CareLink™ Connect US vs Dexcom Follow
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- Monitor up to five people simultaneously
- View sensor glucose levels
- Access insulin pump information
- Access CGM system information
- Secondary display of diabetes data
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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.
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.
- Remote glucose monitoring
- View glucose trends
- Customizable glucose alerts
- Push notifications
- Monitor up to 25 sharers
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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
Verdict
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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
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.
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.
| Parameter | CareLink™ Connect US | Dexcom Follow |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 2.9 (17 ratings) — better | 1.6 (925 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 10.7% of reviews — better | 6.1% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 17 | 925 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | Every 3 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | — | #77 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 — better | 18.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 114 MB | 244 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Medtronic, Inc. | DexCom, Inc. |
Customer experience
CareLink™ Connect US
Dexcom Follow
User reviews
CareLink™ Connect US
From 17 App Store ratingsWhat 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 ratingsWhat 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
CareLink™ Connect US
No in-app purchases
Dexcom Follow
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is CareLink™ Connect US free?
Is Dexcom Follow free?
Which has better reviews, CareLink™ Connect US or Dexcom Follow?
Do CareLink™ Connect US or Dexcom Follow have ads?
Which is updated more often, CareLink™ Connect US or Dexcom Follow?
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