Bay Alarm Medical Review 2026

What Is the SOS Smartwatch?

Bay Alarm Medical has a long track record of keeping older adults safe, and the SOS Smartwatch fits right in. It keeps things simple with a side SOS button you can press for immediate help, plus optional fall detection that calls for assistance if you can’t.

Most medical alert systems offer those basics, but the smartwatch stands out for its portability. You can wear it anywhere, and if you press the SOS button, you’re connected to Bay Alarm’s monitoring team through the watch’s two-way speaker. They can also send help straight to your location using built-in GPS.

It’s a smartwatch, but it’s not trying to compete with an Apple Watch or Samsung Galaxy. It’s designed for safety first. Even so, it looks good on the wrist and includes a few handy smartwatch features.

Holding the Bay Alarm Medical smartwatch

SOS Smartwatch Pricing

As you might expect, the SOS Smartwatch is priced well below premium smartwatches like the Apple Watch. More importantly, its price is right in line with other mobile medical alert devices. Here’s how it stacks up against the SOS All-In-One 2, SOS Micro, and Medical Guardian’s MGMove.

At $199, the SOS Smart Watch costs $50 more than Bay Alarm’s other mobile devices like the All-In-One 2. The monthly monitoring fee also runs $5 more.

In addition, we should point out that the Bay Alarm SOS Smartwatch costs about the same as Medical Guardian’s MGMove, but you’ll save about $100 compared to premium options like the UnaliWear Kanega Watch at $299.

Cost of Add-Ons and Accessories

Bay Alarm offers each package in two versions: the standard plan or one with fall detection for an extra $10 a month. That upcharge is common across the medical alert industry. Fall detection can be a lifesaver for some seniors, but not everyone needs it. By keeping it optional, Bay Alarm lets you pay only for the added protection if it makes sense for you.

If you go with the smartwatch, you can add an in-home system through the 360° Bundle for an additional $25 per month. This upgrade provides you with coverage both inside your home and when you’re out and about. The bundle also includes useful accessories such as a lanyard, a wearable emergency button, and a wristband. As with all Bay Alarm plans, you can add fall detection for an extra $10 per month.

Holding extra pendant for Bay Alarm Medical home device

Here’s an overview of the add-on equipment Bay Alarm Medical offers.

SOS Smartwatch Features

If you’re expecting the advanced capabilities of an Apple Watch or Samsung Galaxy Watch, the SOS Smartwatch will disappoint. That said, we found it offers several practical features that enhance its value as a medical alert device. It also includes some smartwatch functionality, such as:

• Watch Face: The digital display lets you pick from multiple watch faces, including options with large, easy-to-read numbers. We like the analog-style face. There’s just something comforting about that classic look.
• Weather App: The SOS includes a fully functioning weather app. It’s perfect if you’re trying to decide whether it’s a good day to work on your garden or to let you know a dangerous storm might be headed your way.
• Water Resistance: With an IP67 rating, the SOS can withstand being submerged in up to one meter of water for 30 minutes. That means you can wear it with you in the shower or take it with you on a rainy day.
• Step Tracking: The SOS lets you know how many steps you’ve taken today. You can use it to push yourself, of course, but you also can use it to remind you when it’s time to rest.
• Goal Tracking: Keeping track of steps is a great start. The SOS builds on that with their goal-tracking app allowing you to track all your fitness goals from limiting your sodium intake to swimming more laps at the pool.
• Internet Connectivity: Obviously, the SOS features built-in internet capabilities. It has to communicate with the Bay Alarm monitoring center. The smart watch’s 4G LTE Sim card also allows for two-way talk and instant messaging.
• GPS Tracking: The SOS also has enough processing power to allow for GPS tracking. That way, if you press the alert button or the device detect a fall, Bay Alarm’s monitoring station can know where you are and tell emergency personnel where to find you. Caregivers are also provided with the GPS location of your device.
• Fall Detection: Of the smartwatches that offer fall detection, the SOS is one of the few that have made it reliable. It uses AI technology to distinguish between an actual fall and a quick movement of your arm. Unlocking this feature adds $10 per month to your bill.

The SOS may not be as smart as an Apple Watch, but it comes with useful features aimed at keeping seniors safe. It also costs less than you’d pay for a regular smartwatch. It offers solid protection and convenience for the money.

Expert Examined

From Christopher Norman, a Board-Certified Geriatric Nurse Practitioner with the National Council on Aging (NCOA)

“As a healthcare provider, if I have a person that I see and they have complaints of poor appetite, low energy, and fatigue, and I check their smartwatch and they’ve only been recording an average of a few hundred steps per day, I’m going to have all kinds of questions about why the person with these symptoms is not moving so much. Factoring in someone’s activity level provides valuable context when an aging adult or their caregiver has concerns.”

User Experience

Features and specs offer one way of getting to know a medical alert device. Let’s talk a little about the experience of buying and using the SOS, though. We wore it for over two weeks. What was it like living with the Bay Alarm system day-to-day?

Holding the Bay Alarm Medical smartwatch

Buying Experience

Bay Alarm Medical makes the buying process straightforward. Their pricing page clearly lays out all available options, and as you move through the four steps, your total updates in real time. Once you select your system and any add-ons, you create an account, check out, and wait for delivery.

For our SOS Smartwatch with fall detection, we could choose between monthly, quarterly, and annual billing. Since Bay Alarm doesn’t offer significant upfront discounts — just free shipping with quarterly plans and a complimentary month with annual plans — we opted for the monthly option at $39.95. Customizing the kit was easy as well. We selected the wristband size and added a lockbox and a Vial of Life kit to help first responders access the home and understand medical needs.

The only drawback was shipping speed. Bay Alarm estimates four to six business days and doesn’t offer expedited shipping options. Our order arrived in about a week, which aligns with industry standards but could feel slow if you need immediate coverage.

Charging

Before doing anything else, we plugged in the SOS Smartwatch to charge. It arrived with a partial charge, but we wanted it fully powered before testing. Charging was simple, and the included charger works with any standard outlet.

That brings us to the elephant in the room: battery life. The SOS Smartwatch only lasts for up to 16 hours on a single charge — shorter than most competitors. Medical Guardian’s MGMove smartwatch lasts up to 24 hours, and some mobile pendants can go up to 10 days. You’ll have no problem getting through a doctor’s appointment or a lunch outing, but for an all-day family event, you’ll definitely want to bring the charger along.

Customer Support

Bay Alarm Medical’s customer support answers phone calls from 6:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. PST during weekdays and 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. PST on weekends. That can be limiting for those with busy schedules. However, you can also reach them by email and their live chat if you need help outside of those hours. You just might need to wait for a response.

It’s important to distinguish between customer support hours and emergency monitoring. The 24/7 emergency call center, which is what really matters in a crisis, operates around the clock. In our testing, the emergency center had impressive response times and the team was professional, clear, and reassuring.

Installation Process

Upon arrival, the battery for the SOS Smartwatch was mostly charged, at 85 percent, so we were able to start setting it up right away.

Since we put in our medical information when buying the smartwatch, we didn’t need to re-enter it.

Response Time

When we pressed and held the SOS button for five seconds during our test, it took just 16 seconds to connect with Bay Alarm’s monitoring center. That’s pretty impressive. Most competitors we test take up to 50 seconds to connect. The $299 UnaliWear watch we mentioned earlier took over a minute.

The fall detection really impressed us. We tested it repeatedly over a week, and here’s what’s cool: it actually learns your movement patterns. The more you wear it, the better it gets at distinguishing between you flopping on the couch versus an actual fall. By day seven, it was spot-on with its detection.

Bay Alarm App

The Bay Alarm Medical SOS Smartwatch works with the standard Bay Alarm mobile app. It’s a caregiver app that allows authorized users to manage your account, check in on your location, and receive alerts if you press the SOS button. We found the app straightforward and easy to navigate without any fluff.

Bottom Line

We found the Bay Alarm Medical SOS Smartwatch strikes a strong balance between functionality and affordability. The device performs as advertised. It won’t replace an Apple Watch in terms of everyday smart features, but it’s a great fit for older adults who don’t want or need complex technology. During testing, the fall detection proved reliable, and the watch was comfortable to wear.

The limited app selection may be a drawback for more tech-savvy users, and the lack of a dedicated caregiver tracking app could be a dealbreaker for some families. If you’re looking for a premium brand or more advanced features, there are better options on the market.

That said, for an older family member who just wants a simple, dependable emergency system they can wear on their wrist, the SOS Smartwatch gets the job done.

FAQs About the Bay Alarm Medical SOS Smartwatch