The first two FDA-cleared over-the-counter CGMs, available without a prescription. Honest comparison of what each costs, how they differ, and which one fits a health-optimization experiment.
| Feature | Dexcom Stelo | Abbott Lingo |
|---|---|---|
| FDA clearance | ✓ March 2024 — first OTC CGM | ✓ 2024 |
| Prescription required | ✗ Over the counter | ✗ Over the counter |
| Wear time | 15 days | 14 days |
| Pricing (single sensor trial) | ~$55 (1 sensor, 2-week trial) | ~$49 (1 sensor, 2-week trial) |
| Pricing (monthly) | ~$99/month (2 sensors) | ~$89/month (2 sensors) or $84 on subscription |
| Reading frequency | Every 15 minutes | Every minute (continuous) |
| App | Stelo app + AI insights (added Dec 2024) | Lingo app — glucose score, coaching |
| Apple Health integration | ✓ | Limited |
| Android integration | ✓ | ✓ |
| Provider data sharing | ✓ Direct provider share | Limited |
| Intended user | Non-diabetics + prediabetics + Type 2 non-insulin | Non-diabetics, wellness-focused |
| Safety alerts (high/low) | ✗ OTC limitation | ✗ OTC limitation |
| HSA/FSA eligible | ✓ | ✓ |
| Available on Amazon | ✓ | ✓ |
Prices as of May 2026. Check dexcom.com/stelo and abbott.com for current pricing. Both are HSA/FSA eligible.
Stelo was the first OTC CGM to receive FDA clearance in March 2024. Its key advantages come from Dexcom's established ecosystem: Apple Health and Android integration, the ability to share data directly with providers (the only OTC CGM that supports this), and AI-generated glucose insights added to the app in December 2024.
The 15-day wear time (one additional day over Lingo) is a minor advantage. The reading frequency of every 15 minutes is slightly less granular than Lingo's continuous readings, but adequate for pattern identification. At ~$99/month for 2 sensors or ~$55 for a single trial, Stelo is slightly more expensive than Lingo for the same use period.
Stelo's clearest advantage is ecosystem fit: if you want your CGM data to flow into Apple Health alongside your Oura or Apple Watch data, Stelo is the better choice. If you are working with a provider who reviews your CGM patterns, Stelo is the only OTC option that supports direct provider data sharing.
Choose Stelo if: You want provider sharing, Apple Health integration, or plan to use CGM data as part of a clinical conversation.
Lingo is Abbott's wellness-focused OTC CGM, designed for non-diabetics without the clinical diabetes management features of the Libre 3+. Its key advantage is cost: a single 14-day trial sensor is ~$49, the lowest entry price of any CGM for non-diabetics. At ~$89/month for ongoing use (2 sensors), it undercuts Stelo slightly.
Lingo reads glucose every minute — more frequent than Stelo's 15-minute intervals — which provides a smoother curve and can capture faster glucose excursions more clearly. The Lingo app includes a glucose score and coaching-style feedback, similar in concept to Levels Health or Nutrisense but without the dietitian coaching layer.
Lingo's limitation is its more closed ecosystem: limited Apple Health integration and no direct provider data sharing make it harder to layer the data with other health tools. It is primarily designed as a self-contained wellness product.
Choose Lingo if: Cost is the primary constraint. The $49 single-sensor trial is the lowest-risk way to run a 14-day glucose experiment for the first time.
The highest value from a single CGM sensor comes from a structured experiment, not passive wearing. Here is the protocol CreusLife recommends:
Note your fasting glucose each morning upon waking. You are looking for a baseline below 90 mg/dL and overnight stability (no significant nocturnal variation). Log your meals, exercise, and sleep without changing behavior — this is your true baseline.
Eat each food alone or as close to alone as possible. Note: peak glucose (target under 140 mg/dL), time to return to baseline (target under 2 hours), and your response versus expectations. Rice, bread, oats, and fruit often surprise people who consider themselves metabolically healthy.
Repeat your highest-spiking foods with interventions: protein/fat first before carbohydrates, a 10-minute walk immediately after eating, or different portion sizes. This reveals which interventions actually blunt your personal glucose response.
Compare overnight glucose on a night of poor sleep vs good sleep. Compare a stressful day vs a normal day. These patterns often have larger effects on glucose than specific foods.
See the full guide: 14-Day CGM Experiment →
CGM data is one layer. Fasting insulin, HbA1c, and ApoB give you the full metabolic picture. Order all three together without a doctor.