LifeFone VIPx2 Medical Alert System: Hands-On Test

LifeFone VIPx2 overall score

Here are the scores I gave LifeFone VIPx2 for each of the five testing criteria.

What I actually paid for LifeFone VIPx2

The total first-year cost for the LifeFone VIPx2 was $527.40. This device and the service you get with it is about $20 cheaper than the average of all 11 devices I tested. These first-year costs include the following charges:

• Base price: $43.95 per month/$527.40 per year
• One-time setup fee: $0 (no activation fee)

This doesn’t include fall detection, which you can add for $5 per month ($60 per year).

I should also note that LifeFone requires that you send back your device in good working order if you cancel at any time. If it’s damaged or lost, you’ll have to pay a $195 fee for the mobile version or $295 for the landline version.

How the cost compares to alternatives

The price of these devices can be a sticking point for many people. Here’s a side-by-side price comparison among LifeFone alternatives that I tested.

Sales process

I spoke with Marty during my sales call, which was one of the most pleasant conversations I had with a medical alert system rep. He was very friendly and helpful, and you also have the option of ordering entirely online. That’s the best of both worlds.

What came in the box

Here’s everything that came in the box with the LifeFone VIPx2 medical alert system:

• Alert pendant
• Magnetic lanyard
• Belt clip
• Hard-wired charging base
• Contract

Overall, the equipment is lightweight and reasonably comfortable to wear, but it feels a little cheap, and the charger is hard-wired, which is just a little inconvenient.

Alert pendant

The VIPx2 came in at just 1.35 ounces, making it one of the lightest devices I tested. It does feel “plasticky” and a little cheap, which isn’t ideal, especially since there’s that $195 fee you’ll have to pay if it gets damaged.

The call button is large, easy to find and requires little effort to press and hold, which is exactly what you want. I think it would be easy enough to activate for just about anyone, even for someone with weakness in their hands.

The pendant is water-resistant, so you can wear it in the shower without any issues. It also has the best battery life I’ve seen from any of the devices I tested, as LifeFone rates it for up to 18 days on a single charge. This is outstanding and can remove friction from your daily routine, but it does take two to three hours to charge, which is slower than most.

Lanyard

The lanyard is of good quality, and it has a magnetic clip that feels more secure. It’s not adjustable, though, and it’s a little longer than I’d like.

Belt clip

I’m generally not a fan of the belt clips that come with medical alert devices and prefer to wear them around my neck, but the clip with the LifeFone is actually easy to get on and off. Some of them are a pain to attach to the device, which more or less makes them unusable, but this one is pretty convenient.

Charging base

The charging base is hard-wired, so you’re stuck with the stock cord length unless you use an extension cord. This isn’t ideal, and I’d much rather have a base with a USB-C cable to use my own cords or swap one out if it gets damaged.

Also, the pendant blinks while it’s charging, which could interrupt sleep, and it announces quite loudly when it’s done charging, which could also wake you up unexpectedly. This isn’t a huge drawback, and I actually like that the device is so vocal, but with a longer charge time than most other devices, it could be an issue if you forget to dock it a few hours before bedtime.

Setup

I had to get on another call with a different rep to activate the device, and that call took seven minutes. A lot of the other devices I tested worked right out of the box, so this is one minor downside.

A bigger drawback is that you get the service contract in the box and have to mail it back. Other providers let you sign online, so that’s another point of friction that seemed unnecessary.

I pressed the emergency button, here's what happened

The quality of the equipment and the cost of the service are important considerations, but the most crucial thing to think about is what happens when you actually need the device to call for help. Here’s what to expect when you hit the call button on the LifeFone VIPx2.

1. Press and hold the button. You have to press and hold the call button for a few seconds to initiate the call, which is standard on all of the devices I tested. The button takes little effort to press and hold down, so even someone with weakness in their hands shouldn’t struggle with it.
2. Verification. You get immediate audible feedback that your call is going through once you initiate the call, giving you or your loved one peace of mind that you’ll have the help you need shortly.
3. Waiting period. I made 10 test calls with the VIPx2, and the average wait time before I was on with a live operator was 60 seconds. This is almost 19% faster than the average of the 11 devices I tested, and in emergency situations where every second matters, that’s a major upside.
4. No call cancellation. Once you initiate a call, you can’t cancel it. This is both a positive and a negative. While you’re more prone to false alarms, you also can’t accidentally cancel a call when you actually need help.
5. Connected call with a human operator. The first call I made with the VIPx2 went directly to a human, which is ideal. Over the 10 test calls, though, eight of them went to an AI screener first. This feels like it just gets in the way of connecting to an operator, and during true emergencies, talking to an AI is just not what you want.
6. Dropped calls. None of my test calls dropped, which is more than I can say for some of the VIPx2’s competitors. This gave me confidence in the device, which is what you want from a medical alert system.

The most important thing to note here is that LifeFone gets you in touch with a live operator in about a minute, on average. There’s an AI screen in the way of most calls, but it’s still faster to get the help you need than most of the other devices I tested.

How the calling process compares to my top picks

Speaking of those other devices, here’s a quick comparison with some of the best medical alert systems out there, based on my hands-on testing.

My verdict: Is the LifeFone VIPx2 worth it?

The LifeFone VIPx2 isn’t perfect, but it’s reliable where it needs to be, and it’s the third-fastest device I tested in terms of connecting you with a human operator. I would very comfortably trust this device and the service for myself or a loved one.

With that said, the activation process could be easier by not requiring a separate phone call or a mailed-in service contract. The equipment feels a little cheap and takes a while to charge.

While I think the LifeFone VIPx2 is a solid medical alert system, I recommend reading through some of my other reviews to get a better idea of how it compares to other options to make sure you get the best one for your needs.

Who it’s best for

• Buying online with transparent pricing
• The most affordable fall detection available at just $5 per month
• A light, discreet pendant that’s comfortable to wear
• An affordable device that still provides fast connection and peace of mind

Considerations

• Most of your calls go through an AI screener before you can get to a human
• There’s an activation call required, and you also have to mail back the service contract
• There’s a $195 to $295 fee if you cancel and return a damaged device

Methodology

11 medical alert systems, each bought with my own money on a month-to-month plan, unboxed on camera and graded on the same five categories in the same order every time. Four of the five category grades are read aloud on the recording; calling for help is graded on 10 timed test calls per device. The overall grade is not a judgment call — it is the weighted average of those five, computed the same way for every device, then moved up one notch. An F on calling for help or the sales process caps the overall grade at F, and the one-notch step doesn’t apply.