Dexcom
Dexcom Stelo Glucose Biosensor
Over-the-counter CGM with 15-day sensors for anyone 2 or older not on insulin
$99
Compare with this one →Our low-commitment glucose pick
AbbottLingo
One 14-day over-the-counter CGM sensor that doesn't auto-renew
Source-based analysis, not hands-on testing. Our method
Cofounder of Superhuman Chambers · About the author. General information, not medical advice. No independent clinical review is claimed.
The verdict
Lingo's 2-week plan is the cheapest way for adults 18 and older not on insulin to try Abbott's FDA-cleared, no-prescription CGM. For $54 you get one biosensor of up to 14 days, and the plan doesn't renew. The catch: the app gives no glucose alerts, and wearing it year-round costs about $1,408 a year at this price.
The trade-off
Two weeks is a short sample, and ongoing tracking costs about $1,080 to $1,410 a year. The refund guarantee covers only a first purchase, and Abbott says 14.7% of biosensors may end before day 11.
Model reviewed: 2-week plan: 1 Lingo biosensor (up to 14 days) with full app access, no commitment and no auto-renewal
$54
Check price at Abbott US price, checked
No affiliate commission on this link. Check the exact variant before buying.
About this price
Lingo's US plan page lists the 2-week plan at $54 for 1 biosensor ("$54 per biosensor"). It's labeled "No commitment. This plan does not auto-renew." Shipping is free, and tax is calculated at checkout. No strikethrough, sale or coupon price was shown for this plan. The 4-week plan is $89 for 2 biosensors ($44.50 each, "Save 17%") and doesn't auto-renew. The 12-week subscription is $249 for 6 biosensors shipped every 12 weeks ($41.50 each, "Save 23%"), and it auto-renews at that price. A separate line reads "Subscribe and save 5% more". The page lists Lingo as HSA/FSA eligible. A banner on the Terms of Sale page offers an unspecified "discount off your first purchase", which isn't applied to this price.
A GOOD FIT FOR
An adult not on insulin who wants a two-week, no-prescription look at how meals and activity move their glucose, without a subscription.
- You're 18 or older, not on insulin, and want two weeks of continuous glucose data without a prescription or subscription
- You want the cheapest single order among the no-prescription CGM plans we checked: $54 for one 14-day biosensor
- You want to pay with HSA or FSA funds, which the plan page says Lingo is eligible for
THINK TWICE IF
- Anyone under 18 or using insulin
- Anyone who needs high- or low-glucose alerts (the app gives none)
- Anyone outside the United States, since the Terms of Sale limit purchases to US customers
- Anyone trying to diagnose diabetes or another disease, which Lingo isn't intended for
- Anyone with a current or past eating disorder, whom the plan page advises to consult a healthcare professional before changing diet or exercise
- Anyone planning to track glucose year-round on this plan, since the 12-week subscription costs less per biosensor
What still needs checking
- The biosensor's size and weight
- Accuracy figures such as MARD (the 510(k) summary says its accuracy met the iCGM special controls, based on FreeStyle Libre 2 study data, but gives no figures)
- Whether the 2024 510(k) summary's 1-hour warm-up still applies, since the help-center articles we checked don't give a warm-up time
- Whether a used biosensor qualifies for the 30-day money-back guarantee
- Whether you need to remove the biosensor before an MRI or CT scan, which the plan page, help center and 510(k) summary don't address
- The design, size and sponsor of the study behind the 77.1% sensor-survival figure
- The terms of the extra 5% subscription saving
The practical details.
| Exact variant | 2-week plan: 1 Lingo biosensor (up to 14 days) with full app access, no commitment and no auto-renewal |
|---|---|
| Sensor wear | Up to 14 days per biosensor, with a glucose reading every minute (1-hour warm-up, per the 2024 510(k) summary) |
| Biosensors per plan | 1 on the 2-week plan ($54), 2 on the 4-week plan ($89), 6 every 12 weeks on the 12-week subscription ($249) |
| Commitment | None on the 2-week and 4-week plans, which don't auto-renew. The 12-week subscription renews every 12 weeks at $249 unless you cancel at least 2 business days before renewal |
| Alerts | None (the 510(k) summary says the app gives no glucose or system alerts) |
| Water resistance | Up to 3 ft (1 m) of water for up to 30 minutes (IP27, per the 510(k) summary). Lingo's help center says you can bathe, shower and swim while wearing it |
| Who it is for | US adults 18 and older who aren't on insulin (not intended to diagnose disease, including diabetes) |
| App and phone | Full app access with every plan. Lingo's compatibility list covers iOS 15.2 to 26.5 (iPhone 11 series and newer) and Android 12 to 16 on listed devices. The sensor starts by NFC and sends data over Bluetooth Low Energy |
| Refunds and replacements | 30-day money-back guarantee on your first Lingo purchase only. Faulty biosensors are replaced free or refunded during their 14-day wear. Ones that fall off early without a defect are replaced free up to 3 times in any 6 months |
| Dimensions | Not stated by the manufacturer. The plan page, help-center articles and 510(k) summary we checked don't give the biosensor's size. |
| Materials | Not stated by the manufacturer on the pages checked. The 510(k) summary describes a sensor tail inserted into the tissue under the skin. Lingo's help center says biosensors aren't reusable and can't be re-sterilized. |
Before you buy
InstallationNo installation
No installation. According to the FDA 510(k) summary, the biosensor goes on the back of the upper arm, with its sensor tail inserted into the tissue under the skin. Your phone starts it by NFC and receives readings over Bluetooth Low Energy. The summary also lists a 1-hour warm-up. For contact sports, Lingo's help center suggests a spot on the back of the upper arm where it's less likely to get knocked. Biosensors can't be reused. Lingo's compatibility list for app version 1.12.0 covers iOS 15.2 to 26.5 on iPhone 11-series and newer models. On Android, it covers versions 12 to 16 on listed devices. The help center asks Android users to check the compatible-device list before buying, and says Android 16 support may be limited to select devices.
WarrantyLingo doesn't describe a separate limited warranty
Lingo doesn't describe a separate limited warranty. Its Terms of Sale say a purchase must conform with its description, be of satisfactory quality and be reasonably fit for its intended purpose. They limit your exclusive remedies to fixing faults or the value of US$100. If a biosensor proves not fit for purpose during its 14-day period, you can get a free replacement or request a refund. Lingo may ask you to return it. A biosensor that falls off early without a defect is replaced free up to 3 times in any 6-month period. To qualify, phone customer service on the day it falls off and keep the sensor.
ReturnsThe 30-day money-back guarantee covers only your first Lingo purchase
The 30-day money-back guarantee covers only your first Lingo purchase. Claim within 30 calendar days of delivery, through customer service or the "Return order" option in your Lingo account. The refund, including any shipping charges, goes to your original payment method within 14 business days. The terms don't say whether a used biosensor qualifies. One-time purchases like this plan can't be canceled. Apart from the guarantee, the terms describe refunds only for faulty biosensors.
More about this assessment
Lingo is Abbott's over-the-counter continuous glucose monitor for adults 18 and older who aren't on insulin. The 2-week plan costs $54 for one biosensor, with full app access and no auto-renewal. Wearing it year-round would cost about $1,408 a year at that price, or about $1,082 on the 12-week subscription. The app gives no glucose or system alerts, and the plan page says Lingo isn't intended to diagnose disease, including diabetes. Abbott's own footnote says 77.1% of biosensors lasted the full 14 days in a study. The 30-day money-back guarantee covers only your first Lingo purchase.
Strengths on paper
- $54 buys one 14-day biosensor and full app access, with no commitment or auto-renewal
- FDA-cleared in May 2024 as an over-the-counter iCGM (510(k) K233655) that takes a glucose reading every minute
- Free shipping, HSA/FSA eligibility and a 30-day money-back guarantee on your first Lingo purchase
- A faulty biosensor is replaced free or refunded during its 14-day wear, and early fall-offs without a defect are replaced free up to 3 times in 6 months
- Optional dietitian visits through Berry Street, where the plan page says 96% pay $0 out of pocket, depending on insurance
Limitations
- Covers only two weeks, and wearing it year-round at the 2-week price costs about $1,408 a year
- No glucose or system alerts, and it's water-resistant only to 3 ft for 30 minutes (IP27)
- Abbott says 77.1% of biosensors lasted the full 14 days in a study, about 22.9% may not, and 14.7% may last less than 11 days
- Limited refund terms: the guarantee covers only a first Lingo purchase, one-time orders can't be canceled, and remedies are capped at fixing faults or US$100
- Not intended to diagnose disease or to guide medical action, and the 510(k) summary says to consult a qualified healthcare professional before acting on its output
- Lingo itself gives no nutritional advice, and Berry Street runs independently, with coverage that depends on your insurance
What it costs to own.
Adjust the assumptions for your use. Missing costs stay unknown.
PLAN YOUR OWNERSHIP COSTS
What will it cost to own?
Change the assumptions to fit your use. Leave an unknown cost blank. Add water, subscriptions, cleaning, shipping and taxes if they apply. Use average operating power, not the maximum rating.
3-year planning total
$4,277.58Every field has a value. This is an estimate, not a quote.
Energy component: $0.00
Purchase + installation + years × (annual consumables + annual other) + watts/1000 × hours/day × 365 × years × $/kWh. Annualized allowances, not an exact replacement schedule. Excludes taxes, shipping, finance and resale unless entered.Replacement parts & cost assumptions
Recorded recurring parts and refills:
- Lingo biosensor (2-week plan): $54 every 0.46 months. Each $54 plan ships one biosensor of up to 14 days (about 0.46 months). Shipping is free, and the price is before tax. Lingo's help center says biosensors can't be reused. The cost per biosensor falls to $44.50 on the 4-week plan and $41.50 on the 12-week subscription.
- The yearly sensor cost assumes you wear Lingo year-round at the 2-week plan price. Each $54 plan ships one biosensor of up to 14 days, so 365 / 14 x $54 = $1,407.86 a year before tax. Shipping is free.
- The three-year estimate (about $4,278) counts the first $54 plan as the purchase, then adds three full years of refills. That's one biosensor more than 1,095 days of wear would need. Trying Lingo once for two weeks costs $54, and the plan doesn't renew.
- Longer plans cost less per year. The $89 4-week plan (2 biosensors, 28 days) works out to 365 / 28 x $89 = about $1,160 a year. The $249 12-week subscription (6 biosensors, 84 days) works out to 365 / 84 x $249 = about $1,082 a year. The page mentions an extra 5% subscription saving but doesn't state its terms, so it isn't included.
- There's no allowance for biosensors that end early. The plan page footnote says 14.7% may last less than 11 days. But the Terms of Sale say a biosensor that proves faulty during its 14-day period is replaced free or refunded. Early fall-offs without a defect are replaced free up to 3 times in any 6-month period. The page lists no charger or mains power for the biosensor, so power draw and daily hours are set to 0.
- Dietitian visits through Berry Street aren't included, and what they cost depends on your insurance.
Evidence & sources.
Are longevity blood tests and biological-age clocks worth it? Our evidence review grades the research as Not supported. That grade is about the claim, not about this product.
- Manufacturer claimPrice, plan contents, sensor wear time, app compatibility, eligibility, and refund and replacement terms come from Abbott's own Lingo pages.12679 Not independent testing. The plan page says Lingo is for users 18 and older who aren't on insulin. It also says Lingo isn't intended to diagnose disease, including diabetes, and that Lingo data shouldn't be used to take medical action.
- Regulator recordThe FDA cleared the Lingo Glucose System (510(k) K233655, Abbott) as substantially equivalent on May 29, 2024. The clearance falls under 21 CFR 862.1355, integrated continuous glucose monitoring systems (Class II, product code SAF). The predicate device is the FreeStyle Libre 2 Flash Glucose Monitoring System (K222447). Lingo is indicated as an over-the-counter iCGM that continuously measures, records, analyzes and displays glucose in people 18 and older not on insulin. The indication adds that it helps detect euglycemic and dysglycemic glucose levels.34 The 510(k) summary says system accuracy met the iCGM special controls. That finding relies on clinical data from the FreeStyle Libre 2 study under K222447 as a worst case. The summary reports no MARD or other accuracy figures. It also says users aren't intended to take medical action on the output without consulting a qualified healthcare professional. The clearance concerns measurement, not health or longevity benefits.
- Manufacturer claimIn a study footnoted on Abbott's plan page, 77.1% of Lingo biosensors lasted the full 14 days. Abbott says about 22.9% may not, and 14.7% may last less than 11 days.1 Abbott's own figure. The plan page doesn't give the study's design, size or sponsor.
Sources (9)
- Lingo: Select plan Abbott (Lingo) · manufacturer · checked Oct 13, 2026
- Lingo Terms of Sale (last updated 18-Dec-2025) Abbott (Lingo) · manufacturer · checked Oct 13, 2026
- openFDA 510(k) record K233655: Lingo Glucose System U.S. Food and Drug Administration · regulator · data file · checked Oct 13, 2026
- 510(k) summary K233655: Lingo Glucose System U.S. Food and Drug Administration · regulator · checked Oct 13, 2026
- Lingo Help Center: Are biosensors waterproof or water resistant? Abbott (Lingo) · manufacturer · checked Oct 13, 2026
- Lingo Help Center: Is Lingo available on Android? Abbott (Lingo) · manufacturer · checked Oct 13, 2026
- Lingo Help Center: Can I re-use a biosensor? Abbott (Lingo) · manufacturer · checked Oct 13, 2026
- Lingo Help Center: Is there anything I can do to help the biosensor stay on better? Abbott (Lingo) · manufacturer · checked Oct 13, 2026
- Lingo: Mobile device & OS compatibility (app v1.12.0, ART51485-100 Rev. D 08/26) Abbott (Lingo) · manufacturer · checked Oct 13, 2026
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Compare with this one →About this review. The facts on this page come from manufacturer pages and regulator records, checked Oct 13, 2026. The sources are listed above.
Our editorial policy →