3-Year Cost-of-Care Calculator
Compare the real 3-year cost of the main fall-detection options for an elderly parent. Honest math, no marketing tricks — including the boring fees most marketing pages skip.
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Frequently asked questions about this calculator
Why three years?
Three years is roughly the median useful life of a consumer wearable in family safety use, after which most users either upgrade hardware or change their care arrangement. A 3-year horizon makes the recurring subscription costs visible enough to compare fairly — a 1-year comparison would unfairly favour subscription services because their accumulated fees would not yet exceed hardware-heavy alternatives.
Why is Lively shown as US only?
Lively (formerly GreatCall, now owned by Best Buy Health) operates exclusively in the United States as of 2026. Their 24/7 monitoring centre is staffed in the US and they do not currently serve European markets. If you live in the EU or UK, your equivalent option is a traditional medical-alert pendant from a local provider, with pricing varying by country at roughly €30 to €50 per month.
Does the calculator include cellular plan costs?
No. The calculator assumes the elderly parent already has an Android phone with a working SIM card. If the parent needs a dedicated new cellular plan for AlvoTriX, add roughly €5 to €15 per month depending on country. Apple Watch with cellular as a standalone device requires its own plan, typically €5 to €10 per month from carriers that support it.
Is the AlvoTriX module pricing accurate as of 2026?
Yes — these are the prices currently listed on the modules page. Bundle discounts apply automatically at checkout: 20 percent for 2 modules, 30 percent for 3, 35 percent for 4, 40 percent for 5, and 50 percent for 6 or more. Verify directly on the modules page before purchase.
What about the quality of care, not just the cost?
This calculator only addresses dollar cost. The qualitative differences are covered separately: see AlvoTriX vs Lively for the family-first vs monitoring-centre trade-off, and AlvoTriX vs Apple Watch for the iPhone-vs-Android household question. Cost is only one of three or four factors most families end up weighing.
How the math works (full transparency)
AlvoTriX
- €59 one-time for AlvoTriX Core (the app license)
- If you do not own a wearable, +€50 for a Xiaomi Mi Band 9 (recommended budget pick)
- Monthly cost depends on modules bundled. Bundle discount: 2 mods -20%, 3 -30%, 4 -35%, 5 -40%, 6+ -50%
- 3-year total = one-time + (monthly × 36)
Apple Watch + iPhone fall detection
- €280 estimated for Apple Watch SE (entry model) — assumes already owns iPhone
- Built-in fall detection free, no monthly
- Not available without iPhone household
Galaxy Watch + Samsung Health
- €220 estimated for Galaxy Watch 6 — assumes already owns Android
- Built-in fall detection free, no monthly
- Family alerts limited unless using third-party app on top
Lively / Bay Alarm Medical / similar US services
- ~€50 for the pendant or wearable device
- ~€30-50/month subscription including 24/7 monitoring center
- US-only at the moment
What this calculator does NOT capture
Pricing is an estimate based on public information as of May 2026 and may change. The calculator does not include: the value of having a 24/7 professional monitoring center vs family-first alerts (qualitative difference, not pure cost), reimbursement options through some health insurance plans, one-off costs like cellular plans for wearables that need their own SIM, and opportunity cost of family time when family is the responder.
This calculator is for orientation only. Actual pricing varies by region, plan, and device model. Confirm current pricing directly with each vendor before purchase. AlvoTriX is not a medical device.