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Is there a medical alert with no monthly fee?

Sometimes. Traditional pendant systems usually charge a monthly monitoring fee, and fees vary by provider. A smartwatch’s own emergency features generally have no separate monitoring fee, and KinectedCare’s care coordination is free with no time limit. KinectedCare’s safety layer, KinectedGuard, has a 14-day free trial and then a quarterly subscription priced for your country. Your store shows the exact price.1

Updated October 2026.

The short version

  • Traditional pendants often combine equipment costs with a monthly monitoring fee. Compare each provider’s current terms.
  • A watch’s built-in emergency features generally have no separate monitoring fee; a cellular watch may need a data plan.
  • KinectedCare: free care coordination, plus an optional safety layer after a 14-day free trial.
  • If the safety subscription lapses, the family is told before coverage ends and the app returns to the free layer.

What you usually pay for with a traditional system

A pendant system typically involves the equipment, a monitoring service, and a monthly or recurring fee, and some add charges for features such as fall detection or a longer contract. Because terms differ by company and change over time, check each provider’s current terms rather than relying on a general figure.

Options with no monthly monitoring fee

  • A smartwatch’s built-in features. Fall detection and emergency calling are part of some watches. You pay for the watch, and a cellular model may need a data plan to work away from the phone.
  • Free care coordination. KinectedCare’s shared CareTeam, notes, CareLog and daily snapshot are free, with no time limit.

What KinectedCare costs

The HELP button on the phone and watch, and priority alert delivery, are part of the optional safety layer, KinectedGuard. It starts with a 14-day free trial, then a quarterly subscription. The price is set for each country, so we don’t list a number here. The App Store or Google Play shows your price before you decide.1 A watch is optional and not required; you may already own one.

Questions to ask any provider

  • Is there a contract, and what does it cost to cancel?
  • What are the equipment, activation and monthly fees, and what do features like fall detection add?
  • What happens if payment lapses: does the service just stop?
  • Who gets alerted: a call center, your family, or both?

On that third question, KinectedCare tells the family before safety coverage ends, and the app steps back to the free coordination layer instead of locking anyone out.

Questions people ask

Does KinectedCare have a monthly fee?
No monthly fee. Care coordination is free, with no time limit. The optional KinectedGuard safety layer is a quarterly subscription after a 14-day free trial, priced for your country.
How much does KinectedGuard cost?
It is priced for each country, so there is no single figure. The App Store or Google Play shows the price for your country before you subscribe.
Do I need to buy a smartwatch?
No. The HELP button works on the phone. A watch adds HELP from the wrist and, if it can detect falls, fall notification. You may already own one.
Is a smartwatch alone enough?
It covers emergency features on the wearer’s side, but it doesn’t give the family a shared place to coordinate. That is what a CareTeam app adds.
Is it still a substitute for emergency services?
No. KinectedCare is not a medical device or an emergency service. If someone may be hurt, call local emergency services first.

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