It is an exciting time in diabetes technology! Both Dexcom and Freestyle Libre, the largest manufacturers of CGM systems, have announced the roll out of their newest devices. Continue reading to learn more about the biggest differences between the Dexcom G7 and Freestyle Libre 3.

Accuracy

MARD is the tool to see how accurate CGM systems are compared to a finger stick. The lower the MARD the more accurate the sensor is. This is arguably one of the most important aspects of a CGM system as users are often relying on readings for their treatment decisions. Freestyle Libre 3 scored a MARD of 9.2% which is no improvement form the previous Libre systems while Dexcom G7 scored a 8.2% which is almost 1% lower than the G6 generation.

Sensor Life

During the time of the launch, Dexcom G7 will be coming to the market as a 10 day sensor, but they have plans for eventually converting to a 14-15 day sensor. However, there is no direct timeline for when that roll out will be. The Freestyle Libre 3 will still have a 14 day sensor life which is consistent with the previous generation.

Warm Up Period

Freestyle Libre will still have a 60 minute warm up period while Dexcom G7 will have a 30 minute warm up period. The warm up period for the Dexcom G7 is quite significant as the previous generation had a 2 hour period. The timeframe was significantly reduced for this system in addition to the sensor automatically activating the warm up period upon insertion (no more forgetting to activate your sensor after insertions!).

Integrations

Aside from SmartPhone integrations, Freestyle Libre 3 will likely not be compatible with automated insulin pump devices in the U.S. Dexcom G7 will still be compatible with Tandem and Omnipod systems and likely expanding to SmartPens as well.

Reader

Currently, Freestyle Libre systems require the users to scan the device in order to see current blood glucose readings. While the new Freestyle Libre 3 no longer requires users to scan their device for their readings, they can only use their compatible SmartPhone device for readings. Dexcom G7 will continue to have options for users to utilize either the reader or their compatible SmartPhone for readings.

Cost

There are limited details about the cost for Dexcom G7, but previous systems were about $350 for sensors alone. Considering that the new system will no longer require transmitters, as it will have an integrated sensor and transmitter, it will likely be slightly more cost effective for users compared to previous versions. The Freestyle Libre 3 is currently listed for about $350 which is more expensive than the previous Freestyle systems which have been notably less expensive, costing about $130 versus $350 for Dexcom sensors. It will be interesting to see what Dexcom’s list price will be once it is officially available in the US and whether or not Libre 3 will decrease their pricing overtime.

Let us know below which system you are most interested in or whether you are content with your current system!