Omnipod 5 (pump)

The Omnipod 5 removes the most visible burden of pump therapy — the tubing — by putting the reservoir, cannula and even the control algorithm into a small waterproof Pod worn directly on the body.¹ For many people that form factor is the single biggest quality-of-life upgrade a pump can offer.

Form factor: a tubeless patch, not a tubed pump. There is no tubing and no separate insulin line — the Pod is a self-contained patch that sticks to the skin and is fully waterproof, rated IP28 for up to 25 feet (about 7.6 m) for 60 minutes, so you can shower and swim without disconnecting.¹² Insulin is delivered through a small flexible cannula inserted automatically when the Pod is first activated, rather than by a hand-pushed infusion set.²

Reservoir and wear. Each Pod holds up to 200 units of U-100 rapid-acting insulin and must be primed with at least 85 units to start.¹² It is worn for up to three days (72 hours) and is then replaced as a whole single-use unit — there is no durable pump body to recharge or refill.¹ It is compatible with NovoLog/NovoRapid, Humalog, Admelog and Kirsty (an insulin aspart).¹

Occlusion detection and reliability. Like all Insulet Pods, it monitors for blockages and sounds a hazard alarm if it detects an occlusion, prompting you to deactivate and change the Pod.² The platform has a large real-world track record: an analysis of 69,902 US users found a median time-in-range of 68.8% at the lowest (110 mg/dL [6.1 mmol/L]) glucose target, with very little time below 70 mg/dL (3.9 mmol/L).³ As with any patch pump, individual Pods can occasionally fail or occlude early, and a single failed infusion site can lead to a high or, rarely, ketoacidosis.⁴

Which CGMs and algorithms it works with. Uniquely, the SmartAdjust algorithm runs on the Pod itself, not on the phone: every five minutes it reads the CGM value and trend, predicts glucose 60 minutes ahead, and increases, decreases or pauses delivery toward a customizable target.⁵¹ It integrates with Dexcom G6, Dexcom G7 and the FreeStyle Libre 2 Plus and Libre 3 Plus sensors.⁶ It is a closed commercial system — it does not work with DIY/open-source loops, and its on-Pod algorithm is ranked separately as an AID system on this site.⁵

Phone bolusing. Omnipod 5 was the first tubeless AID with full smartphone control: you can bolus and manage settings directly from a compatible iPhone or Android phone using the Omnipod 5 app and its SmartBolus calculator, with no separate handheld required (a dedicated Insulet Controller is still offered).⁵⁶

Access and cost by region. It is FDA-cleared in the US for people aged 2 and older with type 1 diabetes (originally ages 6+ in January 2022, later expanded), and it is uniquely available through the pharmacy channel rather than only durable-medical-equipment suppliers.⁵⁷ In the UK it launched in June 2023 and is available on NHS frameworks, rolling out to people who qualify under the NICE hybrid-closed-loop program; it is also marketed across the EU.⁷⁸ The ongoing cost of single-use Pods is the trade-off for having no expensive durable hardware.

What's coming. In December 2025 the FDA cleared an updated algorithm that lets users set glucose targets as low as 100 mg/dL (5.6 mmol/L) and stay in automated mode through prolonged highs with fewer interruptions, with a US launch expected in the first half of 2026 — narrowing the gap with the most aggressive competing systems.⁹ Insulet has also extended Omnipod 5 to adults with type 2 diabetes, where an early trial cut HbA1c by 1.3 percentage points, and continues to widen CGM and phone compatibility.¹⁰⁶

References

1. Insulet (Omnipod). Simplify Life with Omnipod 5 — product overview (tubeless waterproof Pod, IP28 to 25 ft/60 min, up to 200 U U-100 insulin, ~72 h wear, on-Pod SmartAdjust, compatible insulins). https://www.omnipod.com/what-is-omnipod/omnipod-5 ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶

2. Insulet (Omnipod). Important Safety Information (waterproof IP28 rating, cannula delivery, occlusion detection and hazard alarm, ~85 U minimum fill). https://www.omnipod.com/safety ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

3. Forlenza GP, DeSalvo DJ, Aleppo G, et al. Real-World Evidence of Omnipod 5 Automated Insulin Delivery System Use in 69,902 People with Type 1 Diabetes. Diabetes Technology & Therapeutics (2024); 26(8):514–525. PMID 38375861. https://doi.org/10.1089/dia.2023.0578 ↩

4. Brown SA, Forlenza GP, Bode BW, et al. Multicenter Trial of a Tubeless, On-Body Automated Insulin Delivery System With Customizable Glycemic Targets in Pediatric and Adult Participants With Type 1 Diabetes. Diabetes Care (2021); 44(7):1630–1640. According to PubMed. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8323171/ (DOI) ↩

5. Insulet Corporation. FDA Clearance of its Omnipod 5 Automated Insulin Delivery System — First Tubeless System with Smartphone Control (Jan 28, 2022; SmartAdjust runs on the Pod, 5-minute cycle, 60-minute prediction, Dexcom G6 integration, smartphone control, ages 6+ at clearance). https://s201.q4cdn.com/452214269/files/doc_news/2022/01/28/Insulet-Announces-FDA-Clearance-of-its-Omnipod®-5-Automated-Insulin-Delivery-System-First-Tubeless-System-with-Smartphone-Control.pdf ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

6. Insulet (Omnipod). Omnipod 5 Smartphone & CGM Device Compatibility (Dexcom G6, Dexcom G7, FreeStyle Libre 2 Plus and Libre 3 Plus; iPhone and Android app control). https://www.omnipod.com/current-podders/resources/omnipod-5/device-compatibility ↩ ↩² ↩³

7. Breakthrough T1D UK. Omnipod 5 becomes the latest hybrid closed loop system available in the UK (UK launch June 2023; ages 2+; available on NHS frameworks). https://breakthrought1d.org.uk/news/omnipod-5-becomes-the-latest-hybrid-closed-loop-system-available-in-the-uk/ ↩ ↩²

8. Diabetes UK. Omnipod 5 can now connect with the Dexcom G7 CGM (UK availability and NHS access via the NICE hybrid-closed-loop rollout). https://www.diabetes.org.uk/about-us/news-and-views/omnipod-5-first-tubeless-hybrid-closed-loop-system-now-available-uk ↩

9. Kelly J (Healio). FDA clears updated algorithm with lower target glucose setting for Omnipod 5 (Dec 8, 2025; targets as low as 100 mg/dL, six target options 100–150 mg/dL, fewer interruptions during highs, US launch expected H1 2026). https://www.healio.com/news/endocrinology/20251208/fda-clears-updated-algorithm-with-lower-target-glucose-setting-for-omnipod-5 ↩

10. Davis GM, Peters AL, Bode BW, et al. Safety and Efficacy of the Omnipod 5 Automated Insulin Delivery System in Adults With Type 2 Diabetes: From Injections to Hybrid Closed-Loop Therapy. Diabetes Care (2023); 46(4):742–750. According to PubMed. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10090930/ (DOI) ↩