Diabetes & CGM Tools
xDrip+, AndroidAPS, Loop, Tidepool — and the OTC Stelo CGM that changed the conversation.
Diabetes management got two huge 2024-26 inflection points: Stelo became the first OTC CGM in the US (no prescription, ~$99/mo), and the DIY closed-loop community (AndroidAPS, Loop) is more mature than ever — but remains DIY medical with real risk. This page is a curated guide; none of it replaces medical advice.
⚠️ AndroidAPS, Loop, OpenAPS, and similar DIY closed-loop systems take direct control of insulin pumps. Bugs, miscalibration, or hardware issues can cause severe hypo/hyperglycemia, hospitalization, or death. Use only with a clinician's awareness and full understanding of the risks. The communities below explicitly state this.
Sister sections: Apple Watch, Health Records & FHIR, CGM & Biomarker Labs, Chronic Disease Management, Quantified Self DIY, Health Data Privacy, BLE & Bluetooth IoT.
Continuous Glucose Monitors (the hardware)
- ★ ★ Dexcom G7 — paid (with prescription, ~$300+/mo without insurance); 10-day sensor; iOS / Android app; the most-recommended CGM for Type 1 and Type 2; AndroidAPS / Loop compatible (with caveats).
- ★ Dexcom Stelo — OTC since 2024 (US); ~$89-99/mo; Type 2 / pre-diabetic / wellness-curious; 15-day sensor; real-time + 1h delay options; the 2024 inflection point that opened CGM to non-insulin-dependent users.
- ★ Abbott FreeStyle Libre 3 / Libre Rio — paid; 14-day; lower price; Libre Rio was OTC in 2024 (US).
- Medtronic Guardian Connect / Simplera — paid; insulin-pump-paired.
- Eversense E3 — paid; 6-month implanted; needs in-office insertion.
Glucose-data apps (manufacturer)
- Dexcom Clarity — free with Dexcom; cloud trends.
- FreeStyle Libre app / LibreView — free; web + app.
- Stelo app — free with Stelo; simplified.
DIY / open-source data layer (★ legendary)
- ★ ★ xDrip+ — FOSS Android; pulls Dexcom / Libre / MiaoMiao / BluCon / Bubble data off the official path; richer alarms, predictions, watch face support, history. Pre-eminent for Dexcom users on Android.
- ★ Spike — iOS xDrip equivalent; sideload-only (TestFlight historically).
- ★ ★ Nightscout (CGM in the Cloud) — FOSS web dashboard; the "share-with-family" cloud anyone can self-host (Heroku → Vercel / Fly.io / Railway in 2024-26). Pebble + Apple Watch + Pixel Watch + Garmin + custom dashboards.
- ★ Tidepool — non-profit + open-source; cloud + mobile + desktop; uploads from Dexcom, Libre, Medtronic pumps, Omnipod, t:slim; clinic-facing reports; the data-aggregation darling. FDA-cleared Tidepool Loop (the iPhone app version of Loop) released 2024.
- Glucosio — FOSS; older.
DIY closed-loop systems (★ but ⚠️)
These are DIY automated insulin delivery (AID) — your CGM data drives an algorithm that adjusts pump basal in real time. Genuinely transformative for many users; medically risky if misconfigured.
- ★ AndroidAPS (AAPS) — FOSS Android; works with Omnipod DASH / Eros, DanaR / DanaRS / DanaI, Accu-Chek Combo / Insight, Medtronic 5xx / 7xx; the most-popular non-iOS DIY loop. Self-build APK from source (the project mandates this — it's the safety filter for new users).
- ★ Loop / Loop and Learn — FOSS iOS; works with Omnipod, Medtronic 5xx, t:slim X2 (under specific firmware); iPhone-side version. Self-build via Xcode.
- ★ Tidepool Loop — FDA-cleared 2024; the same algorithm as Loop, just officially packaged; works with Omnipod + Dexcom; available via App Store after a clinician-paired flow.
- OpenAPS — the OG DIY rig (Raspberry Pi-based); historical; AndroidAPS / Loop are now the practical paths.
Resources / community
- ★ r/diabetes / r/diabetes_t1 / r/diabetes_t2 — Reddit communities.
- ★ OpenAPS docs — even if you don't use OpenAPS the docs explain closed-loop concepts.
- Loop and Learn — Facebook group; primary support venue for Loop.
- AndroidAPS docs / Discord — stepwise build + safety guidance.
- JDRF / Diabetes UK / ADA — patient-advocacy resources.
T2 / pre-diabetic / wellness CGM use
- ★ Stelo (OTC) — best low-friction entry; ~$99/mo.
- Levels — paid (~$200/yr program fee + sensor cost); coaching + meal-tagging + dietitian touch.
- Veri — paid; metabolic-health-coaching CGM.
- Lingo (Abbott) — paid; T2-pre-diabetic CGM.
- NutriSense — paid; consumer-CGM coaching.
These all wrap an Abbott or Dexcom sensor with software and coaching; the underlying CGMs are the same.
Insulin / pump hardware
- Omnipod 5 / DASH — tubeless patch pump; paired with Dexcom / Libre.
- t:slim X2 — touchscreen pump; Dexcom + Control-IQ.
- Medtronic 780G — automated basal; SmartGuard.
- Beta Bionics iLet — auto-bolus; FDA-cleared 2023.
Apple Watch / Garmin integration
- ★ Apple Watch + Dexcom G7 — direct Bluetooth (no phone) since 2023.
- ★ xDrip+ Wear OS — for Wear OS / Pixel Watch.
- Garmin Connect IQ Glance for Nightscout — see Garmin and Connect IQ.
Cost / license honesty
- Stelo — ~$89-99/mo OTC, US.
- Dexcom G7 / Libre 3 — prescription; insurance varies $0-300+/mo.
- xDrip+, Loop, AndroidAPS, Nightscout, Tidepool, Tidepool Loop — all FOSS / non-profit.
- Levels / Veri / NutriSense — $200-400+/mo (sensor + coaching).
- Tidepool Loop — free app (you still buy CGM + pump).
Pick this if…
- Type 1, want closed-loop: Tidepool Loop (FDA-cleared) or AndroidAPS / Loop (DIY) — with clinician.
- Dexcom user, want better Android UX: xDrip+.
- Want family / cloud sharing: Nightscout.
- Want pump + CGM data aggregated: Tidepool.
- T2 / pre-diabetic curious about CGM: Stelo (OTC).
- Want coaching wrap: Levels / Veri / NutriSense.
- Privacy-first analytics: xDrip+ + Nightscout self-host + Quantified Self DIY pipeline.