Our Experts
Written by
Mercey Livingston
Written by
Nasha Addarich Martínez
Article up to date on December 21, 2025 at 4:00 AM PST Mercey Livingston CNET Contributor Mercey Livingston is a well being and wellness author and licensed Integrative Nutrition Health Coach. She’s written about health and wellness for Well+Good, Women’s Health, Business Insider, and Prevention.com amongst others. When not writing, she enjoys studying and attempting out exercise courses throughout New York City. Nasha Addarich Martínez Managing Editor Nasha is a Managing Editor for CNET, overseeing our sleep and wellness verticals. She is a diet, psychological well being, health and sleep science fanatic. Her ardour for conscious and holistic practices transcends her private life and profoundly influences her editorial method, as she weaves evidence-based insights with sensible recommendation to encourage readers to steer more healthy, extra balanced lives. Throughout her profession, she’s coated numerous matters together with monetary companies, know-how, journey and wellness. Expertise Sleep | Mental well being | Personal Care | Fitness | Nutrition | Medical | Wellness | Vitamins and Supplements | Vision Health | Longevity Credentials Sleep Science Coach Certification from The Spencer Institute. Consider whether or not you need to join your steady glucose monitor to your telephone, to a receiver (a small gadget that reads and shows your knowledge), or each. Look at how usually the continual glucose monitor scans and transmits your glucose ranges to your telephone or receiver. Consider the place in your physique the CGM’s sensor will likely be positioned, the way it’s inserted, and the way usually the sensor must get replaced. This can differ from per week or two to a couple months. You might need to restrict your search to steady glucose displays that your insurance coverage, Medicare or Medicaid will cowl. If it’s worthwhile to monitor your glucose day by day, you most likely desire a method to take action that is straightforward and painless. Gone are the times when your solely possibility was to prick your finger. Now, there are wearable gadgets which are positioned in your arm and hook up with an app in your smartphone or Apple Watch to simply check your glucose ranges. These displays present real-time readings that can assist you make higher day by day choices about meals, exercise and medicine. Some glucose displays, just like the Dexcom Stelo Glucose Biosensor System, are FDA-cleared. To provide help to discover the appropriate CGM, we consulted docs and researched the preferred fashions. If you are involved about your glucose ranges, first speak to your physician about diabetes monitor choices so you will get the choice that is best for you.Best steady glucose displays of 2025 Pros
Real-time monitoring, shareable with as much as 10 individuals
Customizable alerts
Discrete sensor
Editor’s word, June 25, 2024: Since this text was first printed, Dexcom has launched the G7. This sensor is smaller than the G6 and has an improved alert system, together with a number of different variations.”I find continuous glucose monitoring to be a valuable tool in the management of both type 1 and 2 diabetes,” mentioned Dr. Josh Emdur, medical director of SteadyMD. “CGM data provides actionable insight to help patients track their glycemic response to dietary choices and activity levels.”The Dexcom G6 does not require you to manually scan to get a glucose stage studying; as an alternative, you get a wi-fi studying both on a devoted receiver gadget or to your telephone or Apple Watch. The Dexcom G6 reads your blood sugar each 5 minutes, maintaining monitor of your blood sugar stage so long as you are sporting it night time and day. You can set a customized vary for the place you need your blood sugar to be, and if it goes into low blood sugar or excessive blood sugar ranges you set, you’ll get notified. “For patients on an insulin pump, the Dexcom G6 may connect with your pump and offer a closed-loop system to turn off your insulin if you are going low. The Dexcom monitor is also approved in pregnancy and offers continuous monitoring that you can see on your phone at all times,” mentioned Dr. Rebecca Fenichel, an endocrinologist at Westmed Medical Group. Pros
No prescription required
Real-time glucose monitoring
Painless software
HSA/FSA eligible
Cons
No security alerts for top or low blood sugar ranges
Not supposed for insulin-dependent customers
Stelo was the primary over-the-counter CGM out there within the US when it obtained FDA approval in 2024. The small sensor sits on the again of your arm and tracks your glucose ranges 24/7. You can view your blood sugar ranges inside the app and when you’ve got an Oura ring it pairs seamlessly. Levels are additionally viewable inside the Oura app. Each sensor lasts as much as 15 days, it is fairly low upkeep and it is a simple solution to see how your stress, meals and day by day habits affect your glucose ranges. One pack of two will price you $99 (lasts a few month) however in case you subscribe that value will drop to $89 a month. The pack comes with all the things you want: the sensors, applicator and overpatch to safe the sensor in place. Over the 2 weeks I examined the Stelo, I observed which habits (like taking a stroll after dinner) affected my blood sugar essentially the most. I discover this device useful for these inquisitive about their general well being and possibly not for these with a diabetes prognosis because it does not ship security alarms when your glucose ranges are too excessive or too low. If you will have a prognosis and wish to strive Stelo, I like to recommend chatting with your physician to make sure it will provide you with the insights and alerts you want. Of the 2 OTC CGMs on this record (the opposite one is Lingo), our employees most popular the Stelo CGM. Pros
Affordable and simple to search out
Optional blood sugar alarms
Connects to telephone however not required
Cons
Stores solely 8 hours of knowledge (the Libre 3 shops as much as 14 days of knowledge)
Editor’s word, June 25, 2024: Since this record was first printed, the Freestyle Libre 3 has launched. This sensor is smaller than the Libre 2 and has readings despatched on to your smartphone each minute, together with different perks.This meter is really useful by Westmed Medical Group’s Fenichel and was beforehand really useful by Dr. Nate Favini. “For people who are interested in deeper insights into their glucose levels, I’ll often recommend the Freestyle Libre for continuous glucose monitoring,” Favini mentioned.”By placing a sensor on your arm, you can track your glucose constantly through the day and develop your understanding of what makes your sugar levels go up and down,” he mentioned. “People will often be surprised that foods that they assumed were good for their glucose levels may be causing spikes in their sugar. Although continuous glucose monitors are more expensive, they can help you understand what types of food and exercise are best for you.” To learn your blood sugar on the Freestyle Libre, you do a fast scan with the CGM gadget to get a studying. There are additionally optionally available alarms in case your blood sugar will get too excessive or too low. Pros
Very lengthy sensor life
Easy-to-use app
Customizable alerts
Cons
Requires insertion by a well being skilled
Requires frequent calibrations
If you desire a gadget that you could arrange and do not have to fret about reinserting for a complete 12 months, Eversense 365 is a superb possibility for diabetes administration. A well being care supplier will insert the sensor and then you definately place the transmitter above that. Once the sensor is in place, you do not have to vary it out for about 12 months, an extended sensor life. The transmitter itself can warn you in case your blood sugar is just too excessive or low, and you can even have wi-fi readings despatched to your telephone by way of an app. You can share your blood glucose knowledge out of your app along with your physician or anybody else who desires to verify your blood sugar readings. Pros
Affordably entry value (two weeks)
Gamified, user-friendly app
Water-resistant design
Great for behavior monitoring
Cons
Only out there for iPhone customers
About 20% of sensors might not final the total 14 days
No security alerts for top or low blood sugar ranges
Lingo is without doubt one of the two over-the-counter continous glucose displays we examined on this record. Like the Stelo, Lingo is worn on the again of the higher arm and you’ll view your glucose knowledge inside the Lingo app, the place it is translated into a simple to learn chart. The app additionally consists of habit-building challenges and progress monitoring, making glucose monitoring really feel extra like a sport than a chore. Right now, the Lingo app is just out there for iPhone customers.What I appreciated most was how light-weight and low-maintenance the sensor is. It’s fairly smooth and you do not have to fret about carrying a reader with you. I do advocate shopping for an overpatch as this sensor does not include one and the primary time I examined I unintentionally yanked it off whereas dressing myself. An overpatch will make sure the gadget stays securely in your arm. A single sensor prices $49 (will final you as much as 14 days), a two-sensor pack prices $89 (a few month’s provide) and shopping for in bulk (six sensors for 12 weeks) will prevent essentially the most cash and can price $249. Pros
Predictive alerts
Stand-alone system
Past knowledge as much as 24 hours
Cons
Requires calibration each 12 hours
The Guardian Connect System is a CGM that may let you know your present glucose readings shortly by way of a linked app and likewise permits you to simply entry tendencies and knowledge about your blood sugar over time. One function that stands out with the Guardian is the “predictive” alerts you will get about your sugar. Unlike different CGM programs that warn you when your sugar is already excessive or low, the Guardian makes use of know-how that predicts when your blood sugar would possibly get excessive or low earlier than it occurs. Another function that comes with the monitor is the Sugar.IQ diabetes assistant app for diabetes administration, which makes use of your knowledge that can assist you determine what weight-reduction plan, train and insulin works greatest for you. When selecting steady glucose displays for this record, we take a look at which fashions had been beforehand really useful by docs. We additionally look to incorporate a CGM that has a longer-lasting sensor life and embody fashions which are fashionable selections for individuals with diabetes. The solely two sensors examined on this record are Stelo and Lingo, that are additionally the one two over-the-counter CGMs. “Continuous glucose monitors offer more intensive monitoring of a diabetic patient’s sugar levels,” Fenichel mentioned. “They are particularly well suited to patients who have to check multiple times a day or to patients who want to get more frequent feedback during the day.”While anybody should purchase a daily blood glucose meter, you will want a prescription out of your physician for a CGM system. Doctors might advocate a steady blood glucose monitoring gadget for causes tied to your distinctive well being circumstances and life-style, to trace your glucose tendencies and carry on high of your insulin ranges, however a CGM gadget might not work for everybody’s distinctive diabetes care plan.CGM gadgets also can offer you and your physician extra details about blood sugar ranges than a typical meter — like in case your blood sugar begins to drop too low, the gadget can warn you about your dropping blood glucose ranges, “which can be a very helpful feature in helping patients avoid hypoglycemia,” Fenichel mentioned. “They can tell you not only what your current sugar level is but also whether it is on the way up or on the way down.” Here are some issues to bear in mind when purchasing for steady glucose displays:Scan frequency: Real-time CGMs constantly scan your glucose ranges and mechanically transmit the info to your telephone or receiver, sending common alerts about your blood sugar. By distinction, with intermittent-scan CGMs, you need to scan them along with your telephone or receiver to see the info. Some CGMs additionally measure your glucose extra regularly than others.Connectivity: Consider whether or not you need to join the CGM to your smartphone or to a receiver. If you are utilizing a telephone, look carefully on the app and whether or not it is simple to make use of or provides particular options.Test kind: Consider the place in your physique the CGM’s sensor will likely be positioned, the way it’s inserted, and the way usually it must get replaced. Insurance protection: Check whether or not the CGMs you are considering are coated by your insurance coverage, and the way a lot the components will price to keep up and substitute over time. Yes, there are two steady glucose displays which are out there and not using a prescription. You also can get a daily glucose monitor and not using a physician. Many insurance policy, together with Medicaid and Medicare, will cowl a steady glucose monitor, though they could require prior authorization. The Abbott Freestyle Libre 2 sells for simply $103. The most cost-effective solution to get a steady glucose monitor is to undergo your insurance coverage, Medicaid or Medicare; you would doubtlessly get one totally free. It’s really useful to put on your CGM on the again of your higher arm. Some fashions enable placement on different areas, just like the thigh, however at all times verify the producer’s directions. Avoid putting it on scars or different pores and skin irregularities.
The data contained on this article is for instructional and informational functions solely and isn’t supposed as well being or medical recommendation. Always seek the advice of a doctor or different certified well being supplier relating to any questions you will have a few medical situation or well being aims.
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