Dexcom’s Stelo is the first over-the-counter glucose monitor in U.S. history, requiring no prescription. It costs $89 to $99 monthly and delivers 96 readings daily, but the real question is whether continuous data will actually change your behavior or just create expensive curiosity.
Who Benefits Most From Monitoring
Not everyone needs 96 glucose readings a day. The evidence suggests maximum value flows to people who are actively ready to change behavior based on what they learn.
Prediabetics stand to gain the most. Research consistently shows that real-time glucose feedback helps individuals identify personal trigger foods. These are the specific meals and snacks that cause their blood sugar to spike. One person’s oatmeal is another person’s glucose bomb. That kind of individual variation is invisible without continuous data.
Performance-focused individuals represent another group. Athletes and people optimizing energy levels use glucose data to fine-tune workout timing, recovery nutrition, and sleep quality. Stable glucose correlates with sustained focus and more consistent energy throughout the day.
A third consideration: family history. If Type 2 diabetes runs in your family, establishing baseline glucose patterns now while you’re healthy may help you catch concerning trends early. Evidence supports that early lifestyle intervention can delay or even prevent progression to full diabetes.
The hidden opportunity in CGM isn’t the hardware. It’s the software and app-driven insights that help users actually understand their data.The common thread across all three groups? They’re prepared to act on what they discover, not just observe it.
Cost Versus Value Analysis
Stelo costs $99 per month, or $89 with a subscription. Insurance doesn’t cover it. This is entirely out-of-pocket. That’s roughly $3.30 per day for continuous monitoring.
For comparison, a basic fingerstick glucose meter and a month’s worth of test strips might run $15 to $30, capturing maybe 3 to 5 readings daily. Stelo delivers 96 readings per day, revealing complete patterns: post-meal spikes, overnight dips, stress-induced fluctuations, and the glucose impact of that 3 p.m. coffee.
The question isn’t whether more data is better. It’s whether more data changes your outcomes.
A practical approach: Consider budgeting for 3 to 6 months, not indefinitely. Most users discover their major glucose triggers within the first month. The following months validate whether lifestyle changes are working.
Define your questions first. Which foods spike your glucose? How does poor sleep affect morning readings? Does your post-lunch walk actually help? Focused goals prevent data overload.
Think of Stelo as a short-term investment in metabolic education rather than a permanent subscription.
