If you're looking to improve your metabolism, lose weight, or just understand how your body reacts to food, you’ve probably come across two popular options: Lumen and Vively. While both promise to give you personalised insights into your metabolic health, they take very different approaches.

In this article, we’ll break down the key differences between Lumen and Vively to help you decide which one is best for you. We’ll cover technology, app experience, personalisation, pricing, availability, and more — all with an Australian lens. Let’s get into it.

What are Lumen and Vively?

Lumen is a handheld breath analysis device that tells you whether your body is burning fat or carbohydrates for energy. You blow into the device each morning (and optionally before and after meals or workouts), and the app gives you real-time feedback to help guide your nutrition.

Vively is an Australian-based program that uses a Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM). The sensor sits on your arm and continuously tracks your blood sugar. The Vively app translates your data into simple, actionable insights and even includes access to dietitians.

Key differences at a glance

1. Technology: Breath vs blood sugar

Lumen uses a breath sensor to estimate your body’s fuel source (fat or carbs) based on carbon dioxide levels. It’s quick and non-invasive and gives you feedback in the moment. But it only shows your metabolic state when you take a reading.

Vively uses a CGM to monitor your glucose levels 24/7. This means it captures how your blood sugar reacts to every meal, workout, and even stress or poor sleep. The data is continuous and more comprehensive.

If you want to see what’s happening in your body all day, Vively offers a more complete picture.

2. App experience and ease of use

Lumen’s app is sleek and simple. You get daily scores and suggestions like "go low-carb today" or "refuel with more carbs" based on your breath reading. But to get meaningful insights, you’ll need to breathe into the device multiple times a day and manually log meals.

Vively’s app works in the background. Once your sensor is on, it tracks everything automatically. You can log meals with photos and get instant feedback on how each food affects your body. You can connect a range of fitness trackers, such as Fitbit and Apple Watch, to see how your workouts and sleep affect your body. The app is visually intuitive, with easy-to-understand scores and trend graphs.

Vively wins for ease and automation — perfect if you want results without a lot of effort.

3. Personalisation and coaching

Lumen provides a daily nutrition plan based on your metabolism reading. Over time, it gives you a "Flex Score" that measures your metabolic flexibility. It’s focused on helping you eat the right amount of carbs for your body’s current state.

Vively personalises your insights based on real glucose reactions. You’ll discover exactly which foods spike your blood sugar, which keep you stable, and how your body responds to exercise and sleep. You also get access to Australian dietitians who can help tailor your health journey.

For real-world, actionable advice, Vively is more personalised and supportive.

4. Scientific validity

Lumen has some validation studies showing that its readings align with lab equipment, but most were run by the company itself. The science around breath-based fat vs carb burning is promising but still emerging.

CGMs like the one Vively uses are medically validated and widely used for diabetes management. They’re accurate and backed by decades of research. While Vively applies CGMs to those without diabetes, the insight it provides on metabolic health is in line with the latest science and research.

Vively’s tech is grounded in medical science, making it the more trusted option.

5. Pricing (Australia)

• Lumen starts at ~AU$275 for the device and 3-month plan. After that, the app subscription is about AU$25/month.
  
  
• Vively starts at AU$249 for a CGM and one month of app access. The ongoing App Only Plan is $39/month, and sensors are $129 each.

If you want continuous tracking, Vively is more expensive. But you can also use it intermittently to gather insights, making it flexible to your budget.

Both are premium products, but Vively gives you medical-grade data, expert support, and local service.

6. Availability and local support

Lumen ships to Australia from overseas. There’s no local team or time-zone-aligned support.

Vively is 100% Australian. The team, support, dietitians, and even the food database are tailored to Australians. Sensors are shipped locally, and prescriptions are handled seamlessly in-app.

If local support matters to you, Vively is clearly the better choice.

7. Results and reviews

Lumen users often report better awareness of their body’s fuel use, improved dietary habits, and sometimes fat loss. But it depends on consistency — using it daily and following the recommendations.

Vively users frequently report weight loss, better energy, and discovering hidden issues like prediabetes or insulin resistance. Many say it’s been a “game changer” for understanding their health and making sustainable lifestyle changes.

For Australians, the reviews and outcomes are very strong in Vively’s favour.

8. Data and integrations

Lumen integrates with Apple Health and Garmin but doesn’t pull in much lifestyle data.

Vively syncs with Apple Health, Fitbit, Garmin, Oura, and more. It combines your sleep, steps, workouts, and meals to build a full picture of your health.

Vively offers deeper integration and smarter insights.

Final verdict: Which is better?

Both Lumen and Vively can improve your metabolic health, but they serve different people.

Choose Lumen if you:

• Want a non-invasive device
  
  
• Prefer quick, daily check-ins
  
  
• Are focused on adjusting macros for performance or fat burn

Choose Vively if you:

• Want continuous, real-time feedback
  
  
• Need actionable insights from meals, sleep, and exercise
  
  
• Prefer a hands-off experience
  
  
• Value local Australian support and expert coaching

For Australians wanting to take control of their metabolic health, Vively offers more depth, better support, and more meaningful results. It’s built for everyday Aussies, backed by medical science, and tailored to your lifestyle.

If you’re ready to understand how your body really works and feel empowered to change it, Vively is the best metabolic health tracker in Australia.