How to Choose a Continuous Glucose Monitor

A continuous glucose monitor, or CGM, is a small sensor you wear on your arm or belly that reads your blood sugar every few minutes and sends the number straight to your phone. No finger sticks, no pricking. You can check your level by glancing at your watch. For people with diabetes, this has changed the day-to-day experience of managing the disease.

Three main brands sell CGMs to home users in the United States as of 2026: the Dexcom G7, the Abbott Freestyle Libre 3 Plus, and the Senseonics Eversense 365. Each one has trade-offs in price, sensor life, app quality, and how often you need to replace the part on your skin.

The Dexcom G7 is small (about the size of three stacked nickels) and lasts 10 days per sensor. It sends a reading every 5 minutes and has alarms that wake you up if your sugar drops at night. Most pharmacies stock it, and Medicare covers it for anyone who takes insulin or has had a serious low in the past year.

The Freestyle Libre 3 Plus is the thinnest sensor on the market and lasts 15 days, which means fewer replacements and a lower yearly cost. It sends a reading every minute. It used to require you to scan it with your phone, but the newer Plus version sends data automatically like the Dexcom does.

The Eversense 365 is different — a doctor inserts a small sensor under the skin of your upper arm. And it lasts a full year before replacement. You wear a removable patch on top that you can take off for showers or swimming. It costs more upfront but is the only option if you do not want to change a sensor every two weeks.

Medicare covers all three for people who take insulin daily, and most private insurance does too. Without insurance, expect to pay $200 to $400 a month out of pocket. Talk with your doctor about which one fits your routine.