Medical Guardian Review 2024

Our Methodology

Why Trust Us? We’ve spent over 5,000 hours testing and reviewing medical alerts systems. We actually purchase the medical alert systems and test them in our homes and out on the town.

We run every product through our rigorous testing, looking at equipment quality, response times, and reliability. In the event of an emergency, every second matters for you or your loved one.

>> Read About: Our roundup of the Best Medical Alert Systems

Key Takeaways

• The MGMove is ideal for individuals who are on-the-go and have medical concerns or are prone to falling
• Easy ordering and setup process
• An MGMove watch costs $199.95 and requires a monthly plan starting at $39.95, with fall detection starting at an additional $10 per month

MGMove Unboxing

Who doesn’t love a good unboxing? This is especially true for us whenever the packaging feels like an Apple product. The MGMove box was easy to slide open and came with the following items:

• One MGMove watch
• One charging cable
• One magnetic docking cradle
• One power adapter
• Instruction manuals
• An AT&T sim card for reference (the actual sim card comes inside the watch)

The MGMove watch came with a 30 percent charge, so we recommend charging it before you move onto any installation and setup. Getting a full charge took around one hour to complete. The watch will tell you in a friendly voice when it needs a charge, is currently charging, and is fully charged.

User Experience

Buying experience

Buying the MGMove was one of the easiest purchases we’ve made online in a while. We ordered an Uber from the gym, sat outside, browsed the Medical Guardian site, placed the order, and received a confirmation email all before our car arrived. Honestly, the same goes for any Medical Guardian product (we’ve purchased three).

The Medical Guardian website is pretty straightforward. Even if you’re unsure of what system to get, they have a product quiz that will match you with one of their products. They also have an entire landing page dedicated to buying advice. The page has a ton of FAQs, statistics, price points, reviews, and customer support information.

After you click on a product, each landing page tells you exactly what’s included in your purchase, what features you can add-on, and how much it’s going to cost.

Installation Process

We weren’t surprised to find out that installing our MGMove was quick and easy. After our watch was fully charged, we took it off the docking cradle and started the setup process.

Our MGMove product box came with clear and simple instructions. You can scan a barcode, call the support number, or visit the link on the box to activate your device. We went with the online version.

After typing the URL into our browser, we were taken to a product activation landing page. There, we entered our product UDI number, subscriber information, and payment details for our subscription. The whole process took less than five minutes. Once we filled out the forms online, our watch was automatically synced and ready to use.

Response Time

Our first MGMove test took about 23 seconds to call, dial, and get connected with a live agent. After that initial test, the following ones kept connecting to robo-agents, which is fine, but definitely something to keep in mind.

We didn’t stop there. Since the MGMove is a true on-the-go medical alert device, we decided to take our testing beyond the walls of our home.

We tested our watch in a grocery store, at the train station, on a hike, and across state lines. All of these tests had similar response times. Additionally, each agent was always able to accurately locate us.

Our favorite was during our travels and using it outside of the state we live in. We flew to Oregon for the week and tested the MGMove in Portland and Medford. For context, our tests were done during hikes, boating, off-roading, swimming in lakes, and more. This gave us peace of mind, knowing that even when we’re on-the-go in a new place where we’re unsure of hospitals or emergency services nearby, our MGMove was always there to help.

We don’t think that’s talked about enough in these reviews. Medical Guardian’s on-the-go systems have superior location tracking, connectivity, and 24/7 monitoring. They also work no matter where you are in the U.S., as long as you have access to a 4G cell network.

MGMove Pricing

Medical Guardian devices all require monthly subscriptions, ranging from $33 to $45 per month. As for the MGMove, it starts at $39.95 per month and has a one-time equipment fee of $199.95. Instead of an equipment fee, we like to think of it as buying the product (since you get to keep it). Then the subscription fee simply ensures you get round-the-clock monitoring.

>> Learn More: Medical Guardian Pricing and Plans

Of course, the price of your subscription can increase depending on add-ons. But more on that in just a bit. Here are Medical Guardian’s mobile equipment options:

Cost of Add-Ons and Accessories

While the MGMove looks like a smartwatch, some of the features that truly make it feel like one do cost extra (which was a bit disappointing to learn). We’re mainly talking about reminders, messaging, and other apps. Aside from add-ons on the watch itself, there are several other accessories you can purchase to enhance your overall protection.

So let’s get into all the possible add-ons and accessories you can purchase, how much they cost, and their main functionalities.

Testing MGMove Features

Now that we know how much the MGMove costs and the different add-ons you can buy, let’s get into testing the features. For a medical alert system, this is a superior product that gets the job done — and in style. We’ve addressed how perfect it is for those on the move and even while traveling. It includes advanced features like step tracking, location tracking, weather updates, messaging, medication reminders, and any other calendar reminders you input.

Despite its impressive features for safety and convenience, the MGMove has some limitations when it comes to smartwatch capabilities. If you’re interested in purchasing a smart medical device, you may be a bit disappointed. The MGMove falls short in that regard since it can’t track any health data, including heart rate and blood pressure. It also can’t be integrated with any health and fitness apps like a Fitbit or Apple watch can.

Weather

To view the current weather (based on your location), you’ll have to tap your watch to wake it up. Then once you can see all the apps, tap on the green icon with the sun and clouds. This is a great tool, especially for those who may not have a smartphone.

Reminders and Messaging

We decided to add group messaging and reminders since they come together under the Support Circle Apps. For an additional $5 per month, you can message your loved ones directly on the device.

Plus, you can set reminders for just about anything. Reminders are great to remember and track daily tasks, events, when to take your medication, doctor’s appointments, and more. Another great thing about reminders is that they can be shared with your loved ones.

So, if you’re forgetful or if you have friends or family that need to keep track of your health and medication, this add-on is worth it.

Battery Alerts

What good is an MGMove — or any smartwatch for that matter — with a dead battery? The last thing you need is to be out running errands or on a hike with a dead watch on your wrist. Luckily, this smartwatch notifies you whenever your battery gets low.

Your watch will beep and an on-screen message will pop up telling you it needs to be charged. Of course, you can always check the battery level by swiping down on the home screen to check the battery percentage. Additionally, you can check your watch’s battery life on the MyGuardian app. The average battery life on the MGMove lasts 18 to 24 hours. And, yes, we tested that too.

Step Tracking

You don’t need to do much to activate or use the step-tracking feature. As soon as you put your watch on, the MGMove begins tracking your steps. Again, this is a great feature, especially for those who want to track how much they’re moving on a daily basis.

We tested the step tracker against our Apple Watch, iPhone, and Oura ring and were impressed by how accurate the MGMove was. Here’s a quick side-by-side comparison of steps logged between each device:

Location Tracking

Location tracking on this watch is probably one of its most important features. That means we expect its accuracy to be spot on every time. Think about it, if the location is off even by 50 feet when help is called, first responders may end up at another house. Of course, this applies if you’re not home and have not provided an address to an agent.

So, when we tested this, the agent was always able to pick up where we were. The MGMove has advanced GPS, Wi-Fi, and LTE tracking so your exact location is sent to its emergency help center whenever it’s needed.

MyGuardian App

MyGuardian app

All Medical Guardian systems can be integrated with the MyGuardian app, and the MGMove is no exception. Personally, we loved using the mobile app — sometimes even more than the watch itself. It’s straightforward and intuitive to use, specifically designed with seniors in mind. All the features and functionalities are easy to understand and find.

Everything you can do on your smartwatch, you can also do on the MyGuardian app. We especially liked using the messaging and reminders on the app because it gave us more space to see everything and add items. Another thing we liked was that if you have more than one system or add-on, you can monitor all of it on the same app.

Medical Guardian makes reaching their customer support team really easy. They have a dedicated section for getting help and reviewing your billing statements on the app. You can also save all your medical information in the app for first responders to see in case of an emergency. Overall, we think the app is great. If you’re able to, we recommend downloading it right away.

Reading the Fine Print

You should never purchase a medical alert system solely based on looks or style of the device. There’s a lot that goes into it, which we’ve covered here today like features, add-ons, customer support options, functionality, accuracy, and cost.

Something most reviews tend to skip is the fine print items like the contracts involved or warranties offered. Many times these are the items that make or break a product for us, so we decided to add them in here for your review.

Contracts

Up first, we have contracts. Or perhaps we should say we don’t have contracts. After doing a deep dive into their policies and chatting with a Medical Guardian  agent, we got confirmation that MGMove does not require a contract.

The monthly subscription is on a month-to-month basis and can be canceled at any time. As for the watch, since you do pay for it in full upfront, it’s yours to keep. But that’s not to say it can’t be returned. Medical Guardian offers 14 days at the start of your service to return the watch for a full refund.

Warranties

The MGMove comes with a 90-day warranty. It covers technical issues and malfunctions. Honestly, it’s nothing special or impressive. However, they do have a protection plan for an additional $6.99 per month, covering damaged equipment and offering unlimited free battery replacements.

Bottom Line

Medical alert systems like the MGMove are necessary devices that help countless people in emergency situations. Not only that, but they also greatly reduce the risk of hospitalization.

For people who are active and always on-the-go but have medical conditions or are prone to falling, the MGMove smartwatch is an excellent choice. It’s discreet, modern, and comes with tons of safety features and fun add-ons. Priced at a one-time fee of $199.95, with a monthly subscription starting at $39.95, we think it’s worth every penny.

Unboxing it and getting it set up is intuitive and easy. Once it’s on your wrist and activated, you get 24/7 monitoring with superior location tracking anywhere you get cell service.

While it’s a great medical alert system, we do want to highlight that it may fall short as a standalone smartwatch. It lacks health data tracking and can’t be integrated with other fitness or health apps. Still, we loved using it and found it to be very useful as a medical alert device.

Frequently Asked Questions