Comparison

CareLink™ Connect US vs Dexcom Follow

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

CareLink™ Connect US

This app allows authorized caregivers to remotely monitor the glucose levels of up to five individuals with diabetes. It provides access to sensor glucose data and insulin pump or CGM system information from compatible Medtronic devices.

Highlights
  • Monitor up to five people simultaneously
  • View sensor glucose levels
  • Access insulin pump information
  • Access CGM system information
  • Secondary display of diabetes data
Read full description

Now you can follow up to five people simultaneously. Right on your phone, The CareLink™ Connect app provides an easy way to view the sensor glucose levels of a person with diabetes using some Medtronic devices. When a family member or a friend has diabetes, you want to be supportive and stay close. You might want to know if their glucose levels go too high or too low, be able to quickly and easily access their insulin pump or Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) system information. To remotely access sensor glucose levels or pump system information, care partners need to install the CareLink™ Connect app on their smartphone. Additionally, the person with diabetes must have a compatible MiniMed™ insulin pump or CGM connected to the CareLink™ software through the corresponding patient mobile app. For more information about the CareLink™ Connect app, please visit medtronicdiabetes.com or contact a Medtronic representative. IMPORTANT NOTE: For real-time updates, the app must consistently receive data from the CareLink™ server, while the insulin pump or CGM system must continually upload data to the CareLink™ server. The CareLink™ Connect app exclusively supports the MiniMed ™ 700-series insulin pump and selected CGM systems. It does not support all other CGM systems, MiniMed™, or Paradigm™ insulin pumps. To find a list of compatible smartphones, please visit medtronicdiabetes.com/app-check. The CareLink™ Connect app is intended to provide a secondary display of insulin pump and CGM (Continuous Glucose Monitor) data on a supported mobile device. CareLink™ Connect app is not intended to replace the real-time display of insulin pump or CGM data on the primary display device. All therapy decisions should be based on the primary display device. CareLink™ Connect app is not intended to analyze or modify the insulin pump and CGM data that it receives. Nor is it intended to control any function of the insulin pump or CGM system to which it is connected. CareLink™ Connect app is not intended to receive information directly from the insulin pump or CGM system. This app is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician, or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment. Please note that this app store should not be your primary method of resolving technical or customer service issues. To ensure the protection of your privacy and personal information, as well as the prompt resolution of any technical or customer service problems you encounter with any Medtronic product, we kindly request that you contact Medtronic's 24-Hour Technical Support line. Medtronic is committed to addressing customer complaints concerning our products. If Medtronic determines that your comment or complaint requires further attention, a member of our team will make an effort to contact you in order to gather additional information. ©2023 Medtronic. All rights reserved. Medtronic, Medtronic logo and Engineering the extraordinary are trademarks of Medtronic. ™*Third party brands are trademarks of their respective owners. All other brands are trademarks of a Medtronic company.

About

Dexcom Follow

This app allows you to remotely monitor the glucose levels and trends of loved ones using a compatible continuous glucose monitoring system. Receive customizable alerts for out-of-range glucose levels, providing peace of mind and enabling timely responses.

Highlights
  • Remote glucose monitoring
  • View glucose trends
  • Customizable glucose alerts
  • Push notifications
  • Monitor up to 25 sharers
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

The new Dexcom Follow App is part of the Dexcom SHARE® system. Use this app if your loved one is sharing data from their Dexcom CGM app. The Sharer will need to send an invitation to allow you to connect after you have installed the Follow app. Dexcom Follow works seamlessly with your loved one’s Dexcom CGM, giving you visibility into their glucose data, even when they’re far away. Dexcom Follow allows you to view and follow their glucose levels, trends and data right from the app. Whether your child is in school, your parent lives independently, or your partner is traveling, Dexcom Follow helps you stay connected and informed. With Dexcom Follow, you can: • Remotely monitor your loved one’s glucose at a glance from your phone or Apple Watch† • Receive glucose information of up to 25 different Sharers – children, friends, or other loved ones – if you know multiple people with diabetes • Respond quickly with the help of customizable glucose alerts and push notifications that can inform you when a Sharer’s glucose levels are outside of target range

Screenshots

CareLink™ Connect US4 screens
Dexcom Follow4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: CareLink™ Connect US at 2.9 against Dexcom Follow's 1.6. CareLink™ Connect US also leads on iOS requirement (14.0 vs 18.6). Dexcom Follow's advantage is ratings volume (925 vs 17) and chart position (#77 vs unranked). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

CareLink™ Connect US holds the better App Store score, 2.9 against 1.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Dexcom Follow has 925 ratings behind it against 17, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 11% of CareLink™ Connect US's written reviews are positive against 6% of Dexcom Follow's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

CareLink™ Connect US ships an update every 4 months, Dexcom Follow every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 7 level
CareLink™ Connect US versus Dexcom Follow: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCareLink™ Connect USDexcom Follow
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.9 (17 ratings) — better1.6 (925 ratings)
Positive reviews10.7% of reviews — better6.1% of reviews
Number of ratings17925 — better
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 3 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
Best chart rank—#77 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch
Requires iOS14.0 — better18.6
Further details — not scored
Size114 MB244 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMedtronic, Inc.DexCom, Inc.

Customer experience

CareLink™ Connect US

All ratings125 ratings
Positive34.4%
Neutral5.6%
Negative60.0%
Written reviews140 reviews
Positive10.7%
Neutral12.9%
Negative76.4%

Dexcom Follow

All ratings888 ratings
Positive8.0%
Neutral8.7%
Negative83.3%
Written reviews704 reviews
Positive6.1%
Neutral10.5%
Negative83.4%

User reviews

CareLink™ Connect US

From 17 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 💻 Helpful for monitoring diabetic patient's data
  • 🤝 Useful for caregivers to track patient's glucose levels

Room to improve

  • 🔒 Frequent log-out issues
  • 🔍 Difficulty connecting to the pump/sensor
  • 🔔 Unreliable notifications and alerts
  • 🤔 Confusing user interface and navigation

Dexcom Follow

From 925 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Improved design

Room to improve

  • 🔍 No widget available
  • 🔍 No live updates or Apple Watch support
  • 🔍 Reduced functionality compared to old app

Bugs and requests

CareLink™ Connect US

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Incompatible with latest iOS versions
  • App crashes or freezes frequently
  • Data sync issues between app and pump/sensor

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add Apple Watch support
  • Improve notification customization and reliability
  • Allow multiple patient monitoring on a single account
  • Provide better integration with other diabetes management apps

Dexcom Follow

Reported bugs

1 issue
  • Login issues preventing app usage

Requested features

3 requests
  • Add widget feature
  • Implement live updates and Apple Watch support
  • Restore previous app functionality

In-app purchases

None

CareLink™ Connect US

No in-app purchases

None

Dexcom Follow

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is CareLink™ Connect US free?
CareLink™ Connect US is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Dexcom Follow free?
Dexcom Follow is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, CareLink™ Connect US or Dexcom Follow?
CareLink™ Connect US is rated higher. CareLink™ Connect US averages 2.9 out of 5 from 17 ratings, while Dexcom Follow averages 1.6 from 925 ratings.
Do CareLink™ Connect US or Dexcom Follow have ads?
Neither CareLink™ Connect US nor Dexcom Follow shows ads.
Which is updated more often, CareLink™ Connect US or Dexcom Follow?
CareLink™ Connect US ships an update every 4 months, and Dexcom Follow every 3 months. Most recently, CareLink™ Connect US was updated on November 3, 2026 and Dexcom Follow on November 5, 2026.

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