Stelo Glucose Biosensor & App - 2-Pack (Up to 15 Days Each). iOS & Android

I was so happy to get this to manage my husband’s type 2 diabetes. This kit includes the sensors along with the online app to track your glucose and so much more. The first two sensors seemed great at first. They were easy to apply, very little pain if any (according to him) and they stayed put, lasting the entire 15 days. Although, he does says they are a bit painful when removing the adhesive surrounding the sensor, when it needs to be replaced. The app even tells you how many days you have left with each sensor. Additionally, the sensors were pretty accurate when testing against the finger stick glucose meter. However, this third one is showing numbers that don’t correspond with the finger stick meter. The Stelo Sensor is showing a glucose reading of around 224 which is consistently almost 100 points off the finger stick meter and there are still 9 more days to go. At one point, it showed a reading that was above 250. Although, it doesn’t show what the exact number is above 250. It just shows a broken dotted line. If this continues with the other sensor that was sent (got a pack of two) I am going with a different brand. I can see being off a little, but this is ridiculous! It’s been consistently like this now for the past day and a half. These sensors are too expensive to be malfunctioning. So, if you get a high or low reading make certain to check it first against the finger stick meter to verify if it is, in fact, correct. I am disappointed with this. But, will give an update on the next sensor. UPDATE: I contacted the company, via their chat box. You can then choose the option to connect with an actual person (live agent) via text, during normal business hours. Once I explained what was wrong, they gave me a link to open a case and fill out a form. I then received an email stating that they will send me a new sensor. Seemed easy enough! UPDATE: So, after experiencing issues with the 3rd sensor and waiting on the replacement, we decided remove the defective one and put on the other sensor we had. Well, we couldn’t get it to pair with the app we tried everything that was recommended with the troubleshooting advice and to no avail. Therefore, we had to open yet another case via chatbot (after business hours). They said it could take up to 1-2 business days, before they can reach out. At this point, I feel that although the company seems to try and help with these issues, there are a lot of glitches with this these otc continuous glucose monitors. I have even looked up the Lingo Continuous Glucose Monitor and it doesn’t look much better and It has about the same ratings. I have read that there are many things that can impact the monitor’s functionality. Pressure from laying on the sensor at night and even certain otc med such as acetaminophen can cause false highs and lows in glucose readings. However, when you have issues pairing the device with the app, that is a whole other matter. Especially, when you go through all the troubleshooting and still can’t find the issue (closing all apps, then restarting the Stelo app. unpairing any previous sensors with Bluetooth, turning Bluetooth off and then back on, making certain the sensor code is correct…and on and on! It seems to me that if the same company can make a prescription monitor that is more accurate, why can’t they make the OTC monitors more reliable? My husband isn’t on insulin, and according to the doctor, he isn’t eligible for a prescription monitor that is covered by his insurance unless he uses insulin. Needless to say, this is a very frustrating issue and it almost seems like it would be better to switch back to the finger sticks at this point, with the expense and issues which this monitor, it doesn’t seem like it is worth the hassle. I will continue to update on this issue.

I bought this to monitor myself for diabetes, as I am at risk. The monitor is as comfortable as it can be. I believe it has improved my overall health and improved my nutrition. It’s not a live glucose monitor INSERTION is relatively painless, especially compared to finger pricking! You feel the spring action of the device quickly putting the monitor on your arm. The 10-second manual pressure after insertion, as instructed by the manual, is more uncomfortable than the insertion itself. If you’re clumsy and bump it due to bad placement or absent mindedness — it will be painful but not terribly, less than stubbing your toe. If you put lots of pressure on it while sleeping (which is mentioned in the manual) it will be similarly uncomfortable, as mentioned in the manual pressure step. ADHESIVE patch that comes with each device is sticky and leaves residue (easily removable). I find that the adhesion of the device’s surrounding tape is enough. You must place properly, thoroughly clean the site beforehand with alcohol, and leave dry for at least 24hrs for adhesive to really really work. Device typically looks ready to be removed by days 12-14. You will see it is a thin wire that is inserted under the skin — not a needle as someone previously stated. REMOVAL of device is easy; like taking off a bandaid. LIFESPAN is typically 12-14 days. I usually remove by day 12 or 13 if I’ve been in the pool or had a particularly sweaty week. The APP is intuitive, especially if linking with Oura ring/app. The device updates to the app every 15 mins, with 5 min increments being monitored but only reported when synced during the update. Again, it is not a live glucose monitor. The AI used to help report nutritional information when logging a meal, can be unreliable and needs your review. Should be approached more thematically, I think. By using this device I have learned what types of foods/meals lead to spikes in my blood sugar and am able to plan accordingly. I will be buying more and more.

If I could give it less than 1 star I would. Sensor worked for only 8 days, and then gave me a “Signal Loss” message. I went through all the trouble shooting steps in the app, and checked all my phone settings. Signal NEVER came back. App says if signal loss lasts longer than 3 hours, contact customer service. I went through the app to manufacturer’s website. Customer service is an automated chatbot called SteloBot. Eventually, I was able to request chat with a live agent in the Philippines, which is also where their technical “support” is. The agent said they would request a Case ID be assigned and open an investigation, and that I would hear back in 1-2 business days. The next day, which was Saturday, I received an e-mail with a case ID number, and a link to fill out the customer service form. There was space to provide details of what the issue was as well as the sensor serial #. Before I could submit the form on Sunday, I received another e-mail saying that if I didn’t respond within 24 hours, they would consider the case closed. I submitted the form. The Stelo/DEXCOM system, acknowledged receipt of the form, and again said I would hear back in 1-2 business days. 8 days later I still had not heard back, so I again went through the Customer Service rig-a-marole, to finally contact a live agent. They were polite and apologetic,and they requested a “reinvestigation” . I received an e-mail later that day saying, my “customer service issue could not be validated” (whatever the hell that means), and that they would not replace the faulty sensor. I contacted customer service AGAIN, and asked what “could not be validated” meant. I was told the “computer investigation” said the signal came back after 10 mins. I told the agent that was not correct. The app said “Signal Loss” and the signal NEVER came back. I checked multiple times a day for the remaining time the sensor was supposed to be working. Never came back. I asked if there was anyway they could just replace the sensor anyway, and was told that it was not possible for her to override the computer’s decision. I told her once again that the “computer investigation” was incorrect, and that there was no communication between the sensor and the app on my phone, after the initial signal loss and that the signal never came back. I was told that they could not manually issue a request to replace the sensor. For what it’s worth, there also seemed to be no mechanism to attempt to re-pair the sensor with my phone, or the app installed on my phone. While it was working, the app/sensor worked okay. Be aware, the sensor DOES NOT measure actual blood glucose. It measures the amount of glucose in your interstitial fluid in your tissues, just beneath your skin. If you’re diabetic and/or need your exact blood glucose, this is NOT the device for you. I’m almost 70. Blood glucose was not diabetic level, but was higher than my doc would have liked on my last 2 physicals. My wife is an RN, and thought these might be a good indicator of what affected my blood glucose and by how much. The accuracy is roughly + or - 10%. Just be aware of that. It’s more for blood glucose trends than actual, accurate blood glucose, so if you’re diabetic and need exact blood glucose, you probably don’t want to rely on this product. The customer service for this product is EXTREMELY WEAK in my opinion. Let’s face it, we paid Amazon roughly about $110 for a two pack of these sensors. The manufacturer probably pays around $10-15 per sensor. The fact that they refused to acknowledge a faulty sensor and wouldn’t replace it tells me all I need to know. Yup, you guys got me for $110, and saved $10-15 on replacing a sensor, so in theory, you got me, ONE TIME, for $125, but I will never again by ANY product associated with Stelo/DEXCOM, and I will discourage family and anyone else who is considering it, from purchasing one of their products. For what it’s worth ; out of curiosity, just checked other reviews of this blood glucose monitor. They actually have a higher percentage of 1 star reviews than 5 star reviews. What does THAT tell you. AVOID THIS PRODUCT !!!! WOULD NOT RECOMMEND/WOULD NOT BUY AGAIN/ABSOLUTE CRAP !

When ordering these I saw reviews about issues contacting customer service as well as problems with adhesion and even pain for some people but after I looked in to documentation and how this device works and what support is expected and how to handle issues I felt pretty comfortable ordering. I ran though two sensors and each lasted entire 15days and I am on the third one right now 3 days in. My overall experience has been great and I will try to address some of the common issues and pitfalls you may want to avoid. This device is a derivative of Dexcom G7 that are sold for diabetics by pharmacies with prescription only, main differences between Dexcom G7 and Stelo from what I know are: 1) Dexcom G7 is 3 sensors 10 days lifespan each, while Stelo is 2 sensors with 15 days each 2) Dexcom G7 has calibration in the app, white Stelo does not have this feature. 3) Dexcom G7 has live support because it is a medical device for patients with diabetes and is only available by prescription. 4) Dexcom G7 costs more - that I think is the obvious one. Lets go over each one, Stelo explains in its documents that it expects over 80% of its sensors to last all 15 days it also mentions that should a sensor fail before 15 days they will replace it. They also mention that over 90% or so will last 10days This means that medical device G7 is limited to 10 days because of much higher survival time %, while Stelo is allowed to run 15days with bit higher probability of failure which reduces costs to the consumer - as they only get two sensors and they are protected from failures by replacements. There is no calibration because accuracy is not as important for average person without medical condition, and incorrect calibration may mess up accuracy. Consumer version is targeted for general trends and not for precision accuracy, I agree with this decision. Medical grade devices have phone support but they also cost significantly more and require prescription and doctor visits. When using Stelo you will be limited to chat and email support, but in most cases sensor failures will be reviewed and decision will be made about the nature of the failure. Company can monitor these devices and it knows when device fails and how based on telemetry form the sensor and how it failed. Expect that support will be weak but they will address failures and if they meet criteria - these will be replaced. If sensor fails for me I will post the process and update. Now about the device and user experience - it is important that you apply the sensor properly and in the correct are, if you make a mistake here - sensor will not be covered by warranty. Watch some videos, learn how prep the area, how to find the right area, how to best position the applicator. Simple rules are to look for fat on the back of the hand, with your finders find the fatty are - avoid muscles. if you apply this to a muscle - you will bleed, you will be in pain and you will kill the sensor. If you use the included patch it lasts 15 days no problem, but this patch is soft and you will notice the sensor more, if you get high quality patch with a hole for G7 then it is thicker and will distribute movement better and sensor basically disappears. I added photos of the patch I use from Onida and it made a big difference. The app is very simple and well made and works amazingly well, you can bring sleep data, exercise data and food data right on to the chart via Google Health Connect if you track and monitor those activities in other apps. Over that last 30+ days I saw disconnected sensor few times, it was always when i was not near my phone and it reconnected on its own once I was close. Having a phone on, in the same room works fine, it is only when you go in to another room it may loose connection. Apple seems to have support for direct connection to watch so sensor talks to the watch and phone is does not need to be close by. Spend time making sure area you apply the patch to is clean - use alcohol to remove oils, make sure you place the sensor in the right area, add high quality patch. Placement is most important part of the process, take your time note what worked. For me placing the sensor with release button facing the shoulder was resulted with best experience, actual filament entry is on that side. Some advice I got from others, is to apply next sensor while existing one is still working and let that new sensor warm up before switching to it, some people do it 30min before and some people do it 12 hours before the switch so data is most accurate and there is not gap in the data. Sensor will continue to work 12 hours after 15 days are up and I tested that on my last sensor, where app said sensor life is over and it showed 12 hour countdown reminding me to switch over to new one. *** This is first update on Jan 23 and I plan to update again after I complete all 4 sensors. *** This is an update on Feb 8, I completed third sensor that also lasted all 15 days and worked 12 hours after it expired officially.

Update 05/2026: Cancelled subscription when latest sensor died after<3 full days, continuing pattern of very early failures. Readings were far from two other finger stick testers. This one lasted <20% of the advertised monitoring period, too expensive for useable duration and readings not close to finger stick. Update 04/2026: Another sensor session ended early after multiple 2-3 hour dropouts during 10 day session before total failure 5 days early. App's recommendations how to avoid failure did not apply to me (kept sensor dry, applied back of upper arm where least likely to pressure while sleeping after market overpatch held securely - it was not falling off). My sensor read 75+ points too high most of this session compared to finger stick readings and this latest sensor was unuaually painful the entire 10 days 6 hours it lasted. Manufacture date about 4 months before use, it should have had many months shelf life before expiration date. Found aftermarket sensor overpatch which lasted longer than original (B0C1DK4N4M) which I recommend, but I continue to have dropouts and 2/3 of the 14 sensors have either died early or had significantly different readings compared to finger stick tests by 30-80 points. My Previous Reviews: My first 4 sensors worked as expected for 15 days each. 5th sensor would not pair until I removed and reinstalled app (app crashed on launch preventing data export/recording for doctor) erasing hisyorical data needed for my doctor and then it only lasted a week. It also read 40-60 points high first 3 days then read at 50% of actual (compared to two different finger stick testers) for the remaining 3 days wifh multiple 1-2 hour disconnects on 6th day. 6th sensor also lasted 6 days with 3 days very high readings compared to finger stick then 3 days erratic but extremely low (often below 70) readings when finger stick showed 110. Not worth $99 for two 6 day sessions with totally unreliable readings, much more painful than previous 4 sensors and data loss from app corruption. Perhaps bad batch or heat damage to sensors during shipping... (package arrived during 110 deg weather???) going to use old style finger stick measurements for a while before spending $100 for sendors that only work a few days and provide erratic unreliable readings - first 4 worked OK but now not sure what to think other than last $100 wad total waste of my limited savings. Update 11/2025: Latest two sensors (one on me other a friend) both failed on 9th day and had several 1-2 hour disconnects in last 2 days of operation (at nearly identical hours since activation). Mine was with android app, friend had iPhone. both read about 30 points high for first 36 hours. Hopefully with cooler weather for shipping conxitions the next batch will work for advertised period or I will cancel subscription as I'm not getting even 60% of the measurement duration that I purchased with >50% of units purchased.

Mixed Review: This device has been really helpful in assessing and addressing blood sugar issues for both my husband and me. The application has been easy and quite surprisingly painless and the most of the sensors have functioned well through showers and swimming. That said, however, we have had several of the sensors fail either immediately upon installation or well before the 15 days amount of time they are supposed to cover, with no apparent precipitating event like a shower, swim, bumping them, lying on them, etc. While I see that a lot of folks are complaining about terrible customer support, we have had no trouble getting in touch with a live person and getting an immediate replacement sent out. So while it's a real pain in the neck when the sensor craps out, at least we are getting quick replacements and the majority of them work fine until their last planned day. I would still recommend it as it has helped us change our eating habits, get control over blood sugar and lose weight in a short period of time.

**Update: 8/13-Sensor worked for 15 days, no issues other than me walking away from phone and disconnecting Bluetooth a few times, easy fix, connected again after turning Bluetooth off and back on, about a minute to continue tracking. Second sensor just applied, paired perfectly, no issues. With the "Skin Grip" cover patch applied, kept my sensor working 15 days without patch coming off even with sweating from exercise and in 100 degree Texas heat. Numbers can be high but I find it close and good for watching numbers over night, morning. History: I'm going on 50, not diabetic--could be Pre-diabetic (isn't everyone Pre-diabetic?), I have PCOS (mild) so I know I have insulin resistance and it still exists and that is why I'm tracking my numbers. Started Keto 4 years ago, dropped 60 lbs. I'm Perimenopausal and on HRT for those issues, so I have gained 10-15 lbs back last year due to this. We started exercising everyday--walking 3 miles, rowing machine so far. I started my sensor on 7/29 midday/evening. As of 8/1 my Stelo has been working like it should. I did some research about Stelo, proper placement, best patches/covers for it, what to download, how it works etc. My husband is type 2 on insulin and uses G7 CGM. So, I'm familiar with it and I can compare Stelo with G7 version. My equipment and Apps: I use an Android Samsung S24 smartphone, Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 and Samsung Health app with Google Health Connect app to get information from various apps for tracking. So, download the Stelo app, download the Dexcom Clarity app and use the same log-on information as Stelo. Clarity will save your tracking information and you will be able to manage Data sharing with your doctor/clinic. If you are a Samsung/Android user the Stelo app will show when you exercise and sleep under your glucose tracking. Comes in handy for knowing what you were doing during a spike or dip. You can also track what you ate at a moment when you have a spike also. Far as recommendations---- Skin Grip covers (for Dexcom G7 & Stelo) and I got the one that totally covers the sensor. DONOT use the cover that comes with your sensor kit. You can also buy the Skin Grip tacky wipes if you have had problems with the covers coming off early. Clean with an alcohol wipe well before applying these. Apply the sensor to the fat on the back of your arm closer to your armpit but not where the end of the cover will be in your folds of the arm, if you apply too far on side of arm in the muscle area you can bleed and bend the probe in the sensor. The reviews I've seen on here state that the sensor is either too high or too low on numbers. Well, the sensor probe is inserted in your Interstitial fluid below your skin, not in your blood. The readings will be slow to respond versus your actual blood glucose level. It updates every 15 minutes versus G7 updates every 5 minutes. I have tested with a finger prick test and the readings are behind but really close to accurate for me at times. I will update this review if I see any changes or if the sensor ends early. The fine print on the website states "up to 15 days" so it could fail early. The key is to apply the Skin Grip which keeps the sensor from popping in and out while you're moving around, showering and sleeping or if you're clumsy like me and sometimes bump into door frames and such---it won't pop off! I only gave 4 stars for now because I have found issues within the app that could be better experience for the user. Another thing I noticed in reviews is the errors with the sensor from lost of connection. You HAVE to keep your phone within 20 ft at all times. Sometimes I forgot my phone, walked off and got this error. A easy fix is turning Bluetooth on/off and it connected again (30 seconds?). It is easy to use and apply (my husband did the honors of putting the sensor on for me to get the best placement). The size is small and looks just like the G7. In comparison to the G7, Stelo updates slower but it works pretty much close to the G7. Buy the Skin Grip covers and I think this will allow the sensor to work as described because I think the sensor probe works it's way out with movement IF you use just the surrounding covers it comes with. I would suggest G7 users also buy these patches. You cannot use the Dexcom Follow app to track someone else's sensor like I can track my husband's G7. You cannot get glucose readings on your watch (Apple watches you can) but there are 3rd party apps that you can use to do this but you can't use Stelo App & Clarity with the 3rd party apps. The quality is the same as Dexcom G7, just works a little d slower but you don't need a doctor's RX and insurance for purchasing the Stelo! It's great for overall patterns in glucose but if you're diabetic or on insulin--talk to your doctor about getting the G7 to track.

The new [current] version of the App is terrible! If I could give it a negative-ONE star, I would. 1. The App display has microscopically small light-color text on a dark background - this is completely unreadable by someone who has some age-related vision changes [but who is NOT prescribed reading glasses, and who reads online and printed material every day. While I know some people prefer dark mode, I do not, and never, ever use it - an App that has that type of display without any ability for the user to choose a standard dark text/light background display is not one I will use. 2. Additionally - I have my iPhone accessibility to +1 from the default for text size, but the App disregards and does not support accessibility features [I should ask my blind friend who has been advised to track glucose, if it does text-to-speech at all, I doubt it - the App store has zero accessibility info about this App]. Considering that a significant proportion of people who might want to use this product are going to over age 50, and require support of accessibility, Dexcom really needs to add some older tech-savvy people to the UI design crew and beta testing pool [I volunteer having a number of years experience at software companies doing QA, UI design and tech support]. 3. This version of the App [in case the display color scheme works for you] removed all the useful information The important, relevant information - your current glucose measurement isn't stated clearly as a number, it's a tiny dot and you have to figure out from the scale at the side of a graph, and guess the number, if you can even see the numbers on the graph which I cannot. I can't even figure out what my number is unless I log on the website and look at the data there - that is not user-friendly. 3. a. This new App version also intrusively gives unneeded AI suggestions and "insights" [NO THANK YOU!]. I already have Apps that track activity and sleep automatically [Apple Watch + Apple Health] and food when I choose to log it [My Fitness Pal, which has my saved meals, frequent foods and the recipes I have entered since I make things from scratch] - info is shared between the Apps. I don't need intrusive stuff from the Stello App - it's fine if it's there for people who do want it, but that extra stuff needs to be on secondary screens., Not taking up real estate on the main view, Removing the most important information from the main view - your actual most recent glucose measurement as an easy-to-read digital number - is a very poor design choice. Apple Health does get data from the Stelo App, the Apple Health summary is fine for daily range and the average for the day [week, month, etc], but it doesn't tell you what your glucose reading is right now. The previous version of the Stelo App did, in a very nice easy, comprehensible view. That's the point - nearly real-time info [the sensor logs data every 15 minutes], easy to see - right? 4. A year ago when first used Stelo, the sensors were 90% reliable. In the past 3 months, I have had 80% defective sensors - they stop working early, or lose connectivity to the App and never reconnect. Additionally, the readings are far more variable with the recent sensors than they were previously, and my habits and quotidian behaviors [diet-activity-sleep-travel] haven't changed appreciably [and my most recent medical lab measure shows improvement from a year ago, one would expect the Stelo device to show better daily average and higher percent time within target range, not wild swings and readings far outside the target range]. Dexcom did promptly replace defective sensors after I submitted the required info [log in online, fill out form, enter serial number, etc], but frankly, that is a PITA. >50% failure of the hardware device indicates serious quality assurance issues. I spent time communicating with tech support and have been told that there is no way to downgrade to an earlier version of the App, therefore I have made my last purchase of Stelo until they have a newer, usable App, AND more reliable sensors. The recent reviews on the App store suggest that many, many people are unhappy with the new version of the App, as well as problems with the reliability of the sensors in recent months. YMMV