Bay Alarm Medical Review 2025

What Is the SOS Smartwatch?

Bay Alarm Medical has built a solid reputation for protecting older adults with reliable equipment and responsive monitoring. The SOS Smartwatch adds to the reputation. The device delivers on its promise with a simple SOS button on the side you can press for immediate help. It also supports fall detection. The smartwatch automatically calls for assistance if you fall and can’t push the button yourself.

While nearly every medical alert system includes these features, what sets the smartwatch apart is its portability. Unlike traditional systems, you can wear this device anywhere for continuous protection. Pressing the SOS button connects you with Bay Alarm’s monitoring team through the watch’s two-way talk feature. They can then dispatch emergency personnel directly to your location using the watch’s built-in GPS.

Let’s be clear: the SOS can’t replace an Apple Watch or Samsung Galaxy. That’s not its lane. Its primary mission is to keep you safe during medical emergencies. That said, it still manages to look good on your wrist and packs in some useful smartwatch features. That’s why it takes a spot on our list of best on-the-go medical alert systems.

Holding the Bay Alarm Medical smartwatch

SOS Smartwatch Pricing

Needless to say, the SOS Smartwatch costs a lot less than an Apple Watch. Like we said, though, it’s more apt to compare the SOS Smartwatch with other on-the-go medical alert systems. So, here’s how it compares to the SOS All-In-One 2, SOS Micro, and Medical Guardian’s MGMove.

The $199 price isn’t pocket change. That’s $50 more than Bay Alarm’s other mobile options like the All-In-One 2. Plus, the monthly monitoring adds another five bucks to your bill.

In addition, we should point out that the Bay Alarm SOS Smartwatch costs exactly 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 all of its packages in two versions. You can get the standard version or, for an extra $10, add fall detection. Charging extra for this service is standard in the medical alert industry. The fact is that, while it can be a life-saving feature for some seniors, not everyone needs this extra protection. By making it an add-on, companies like Bay Alarm ensure that those who don’t need it don’t have to pay for it.

If you choose the smartwatch, you can add a 360° Bundle for $25 a month extra. Basically, this bundle includes an in-home system in addition to the watch so you’re covered whether you’re at home or out and about. In addition, the 360° Bundle includes several accessories such as a lanyard, a wearable emergency button, and a wristband. As with all other Bay Alarm plans, you can also add Fall Detection.

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 looking for the capabilities you’d get from an Apple Watch or Samsung Galaxy Watch, the SOS is going to disappoint. Nevertheless, we found it came with a number of handy extras. It still has some smart watch features, including:

• 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 be submerged in up to a 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 to your monthly 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 purchasing a system easy. They clearly lay out the main options on their pricing page to help you choose a system. Then, follow the four steps, adding any extras you want. Your total price updates on the right-hand side, which helped us stay within our budget. Finally, you’ll create an account, check out, and wait for your system to arrive.

Once we decided to buy the SOS Smartwatch plan with Fall Detection, we selected it, and Bay Alarm let us decide between monthly, quarterly, or annual payments. Most companies offer big discounts for paying upfront, but Bay Alarm keeps it simple. Quarterly plans come with free shipping, and annual plans add a free month of monitoring. That’s why we just went with the monthly plan.

Next, we started selecting options to customize our kit. First up was selecting between a seven or eight-inch wristband size. We went with the large. Then, we added the lock box and Vial of Life kit. We put our house key in the lock box so emergency responders could get in during an emergency, and filled out the Vial of Life so they’d know our health conditions, too.

Bay Alarm’s delivery times could be faster. At checkout, we were told our package would arrive within four and six business days. We couldn’t find any expedited shipping options available. Our equipment took about a week to arrive, which is fairly standard for the industry but may feel long if you need immediate protection.

Charging

Before we did anything else, we plugged our SOS in to charge. The device came with a minimal charge, but we wanted to make sure it was full of juice before we put it through its paces. No problems there: the charger plugs into any standard outlet.

We need to talk about the elephant in the room: battery life. The SOS Smartwatch only lasts six to eight hours between charges. Most competitors last 16 to 24 hours. There are even mobile pendants that can last up to 10 days. You’ll make it through a doctor’s appointment or lunch with friends, but you’ll need your charger for a full-day family reunion.

Customer Support

Bay Alarm Medical’s customer support operates during business hours, which can be limiting for those with busy schedules. You can reach them by phone, email, and chat. However, each method has specific availability windows. If you work full time, you might need to send an email and 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 balances functionality and affordability. The device performs exactly as promised. It might not replace your Apple Watch for everyday smart features, but it’s perfect for older adults who aren’t tech-heads. The fall detection is reliable and the watch fits comfortably.

The limited app selection might disappoint some tech-savvy older adults, and the absence of a dedicated caregiver tracking app could be a dealbreaker for some families. If you’re drawn to premium brands or want more features, we recommend looking elsewhere.

However, if you have an older family member who doesn’t care about fancy tech and just needs an emergency system they can wear on their wrist, the SOS Smartwatch will do the trick.3

FAQs About the Bay Alarm Medical SOS Smartwatch