0:02 What is the best CGM on the market right
0:04 now? I wanted the real answer. So, I
0:06 tested every glucose sensor I could get
0:08 my hands on, the Dexcoms, the freestyle
0:11 libres, and a bunch of others you've
0:12 probably never heard of. And the truth
0:14 is, there isn't one best CGM for
0:16 everyone. But in this video, I'll break
0:18 down the real life pros and cons of each
0:20 system so you can figure out which one's
0:22 actually right for you. And of course,
0:24 I'll tell you which one I'm sticking
0:26 with. Let's get into it. Starting with
0:28 the number one mostused CGM in the
0:30 world, the Libre 3 Plus by Abbott. What
0:33 I love about this sensor is how discrete
0:35 it is. It has the size of two stacked
0:37 pennies and it only weighs about 1 g,
0:39 making it the smallest and lightest
0:41 sensor in the world. The Libra 3 Plus is
0:44 an all-in-one disposable CGM, and I
0:45 found the application quite easy and
0:47 very straightforward. You just place the
0:49 applicator over the side and push down
0:51 firmly to apply the sensor. Another
0:53 thing I liked about the Libre 3 Plus was
0:55 the adhesive, which is really small,
0:57 too, and it didn't irritate my skin at
0:59 all. The sensor itself can be used for
1:01 up to 15 days, and it doesn't require an
1:03 over patch, which is definitely a plus.
1:05 After you apply it, you need to scan it
1:07 to connect it with your phone or a
1:09 reader, and it takes 60 minutes for the
1:11 sensor to warm up. Now, another pro of
1:13 most sensors made by Abbot is that the
1:15 glucose readings update minute by
1:16 minute. With most other CGMs, the
1:19 readings only update every 5 minutes. So
1:20 technically Abbott's sensors are a bit
1:22 more realtime than the competition. When
1:25 I was using Libé 3 Plus, I compared many
1:26 of the sensor readings to the readings
1:28 from my blood glucose meter, and most of
1:30 the time they were fairly accurate. On a
1:31 few occasions, the sensor was showing
1:33 slightly lower numbers, but it was
1:35 nothing dramatic. I had say that the
1:37 Libra 3 Plus was very reliable overall.
1:39 One thing I really like about this
1:40 sensor is that you get a choice when it
1:42 comes to viewing your data. You can use
1:44 the phone app or a dedicated receiver,
1:46 which is great, especially if you're
1:47 someone who doesn't like to be on the
1:49 phone all the time. Just keep in mind
1:50 that you have to make the choice up
1:52 front because each sensor can only be
1:54 paired with one device. You can't use
1:56 the sensor with the receiver and the
1:58 phone at the same time. Here is an
1:59 overview of the key tech specs of the
2:01 Libre 3 Plus. Feel free to pause the
2:03 video here and dig into the details.
2:06 Now, one area where Freestyle Libra used
2:08 to fall behind was the software and the
2:10 integration with insulin pumps. But I'm
2:11 happy to report that things have
2:13 improved quite a bit. IBOT has launched
2:15 a new Libre app which includes the
2:17 widely requested feature to silence all
2:19 alarms for up to six hours and even
2:21 track your meals and nutrition
2:23 information recorded manually or using
2:25 an AI based camera. Another major
2:27 upgrade is a new Libre watch app,
2:28 including a watch face showing your
2:30 glucose number and trend, which is
2:32 great. Now, having used Libé 3 Plus for
2:34 a few months, I would say that this
2:35 sensor is best for those of you who want
2:38 a reliable, best-in-class CGM that's
2:40 genuinely easy to use. It doesn't have
2:42 some of the bells and whistles of some
2:43 other softwares I'll cover next, but
2:45 it's an excellent all-around option, and
2:47 it sets the bar quite high for the
2:48 competition. By the way, I have a full
2:50 review of Libé 3 Plus on my channel, so
2:52 feel free to check it out after this.
2:54 Oh, and Libé 3 Plus also integrates with
2:56 insulin pumps. More about that in a
2:57 minute. But first, let's take a quick
3:00 look on another CGM on my list, which is
3:02 the Libre 2 Plus. This sensor has
3:03 basically the same glucose sensing
3:06 technology and the same software as Libé
3:07 3 Plus, but the hardware is different.
3:10 Libé 2 Plus has a size of two stacked
3:12 quarters and it weighs about 5 g, so
3:13 it's noticeably bigger and heavier than
3:15 Libre 3 Plus, but it's still pretty
3:17 sleek and low profile, and it never
3:19 really got in the way of my day-to-day
3:21 activities. Now, the fact that Libé 2
3:23 Plus still uses this older Libé form
3:25 factor means that you have to do a
3:26 couple more steps during the
3:28 application, but it's really just a
3:30 matter of lining up the two individual
3:31 parts of the package and loading the
3:33 applicator with the sensor before you
3:35 place it on your arm and apply it. The
3:37 rest of the application goes just as
3:39 Libre 3 Plus, so not a big deal. The
3:41 next thing I wanted to show you are the
3:43 key tech specs of Libé 2 Plus system. I
3:45 highlighted all the differences, but as
3:47 you can see, Libé 2 is a bit bigger and
3:49 heavier sensor. So the question is why
3:51 would someone want to use the Libre 2
3:53 Plus over the Libre 3+? I think there
3:55 are two reasons. The first one is pump
3:57 integration because certain insulin
3:59 pumps like the Teslax 2 or IPSO pump
4:02 already integrate with Libre 3+ but
4:04 Omniot 5 only integrates with Libre 2
4:06 Plus at the time of recording this
4:08 video. I'll put the list of compatible
4:09 insulin pumps on the screen, but this
4:11 will get better as the insulin pump
4:13 companies work through the Libre 3 Plus
4:14 integration. One thing to keep in mind
4:16 is that when you use Libre sensors to
4:18 power an automated insulin delivery
4:20 system, you will have to use a pump
4:22 specific app and you won't be able to
4:24 view your data in the new Libre apps on
4:26 the watch or on the reader, which is
4:27 quite a bit limitation. Now, the second
4:29 reason why someone might want to choose
4:32 Libre 2 or Libre 2 Plus over Libé 3 Plus
4:34 is your insurance coverage or your
4:36 location because Libé 3 Plus is simply
4:38 not yet available in all countries
4:40 worldwide. But now, let's move on to the
4:42 number two most popular sensor in the
4:45 world, the Dexcom G7. This sensor has a
4:46 size of a quarter, and although it's
4:48 notably bigger and thicker than the
4:51 Libra 3 Plus, the design is still very
4:53 sleek. What I really like about the G7
4:55 is that it comes in this grayish color,
4:57 which blends really well with my skin,
4:59 making the sensor a bit more discreet
5:01 and harder to spot for strangers. The G7
5:04 is also an all-in-one disposable CGM.
5:06 And this little button on the applicator
5:08 makes the insertion super easy and even
5:10 more userfriendly than Libre 3 Plus. You
5:12 firmly press the applicator against the
5:14 side and push the button to insert the
5:16 sensor. Now, although the G7 adhesive is
5:18 really strong and it didn't irritate my
5:20 skin, if you go by the book, the sensor
5:22 should be used with an over patch, but I
5:23 don't love the one that comes in the
5:25 package. It looks a bit too medical for
5:27 me. What I do instead is I either wear
5:28 the sensor without it or use one of
5:30 these good-looking third party patches
5:32 from Skin Grip for any kind of wet
5:34 activities. Now, the G7 was a 10day
5:37 sensor at lounge, but just recently,
5:39 Dexcom launched a new version that lasts
5:41 up to 15 and 1/2 days, making the G7 the
5:44 longest lasting patient applied CGM on
5:46 the market. By the way, both G7 versions
5:48 have an additional 12-hour grace period,
5:50 which is pretty amazing because it gives
5:51 you extra time to be a bit more flexible
5:54 during the site change and pre-oak all
5:55 your sensors if that's your thing. To
5:57 connect the sensor with your receiving
5:58 device, you need to enter the fourdigit
6:01 code or scan the QR code on the
6:02 applicator. What's really cool about the
6:04 G7 is that the warm-up period starts
6:06 automatically as soon as you release the
6:08 sensor from the applicator. So if you
6:10 apply a new sensor at least 30 minutes
6:12 before the old sensor expire, you get an
6:14 uninterrupted flow of readings even
6:16 during the side change which is pretty
6:17 amazing. Now here's an overview of the
6:19 key tech specs where I highlighted the
6:22 differences between the two G7 version.
6:23 Feel free to pause the video here and
6:25 dig into the details. But the two things
6:27 I love the most about the G7 is the
6:29 connectivity and the software. You can
6:31 view your readings on your smartwatch,
6:33 your phone, and your reader or your
6:34 insulin pump. These three Bluetooth
6:36 connections are direct and completely
6:38 independent. So, you can use them either
6:40 separately or all at the same time. No
6:42 other CGM can do that. Another thing I
6:45 love about the G7 is the phone app. It's
6:47 very clean. It allows me to zoom in and
6:49 out on my graph, and it's very well done
6:50 overall. A few app options that really
6:52 stand out are two different alert
6:54 profiles, the option to silence all
6:57 alerts for up to 6 hours, and even delay
6:58 your first high alert, so you don't get
7:00 bothered by the app after eating a carby
7:03 meal. The app also has an AI supported
7:04 smart logging function which helps you
7:06 track glucose response to everything
7:08 that you're eating, which is pretty
7:10 cool. Now, real talk, the G7 has been
7:12 criticized for several things.
7:13 Connectivity issues, problems with
7:16 adhesive or geo fencing. All these early
7:18 stage issues have been fixed by Dexcom,
7:20 but the latest criticism from the
7:22 community comes around accuracy and
7:24 early sensor failures. Now, I don't take
7:26 this lightly, but when I was testing it,
7:28 the sensor readings are typically within
7:29 a reasonable difference from my
7:31 glucometer, and I was totally happy with
7:32 the accuracy. The only time I saw
7:34 inaccurate readings was within the first
7:37 6 to 12 hours of each sensor. Luckily, I
7:39 was able to solve these by pre-oaking
7:41 all my sensors. Now, one feature of all
7:43 Dexcom sensors that I think is often
7:45 underestimated is that you can calibrate
7:47 them to your actual blood glucose
7:48 readings. I actually do this from time
7:50 to time, and if you know what you're
7:52 doing, it's a great way to solve most
7:54 accuracy issues. Now, the G7 integrates
7:56 with a bunch of insulin pumps. But
7:57 before we talk about that, let me tell
8:00 you who I think this sensor is actually
8:02 for. Based on my experience, I would
8:04 recommend the G7 to those who want a
8:07 reliable best-in-class CGM along with
8:09 advanced app features, a calibration
8:11 option, and really broad third party
8:13 integration. But now, let's take a quick
8:15 look at another CGM from Dexcom, the
8:18 good old Dexcom G6, because I think it
8:20 still has a lot to offer. This sensor
8:21 definitely feels bigger and bulkier.
8:23 It's not uncomfortable, but you're much
8:26 more aware that it's there. The G6 uses
8:27 Dexcom order more medical looking
8:29 two-piece design. You insert a
8:31 disposable 10day sensor first and then
8:33 snap the transmitter into the slot.
8:35 Transmitter is reusable and lasts for
8:36 about 3 months. Now, despite the roll
8:39 out of the G7, the G6 is still widely
8:41 used, and I think it's because it's
8:43 proven to be very reliable. This sensor
8:44 has been super accurate for me, and
8:46 although the algorithm isn't the most
8:48 real time out there, it's extremely
8:50 predictable, and that's a huge deal for
8:52 me. That said, the G6 definitely has its
8:54 quirks. It has a long 2-hour warm-up
8:56 period, which leaves you completely in
8:57 the dark when it comes to glucose
8:59 readings. The software feels a bit
9:01 outdated compared to the newest apps on
9:03 the market. And when I lie on this
9:05 bigger sensor in my sleep, I sometimes
9:07 get these fake low readings due to
9:08 compression. Now, here's an overview of
9:11 the G6 system compared to the G7. As you
9:13 can see, the G6 doesn't look that great,
9:15 especially on the paper. So, the
9:16 question is, why would someone want to
9:19 choose the G6 over the G7? And again, I
9:20 think there are two reasons. Number one
9:22 is that the readings from the G6 tend to
9:24 be very stable and predictable. This
9:26 plays really well with an insulin pump.
9:28 And for many people, myself included,
9:31 predictability is a non-negotiable in an
9:33 automated insulin delivery or aid setup.
9:35 By the way, here is a full list of
9:37 compatible insulin pumps for both Dexcom
9:40 G6 and G7. They both integrate with key
9:41 players. But what's super important for
9:44 me is that all Dexcom sensors also work
9:46 well in a DIY setup with the loop or
9:48 Android APS. Now, the second reason why
9:50 someone might want to choose the G6
9:52 sensor over the G7 is that there is a
9:54 way to restart a used sensor and use it
9:56 repeatedly. Of course, that's completely
9:58 off label and not something I'd
10:00 recommend, but it does work in
10:02 emergencies or when you're in a really
10:03 tight spot financially. Now, I
10:05 personally love the G6 and I used it as
10:08 my daily driver for the longest time,
10:09 but this might be changing. See, Dexcom
10:11 just recently announced that they are
10:13 discontinuing the G6 manufacturing
10:16 halfway through 2026. So, I was kind of
10:18 forced to pick my new daily driver, and
10:20 I will share which one it is a bit later
10:22 in this video. But now, moving on to the
10:26 next CGM on my list, the Dexcom OnePlus.
10:27 This sensor is basically a cheaper
10:29 version of the Dexcom G7. It uses the
10:31 exact same hardware and sensing
10:33 technology, but it has less features.
10:35 The OnePlus lasts 10 days. It has a
10:37 30inut warm-up and the 12-hour grace
10:39 period. But unlike the G7, it doesn't
10:41 allow you to silence your alerts or use
10:43 an advanced alert schedule. And here is
10:44 a detailed overview of all key
10:46 differences of these two sensors. Now,
10:48 one more limitation of the OnePlus is
10:50 that it doesn't support any commercial
10:53 aid systems, but DYI solutions like Loop
10:56 or AAPS are supported, which is actually
10:58 pretty amazing. So, who is the Dexcom on
11:00 OnePlus actually for? Well, I would say
11:01 that this sensor is best for those of
11:03 you who are looking for an easy to use,
11:06 inexpensive CGM that's available on
11:08 prescription. By the way, the OnePlus is
11:10 widely used in countries like the UK or
11:12 Australia, but it's not available in the
11:14 US. But if you are in the US, don't
11:17 worry because both Texcom and Abbot have
11:18 a cheaper over-the-counter option
11:20 available for you. And we'll talk about
11:22 these two in this video. Now, before we
11:24 move to the next CGM on my list, there
11:26 is one important thing I forgot to
11:28 mention about Libé and Dexcom sensors.
11:30 See, both companies managed to improve
11:32 their sensor adhesive a lot over the
11:33 years, but there are so many real life
11:35 situations where no matter how good the
11:38 adhesive is, your sensor can get knocked
11:39 off and it's gone. And that's why it's
11:42 always a good idea to use an extra over
11:44 patch, especially on hot or wet days
11:46 when you're moving around a lot. The
11:47 patches I like to use the most are from
11:49 Skin Grip. I've been recommending them
11:51 for years, and I'm super excited that
11:53 they decided to sponsor this video. If
11:55 you want to try them, there's a 10%
11:57 discount link with the code type 1
11:59 talks. link is down below. But now,
12:01 let's move on to the next big player in
12:03 the diabetes space, Metronic. They've
12:05 recently brought three brand new sensors
12:08 to the market, and we will start with
12:10 Simpla. Right from the get-go, we can
12:11 see that this is a modern looking
12:14 all-in-one sensor. It has rounded edges
12:16 and a slightly slope surface, which I
12:17 found super practical because it's less
12:19 likely to snag on things compared to
12:22 some other CGMs I've used. The size is
12:24 comparable to the older Libre sensors
12:26 and a bit bigger than Dexcom G7 or Libre
12:29 3+. The application is fairly standard.
12:31 You remove the cap from the applicator,
12:32 place the applicator flat against the
12:34 side, press it firmly against the body
12:36 until you hear a click and slowly remove
12:38 it. To pair the sensor with your phone,
12:40 you just need to enter a six-digit code
12:42 in the Simpler app. The sensor has a
12:44 2-hour warm-up period, which feels a bit
12:47 too long. But similar to Dexcom G7, the
12:48 warm-up starts automatically. So, you
12:50 can completely avoid the 2-hour gap in
12:52 your graph during the side change. By
12:54 the way, the Simpler adhesive is really
12:56 good. It didn't irritate my skin, and
12:58 there were no signs of peeling off even
13:00 after the full 7 days of use. And yes,
13:02 you did hear me right. The Simpla
13:05 sensors only last 7 days, so you will
13:07 need a lot of them. But actually, this
13:09 short wear time has some benefits, too.
13:10 I'll get to them in a second. Here is a
13:12 quick overview of the key tech specs of
13:14 Simpla sensors for your convenience.
13:16 Now, what I love about Simpler is that
13:18 you can calibrate the sensor with your
13:20 actual blood glucose readings. That
13:22 option is a bit hidden in the app, but
13:24 it's there. And just so you know, there
13:26 actually are two different versions of
13:27 Simpler sensor. There is Simpler
13:29 designed for people on multiple daily
13:31 injections. This sensor works as a part
13:33 of a smart MDI system along with
13:35 Metronic Smart Instrument Pen and the
13:37 Inan app. By the way, I've tested this
13:39 setup for 30 days and I really liked it.
13:41 I have a full video about it on my
13:43 channel. But then there is also Simpler
13:45 Sync which is designed to integrate with
13:47 Metronic's flagship insulin pump, the
13:50 780G. Now to make things even better,
13:53 Metronic launched another brand new CGM
13:55 which is much smaller, lasts much
13:57 longer, and warms up much faster than
13:59 Simpa. This sensor is called Instinct.
14:01 And what I love about it is how tiny it
14:03 is. It has the size of two stacked
14:05 pennies. It only weighs about 1 g. And
14:07 it kind of looks like the Libra 3. Wait,
14:10 it actually says made by Abbott.
14:13 Instinct actually uses exact Libre 3
14:15 hardware. It just comes in the Metronic
14:17 branded box. This sensor has a 60-minute
14:19 warm-up, provides minute-by-minute
14:21 readings, and lasts for up to 15 days,
14:24 just like Libé 3 Plus. And the Instinct
14:26 integrates with the algorithm in the
14:28 780G. So, it's great for insulin pump
14:30 users. But if you're on insulin pens,
14:31 then you should know that FDA just
14:34 recently cleared the Minimat Go smart
14:36 MDI system which integrates with this
14:38 sensor with the inpan. By the way, I've
14:40 not used the instinct sensor myself just
14:42 yet. But I'm told that the pump users
14:44 will control this sensor from the
14:46 existing Miniat mobile app and the smart
14:49 MDI users from an updated inpen app,
14:50 which makes a lot of sense. And here's
14:52 an overview of the key differences
14:54 between Simpla and Instinct. It seems
14:56 that the Instinct sensors made by Abbot
14:58 are better. So the question is why would
15:01 someone want to use Simpler instead? And
15:02 again there are a few reasons. The first
15:05 one is calibration. Instinct doesn't
15:07 allow it but Simpler does and for me
15:09 that's an important difference. Another
15:10 reason might be skin tolerance because
15:12 some people just don't get along well
15:14 with Abbott's adhesive and so they might
15:16 want to choose Simpler instead. You
15:18 might also choose Simpler because of
15:20 your insurance coverage, a 7-day wear
15:22 cycle that matches Metronics infusion
15:24 sets, or because it's using the same
15:26 sensing technology as the older Guardian
15:28 4, which some people really liked.
15:30 Speaking of Guardian 4, I decided to
15:32 leave it out of this review because this
15:34 sensor just takes a lot more efforts to
15:36 apply and it feels a bit outdated to me.
15:38 So, I wouldn't really recommend it
15:39 unless it's the only option that you
15:40 have available. Now, who would I
15:42 recommend Metronic sensors to? Well, I
15:44 think these sensors make most sense if
15:47 you use them with the inpan or Metronics
15:49 in pump, the 780G. If you're on a
15:51 different insulin dozing setup, then you
15:54 might find better CGM options elsewhere.
15:55 But now, let's talk about the smallest
15:59 CGM sensor ever made, the Eversense 365.
16:02 This bad boy is only 18 mm long and only
16:04 3 12 mm in diameter, which is about the
16:06 size of a small pill. What's really
16:08 unique about this sensor is that it
16:11 lasts for 365 days. That's a full year
16:13 of no side changes and no plastic waste.
16:15 To get started with Eversense, I had a
16:17 short inoff appointment where my doctor
16:19 placed the sensor under my skin on my
16:21 arm. The procedure itself was very
16:23 smooth. It didn't hurt at all and I
16:25 captured everything on camera. Now, the
16:27 second part of the Eversense system is
16:29 this detachable transmitter which sits
16:31 on my arm just above the implanted
16:33 sensor and sends the glucose information
16:35 to a phone app. transmitter is about the
16:38 size of Dexcom G6, so noticeably bigger
16:40 than the G7 or Libre 3, but it can also
16:42 do a lot more than its competitors.
16:44 Remember me complaining about knocking
16:46 my sensor off just a minute ago? Well,
16:47 this was not an issue when I was using
16:49 Eversense because you can take the
16:51 transmitter off and put it back on
16:52 whenever you want. And this really comes
16:54 in handy when you want to go for a
16:56 massage or when you want to keep your
16:58 diabetes out of sight for some time. You
16:59 can attach the transmitter with these
17:01 double-sided silicon patches. They come
17:03 in a transparent or white color. And
17:05 what's really cool about them is that
17:07 they are very sensitive to my skin. I
17:09 also get to use a new patch every day,
17:11 so there's no filthy adhesive residue
17:13 and absolutely no skin irritation. Now,
17:15 another pro of this transmitter is that
17:17 it vibrates. So, when your blood sugar
17:19 is trending too low or too high, you get
17:22 private onbody alerts, even if your
17:25 phone is not around.
17:26 Did you hear that?
17:28 >> The onbody alerts are much more likely
17:30 to wake me up in the middle of the night
17:32 while not waking up anyone else. Here is
17:34 an overview of the key specs of the
17:36 Eversense system. So, if you want to dig
17:38 deeper, feel free to pause the video
17:40 here and check out all the details. But
17:41 one more thing I want to highlight is
17:43 accuracy. When I was using Eversense, I
17:45 regularly compared the glucose readings
17:47 from the sensor to my glucometer. And I
17:49 was impressed with the results. I got no
17:52 compression loads, no false alarms. In
17:54 fact, I would go as far as to say that
17:57 this has been the most reliable CGM I've
17:59 ever used. Seriously. But the level of
18:01 accuracy and reliability comes with a
18:04 toe. The Everense 365 requires a weekly
18:06 calibration and the older 180day version
18:08 currently available in Europe needs to
18:10 be calibrated daily. From my experience,
18:12 a weekly calibration is not a big deal,
18:14 but doing it daily was a bit too much
18:16 for me. The only other drawback of the
18:18 Everand system is that you need to
18:19 charge a transmitter. Most people do it
18:21 daily while taking a shower, but with
18:23 the 365 version, you can also do it
18:25 while the transmitter is sitting on your
18:27 arm and you're working on a laptop or
18:28 something like that. Now, what makes me
18:31 very happy is that Eversense just
18:33 recently announced their first intent
18:34 pump integration. The sensor now works
18:37 with the twist aid system from SQL met
18:39 tech and I really hope more pump
18:41 companies will join the team in the near
18:43 future. So, who is the Eversense sensor
18:45 actually for? Well, I would recommend it
18:47 to anyone who is not happy with the
18:49 traditional CGM. If you struggle with
18:51 issues like skin irritation, inaccurate
18:53 sensor readings, sensors coming off too
18:56 early, compression alerts, or alerts not
18:58 waking you up at night, then I think you
19:00 should definitely give Evernense a shot.
19:01 And if you're feeling nervous about the
19:03 insertion, check out my full review
19:05 where I show the entire procedure and
19:07 talk honestly about how it felt and
19:09 whether it was all worth it in the end.
19:11 But now moving on to the next sensor on
19:13 my list, the Stello. This one is
19:15 actually made by Dexcom. And although
19:16 the packaging looks different, the
19:18 hardware is almost identical with the
19:20 G7. The applicator looks very similar,
19:22 just a bit darker. And the same goes for
19:24 the sensor itself. It has a sleek form
19:26 factor in a darker shade of gray with
19:28 the Stell logo on it. Just like the G7,
19:30 it does come with an over patch, but as
19:32 mentioned before, I prefer the skin grip
19:34 patches to the branded Texcom ones. The
19:37 Stella has a 30inut warm-up period which
19:38 starts automatically as soon as you
19:41 press the button on the applicator and
19:43 put the sensor on. It lasts for up to 15
19:45 days. actually 15 and 1/2 days if you
19:47 take the advantage of an extra 12-h hour
19:49 grace period. But what I really love
19:51 about the Stella is a feature called
19:53 spike detection. This feature identifies
19:54 spikes in your blood sugar and gives you
19:56 an option to track what happened before
19:58 each of the spikes started. You can then
20:00 go back and review those spike triggers
20:03 to see which foods or activities work
20:04 for you and which ones don't. Now,
20:06 what's interesting about Stella is that
20:08 the glucose readings update only every
20:10 15 minutes in the app, not every 5
20:13 minutes like most other CGMs. Of course,
20:15 that's not ideal for everyone, but if
20:17 alerts or constantly changing numbers
20:19 stress you out, this slower pace might
20:21 actually feel surprisingly calming. By
20:23 the way, here's an overview of the key
20:25 specs of the Stella bio sensor for your
20:26 convenience. Now, to assess the
20:28 accuracy, I've done my usual checks and
20:30 compared the Stella readings to my blood
20:32 glucose meter. They were never too far
20:34 off and from my experience, Stella is
20:37 just as accurate as Dexcom G7, just a
20:38 little bit less real time, which is
20:40 exactly what you would expect with less
20:42 frequent updates. Now, one thing worth
20:44 pointing out is that Stello is actually
20:46 not a CGM. It's a bio sensor. This means
20:49 that although it is FDA approved, you
20:50 don't need a prescription. You can
20:52 simply buy it online. It is designed to
20:54 be more affordable than traditional CGM.
20:57 It costs about $100 for a monthly supply
20:58 or even less when you go for a
21:00 subscription. By the way, the Stella app
21:02 is also a bit easier to navigate
21:04 compared to some other CGM apps. It has
21:06 a section where you can learn about how
21:08 nutrition or exercise impacts your
21:10 glucose. And this sensor also integrates
21:12 with aura ring which can further help
21:13 you connect your glucose data with
21:15 things like sleep or stress which is
21:17 pretty amazing. But Stella has a few
21:18 limitations compared to a traditional
21:21 CGM. It only reads glucose within the
21:24 range of 70 and 250 migs per diliter. It
21:25 doesn't have a low and high blood
21:27 glucose alerts and it doesn't support
21:29 other more complex features. This makes
21:31 a lot of sense because although pretty
21:33 much anyone in the US can buy it online,
21:35 Stella is primarily for people with
21:38 diabetes who are not on insulin or
21:40 pretty much anyone who is looking to
21:42 avoid those annoying blood sugar spikes.
21:44 But next, we have another bio sensor,
21:47 the Lingo from Abbott. Its packaging
21:48 looks different from the Libre sensors,
21:51 but Lingo has the exact same hardware
21:53 like Libé 2 Plus. It is available
21:54 without prescription. So, we should
21:56 really be comparing it to the Stello
21:58 from Dexcom because they're basically
22:00 direct competitors. When we do that,
22:02 we'll see that Lingo is slightly bigger
22:04 and a little bit more medical looking
22:05 sensor. And it's also a little bit more
22:07 tricky to apply since it's not an
22:09 all-in-one sensor, but it's really just
22:11 a matter of lining up two individual
22:12 parts of the package and loading the
22:14 applicator with the sensor before you
22:16 place it on your arm and apply. After
22:18 you apply the Lingo, you need to scan
22:20 the sensor to connect it with your
22:22 phone. Lingo has a 60-minute warm-up,
22:24 which is twice as long as Stella, and
22:27 the sensor last up to 14 days, so one
22:28 and a half day less than Stella. To test
22:31 the accuracy, I compared a huge number
22:33 of Libre readings to my glucometer, and
22:34 I was quite happy with the results. The
22:36 bio sensor was very accurate, and most
22:38 of the time it was extremely close, if
22:40 not exactly on point. But what might be
22:42 even more important when going for this
22:44 over-the-counter option is the price.
22:47 Lingo sells for $49 for a single sensor.
22:50 It cost about $100 for a monthly supply
22:52 or even less when you go for a
22:54 subscription. Very similar price point
22:55 compared to Stell. Now, what's really
22:57 great about Lingo is the phone app,
22:59 which is very clean and modern looking.
23:01 The glucose numbers update every 60
23:03 seconds, which makes the system very
23:04 real time. But what really stands out
23:06 about the Lingo app is that it tries to
23:08 simplify things. Instead of just
23:10 throwing glucose numbers at you all the
23:12 time, it turns them into daily score
23:15 called lingos with clear visual cues
23:16 when your blood sugar spikes. There's
23:19 also a bit of gamification built in. You
23:21 get a daily target and the goal is to
23:23 stay under it. Now, this is definitely
23:25 not for everyone, but I can imagine that
23:27 it can help many people to a more stable
23:29 glucose. By the way, the Lingo app also
23:31 has a glucose insight section. It gives
23:33 you simple tips throughout the day. It
23:36 even has educational videos and recipes.
23:38 I go a lot deeper into all of this in my
23:39 detailed review. But one important thing
23:42 I want to highlight is that Lingo only
23:43 measures blood sugar in the range
23:47 between 55 and 200 mgs per deciliter. It
23:48 doesn't have low and higher blood sugar
23:50 alerts and it doesn't support other more
23:53 complex features. But again, this makes
23:55 sense because Lingo is primarily
23:56 designed for health consscious
23:59 individuals and anyone who is trying to
24:01 improve their lifestyle. It's not really
24:02 designed for people with diabetes and it
24:04 should not be used for any medical
24:06 decisions. But the thing is, Abbot
24:07 actually has an over-the-counter option
24:09 for people with diabetes who are not on
24:11 insulin. It's called Libé Rio, and it
24:14 was approved by the regulator in 2024.
24:15 So, let's hope they will launch soon.
24:17 Now, you might have noticed that so far
24:19 we only talk about CGMs from US
24:21 companies, but there are a few systems
24:23 made outside of the US that I think are
24:25 pretty awesome and definitely worth the
24:28 look. The first one is the brand new GS3
24:30 made by Cionics. What I love about this
24:32 one is how sleek it is. It only weighs
24:34 about 1 and a2 g and it's actually the
24:36 thinnest sensor in the world. The size
24:39 is similar to Libre 3, but the GS3 has
24:41 an oval shape which makes it a bit
24:43 harder to knock off than Libre. It's an
24:45 all-in-one disposable CGM so you just
24:47 remove the cap, place the applicator
24:49 over the side and push the button on top
24:50 of the applicator to apply the sensor.
24:53 The GS3 lasts for up to 14 days. It
24:55 doesn't require an overtape and it has a
24:57 60-minute warm-up. The adhesive worked
24:59 just fine for me. And what I really
25:00 liked was that when I took it off, it
25:03 didn't leave as much residue on my arm
25:04 as some other sensors, which was kind of
25:07 nice. Here is a full overview of the key
25:09 specs of the GS3. So, feel free to pause
25:11 here and check out the details. But what
25:14 I love about the new Cybionics CGM is
25:16 the software. The GS3 app is clean,
25:19 modern looking, it has all the usual top
25:21 features of most other CGM apps, but it
25:23 doesn't look medical at all. You can
25:24 simply tell that the software was
25:27 designed by someone who actually cares
25:29 about the user experience. One really
25:31 unique feature I like is that you can
25:33 overlay the graph of the three last days
25:35 on the main screen. I found myself using
25:37 this a lot. It actually helped me quite
25:39 a bit and kind of triggered me to update
25:41 some of my insulin to carp ratios and
25:43 corrections factors. What's also cool is
25:46 that the app is using AI to give you
25:48 real time tips to help you improve your
25:50 time in range and overall control. Now,
25:52 the company is also working on Apple
25:54 Watch integration and AI food logging,
25:56 which should come later this year,
25:58 making the app even better. When I was
25:59 testing this sensor, I was very happy
26:01 with the accuracy. The sensor readings
26:03 were very close to my glucometer, if not
26:05 exactly on point. So, after a few weeks
26:07 of testing, I'm happy to report that the
26:10 GS3 is a noticeable improvement from the
26:12 older GS1. And Cybionics is ready to
26:14 compete with the big dogs. Now, a
26:16 potential drawback of the GS3 is that it
26:18 doesn't integrate with any insulin pumps
26:20 or smart pants yet. So, you might be
26:23 asking, who is the GS3 actually for?
26:25 Well, I'd recommend it to anyone who is
26:27 not happy with their current CGM and who
26:30 really values strong in-app experience
26:31 because that's where this system really
26:34 stands out. In many countries, the GS3
26:36 is not covered by insurance yet. But,
26:38 I've been told by the insider that this
26:40 might actually change sooner than we
26:41 think. Now, if you're paying out of
26:43 pocket, it's definitely worth comparing
26:46 the price of the GS3 to the CGM that you
26:48 are using right now to see what makes
26:50 more sense. But one thing worth noting
26:52 is that this sensor doesn't have FDA
26:54 clearance and it's not available in the
26:56 US yet. Next up, I have another solid
26:59 Asian CGM option, the Care Sense Air.
27:02 This sensor is made in South Korea by
27:03 Isense, which is a company well
27:05 established in the BGM space. And the
27:07 first thing you notice about this sensor
27:10 is that it's gray and it's not a tiny
27:12 round coin like Libé 3 or G7. It has
27:14 more of a rectangular or oval shape.
27:17 It's about 5 mm thick and it weighs 4
27:19 1/2 g, so light and discrete, which I
27:21 really like. The application is fairly
27:22 straightforward. You pull the applicator
27:25 to remove the safety cap. Place it over
27:27 your side and press the blue button to
27:28 insert the sensor. But what's really
27:30 unique is how you pair the Carson sensor
27:32 with your app. First, you scan the
27:35 barcode on the box and then you press
27:37 this small button to pair it. And having
27:39 this button is actually pretty smart
27:41 because it allows you to pres the sensor
27:43 and only use the battery once you turn
27:45 it on. The warmup lasts 30 minutes, the
27:47 lifespan is 15 days, and the glucose
27:49 readings update every 5 minutes in the
27:51 app, in line with most best-in-class
27:53 CGM. Now, what's cool about the Career
27:55 Sense system is that the glucose data
27:57 can be displayed either in the phone app
27:59 or on a dedicated receiver, which is
28:01 great because they give us options. I
28:02 haven't bought and used the receiver
28:04 myself, so don't quote me on that. But I
28:06 believe it's not possible to use the
28:08 receiver and the phone app at the same
28:10 time. But what I love about these
28:12 sensors is that although they are
28:13 factory calibrated, you can further
28:15 calibrate them in the app, and it's
28:17 super easy to do. Now, I didn't have any
28:19 issues with accuracy myself, but I'm a
28:21 big fan of having the calibration
28:22 available just in case I need to
28:24 fine-tune the readings. The in-app
28:26 experience is fairly standard. It has
28:28 all the features you'd expect, but I
28:29 haven't discovered anything super
28:31 unique. So, who is Care Sense actually
28:32 for? Well, I would recommend it to
28:34 anyone who is looking for a reliable,
28:36 straightforward CGM, best-in-class
28:38 lifetime, and a quick warm-up. And
28:40 really, anyone who is not happy with
28:42 their current CGM option might want to
28:44 consider trying Kense. Just keep in mind
28:45 that although this sensor has been
28:47 launched in a number of countries, it is
28:49 not yet available in the US due to
28:52 pending FDA clearance. But now, let's
28:54 move on to another major player in the
28:56 diabetes space, Raj. This Swiss company
28:58 just recently launched their new sensor,
29:00 the Auche Smart Guide. The real power of
29:03 this CGM is that it doesn't just show
29:05 you where your blood sugar is right now.
29:07 It also tells you where your glucose is
29:09 likely to go in the future. I find this
29:11 idea pretty amazing because these
29:13 predictions give you extra time to act
29:15 before low or high blood sugars happen.
29:17 I'll tell you how the predictions work
29:18 in a minute, but I want to look at the
29:20 hardware first. The smart guide is a
29:22 modern-looking all-in-one sensor and the
29:24 application is fairly standard. Unscrew
29:26 the cap, place it over your skin, press
29:28 it down until you hear a click, and then
29:30 gently pull out. Now, as you can see,
29:32 the sensor itself is almost surround
29:34 with a little nibble on the side, kind
29:36 of like a cookie by design. The smart
29:38 guide has a 60-minute warm-up period and
29:40 it lasts for up to 14 days. What I don't
29:42 love about the hardware is that the
29:44 sensor is fairly large. It's smaller
29:45 than the EverSense transmitter, but
29:47 noticeably bigger than the older Libé
29:49 sensors. When I used it, it actually
29:51 felt pretty similar to the Dexcom G6
29:53 experience. And I definitely had to be a
29:55 bit more careful not to knock it off
29:56 compared to most other sensors I showed
29:58 you. The adhesive worked really well,
29:59 though. It didn't peel off too early,
30:01 and I didn't see any skin irritation.
30:03 Now, here's a quick overview of the key
30:05 specs of the ECU Smart Guide. so that
30:07 you can compare it to the main
30:08 competitors. But let me show you the
30:10 predictive features, which is what makes
30:12 me most excited about this system. The
30:13 first one is a two-hour glucose
30:15 prediction, which shows you where your
30:17 glucose is likely to go over the next
30:18 couple hours. This one is super helpful
30:20 before things like a longer car drive,
30:22 for example, because it helps you to be
30:24 prepared for what might be coming. Next,
30:25 there is a 30-minute low prediction,
30:27 which pops up as a notification on your
30:29 phone whenever you're likely to go low
30:31 in the next half an hour. This one is
30:32 great because it allows you to treat
30:35 hypos early and avoid them or at least
30:36 make them easier to manage. And then
30:38 there is the 7-hour night low prediction
30:40 which is available every night and it
30:42 shows you risk of going low during the
30:44 night. It even gives you suggestions on
30:46 what you can do about it. And this is
30:48 cool because I personally know many
30:50 people who really need this kind of
30:52 reassurance before going to bed. By the
30:54 way, I've done a lot of finger pricks to
30:55 compare the smart guys readings to my
30:57 actual blood sugar readings. And as you
30:59 can see, the sensor did pretty well. So,
31:00 no complaints here. Another thing I
31:02 liked is that the alarms are fairly
31:04 customizable and you can actually set
31:06 two different alarm profiles, one for
31:07 daytime and one for nighttime. But what
31:09 I didn't love is that the predictions
31:11 only work when you're connected to the
31:12 internet. If you're not online, you're
31:14 out of luck. And while the sensor
31:16 requires two user calibrations to make
31:18 the predictions work on day one, it
31:20 didn't allow me calibrate later in the
31:22 cycle. So, who is the smart guide
31:24 actually for? Well, I'd recommend it to
31:25 anyone who feels they need a little
31:27 extra help to stay ahead of their
31:29 glucose without doing a whole lot of
31:30 additional work. Just keep in mind that
31:32 although this sensor is available in
31:34 more than 30 countries, it is not in the
31:37 US due to pending FDA clearance. Now,
31:39 before I reveal which of these 13
31:41 sensors I decided to stick with, I want
31:42 to be very clear about one thing. I was
31:45 not paid by any of these CGM brands to
31:46 make this video, and I bought most of
31:48 these sensors myself. A few of them were
31:51 sent to me, but this project still
31:53 required an insane amount of work and
31:54 quite a bit of money. So, if you find
31:56 value in honest, independent reviews
31:58 like this one, please subscribe to the
32:00 channel and hit the like button. By the
32:02 way, the best way to support my work is
32:04 on Patreon. If you join the VIP group,
32:06 you'll get direct access to me and
32:08 one-on-one support. Just a heads up, the
32:10 VIP group is intentionally small. There
32:12 are about 10 spots left right now. Now,
32:13 I have to admit that choosing my next
32:16 CGM system after the Dexcom G6 is
32:18 discontinued was pretty tough. None of
32:20 these 12 systems was a complete fail.
32:22 They actually performed really well. And
32:24 to be fair, I wish I had even one of
32:26 these options available when I was
32:28 diagnosed with type 1 diabetes 38 years
32:30 ago. But right now, there are two things
32:33 that matter most to me. My CGM has to
32:35 integrate with an aid system, and I need
32:37 to be able to calibrate it. That narrows
32:40 it down to three options. Dexcom G7,
32:43 Simpla Sync, and Eversense 365. I had to
32:45 think long and hard about this, but in
32:47 the end, I went with the only one that
32:49 integrates with the patch pump and the
32:51 DIY loop setup I'm already using. So,
32:53 I'm choosing the Dexcom G7, but I have
32:55 to say it was pretty close. Now, if
32:57 you're still not sure which CGM to go
32:58 with or whether you should even be using
33:00 one in the first place, I've put
33:01 together a playlist with detailed
33:03 reviews of all the CGMs I talked about
33:05 today. So, if you want to be 100%
33:08 confident in your choice, click here and
33:09 watch the full review next. And if you
33:11 still have questions, hit me up on
