ADT Medical Alert System Review 2024, Tested and Reviewed

Pros & Cons

Overview of ADT Medical Alert

The Buying Experience

Although ADT Medical Alert spells out their medical alert systems and pricing on their website, I wanted to dig up more information, so I gave them a call. After a quick automated response, I was connected with a sales agent named Emir who patiently answered my questions. For any medical alert system, it’s important to me that the company offers language support. When I asked Emir if they offered this, he responded that they would do their best to provide assistance in my preferred language but that it wasn’t guaranteed.

He explained that receiving immediate help is more important than trying to find someone who speaks my preferred language during an emergency. While I appreciate that ADT Medical Alert prioritizes getting help to their subscribers quickly, I wondered if communication gaps could hinder this good intention.

After ending the conversation with Emir, I realized that I forgot to ask about the cost of adding fall detection, so I tried out ADT Medical Alert’s live chat feature on the website. A bot asked some preliminary questions before connecting me with a representative who informed me that fall detection costs $11 per month, which is a little higher than the standard for the industry.

ADT Medical Alert offers online promotions and discounts throughout the year, so I’d recommend ordering online after chatting with customer service.

Charging my On-The-Go Emergency Response ADT Medical Alert system

Setting Up My System

Medical Alert Plus Setup

I began the setup process with Medical Alert Plus, which included a base station and a pendant help button. To start, I plugged the cellular base unit into an electrical outlet in my living room before turning on the base station’s On/Off switch. The display screen on the base station flashed “System Ready” after I turned it on. During my initial setup test, I pressed and held the test button for three seconds, and it lit up green. “User Auto Test” then flashed across the screen. Next, I pressed the emergency help pendant, and the display changed to “Test Call Sent to Emergency Response Center.” The center acknowledged my test, and the base unit indicated “User Auto Test Completed.”

On-The-Go Setup

As for setting up the On-The-Go system, I plugged in the charging cradle, placed the mobile device on it, and watched a yellow light flash. The mobile device beeped and illuminated within 10 seconds before the red battery light came on, indicating that the device needed to be charged. Three hours and a marathon of “The Office” later, I checked that the red light had turned off.

Expert Insights

From Taylor Shuman, Senior Tech Expert

Avoid setting up the base unit or cradle charger in the kitchen, as small appliances could interfere with signal transmission. Instead, place it in a centralized area or room where you spend most of your time.

For testing, I pressed the emergency button on the mobile unit for two seconds until a red light around the button lit up, and the device rang. An operator answered, and I let them know that I was testing the system. I also performed a range test with my partner. I wore the help button pendant and went to the farthest area of my house (our office) while my partner stayed by the cradle charger in the living room. The mobile device on the cradle charger beeped, and an operator came on the line. My partner let them know that we were performing a range test, and we gave each other a thumbs up for a job well done.

Contracts and Warranty

ADT offers a lifetime warranty called the Premium Protection plan that covers normal wear and tear, an industry standard. If your unit is damaged by dust, heat, humidity, or accidental drops and spills, you can receive replacements for a discounted rate. If equipment is lost, you’ll be subject to replacing the device at full cost. Many providers offer some kind of protection plan that includes other perks or discounts. If you think this is necessary for a loved one (for example, for someone living with dementia), take a look at our Medical Alert review.

ADT Medical Alert doesn’t offer a free trial period like many other providers. However, if you decide to cancel your service, they will reimburse you for any unused days in the billing cycle. They also send a prepaid mailing label, so you don’t have to pay for return shipping.

ADT Medical Alert Systems at a Glance

*Requires a month-to-month agreement and $99 activation fee. Excludes taxes. First month monitoring (three months with quarterly billing OR twelve months with annual billing) due at time of purchase. For additional details, see here.

ADT Medical Alert System and Product Details

Medical Alert Basic

Cost

Medical Alert Basic starts at $31.99 per month. It is the cheapest system ADT Medical Alert offers. However, this basic landline system is $5 to $10 more expensive than many other brands. For comparison, MobileHelp's costs start at $24.95 per month for in-home systems.

Setting up ADT Medical Alert’s Medical Alert Basic system

Equipment

This system comes with an in-home base unit and a wearable wrist or neck help button. During an emergency, press the help button on the base unit, wristband, or pendant to connect to ADT’s 24/7 monitoring center. You can then use the two-way speaker on the base unit to tell the live operator what’s wrong, and help will be on the way.

While you are wearing the pendant, you need to be within 300 feet of the base unit. This range is somewhat restrictive, as other companies we’ve reviewed, such as LifeFone, offer range capabilities up to 1,300 feet with similar in-home systems. One extra feature not seen on many other base units is temperature monitoring, which alerts you if your home temperature drops below or rises above a normal level.

Service and Monitoring

The Medical Alert Basic system is a solid match for homebodies or those who live in areas with poor cell reception, as it’s an at-home system that runs on a landline connection. The drawback to the Medical Alert Basic is that you can’t add fall detection to your system. This could pose a problem for seniors at higher risk of falling, such as those living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Parkinson’s disease, or diabetes.

Medical Alert Plus

Cost

If you need an at-home system but enjoy spending time in your backyard, whether you’re gardening or playing with your furry companions, I recommend upgrading to Medical Alert Plus for an additional $8 per month. At $39.99 per month, I think this at-home system provides significant value over the Basic system (more details below).

ADT Medical Alert’s Medical Alert Plus system

Equipment

I found the base unit on the Plus less medical-looking and clunky than the Basic system’s base unit. It looks more contemporary and has a display screen that shows important metrics, such as the device’s connectivity status and battery level. Also, for many older adults who live with hearing loss, the voice prompts are loud (as in, you can hear them from the other side of the house loud!). And you can always read the system’s status on the display screen as well.

While the range between the help button and base unit is more extensive on the Plus system than the Basic system, its 600-foot range is still on the average-to-low side compared to other similar systems. Still, depending on the size of your yard or house, it may be all you need. And like the Basic system, the Plus includes temperature monitoring, an extra security feature.

Service and Monitoring

While Medical Alert Plus works much like the Basic system, it uses ADT Medical Alert’s AT&T cellular connection rather than a landline. And I was happy to see that for an additional $11 per month, I had the option to add fall detection.

On-The-Go

Cost

Priced at $41.99 per month, On-The-Go is similar in price to many other mobile systems that we have reviewed. Of the three systems, the On-The-Go is most in line with industry pricing standards.

Unboxing my On-The-Go Emergency Response system from ADT Medical Alert

Equipment

In my opinion, ADT Medical Alert’s On-The-Go is the most comprehensive safety system in their lineup. It’s great for active seniors who like long jogs or walks around the neighborhood. The system is wearable, includes GPS location tracking, and isn’t limited by the requirements of a base unit, so you won’t have to worry about going out of range.

When I unboxed the On-The-Go system, I found a help pendant, a palm-sized mobile device, and a cradle charger. The mobile device is water-resistant and lasts up to 40 hours after a full three-hour charge on the cradle, so you’ll want to take the charger with you if you plan to be away from home for more than a day.

Service and Monitoring

On-The-Go operates on AT&T’s cellular connection, so you can use it wherever there is reliable service. Fall detection is available as an add-on, but, unfortunately, ADT Medical Alert doesn’t offer a companion mobile app. This perk enables caregivers to track an older loved one’s location in the event of an emergency. If you’re interested in a system that includes this added benefit, take a look at our Aloe Care Health review.

Add-On Features and Accessories

ADT Medical Alert keeps it pretty simple with extra products and services. Their short a la carte menu includes the following items.

Automatic Fall Detection

You can access the fall detection feature using a separate pendant. The fall detection pendant is designed to automatically signal for help even when you can’t move or speak. During testing, I dropped the pendant in my living room to simulate a fall. I waited about 20 seconds before the fall detection pendant picked up the movement and alerted ADT Medical Alert’s emergency response center. There’s no guarantee that fall detection will identify 100 percent of falls, so it is recommended that you press the help button if you’re able to.

My automatic fall detection pendant from ADT Medical Alert

Waterproof Wall Mount Button

The waterproof buttons for at-home systems enable you to call for help when you don’t have access to the pendant or base station. During an emergency, just press the button; it will automatically connect to the base unit and call for help.

Expert Insights

From Taylor Shuman, Senior Tech Expert

If you add ADT Medical Alert’s wall mount button to your medical alert system, place it in a high-risk area, like the bottom of a staircase or in the bathroom. This ensures that you have an added layer of protection in places where falls are more likely to occur.

The good news is that ADT is currently offering its wall mount buttons for free when you order online! You only have to pay $9 per quarter for the additional monitoring.

Lockbox

Lockboxes ensure that emergency medical services (EMS) can enter your home safely without damaging your door by keeping a spare door key accessible. ADT Medical Alert’s lockboxes are rust-free and have a lifetime warranty. All you have to do is set a personal combination and notify the ADT Medical Alert’s team so they can register the lockbox on your account. Each lockbox costs $29.99. If you pay annually, a free lockbox is included with your purchase.

Additional Help Button

For $5 per month plus a one-time $14.99 equipment charge, you can purchase an extra help button. This extra for at-home systems is most valuable for couples or households with more than one older adult. It’s not quite a two-for-one deal, but pretty close. You can order the help button with either a lanyard or a black or white wristband.

Leather Case

ADT Medical Alert offers a handy leather case with the On-The-Go system. For an extra $10, you can add this pouch to your order. It includes a compact belt clip, so you can easily carry your device around while you’re out and about.

ADT vs. the Competition

Overall, ADT’s medical alert products are reliable, easy to use, and priced to align with the industry standard. I appreciate, for example, that ADT Medical Alert’s On-The-Go system has GPS tracking, which is an important feature for older adults with cognitive issues or who are prone to wandering. And I like that adding extra emergency help buttons to your system is very affordable ($15 upfront and $5 per month for monitoring). There are a few areas, however, where competitors outshine ADT.

ADT’s Basic home system’s base unit range is pretty unremarkable at 600 feet. But I did find that the system worked well throughout my home, though it’s fairly small. For comparison’s sake, MobileHelp’s home range is 1,400 feet — greater than many others on the market, which typically have a 1,000-foot to 1,300-foot range. I also wish ADT offered a companion caregiver app, which is a nice feature that can increase peace of mind. (Bay Alarm Medical, Aloe Care, Lively, and Medical Guardian offer a caregiver app.)

Another drawback for some older adults is that response agents who speak languages other than English don’t appear to be available, according to the agent we spoke with. If language options are important to you or a loved one, you might want to consider Medical Guardian or MobileHelp instead.

When considering costs, note that ADT charges a $99 activation fee – but that isn’t unusual. Lifeline, for example, charges a $50 activation fee and a $49.95 programming fee, so the total cost is about the same. It’s also nice that, like MobileHelp, ADT Medical Alert offers a 30-day risk-free trial.

ADT Medical Alert systems might be appealing to seniors familiar with ADT as a venerable and trustworthy brand. I was impressed by the performance of the On-The-Go system, so ADT could be a great choice for active seniors who spend a lot of time outside the home. We also recommend ADT Medical Alert for couples, as adding a spouse to a plan is very affordable.

Our Methodology

I spent more than 50 hours researching and testing ADT Medical Alert’s systems, taking into account several key factors seniors should consider when selecting a system. These criteria include reliability, ease of use, customer service, value for money, response times, and available features. I also solicit feedback from older adults whenever possible.

Here’s more about the criteria I used to test ADT’s medical alert systems. You can also visit our medical alert system methodology page for a closer look at our testing process and how we determine our star ratings.

• Features and functions: First and foremost, I tested whether each device and its features work the way they’re supposed to. This includes testing how comfortable and unobtrusive (and heavy) wearables are. I also evaluated them for durability, accessibility, reliability, and ease of use.
• Response times: Consistent response times are important for seniors to gauge how quickly help could arrive in the event of real emergencies. I conducted 10 test calls to find average response times. I tested my systems at home, on walks, and while running errands.
• Customer service: Once you get an agent on the phone, how efficient, courteous, and compassionate are the ADT operators? Are they easy to understand and patient, and are they able to help quickly? Do they verify your identity for security reasons? Those are some of the factors I considered in this review.
• Fall detection: No fall detection product is perfect, but I rigorously tested this important feature so older adults at risk of falls know how reliable and accurate these devices are.
• Pricing: In my testing process, I made note of all costs associated with a medical alert system, including one-time or ongoing equipment fees, activation and other fees, and monthly monitoring costs.
• The buying experience: I considered the online buying experience, along with how knowledgeable and courteous sales agents were via phone and chat. I also paid attention to how quickly systems are shipped and arrive.
• Ease of setup: I appreciate medical alert systems that are easy to install, so I noted how clear and helpful the company’s setup directions and product manuals were. I set up each system in the living room of my 1,400-square foot, two-story home.
• Industry research and comparison: My tech team and I keep an updated database on product evaluations that we cross-reference with each new product we review. We always try to give readers an accurate picture of how the system we’re reviewing stacks up against the competition.

The Bottom Line on ADT Medical Alert

ADT Medical Alert’s systems provide basic, reliable protection and monitoring. These systems are great for someone in good health who wants extra reassurance. I can’t say that ADT Medical Alert shines in all areas. I would have liked to see fall detection offered with all the systems and a companion app to assist caregivers. ADT’s prices for their basic at-home systems are also a bit high compared to competitors, although they regularly offer discounts on their systems and free shipping.

However, adding home temperature monitoring to their systems was a nice bonus. ADT is most well known for its home security systems, but after incorporating their medical alert systems into my daily life, I can say that they offer adequate alert systems when compared to the other big names in the industry.