so you finally decided to stop pricking your fingers and get started with freestyle Libre. But you're not quite sure which version to pick: Libre one, Libre 2, or Libre 3. What are the actual differences between them? The decision process can be overwhelming, but don't worry, I will give you a detailed comparison and my personal experience with using each of these sensors so you can make the right decision for you. Let's go. By the way, congratulations that you decided to give a CGM a chance. I did the same thing five years ago, and it was one of the best decisions of my life, at least when it comes to diabetes management. In most countries, you can decide between three different versions: freestyle Libre 1, which is the first generation, Libre 2, the second generation, and Libre 3, the latest available version and the sequel, if you will, to Libre 2. I used the Libre one for a number of years, then I switched to Libre 2, and I also used Libre 3 on and off for about a year now. You might have also

seen a version called freestyle Libre 14 days in the US, but it's basically the same thing as freestyle one. I don't know why they still call it 14 days because all freestyle eBay sensors last 14 days. Choosing between all these different versions can be tricky. When I compared them, I found 17 differences, and there might be even more. So let's go through the most important ones, and I'm also going to tell you which one I would pick because I know you get upset when I keep that for myself. I'll get to my choice a little bit later in this video, but please watch all the way through because there might be many reasons why you might make a different choice. Before we get to all the differences between these sensors, let me first tell you what these bad boys have in common to make sure that we are on the same page. At face value, they might be quite similar: a small round sensor that you place on your upper arm, and it continuously reads your glucose levels and a receiving

device that shows your glucose readings using a continuous glucose monitor. Over finger pricking and having access to the glucose number. Trend arrow and my graph 24/7 was a game changer. It literally changed my life with diabetes. My HbA1c improved so so much. Now all these Libre sensors are easy to apply, very straightforward to use. And as I already mentioned, after you apply them, they last for two weeks. But that's where all the similarities end. And now the difference is. Let's start with difference number 17. When we look at the new freestyle Libre 3 sensor, we see that it's much smaller and thinner than all previous generations. 60% smaller to be exact. It also has a more subtle matte finish, which makes it kind of blend with your skin and much harder to spot for others. The difference is really noticeable. Freestyle Libre 3 is much more discreet, and people around you, including strangers, just don't notice it so much. Are you a cyborg? The Libre 3 also comes

in a much smaller box, so it's easier to store. When you get a shipment, the Box will not be so big, and your neighbors will not see it from a porch a mile away. Next, difference number 16 is how data is transferred from your sensor to the reader. The sensors use different technology to do that. With Libre 1 and Libre 2, you need to scan the sensor with your receiver or phone to see your current course reading. The system uses the NFC technology for this, just like when you pay with a credit card. With Libre 3, the glucose information is updated on your receiving device automatically, as long as the sensor is within a 33 feet distance. And this might not seem like a big difference, but in real life, this is a huge difference. Each of these solutions has their pros and cons. Let's look at it. Difference number 15. From my experience, scanning with Libre 1 and Libre 2 is not always 100% reliable. Sometimes you have to scan multiple times to get the actual reading.

and to be honest, it can get annoying if you need to scan every time you want to see your current glucose on Libre 1 and Libre 2. With Libre 3, you don't need to bother yourself with scanning. You get a constant flow, a constant stream of real-time data to your receiving device. The only time you do need to scan with Freestyle Libre 3 is during the initial setup. After that, everything happens automatically. Difference number 14: it's a lot easier to lose data with Libre 1 and Libre 2 because the sensor only holds data for 8 hours. You need to scan the sensor at least every 8 hours to transfer the data and save them on your receiving device. They don't get saved on the sensor. With Libre 3, you don't need to worry about that. The data is transferred and saved automatically. On the other hand, and this difference number 13, Libre 3 does take a toll on the battery life. It drains a phone battery a lot faster due to a constant

Bluetooth activity between the sensor and the receiver. So if you don't have a phone with a good battery, you might struggle a bit with Libre 3. Another difference, number 12, is how well these sensors stay on. Everyone who's ever used a CGM has probably ripped it out of the door frame or when taking off a t-shirt. These kinds of accidents happen to me a lot less with Libre 3 because it has such a low profile. When it comes to sensor height, every millimeter matters because that millimeter can save the sensor from the strap of a bra or a sleeve of your shirt. Libre 3 also feels a lot more comfortable when I wear a tighter t-shirt or when I lay on it in my sleep. Libre 3 just won't bother you as much on your body as Libre one or Libre 2. On the other hand, the Libre 3 has a much smaller contact area for the adhesive to stick to your skin, and so it can peel off a lot easier than Libre 2.

especially when you get caught on something so be careful about that. I personally always used an over patch with my freestyle eBay sensors. My favorites are skin grip; they're super flexible, which makes them easy to put on, and they're also durable, keeping my sensor in place for the entire sensor session without any. I'll put a link for you to the skin grip store down below, and with code Type 1 talks, you get 10% off. Thanks, King grip, for sponsoring this video. Speaking of sensor application, there goes another slight difference, number 11, between Libre 3 and all other sensors. The older models come in two separate pieces: one is the applicator, and the other one is the sensor itself. You need to line them up and press down firmly on the applicator, ideally on a hard flat surface, which will load the applicator with the actual glucose sensor. You lift the applicator, and only then you can place it over the side and push down firmly to apply it. Freestyle Libre 3 applicator is already loaded in the

package. Once you unscrew the cap, you can apply it right away, which makes the whole process a bit faster and easier. So, if you're someone who tends to mess up even a simple series of tasks, you might want to go with Libre 3. The first number 10 might be important for those of you who like to have very close control over your blood sugars, and this is a lot easier to do with Libre 2 and Libre 3 because they offer alarms. You can have those optional alarms alert you on your phone or on your receiver anytime your blood sugar crosses a set threshold. I love using alarms because they basically let me know that my blood sugar is going too high or too low before it actually happens, and I have enough time to react. When I started using alarms on Libre 2, both my timing range and HbA1c improved significantly from the time when I was on Libre one. On the other hand, when you have diabetes and when you get alarmed at multiple times a day and multiple times a night.

it can get challenging. You can get alarm fatigue, burn out, or even worse, start making panic decisions under the pressure of all those alarms. By the way, let me know below if you feel the same way about alarms sometimes because I really do. And if that's a strong case for you, Freestyle Libre one without alarms might be the right solution here because with Libre one, you only interact with the CGM when you want to interact with it. You don't interact with it when it wants to interact with you, and that's a big difference. Another difference between Libre 2 and Libre 3, and that's number nine, is that when you get the alarm on Libre 2, the system only tells you that your blood sugar is high or that your blood sugar is low, but it doesn't tell you how high or how low it actually is. You need to scan to see your actual glucose number and your glucose trend arrow. Libre 3 has this information instantly available, and that's great because when your blood sugar is too low

or too high, you might be a bit sick, and you might not feel like scanning. You just want to have the information right away. Next, difference number eight is how you view your glucose readings. This one is quite simple. For all three versions, you can use either an app on your mobile phone or a dedicated reader. Regardless of which FreeStyle Libre sensor version you use, I personally always prefer an app on my phone because I don't like to carry another device around. But I know many people who prefer the reader because they want to have their blood sugar data on a dedicated device. They just don't want to carry their phone everywhere with them. For example, another reason is that the reader doesn't drain the phone battery, and the battery on the reader is rechargeable and it lasts a lot longer than a mobile phone battery. The reader for Libre 1 is black, the reader for Libre 2 is blue, and the reader for Libre 3 is silver. Unfortunately, all of them only work with the same sensor version. You won't be able to use FreeStyle.

Library 3 sensor with the freestyle Library 2 reader. For example, it will not work if you prefer to use a phone. There is, again, a dedicated app for each sensor version that you need to install on your mobile phone. You can download these apps on IOS and Android devices. In most countries, the apps are almost identical. The most notable difference is that the freestyle Library 3 app can be switched to a dark mode. The other apps can't do that. Not a game-changer, but a nice feature to have if you don't want to wake up your partner or your baby during the night with this white light. On the other hand, the other freestyle Library 2 app saves your blood glucose information in the logbook every time you scan. Libre 3 app doesn't do that, but again, I don't think this is a deal-breaker. Now, if you are an advanced user who likes to use different DUI Solutions like third-party apps, third-party add-ons, and so on, you will want to hear about the next difference, number seven, because each new

freestyle Library version is getting more and more security features. On one hand, this is good because our data is more secured. On the other hand, it's not so good because it makes it harder and harder, and sometimes even impossible, to use the data from the sensor with unauthorized apps or solutions. So if you're doing some sneaky, suspicious, DUI stuff, such as restarting your sensors and using them for multiple sensor cycles, which you absolutely should know not do, you might want to stick to the first generation of freestyle Library sensors. But don't tell anyone I told you. I can't really talk about this publicly too much because I don't want my channel get canceled. But I moved all the discussions about off-label solutions behind the paywall. This way I can still help you on any kind of non-standard questions like sensor restart on my patreon. Link is down below. By the way, you can also support me financially there if that's what you want to do. Another difference, number six, between different sensors is how accurate they

are a common way to measure accuracy of CGMs is to use mean absolute relative difference or MARD. The lower MARD, the more accurate CGM, just like when you play Golf, the lower the score is, the better the player. Older models like FreeStyle Libre 2 and Libre 14 days had a MARD of 9.3 percent. FreeStyle Libre 3 has a MARD of 7.9 percent. This is the lowest of any CGM currently on the market. FreeStyle Libre 3 is theoretically a tiny bit more accurate. In reality, I used all these CGMs extensively, and you won't tell the difference in accuracy between Libre 2 and Libre 3, for example, you won't see it, it's not significant. But what you will see is difference number five, because FreeStyle Libre 3 readings update every minute, while the other models update only every 5 minutes. So, with FreeStyle Libre 3, I get more timely information about my glucose, and it might make it seem like the sensor is more accurate, but it's not the accuracy, it's the timeliness of the

information. But if I were you, I wouldn't get too caught up on the accuracy when deciding between Libre 3 and Libre 2, or any other Libre version. All modern CGMs are accurate enough. So when I'm deciding, I'm not looking at plus minus one percent in accuracy. What I'm looking at is: do they have the features I like? Do they have the features I need? Now, I will say that it can happen that you get a bad batch of sensors, and it can also happen that the Freestyle Libre sensors just don't work well with your body. I've heard stories of many people who get woken up during the night by critical low alarms, but when they checked their blood sugar with a glucometer, their blood sugar actually was not low. And that can happen with any version of Freestyle Libre or any other CGM. To be quite honest, if that happens, you should always contact your distributor and request a free replacement. See if this was just a bad batch, or if your body is really

incompatible with the sensors, and you need to switch to something else. The first number four is another topic or difference to watch out for, especially if you're an insulin pump user because in Europe, freestyle Libre 3 already works with Cam APS FX, which is a closed-loop system, and this combo with the my life ipsopam provides a full-blown automated insulin delivery capability. I have a full review video about this on my channel, and I will link it right here. But even if you are in the US where a closed-loop with freestyle Libre is not available yet, you might be excited because in March the FDA cleared to liberate 2 and Libre 3 CGMs for use with commercial automated insulin delivery systems, and this means that insulin pumps like omnipod or tandem will probably integrate with freestyle Libre within the next year. None of this commercial integration can be done with any older freestyle Libre models, so if a closed loop is your dream, you want to be looking at Libre 2 or Libre 3.

would say preferably Libre 3 because that's where it already works in Europe with my life ipso pump number three. And another difference you will encounter is that some of the freestyle Libre sensors or reader versions might not be available in your location. New versions are typically launched in the Western Europe first than in the US, and that the large continuous in other countries freestyle Library 1 sensors are available almost through all First World countries. Libre 2 and Libre 3 are available in most Western countries, but keep in mind that the Libre 3 technology is quite new. For example, the FDA has recently approved the freestyle Library 3 reader in the US, and it's not yet in the market. It will be soon. Not everyone has access to everything, so always consult your healthcare professional and check the Abbott's website in your region what is available. The next difference number two is or might be related to your insurance coverage. Here are the most important points to consider since freestyle Library 3 is new. It is not as widely approved as Libre 1 or Libre 2.

all jurisdictions if you're in the US for example some insurances like Medicare don't cover freestyle Library 3 yet but they do cover freestyle Libre 2. For all insulin-dependent diabetics but outside of insurance coverage the price should not really be a decision factor for you because the Libre sensors regardless of what version it is typically cost the same. Now if the reason why you're watching this video is to find out which freestyle Library sensor I would choose I'm going to tell you right now but first give this video a big like if you got some value and check out my patreon. If you sign up you get access to behind-the-scenes video and personal coaching over text messages from yours truly by joining you get access to entire wealth of knowledge of diabetes that's in here. You can ask me anything and I'll answer but no medical advice okay I'll leave a link to my patreon and coaching sessions down below so let's see freestyle everyone raise glucose 24/7. I need to scan every 8

hours. It won't bother me with alarms. It's available almost everywhere, and it's easier to hack freestyle. Library 2 is newer, looks exactly like Libre one. I still need to scan it, but it has alarms, and it might work in a closed loop. Freestyle Library 3 is the latest model. It's smaller. It also has alarms. It constantly sends glucose readings to my reader or phone. My insurance covers it, and it works in a closed loop. For me, it's clear. I'll take the three. If you're still not decided, keep in mind I tested both Libre 2 and Libre 3 in detail, and I made a detailed review about them. Click here and to watch it next if you need to. I will see you there. Ciao.

FreeStyle Libre 3 vs Libre 2: All Differences Explained

Interested in hearing fresh ideas and tips on how to manage your diabetes? 
Want to stay up-to-date on diabetes technology and modern ways to manage your blood sugar? 
Or just need a diabetic friend to help you navigate your diabetes journey?      

My name is Tom and I've been a type 1 diabetic for 30+ years. 
On this channel, I help you navigate your diabetes journey by sharing easy to understand tips.
You can't find this kind of content in any text book about diabetes.
 
If you want to take advantage of strong diabetes community and modern technology to live a full life despite having diabetes, consider subscribing to my channel. 

Subscribe to my channel ?sub_confirmation=1
Join as a channel member here and get extra perks https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnOoUHQzmK3iaW7l3qJfxEw/join
Join my Patreon community https://www.patreon.com/typeonetalks
Book a private session with me https://calendly.com/typeonetalks

I'm not a medical professional and don't provide medical advice.

FreeStyle Libre 3 vs Libre 2: All Differences Explained

FreeStyle Libre 3 vs Libre 2: All Differences Explained

Scripts