GluWink vs GlucoLive
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side ā with what reviewers say about each.
GluWink
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Make your iPhone and Apple Watch a tool for diabetes ā not a distraction from it. GluWink does three things, and nothing more: 1. Glucose and carbs visible everywhere. Home Screen, Lock Screen and StandBy widgets in every size. Complications on every Apple Watch face. An optional glucose number on the app icon badge. Turn carb features off in settings if you don't track carbs. 2. Clear status at a glance. Green: all clear. Orange: something needs attention ā glucose is high or low, sensor is stale, or (if carb tracking is on) no carbs logged yet. Red: critical high ā shield locked until glucose drops below your threshold. Every surface speaks the same three-color language. 3. Optional app blocking ā your call. Choose to block other apps at configurable intervals, either always or only when something needs your attention. While blocking is active and the face is orange, GluWink locks other apps until the check-in is done. When the face is red, the check-in is off the table entirely until glucose drops back below the critical threshold ā no passphrase override, no disarm. When everything is green ā or you've turned blocking off entirely ā your phone is just your phone. ā Built for two audiences ā For parents of children with Type 1: ⢠Set GluWink up once on the child's iPhone using Family Sharing. ⢠Pick which apps stay free to use (the CGM app, school apps, phone, messages). ⢠A passphrase only the parent knows protects the settings. ⢠The child cannot delete the app or skip the check-in. ⢠You can always glance at the home screen badge or a widget to see how things are going. For adults managing their own Type 1: ⢠Authorize GluWink for yourself ā no Family Sharing required. ⢠Have a partner, spouse, or friend set the passphrase. The friction is the point. ⢠You can always uninstall ā GluWink is honest about that. It nudges, it doesn't imprison. ā Where the data comes from ā GluWink reads glucose and carbs from Apple Health. Most CGM apps (Dexcom, Libre, CamAPS, xDrip, Loop, iAPS, and others) already write to Apple Health. If yours does, GluWink is a one-tap connection. Prefer Nightscout? Connect a Nightscout site instead ā handy when a parent is monitoring a child remotely, or when the diabetes system writes to Nightscout but not Apple Health. On Medtrum? Connect EasyView ā works for patients and caregivers. On FreeStyle Libre? Connect LibreLinkUp ā GluWink reads direct from Abbott's cloud. Any source can be on at once; the freshest reading wins. Want to try the app first? Demo mode shows realistic glucose and carb data without any sensor. ā What you get ā ⢠Friendly check-in shield with action items based on the current glucose and (optionally) last carbs. ⢠Three-way signal: green (all clear), orange (check-in needed), red (critical ā shield locked until glucose drops). Thresholds are yours to set. ⢠Home Screen, Lock Screen, and StandBy widgets in every size, tinted with the same three-color attention signal. ⢠Apple Watch app and complications ā glucose at a glance on every watch face, with optional carbs. ⢠Configurable thresholds, intervals, and (when carb tracking is on) a daily carb grace period. ⢠Block apps always, only when attention is needed, or not at all ā you decide. ⢠English and Dutch throughout. ā Honest about what GluWink is not ā GluWink is not a medical device. It does not replace your CGM, your pump, your endocrinologist, or your judgment. It does not make treatment decisions. It surfaces information that's already on the phone and asks one question: did you do the diabetes thing yet? ā Open source ā GluWink is open source. Your data stays on your device (with HealthKit), on the Nightscout site you control, or on the LibreLinkUp or EasyView service you connect. There are no accounts, no servers run by us, no analytics, no ads. Source code, build instructions, and the rules engine are all on GitHub. Type 1 diabetes is relentless. The phone doesn't have to be.
GlucoLive
View real-time blood glucose data on your Lock Screen, Apple Watch, and Dynamic Island. Receive customizable high and low glucose alerts, track Time in Range, and sync with Apple Health. Offers advanced features with a Pro subscription.
- Real-time glucose display on Lock Screen, Dynamic Island, and Apple Watch
- Customizable high and low glucose alerts
- Graph, Time in Range, GMI, and Average tracking
- Syncs with Apple Health
- CSV export (Pro feature)
- Night profile and alert snooze (Pro feature)
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See your glucose in real time on the Lock Screen, Apple Watch, CarPlay and Dynamic Island ā without ever opening the app. GlucoLive brings your glucose to every device you already use, so you always know where you stand, at a glance. WHERE IT APPEARS ⢠Lock Screen, Dynamic Island and Widgets ā now with an 8-hour chart ⢠Apple Watch ā complication + dedicated app ⢠CarPlay SENSORS ⢠FreeStyle Libre 2, 2 Plus, 3 (via LibreLinkUp) ⢠Nightscout FEATURES ⢠Low and high glucose notifications ⢠Insulin diary ā log bolus and basal alongside your glucose ⢠Chart + Time in Range, GMI and Average ⢠Your lab results and glucose, side by side ⢠Syncs with Apple Health GLUCOLIVE PRO ā 15 DAYS FREE ⢠Night profile, custom limits, notification style (sound / vibrate / silent), CSV export, medical PDF report Auto-renewing subscription. Cancel in Settings > [your name] > Subscriptions, at least 24h before the end of the period. PRIVACY ⢠We don't capture your glucose data ā it's yours and stays on your device. MEDICAL DISCLAIMER & JURISDICTION Intended for use only in countries where CGM sensors have regulatory approval: FreeStyle Libre is approved by the FDA (USA), CE Mark (EU) and ANVISA (Brazil). Not a medical device. Notifications are informational and don't replace your sensor's official app alarms or professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor before making health decisions based on this app. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://www.glucolive.app/privacy
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: GluWink at none against GlucoLive's 2. GlucoLive's advantage is iOS requirement (18.0 vs 26.3.1). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price Ā· Rating Ā· Positive reviews Ā· Number of ratings Ā· Update frequency Ā· Ads Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Monetization Ā· Best chart rank Ā· Devices Ā· Requires iOS
Both are free to download. GlucoLive sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. GluWink asks for nothing beyond the download.
Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on September 9, 2026 and September 18, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | GluWink | GlucoLive |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Positive reviews | ā | 100.0% of reviews |
| Update frequency | Every 5 days | Every 5 days |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No ā better | Yes |
| Monetization | ā | Freemium |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, Apple Watch |
| Requires iOS | 26.3.1 | 18.0 ā better |
| Further details ā not scored | ||
| Size | 7 MB | 5 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | +12 |
| Developer | Fokke Zandbergen | Fabricio Pereira |
In-app purchases
GluWink
No in-app purchases
GlucoLive
- GlucoLive Pro Monthly$1.991 Month
- GlucoLive Pro Annual$14.991 Year



