The Best Long-Range Medical Alert Systems – Tested in 2025

Over half of older adults wish to age in place1 That means staying independent for as long as possible, and to do that, most need support in the event of medical emergencies. That’s where high-quality medical alert systems come in.

We particularly tested medical alert systems that offer long-range help buttons. That way, you can continue to enjoy your outdoor hobbies such as gardening or tinkering in the garage without being tied down. We selected four systems in particular that offer wireless ranges of more than 1,000 feet, headed by Bay Alarm Medical. Let’s dig in.

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Comparison of the Best Medical Alert Systems with Long Ranges in 2025

Methodology: How We Determined the Best Long-Range Medical Alert Systems

Of course, we prioritized the range of each medical alert system when coming up with this list. We didn’t just trust what each brand advertises, though. Our team bought each system and measured how far away from the base station our help button would work. On top of the range of the system, we also used the following criteria to identify the best options:

• Response Time: Our team does 10 separate tests measuring how quickly we get connected to a monitoring agent and then averaged the times to get an accurate response time you can expect.
• Help Button Options: You should be able to choose whether you want a bracelet or necklace help button with your system. Even better if you can switch between the two at a whim.
• Fall Detection Rate: We always recommend subscribing to fall detection, but some systems are better at detecting it. Our team runs simulated falls to determine the accuracy of each system’s fall detection.

Every system we recommend is thoroughly tested by our team of senior care experts who each have years of experience in the industry. We also ask other industry experts and current customers for their experience with the systems we review to confirm our findings.

Why Is Range Important in a Medical Alert System?

The importance of range in a medical alert device depends on your lifestyle and how your medical alert device will be used.

If you are one of the growing number of Americans losing a desire to leave the house, you probably won’t need nationwide coverage or the GPS location tracking feature.3 However, if you frequently spend your time in your yard or garden or have a large home, you will want to find an at-home medical alert system that has the longest range possible. You will likely see ranges as high as 1,400 feet and as low as 300 feet, and everything in between.

The on-the-go medical alert systems, also referred to as mobile medical alert systems, use a cellular signal to communicate; therefore, they have nationwide coverage often with a GPS location tracking feature. Learn more about those options in our list of the best mobile medical alert systems.

If you have a mobile medical alert system, you can freely travel anywhere in the country, and you will have long range protection wherever your chosen brand has network coverage.

Our MobileHelp Solo came with a convenient charging dock we set up on our kitchen counter

With a long enough range, you could unknowingly be left without access to medical assistance if you are outside of the coverage area. You also don’t want your medical alert system’s range to be the reason you don’t go outside as often. Be sure to do your homework before purchasing. A great place to start is with our medical alert system buying guide.

What Determines the Range of a Medical Alert System?

The range of an at-home medical alert system is determined by the signal capability between the base station and the medical alert device itself. You can check the range of your medical alert system by wearing your device and walking directly away from the base station until the device no longer receives a signal.

Once you reach the max range, you can no longer use the help button on your medical alert device as the base station is what connects you to your provider’s monitoring center.

Here we are inspecting the SOS help button on our Bay Alarm Medical smartwatch.

While medical alert providers tell you the range you can expect from your system, that range is in a perfect environment meaning no interruptions for the signal. In the real world, there’s a lot of interruptions in the signal from the walls in your home to pollution in the air. We find that you can expect about 80 percent of the advertised range.

Final Thoughts: Do You Need a Long-Range Medical Alert System?

At-home medical alert systems with a long range offer a good way to save money over an on-the-go system while still giving you the flexibility to enjoy your property’s outdoor areas. They keep you covered whether out working on your garden or going for a swim in your pool.

Even though Bay Alarm Medical does not offer the longest range in the industry, their strong reputation and easy-to-use caregiver app kept them in our top spot. 1,000 feet of coverage is more than enough for most people. But, if you want a longer range, consider our second pick, Medical Guardian, with its industry-leading 1,400-foot range.

FAQs About Long-Range Medical Alert Systems