Updated · October 2026
Most pages sell the FRx on its ingress rating and move on. The rating matters, but it is not the reason to choose this device. The reason is that one pad set and one physical key cover every patient from infant to adult, which removes the most common pediatric-readiness failure: the separate child pads nobody bought.
Recertified option: the same FRx is $875 recertified with a 3-year warranty. Read Philips FRx recertified: price and whether it is worth it.
Our verdict
Philips HeartStart FRx
Buy it when the AED will be handled hard or used on both adults and children. The Infant/Child Key switches the same SMART Pads II to pediatric energy with a physical insert, so there is no second cartridge to buy, date, or forget. The body is IP55-rated and built to keep working after drops and dust that would retire an indoor unit.
Do not buy it for CPR coaching. Like the OnSite, it guides by voice but does not measure compression depth. If depth feedback is the priority, the ZOLL AED Plus measures it and says push harder. The FRx wins on durability and pediatric simplicity, not on feature count.
Where the FRx is sold, and for how much
Prices checked 20 September 2026 on each seller’s public product page. The FRx has no price spread worth chasing at authorized sellers. Five of the six below sit at the same number, so the saving is not in which store you use, it is in which version of the FRx you buy.
| Seller | Price seen, 20 Sep 2026 | Note |
|---|---|---|
| AED Leader | $2,099 | SKU 861304, in stock |
| Response Ready | $2,099 | multi-unit and compliance buyers |
| aed.com | $2,099 | lists the 8-year Philips warranty on the page |
| HeartSmart | $2,099 | device only |
| AED Superstore | $2,099 | device only |
| AED Today | $2,336 to $2,500 | above every other seller on this list |
Three ways to buy the same FRx, and what each one costs
This is where the real money is. The same 861304 device reaches a buyer three ways, and the spread between the cheapest and the dearest is $1,224.
| Route | Price, 20 Sep 2026 | What changes |
|---|---|---|
| New FRx, SKU 861304 | $2,099 | Full 8-year Philips warranty, new SMART Pads II and battery |
| FRx Value Package, SKU 861304-1 | $2,062.80 | $36.20 less than the bare device, and it adds the cabinet and accessories |
| Recertified FRx, SKU 861304-Rec | $875 | $1,224 less, 58 percent off new. Warranty length and consumable dating vary by seller, confirm both in writing |
The value package costing less than the device on its own is not a typo, and it is the same pattern the Philips OnSite value package shows. If a cabinet was going in the order anyway, the package is strictly the cheaper line item. See the OnSite value package breakdown for the same arithmetic on the indoor model.
Five-year running cost. New route: device $2,099 plus two sets of SMART Pads II at $89 plus one M5070A battery at $249 comes to $2,526. Recertified route: $875 plus the same $427 of consumables comes to $1,302. Replacement counts assume roughly two-year pad life and four-year battery standby with no deployment. A real rescue consumes the pads on the spot, so budget a spare set either way. Labeled estimate on the counts, verified prices on the parts.
On sealing, Philips publishes IPX5 water-jet protection and dust protection to IEC 60529, a 500-pound crush rating and MIL-STD-810F vibration tolerance in the FRx specification. Distributors usually shorten all of that to IP55. The same document gives battery standby life as typically four years after insertion, which is where the M5070A battery replacement cycle comes from.
Questions buyers ask about the Philips FRx
Is the Philips HeartStart FRx discontinued?
No. Philips lists the HeartStart FRx (861304) as a current product on its US site, checked 20 September 2026, and it is in stock new at $2,099 and recertified at $875 at AED Leader. The confusion comes from two places: the HeartStart FR3, which is the professional model sold through different channels, and Philips retiring other HeartStart line items over the years. The FRx itself is still shipping with its 8-year warranty.
How much does a Philips AED cost?
Philips sells two current AEDs in the United States. The HeartStart OnSite (M5066A) is $1,589 and the HeartStart FRx (861304) is $2,099 at AED Leader on 20 September 2026. Either model recertified is $875. The FRx premium over the OnSite is $510, and what that buys is IPX5 sealing, the 500-pound crush rating and the Infant/Child Key instead of a separate pediatric cartridge.
How much does a Philips HeartStart defibrillator cost?
$1,589 to $2,099 new, $875 recertified, plus consumables. SMART Pads II are $89 for the FRx, M5071A pads are $99 for the OnSite, and the M5070A battery is $249 and fits both. A five-year FRx program lands at $2,526 new or $1,302 recertified. Prices at AED Leader, 20 September 2026.
How long does the Philips HeartStart FRx battery last?
Typically four years of standby life after insertion, per Philips’ published FRx specification. The M5070A replacement is $249 at AED Leader and is the same battery used by the HeartStart OnSite and the HeartStart Home M5068A, so a site running both models stocks one battery, not two.
What is the Philips HeartStart OnSite AED?
The OnSite is the FRx’s indoor, over-the-counter sibling. Same Philips voice coaching, $510 less, and it is the only AED sold in the United States without a prescription. It gives up the IPX5 sealing and uses a separate prescription cartridge for children instead of the Infant/Child Key. Full breakdown on the Philips OnSite vs FRx comparison.
The Infant/Child Key: one pad set, every patient
On most AEDs, treating a child means a second, separate pad set with its own price and its own expiry date. That second consumable is the thing sites forget to buy, and the gap only surfaces during a pediatric emergency.
The FRx removes the gap. A single physical Infant/Child Key inserts into the device and reconfigures the same SMART Pads II to deliver a lower pediatric energy dose.[6] One pad set, one expiry date, both populations. For a K-12 school or a mixed-age facility, that is one fewer thing to track and one fewer way to fail.
The tradeoff is that the FRx, like the OnSite, does not measure CPR depth. If your priority is a single-set pediatric solution that also reports readiness to a fleet dashboard, the ZOLL AED 3 covers both on one Uni-padz set with WiFi. The FRx answer is simpler and rugged, not connected.
Specification
| Attribute | HeartStart FRx | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| FDA status | FDA-approved via Premarket Approval[1] | Verify PMA family for your variant in the FDA database[2] |
| Pediatric method | Infant/Child Key, one pad set | No separate pediatric cartridge to buy or date[6] |
| Durability | IP55, drop and drive-over resistant | The rugged Philips. Built for the field, not just the wall |
| Guidance | Life Guidance voice prompts, step by step | Built for the untrained responder. Calm, plain-language coaching |
| CPR feedback | Voice prompts only, no depth or rate measurement | It tells you to compress. It does not tell you to push harder |
| Pads | SMART Pads II, pre-connected | Can be placed and left on the patient. One consumable to track |
| Weight | ~3.5 lb | Light enough for a response bag or a wall mount |
| US price, 18 September 2026 | $2,099 | Higher than the OnSite for the rugged body and the key |
Confirm the current PMA record and labeling for your exact variant in the FDA PMA database[2], and check the model against the FDA recall database[4] before purchase, particularly on a used unit.
New or recertified: where the entry cost drops
The FRx is one of the most common models sold in recertified condition, so the used route is a real way to put a rugged, pediatric-capable Philips in place for less. A recertified unit is inspected, tested, and fitted with fresh consumables, not a private-sale gamble.
A new FRx lists at $2,099. A recertified FRx is $875 at AED Leader on 20 September 2026, which is $1,224 less, or 58 percent off the new price, and that gap matters most for a school district or a multi-site buyer placing several units at once. The variables are warranty length and consumable dating, which differ by seller, so confirm both before you buy.
If you are weighing the used route, read the best refurbished AEDs guide first, then confirm what is replaced and how long the warranty runs. For a fleet of schools it is the fastest way to cover more sites on the same budget.
The five-year cost
Device (US price, 18 September 2026) ……………… $2,099
SMART Pads II, ~2 yr life ………. 2 replacements
Battery, ~4 yr life …………….. 1 replacement
Pediatric pads ………………… $0 · Infant/Child Key uses the same pads
Consumable events over 5 years ….. 3
Philips OnSite, same window
Device (US price, 18 September 2026) …………….. $1,589
Pediatric cartridge …………….. separate, prescription, if children present
Consumable events over 5 years ….. 3, plus a second pediatric SKU
Labeled estimate. Replacement counts use ceil(years ÷ component life) − 1 and assume no deployment. A real rescue consumes the pads immediately, so budget a spare set regardless of model. Run your own numbers in the AED cost calculator. Ongoing parts: AED pads and AED batteries.
The FRx costs more up front than the OnSite, but for a site with children it can cost less to keep compliant, because there is no separate pediatric consumable to buy and re-date. On adult-only indoor sites that advantage disappears and the OnSite is the better value.
Who should buy it, and who should not
Buy the FRx if
- Children are present. One pad set plus the Infant/Child Key covers every patient. Size a district with the quantity calculator and see the schools guide.
- The AED takes abuse. IP55 and drive-over durability suit gyms, worksites, vehicles and response bags. See the gyms guide.
- Responders are untrained. Voice guidance and pre-connected pads make it easy to use correctly the first time.
- You want Philips reliability in the field. Same voice guidance as the OnSite, in a body built to survive.
Buy something else if
- The site is a quiet indoor office. The Philips OnSite does the same clinical job for $510 less, and buys over the counter with no prescription.
- You want CPR depth coaching. ZOLL AED Plus measures depth. The FRx only prompts.
- You manage a fleet remotely. No connectivity here. ZOLL AED 3 and the LIFEPAK CR2 report readiness by WiFi.
- Budget is the only constraint. The HeartSine 350P is the lowest entry price at $1,411.
How it compares
| Model | Pediatric method | Durability | CPR guidance | US price, 18 September 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philips FRx | Infant/Child Key, one set | IP55, rugged | Voice only | $2,099 |
| Philips OnSite | Separate Rx cartridge | Indoor | Voice only | $1,589 |
| ZOLL AED 3 | One Uni-padz set | Indoor | Depth + rate | $2,399 |
| HeartSine 350P | Separate Pediatric-Pak | IP56 | Metronome | $1,411 |
| ZOLL AED Plus | Separate Pedi-padz II | IP55 | Depth + rate | $2,082 |
Cross-shopping Philips: FRx vs OnSite comes down to environment and pediatric need. Considering used: best refurbished AEDs. Full lineup: Philips brand hub and the AED brands hub. New to this: AED buyer’s guide. Environment picks: AEDs by industry and the schools guide.
Sources
- FDAUS Food and Drug Administration. “Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs).” fda.gov
- FDAUS Food and Drug Administration. Premarket Approval (PMA) database. accessdata.fda.gov
- Federal Register“Effective Date of Requirement for Premarket Approval for Automated External Defibrillator Systems,” 2015. federalregister.gov
- FDAUS Food and Drug Administration. Medical Device Recalls database. accessdata.fda.gov
- AHAAmerican Heart Association. AED Implementation Guide. cpr.heart.org
- ManufacturerPhilips. HeartStart FRx product documentation, Infant/Child Key and SMART Pads II specification. philips.com (manufacturer source)
Editorial content only. Not medical advice. Durability, Infant/Child Key and pad performance claims are the manufacturer’s own, cited above and labeled as manufacturer documentation. Specifications reflect manufacturer and distributor documentation current at publication; confirm the PMA record, labeling and recall status of your exact variant and package before purchase. Prices are 2026 US list at authorized distributors and change without notice. Cost figures are labeled estimates, not quotes.
