and the battery lasts 5 years.

Mobile GPS Help Button

GetSafe GPS emergency button

 The GetSafe Mobile GPS Help Button offers up to 120 hours of battery life, and works with AT&T’s 4G LTE network. When you press the button, you’ll connect with a monitoring professional through the two-way audio.

GetSafe's Mobile GPS Help Button costs $99 upfront and an extra $20 per month to monitor. Adding fall detection monitoring costs an additional $10 per month.

A caregiver tracking app is also available. It's included with fall detection monitoring. Otherwise, the caregiver app costs an extra $5 per month.

All in all, it's not our favorite GPS medical alert device because it's more expensive than similar models from other brands.

Vial of Life

The Vial of Life is a small booklet enclosed in a protective plastic sheath. Fill out the health and emergency information on the inner pages to give emergency responders critical information about how to safely treat you.

It has a magnet on the back so you can stick it on the fridge. First responders know to look there for the Vial of Life. 

GetSafe sells the Vial of Life for $8.95. We recommend buying one for every person in your home.

Lockbox

A lockbox holds a spare key to your home. The GetSafe monitors know the code and give it to first responders during an emergency. This saves precious time and also prevents damage to your door from forced entry.

GetSafe's lockbox costs $30. Tell GetSafe what you'd like the code to be, and they'll pre-program it for you.

Our GetSafe testing experience

The GetSafe medical alert system setup in tester Cathy Habas's home.

Image: Cathy Habas, SafeWise

We conducted hands-on testing with the GetSafe base station, voice-activated wall button, standard wall button, and in-home wearable button. Here are our main takeaways.

  • Setup is very easy: plug in the base station and flip a switch. 
  • Pairing accessories is also easy: press and hold a button on the side of the base station and then press the accessory button.
The GetSafe voice-activated wall button's status light blinks red during one of senior safety expert Cathy Habas's test calls.

Image: Cathy Habas, SafeWise

  • Canceling an active alarm didn't work for us. The instruction manual says to press the Reset button on the base station to cancel an active alarm. We followed those directions but still ended up talking to someone from the monitoring center. Fortunately, there's no penalty for a false alarm.
  • Using the voice activation device was a breeze. You just have to say "Call 911" twice. We wish the status light would blink every time it recognized what we said, but that's a nit-pick. 
  • Audio quality was better on the base station than on the voice-activated unit, which sounded a bit fuzzy. 
  • Likewise, the volume on the base station was louder than the volume on the voice-activated unit. There are no volume controls on either device.
  • The professional monitors quickly answered our calls. In fact, they were the speediest responders of all the medical alert brands we tested, answering our calls in an average of 28 seconds.

GetSafe customer service 

GetSafe has several resources if you need assistance or have questions. The website offers a live chat feature that puts you in touch with a customer representative. You can also speak to a customer rep on the phone. And there's an FAQ and support section on the site.

The customer service that matters most is GetSafe’s emergency response. When you press an emergency button, you’ll get a quick response from one of GetSafe’s monitoring professionals. These pros are polite, responsive, and helpful.

It’s essential to have a reassuring voice on the other line in an emergency, and that’s precisely what GetSafe provides with medical alert and home security services. The only drawback is that Get Safe doesn't offer multilingual support, which can be a dealbreaker for some families.

GetSafe vs. the competition

GetSafe’s Starter Kit comes with one voice-activated wall button, a base station, and a pendant. It costs a little more up-front than systems like Bay Alarm Medical’s landline kit, but you get more equipment for the price.

So although GetSafe isn’t the cheapest medical alert system, it does deliver the best value of all the systems we’ve reviewed. Sure, you’ll have to pay more upfront for any of the equipment packages, but after that, it’s only $27.95 per month.

Bay Alarm Medical’s cheapest system is only a few dollars less and requires a landline for that low price. Medical Guardian costs more than both systems for all the standard features. All three charge the same rate for fall detection in your equipment, but that extra $10 per month can save you in a dire situation.

Learn more in our head-to-head comparisons:

Compare GetSafe to other medical alert companies

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

Data as of post date. Offers and availability subject to change.

Final word

GetSafe offers more equipment for your money than most medical alert systems. You get the standards like a base station and wearable alert button, but it also includes wall buttons (a major perk if you don’t like wearables).

We like the affordable flat rate for professional monitoring, and the folks you get on the other line are professional and helpful in an emergency. If the downpayment for the equipment doesn’t bother you, GetSafe is worth a look.

GetSafe FAQ

Yes, both the wall buttons and wearables are waterproof. Slippery surfaces in showers and bathtubs can lead to falls and accidents, so it’s especially important to have some source of help.

It’s understandable to budget your cash, but falls are a serious threat to seniors of all activity levels. Most medical alert systems, including GetSafe, charge $10 per month for devices that can sense a fall. These sensors call for help if they detect sudden changes in height, speed, and pressure that resemble a real fall.

Whether you’re home or away, there are several ways first responders can find you. Your home base and its accessories are tied to your home address, so when you call for help, the monitoring professionals will send emergency responders to your home. If you’re out and about, a GPS pendant can help pinpoint your location. Some medical alert systems are better than others when it comes to locating you remotely. Philips Lifeline, for example, uses five types of locating technology to find you in an emergency, making it a smart choice for active adults.

Traditionally, medical alert and home security systems connect to monitoring centers through your home’s landline. While you can still find a system that uses your home phone connection, cellular monitoring has become popular in recent years.

Cellular monitoring uses radio signals to connect your devices. You won’t have to worry about your medical alert system affecting your cellphone bill. They run separately from your home or personal phone line. Systems like this allow you to place sensors and buttons anywhere in your home, making it ideal for active adults or anyone in a larger house.

How we reviewed GetSafe 

The GetSafe medical alert system setup in tester Cathy Habas's home.

Image: Cathy Habas, SafeWise

We tested GetSafe's medical alert equipment hands-on. We also dove deep into the world of medical alert systems such as GetSafe, Life Alert, Bay Alarm Medical, and more.

During this process, we compared prices, equipment features, and customer service reviews to learn more about them. We combed through GetSafe’s instruction manuals and product lists, as well as dozens of positive and negative reviews from real customers. By comparing GetSafe to similar services, we got a better picture of who this service works best for and what to watch out for when shopping for a medical alert system.

Learn more about how we wrote this and other reviews by reading our full methodology.

Related articles on SafeWise

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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