Continuous glucose monitors (CGM) in Australia

A continuous glucose monitor (CGM) is a small wearable sensor that measures glucose in the fluid under your skin every few minutes and sends the readings to an app on your phone. Each sensor is worn for 10 to 15 days.

Paying privately, most CGM sensors cost about $42 to $154 for every 14 days of wear, depending on the brand and whether you subscribe. Vively's CGM program costs $199 for one sensor, $358 for two and $499 for four, including the Vively app and program. Our CGM cost guide compares every option.

No. You can buy a CGM privately in Australia without a prescription, and you do not need a doctor's referral to order a sensor through Vively. Subsidised sensors through the NDSS need an authorised diabetes health professional to certify your application.

The Vively app shows your readings against a 4 to 6 mmol/L range. Apps made for diabetes care usually use 3.9 to 10.0 mmol/L, the international consensus target for people with diabetes.

Subsidised CGMs through the NDSS are for people with type 1 diabetes and some other eligible groups. Everyone else, including people with type 2 diabetes, pays privately.

Current CGMs are accurate enough for daily use, though not identical to a blood test. Accuracy is measured as MARD, where lower is better, and published figures for sensors sold in Australia sit below 10%. If a reading does not match how you feel, check it with a finger prick.

Yes. "Glucose patch" and "blood sugar patch" are common names for a CGM, because the sensor sits on your skin like a small round patch. It measures glucose through a thin filament under the skin. In 2024 the US FDA warned against smartwatches and rings that claim to measure glucose without going under the skin.

Most sensors go on the back of the upper arm, on a flat spot you will not lie on or bump. Always follow your sensor's instructions. Our guide on where to put a CGM covers placement and common mistakes.