Comparing the Apple Watch and Life Alert is like comparing apples to oranges — they are nothing alike except for a few things. Having tested both, though, we found that they can provide safety to seniors. Just in a totally different way. So, in this comparison, we’ll discuss and compare our experiences with the Apple Watch and Life Alert to help you decide which is better for senior safety.
You might think that the Apple Watch is nothing but an Apple-made smartwatch. But, looking at its features closely, we know it’s capable of pretty great things for medical emergency detection. It comes with built-in features like GPS tracking and fall detection, which are things we commonly see from mobile medical alert systems — including the Life Alert HELP on-the-go + GPS.
That said, neither the Apple Watch nor the Life Alert mobile device made our list of the best medical alert systems of 2025. They didn’t even make our list of the best mobile medical alert systems. That should tell you that there are holes in their services, but can they at least provide safety to seniors? And, if so, which of them is better? We’ll answer those questions as we discuss our experience testing both devices side-by-side.
Who's Our Top Pick? If you want the best service overall, we’d suggest reading our Bay Alarm Medical review. It’s our highest-ranked medical alert system that offers traditional systems (like Life Alert) and a medical alert smartwatch with functions designed specifically for older adults. That smartwatch also made our list of the best medical alert devices you can wear as a watch.
Overview: Apple Watch vs. Life Alert
We should make it clear that Apple doesn’t advertise its smartwatch as a medical alert device, though it comes with some useful features. But, to us, that’s the appeal. It’s not a device designed just for seniors and users with a medical condition. It’s a stylish and functional smartwatch.
Life Alert, on the other hand, offers systems designed specifically for medical emergency detection. They have at-home and on-the-go systems; the former is for users who spend most of their time at home, and the latter offers mobile medical emergency monitoring.
From that alone we can tell that Life Alert is going to be the more well-rounded solution for most older adults looking for a medical alert system. But, don’t count the Apple Watch out yet. Let’s delve deeper into what they can each do, how much they cost, and their upsides and downsides.
>> Further Reading: What to Look for When Buying a Medical Alert System
Apple Watch vs. Life Alert: Costs
To keep the comparison as close as possible, let’s compare the Apple Watch to Life Alert’s mobile medical alert system: HELP on-the-go + GPS.
With an Apple Watch, all you need is the equipment plus a cellular plan to get help when needed. The latest model with GPS and cellular built in starts at $499 — or about $42 per month over 12 months if you choose financing. A cellular plan from major cell carriers starts at about $10 per month. That means, over the first year, expect the cost to be around $620 to $650. But, since that covers the equipment price, the cost should go down significantly in the second year and onward.
FYI: If your Apple Watch is a GPS-only model, you can still use emergency calling by connecting it to your iPhone — as long as your iPhone has a cellular plan.
| Apple Watch Costs | Apple Watch Series 10 |
|---|---|
| Equipment Cost | $499 (GPS + Cellular Version) |
| Monthly Cost | ~$10 to $12 (Cost of Cellular Plan) |
| Estimated Cost Over the First Year | $620 to $650 |
| Estimated Cost Over the Second Year | ~$120 to ~$145 |
That might sound expensive, but, surprisingly, a mobile medical alert system from Life Alert can cost you more. There’s no equipment fee because the devices are leased, not owned. However, you’ll have to pay a monthly fee worth around $90 to cover the cost of the lease and monitoring. There’s also a one-time membership fee — in our case, it was $197.
| Life Alert Costs | HELP on-the-go + GPS |
|---|---|
| Equipment Cost | $0 (Leased) |
| Monthly Cost | $89.95 (Lease + Monitoring) |
| One-Time Membership Cost | $197 |
| Estimated Cost Over the First Year | $1,275 |
| Estimated Cost Over the Second Year | $1,080 |
You should also consider the fact that Life Alert, unlike the Apple Watch, requires a contract — usually three years. That means, if you sign up, you should be ready to pay the monthly fee for the next three years. With an Apple Watch, the only contract is with the cellular provider, and the cost is several times lower.
Winner: Strictly comparing just the price, the Apple Watch is more affordable. While it requires an initial hardware investment higher than any medical alert systems we’ve tested, the monthly cost is really low.
>> Other Options: The Most Affordable Medical Alert Systems of 2025
Apple Watch vs. Life Alert: How They Work During Emergencies
The Apple Watch may be cheaper, but can it work like the Life Alert mobile system can as a medical alert system?
How the Apple Watch Works
Testing the Apple Watch as a makeshift medical alert system showed us that it’s capable of keeping older adults safe at home and outside. The main feature here is Emergency SOS — press the side button, hold for three seconds, and it will connect you to 911 emergency services. Again, all you need is a cellular plan.
The Apple Watch can double as a personal safety device with the Emergency SOS function.
The key thing to remember is that it calls 911, not a dedicated call center for medical emergencies. This means you might have to explain what’s going on to the operator so they know to send medical emergency responders your way, not police or fire. However, that’s not always possible, such as in cases like a stroke or epilepsy.
>> Learn More: Medical Alert Systems for People With Epilepsy
Another thing is that 911 operators don’t have access to your medical history, something a dedicated medical alert system provider such as Life Alert will have on file if you sign up. On the bright side, you can input your medical profile into your Apple Watch and choose to share it during an emergency call. You can (and should) also set the Apple Watch to display your profile so that on-site responders can access it.
How Life Alert Works
As a dedicated medical alert system, the Life Alert mobile system connects you to its call center that has access to your medical history when the emergency button is pressed. That’s as simple as it gets. Additionally, since the device has GPS, they can easily locate you.
>> Other Options: The Best Medical Alert Systems With GPS
The Life Alert HELP on-the-go + GPS pendants.
One great thing about Apple Watch’s Emergency SOS is you can speak directly with 911 operators using the device. But, the thing is, you can do the same with Life Alert’s mobile unit. It has two-way talk and cellular capabilities built in. We also noted that the speakers on the Life Alert mobile unit are larger (and thus louder) than the speakers on the Apple Watch. This one’s a pretty minor difference, but it makes Life Alert better if the emergency occurs in a loud, crowded area.
Winner: No question, Life Alert is the winner. While the Apple Watch also has GPS and two-way talk, Life Alert’s mobile system is better equipped to provide help during emergencies.
Life Alert vs. Apple Watch: Extra Features
Most medical alert systems come with add-on features such as fall detection, extra help buttons, and things like a lockbox for your spare keys so emergency responders can gain access to your home during emergencies.
We didn’t expect the Apple Watch to have much of these extra features, and it doesn’t. It has fall detection, but, in our experience, it’s not as reliable as fall detection help buttons from traditional medical alert systems. It also has a reminder app that users can utilize to help remember when to take medications and an activity tracker to help seniors stay active.
>> Our Top Picks: The Best Medical Alert Systems With Fall Detection
Life Alert’s wall-mounted help button with two-way voice.
That said, if you thought Life Alert would be the easy winner here, you’re wrong. Life Alert is one of the very few medical alert systems without fall detection. It also doesn’t offer many of the extra features we’ve seen from other brands. The only extra feature we found noteworthy is the wall-mounted help button with two-way voice. It’s water-resistant and was designed to go in places where a fall might occur — like in the shower or at the bottom of the stairs — and it has two-way voice so users can talk to the monitoring center via the button itself.
Winner: It’s a tie; the Apple Watch and Life Alert both fall short when it comes to extra features.
Life Alert vs. Apple Watch: Our Recommendations
After testing both Life Alert and the Apple Watch for medical emergency monitoring, it’s clear that they are for different types of audiences. So, while we think Life Alert is better as a medical alert system, we can also recommend the Apple Watch as a workaround for some users.
Who We Recommend the Apple Watch For
The Emergency SOS feature can come in handy for users who already have an Apple Watch (or are planning to get one) and need only a general safety device. It’s not a specialized device for seniors or individuals prone to medical emergencies, but it’s a great backup for healthier, more active seniors. In fact, it’s not just for seniors. We think Emergency SOS is great for everyone. It connects you to 911, so it’s not just for medical emergencies. It’s a personal safety device.
Who We Recommend Life Alert For
On the other hand, we recommend Life Alert for people who need specialized care, especially older adults who might need a way to reach emergency help from home or while outside. Aside from their mobile system, the HELP on-the-go + GPS, they have an at-home medical alert system for seniors who spend most of their time at home.
Life Alert also offers products designed specifically with senior needs in mind, like the wall-mounted help button with two-way talk.
Is Life Alert or the Apple Watch the Right Fit For You?
Between the two, we recommend Life Alert more than the Apple Watch for users looking for a medical alert system. That said, we don’t think either of them is the best for most users. The Apple Watch is simply not specialized enough to become a dedicated medical alert system, and Life Alert is expensive and lacking important features such as fall detection.
So what do we recommend? A few other brands come to mind. One is Bay Alarm, as mentioned earlier, because it offers dedicated medical alert systems and a medical alert smartwatch. Medical Guardian offers those, too. See our Bay Alarm Medical vs. Medical Guardian comparison to compare the two.
