The short answer
Use what you will actually keep up. For many people that is a mix: a meter, app or sensor for the numbers, and a paper log for doses, food and notes.
Side by side
| Paper log | App or connected meter | |
|---|---|---|
| Readings stored automatically | No | Yes, with a connected meter or sensor |
| Two weeks at a glance | Yes, on one page | Depends on the app, usually charts |
| Notes, food and doses | Easy, any way you like | Possible, often several taps per entry |
| Works with any meter | Yes | Only supported devices |
| Needs a phone, battery or account | No | Yes |
| Sharing with your doctor | Hand it over | Export or clinic software |
| Privacy | Stays with you | Depends on the company |
| Charts and averages | No, unless you draw them | Yes |
| Reminders | No | Yes |
Where continuous glucose monitors fit
A continuous glucose monitor (CGM) measures glucose every few minutes through a small sensor on the skin. NICE recommends offering adults with type 1 diabetes a choice of real-time or flash CGM, and the ADA recommends CGM for adults on insulin and on other medicines that can cause lows. If you qualify, it is worth asking about.
A sensor replaces most finger-pricks, but it does not know what you ate, how much insulin you took or why you went for a run. That context is what makes the numbers useful, and it is exactly what a paper log is good at.
When paper works best
- You test a few times a day with a finger-prick meter.
- You want to see whole weeks at once, not one day on a small screen.
- You prefer not to share health data with an app company.
- You are filling in a log for someone else, such as an older parent.
- Your doctor or clinic asked for a written log.
When an app works best
- Your meter or sensor syncs readings automatically.
- You like charts, averages and time-in-range reports.
- Your clinic reviews your data remotely.
- You need reminders to test.
Why I still use paper
I have kept a pocket card in my meter case since I was diagnosed in 2006. Writing each number by hand makes me look at it, and the card shows me two weeks at a glance: readings and insulin on the left, carbs on the right, a + for every day in target. Nothing to charge, nothing to log into. It has worked for me for twenty years, which is why I built this site.
Not medical advice. This guide is general information. Your targets, testing times and treatment come from your doctor, diabetes nurse or clinic, who know your situation.
Make your paper logFree, no account, built in your browser.Questions
Is a paper log accurate enough?
It is as accurate as the numbers you copy into it. Write the reading straight from the meter, and leave a box empty rather than guessing.
Can I use a paper log with a CGM?
Yes. Many people use the sensor for glucose and the paper log for doses, carbs and notes, or copy a few key readings a day.
Will my doctor accept a paper log?
Almost always. Many doctors find a clear page faster to read than a screen.
Is my data private on paper?
Yes. A paper log never leaves your hands unless you give it to someone. sugarlogmaker also builds the log in your browser, so nothing you type is uploaded.
Sources
- American Diabetes Association. 7. Diabetes Technology: Standards of Care in Diabetes—2026. Diabetes Care 2026;49(Suppl 1)
- NICE guideline NG17. Type 1 diabetes in adults: diagnosis and management