On this page14 sections
- Ratings and complaints
- Bay Alarm Medical vs. competitors
- Pricing
- Step by step
- Bay Alarm Medical legitimacy and licensing
- How much Bay Alarm Medical costs
- What you get: devices, fall detection and monitoring
- Bay Alarm Medical complaints and how to avoid problems
- How to cancel Bay Alarm Medical
- Medical alert scams to watch for
- Who should pick something else
- What customers say
- Alternatives
- FAQ
Bay Alarm Medical holds an A+ from the BBB with 18 complaints in three years and a 4.8 out of 5 on Trustpilot, a lighter complaint record than most rivals. It is a legitimate medical alert company, launched in 2007 by the family that has run Bay Alarm in California since 1946. Home systems cost $27.95 a month on a landline or $34.95 on cellular with a free leased base, but the mobile devices and smartwatch must be bought ($149 to $199 list), fall detection adds $10 a month, and you have to call to cancel. If you want low monthly pricing without a contract, it is one of the stronger choices; return the equipment with tracking when you cancel.
- Home system
- SOS Home $27.95 a month on a landline or $34.95 on cellular (AT&T or Verizon); base leased free and returned when you cancel, as listed October 20261
- Mobile and smartwatch
- SOS All-In-One 2 and SOS Micro $34.95 a month, SOS Smartwatch $39.95; device purchase required ($149 list for mobile units, $199 for the watch, discounted 20% to 40% in an October 2026 sale)1
- Fall detection
- $10 a month more on every device; the home cellular fall package adds a $30 fee for the extra fall button1
- Contract and trial
- No activation fee and no minimum term listed; 15-day trial from delivery, refund minus shipping; monthly, quarterly or annual billing1
- Cancellation
- By phone (online only after a death); home accounts close when the leased base is returned and inspected, about 2 to 3 weeks on average2
- Monitoring
- Two U.S. centers in Ogden, Utah and Rexburg, Idaho; UL-listed and CSAA (now TMA) Five Diamond per the company; 180 languages; company says response is typically under 45 seconds3
- Company
- Bay Alarm founded 1946 by the Westphal family; Bay Alarm Medical launched 2007; CEO and owner Matt Westphal; 1140 Galaxy Way, Suite 150, Concord, CA; part of the Balco Properties family of companies with GetSafe4
Pros
- Home systems from $27.95 a month with a free leased base and no activation fee
- No minimum term listed, plus a 15-day trial
- Light complaint record: A+ BBB rating and 18 complaints in three years
- Two U.S. monitoring centers with 180-language support
- Smartwatch and small wearable options with caregiver location tracking
Cons
- Mobile devices and the smartwatch must be bought, $149 to $199 list
- Cancelling requires a phone call, and closing a home account takes about 2 to 3 weeks
- You supply your own box and pay to ship the base back
- Warranty does not cover drops, water damage or power surges
- Fall detection adds $10 a month and can trigger false alarms
Best for: Older adults and families who want a low monthly price on a home or mobile system, no minimum term and a company with few formal complaints.
Skip it if: You want a mobile device with nothing to pay up front, need to cancel online, or already wear a smartwatch with fall detection and don't need a monitoring center.
Bay Alarm Medical vs. competitors
| Company | Starting monthly price | Fall detection | Upfront cost | Minimum term or trial | BBB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bay Alarm Medical | $27.95 (landline home) | $10 a month more | No activation fee; home base leased, mobile devices $149 to $199 list | No minimum stated; 15-day trial | A+, 18 complaints in 3 years |
| Medical Guardian | $27.95 (MGHome Landline) | $10 a month on home systems | Guardian Flex $149.95 list (shown free with promo); others leased | 3-month minimum; 15-day return on purchased devices | A+, 251 complaints in 3 years |
| Lifeline | $27.95 on annual plans, $29.95 month to month | $15 a month | $99.95 setup unless waived by promotion | No long-term contract; $50 fee to cancel a shipped order | A+, 163 complaints in 3 years |
| ADT Medical Alert | $39.99 (Plus) | $11 a month | $99 activation, often waived | Month to month; trial period not published | A (all ADT services) |
Bay Alarm Medical pricing at a glance
Bay Alarm Medical plans, as listed October 20261
| Device | Monthly | With fall detection | Device cost | 360 bundle (adds home system) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SOS Home, landline | $27.95 | Not listed online | Leased free, return on cancel | |
| SOS Home, cellular | $34.95 | $44.95 plus $30 fall button fee | Leased free, return on cancel | |
| SOS All-In-One 2 | $34.95 | $44.95 | $149 list ($89.40 on sale) | Not listed |
| SOS Micro | $34.95 | $44.95 | $149 list ($104.30 on sale) | $59.95 |
| SOS Smartwatch | $39.95 | $49.95 | $199 list ($159.20 on sale) | $64.95 |
Sale prices were from a time-limited Fall Savings Event. No activation fee. Free shipping and a free month on select plans require 3 and 11 months of paid service; cancel early and Bay Alarm deducts them from your refund. Bay Alarm says a 360 bundle saves $119.40 a year. Visa, Mastercard and Discover only, no American Express.
Bay Alarm Medical, step by step
Pick a device
Choose SOS Home for inside the house, SOS All-In-One 2 or SOS Micro for in and away from home, or the SOS Smartwatch. A short quiz on the site or a phone call can help you decide.
Choose a billing cycle and add-ons
Pay monthly, quarterly or annually, and add fall detection for $10 a month if you want it. Mobile devices and the watch are bought at checkout; the home base is leased.
Plug in and test
Plug in the base and switch it on, or charge the mobile device, then press the button to test a call with the monitoring center. Test range and volume in every room during the 15-day trial.
Use it in an emergency
Pressing the button connects you to an operator who can call your contacts or send emergency services. Mobile devices share your location, and caregivers can track it in the app.
Cancel by phone
Call to cancel, power down and ship the home base back with tracking, and keep the number until you get the final confirmation email.
Bay Alarm Medical legitimacy and licensing
Yes. Bay Alarm Medical is a real company in Concord, California, run by the Westphal family, which founded Bay Alarm in 1946. The family launched the dedicated medical alert company in 2007, and grandson Matt Westphal is now its owner and CEO. Bay Alarm Medical and its GetSafe brand are part of the Balco Properties family of companies, and the BBB lists about 500 employees.
Its record is strong for this industry. The BBB rates it A+, it has been accredited since 2009, and it has 18 complaints in the last three years. Trustpilot shows 4.8 out of 5 from 2,956 reviews, with 3% one star, though Trustpilot notes the company has not invited reviews recently and Bay Alarm replies to only 3% of negative ones. In our search we found no FTC or state attorney general action against Bay Alarm Medical.
Some claims on its site are the company’s own and we could not check them, including that it is rated highest in overall satisfaction by Consumer Reports members and that response times are typically under 45 seconds.
How much Bay Alarm Medical costs
Monitoring starts at $27.95 a month for SOS Home on a landline and $34.95 for SOS Home on cellular. The home base is leased at no charge, and there is no activation fee. The SOS All-In-One 2 and SOS Micro are also $34.95 a month, and the SOS Smartwatch is $39.95.
The catch is the hardware for mobile use. You must buy the All-In-One 2 or Micro ($149 list) or the Smartwatch ($199 list). In October 2026 a sale cut those to $89.40, $104.30 and $159.20, but sale prices change often. Fall detection adds $10 a month on every device, and the home cellular fall package also charges $30 for the extra fall button.
Paying quarterly or annually does not lower the monthly rate on the plans we saw, but promotions such as free shipping and a free month depend on how long you stay: Bay Alarm requires 3 months of paid service for free shipping and 11 months for a free month, and takes them out of your refund if you cancel sooner. Bay Alarm says its services are HSA and FSA eligible. Original Medicare does not cover medical alert systems; some Medicare Advantage, long-term care and private plans may, so check with your plan.
What you get: devices, fall detection and monitoring
- SOS Home: a base console with a wearable button for the wrist, waist or neck. The landline version needs a compatible phone line; the cellular version includes AT&T or Verizon service. Every new subscription includes a Vial of Life kit for listing medications and allergies for responders.
- SOS All-In-One 2: a mobile device with GPS and two-way talk; select packages add a waterproof help button to wear at home while the main unit charges.
- SOS Micro: a small wearable with two-way talk, location tracking and up to 36 hours of battery, per the company.
- SOS Smartwatch: a standalone watch on AT&T 4G LTE with GPS, two-way talk, step tracking and no phone required.
Mobile devices work with a caregiver tracking app that shows location, location history and low battery alerts. Calls go to two U.S. monitoring centers in Ogden, Utah and Rexburg, Idaho, which Bay Alarm says are UL-listed and hold the Five Diamond designation from CSAA (now The Monitoring Association). Operators can reach your contacts or send emergency services, and support 180 languages.
Fall detection is a backup, not a guarantee. No wearable catches every fall, and false alarms are a common complaint. If someone has fallen and is hurt and you can reach a phone, call 911 directly. If falls are becoming frequent, talk with a doctor or physical therapist about the cause.
What customers say about Bay Alarm Medical
Recurring themes across the review sites and complaint records listed above, not individual quotes.
Common praise
- Patient, polite customer service staff
- Quick phone answers and smooth fixes to account problems
- Simple setup and easy-to-use devices
- Peace of mind for families of older adults living alone
Common complaints
- Devices that failed to connect or malfunctioned when needed
- Fall detection that triggers false alarms
- Promised callbacks from managers that did not happen
- Narrow warranty coverage for damaged equipment
- Prepaid monitoring that was not refunded as expected
Bay Alarm Medical complaints and how to avoid problems
Reviews on Trustpilot are mostly positive, with praise for patient staff and easy setup. The complaints that do appear follow a pattern: devices that would not connect when needed, false fall alarms, managers who did not call back, warranty coverage that excludes damage, and prepaid months that customers expected back.
- Test the button in every room and outside during the 15-day trial, and send it back inside that window if range or sound is poor.
- Test the device monthly and keep mobile units charged; the caregiver app shows low battery alerts.
- If you prepay quarterly or annually, know that free shipping and free months are deducted from your refund if you leave early.
- Handle the device with care: the warranty covers wear and tear and defects, not drops, water damage, power surges or cut wires.
- Ship returns with tracking and keep the number until the account is closed in writing.
How to cancel Bay Alarm Medical
You can cancel at any time, but you have to call (1-877-522-9633, 8am to 5pm Pacific per the site). Online cancellation through the app or dashboard is only available after a death, and proof may be required. Bay Alarm says the phone requirement is to confirm the cancellation comes from the user, not an unauthorized family member.
For home systems, the account closes once the leased base is powered down, shipped back to 1140 Galaxy Way, Suite #150, Concord, CA 94520, and inspected. Bay Alarm does not send boxes or labels. The process takes about 2 to 3 weeks on average, and Bay Alarm says it refunds any service charges billed during that wait based on the postmark date. Wearable buttons and lockboxes only need to go back if you cancel during the 15-day trial. Prepaid quarterly and annual plans are prorated and refunded for unused months, minus shipping and any free-month promotion.
Medical alert scams to watch for
Robocalls offering a “free” medical alert system, often claiming a relative already paid for it, are a known scam. The FTC and Florida’s attorney general have shut down companies that used these calls to collect card numbers from seniors. Those cases did not involve Bay Alarm Medical, and Bay Alarm’s published code of ethics says it never cold calls non-customers to make a sale.
If someone calls you out of the blue about a medical alert device, hang up and call the company at the number on its official website. Report unwanted robocalls at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Who should pick something else
If you want a mobile pendant without buying the device, Medical Guardian has shown its Guardian Flex as free with a promo code, though it requires a three-month minimum. If you already wear a compatible Apple Watch, its built-in fall detection can call emergency services at no monthly cost, but nobody from a monitoring center will check on you or call your family. If you want a medical alert from the company that already protects your home, ADT sells one at a higher monthly price.
Alternatives to Bay Alarm Medical
- Medical Guardian Better if you want a GPS pendant without paying for the device up front and can accept a three-month minimum. Read review
- Lifeline Worth a look if a hospital or health plan refers you to it, though setup fees and fall detection cost more. Read review
- ADT Medical Alert An option if you already use ADT for home security and want one company for both, at a higher monthly price. Read review
- Apple Watch fall detection No monthly fee if you already own a compatible watch: it calls emergency services after a hard fall if you stay still, but there is no monitoring center and it needs cellular, Wi-Fi Calling or a nearby iPhone.
Bay Alarm Medical reviews
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Bay Alarm Medical cost a month?
As of October 2026, SOS Home is $27.95 a month on a landline and $34.95 on cellular. The All-In-One 2 and SOS Micro are $34.95 and the SOS Smartwatch is $39.95, plus the cost of the device. Fall detection adds $10 a month.
Does Bay Alarm Medical require a contract?
No minimum term is listed on its pricing or cancellation pages. You can pay monthly, quarterly or annually, and there is a 15-day trial from the day the system arrives.
Are there hidden fees or an activation fee?
There is no activation fee. The costs to know about are the device price for mobile units and the watch ($149 to $199 list), a $30 fee for the extra fall button on the home cellular fall package, and return shipping when you cancel.
How do I cancel Bay Alarm Medical?
Call 1-877-522-9633, then power down and ship the leased home base back with tracking. Accounts close after the base is inspected, which takes about 2 to 3 weeks; online cancellation is only for a death.
Do I get a refund if I cancel early?
Bay Alarm refunds unused prepaid months, minus shipping and any free-month promotion you received. Within the 15-day trial, you get your money back minus shipping once the equipment is returned.
Does Bay Alarm Medical have fall detection?
Yes, on every device for $10 a month more. Like all fall detection, it does not catch every fall and can send false alarms, so the wearer should still press the button when possible.
Do I need a landline?
No. SOS Home comes in a cellular version that includes AT&T or Verizon service, and the mobile devices and smartwatch run on cellular networks.
Where are Bay Alarm Medical's monitoring centers?
In Ogden, Utah and Rexburg, Idaho. Bay Alarm says both are UL-listed and hold the CSAA Five Diamond designation, and operators support 180 languages.
Does Medicare pay for Bay Alarm Medical?
Original Medicare (Parts A and B) does not cover medical alert systems. Some Medicare Advantage, long-term care and private insurance plans may, so ask your plan. Bay Alarm says its service is HSA and FSA eligible.
What is Bay Alarm Medical's BBB rating?
A+. It has been accredited since February 2009 and has 18 complaints in the last three years.
Sources (13)
Facts on this page come from company websites, government agencies and regulators, checked on the dates shown. Editorial standards
- Bay Alarm Medical: Pricing and FAQ (accessed October 12, 2026)
- Bay Alarm Medical: Cancellations (accessed October 12, 2026)
- Bay Alarm Medical: Home page (devices and monitoring) (accessed October 12, 2026)
- Bay Alarm Medical: About us, history and code of ethics (accessed October 12, 2026)
- BBB: Bay Alarm Medical business profile (accessed October 12, 2026)
- Trustpilot: Bay Alarm Medical reviews (accessed October 12, 2026)
- Apple App Store: Bay Alarm Medical (accessed October 12, 2026)
- FTC: Settlement with FTC and Florida Attorney General stops operations that used robocalls to sell medical alert devices (accessed October 12, 2026)
- Apple Support: Use Fall Detection with Apple Watch (accessed October 12, 2026)
- Medical Guardian: Medical alert system pricing (accessed October 12, 2026)
- BBB: Medical Guardian LLC business profile (accessed October 12, 2026)
- BBB: Lifeline business profile (accessed October 12, 2026)
- BBB: ADT Security Services business profile (accessed October 12, 2026)
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