Set up Nightscout in under 3 minutes: step-by-step guide

You want to set up Nightscout without Heroku, Railway or your own cloud tinkering and need your own Nightscout URL for xDrip+, AndroidAPS or iPhone Loop? This guide takes you from registration to the connected uploader, all GDPR-compliant, hosted in Germany.

Managed Nightscout Hosting on ns.10be.de: test 3 days free, then from 5,99 €/month. Cancel anytime.

Open ns.10be.de/en/register.html. You only need a username and a valid email address. You don't choose a password yourself, the system generates one and sends it after the email confirmation.

After submitting you get a confirmation mail with a link. Click it, then the automatically generated starter password lands in a second mail in your inbox. You can change this password anytime in your profile.

Auto-passwords have sufficient entropy, so you don't have to worry about the security level, but for convenience you can still set it to something of your own later.

Under ns.10be.de/en/login.html you log in with email and starter password. In your profile you see your dashboard with all servers, can create new servers, manage existing ones, choose your plan and enable 2FA.

Two-factor authentication is optional but recommended. Works with any TOTP app (Aegis, Authy, 2FAS, Google Authenticator). Can be enabled in your profile under Security.

In your profile you click Create new server. For that you need:

• Server name: becomes part of your URL. Allowed are letters, digits and hyphens (a–z, A–Z, 0–9, -). Example: mariadiabetes → URL becomes https://mariadiabetes.10be.de.
• API-Secret: the password for upload apps (xDrip+, AAPS, Loop). At least 12 characters. Note it down, you'll need it in a moment for the CGM app.
• Branch/version: master is the stable standard Nightscout version, dev the newest with the latest features.

Click Create server. The instance runs within a few seconds and is reachable immediately at your URL.

Your personal Nightscout URL has the format:

https://[server-name].10be.de

Alternatively https://[server-name].ns.10be.de also works, both domains point to the same server.

If you open the URL in your browser, you see your empty Nightscout dashboard. You can share the URL with partners, parents or clinic, only write access (feeding in data) requires the API-Secret.

Now you feed your Nightscout with blood glucose values. Depending on the device there are different apps. The detailed guide with all apps and smartwatches is in our getting-started guide. The three most common:

xDrip+ (Android)

Settings → Cloud Upload → API REST Upload → xDrip base URL

https://[API-SECRET]@[server-name].ns.10be.de/api/v1/

Format with embedded API-Secret as basic auth.

AndroidAPS (AAPS)

Hamburger menu → Settings → NSClient → enter URL + API-Token separately

https://[server-name].ns.10be.de

The API-Secret goes in the separate field „API-Token“.

iPhone Loop / Trio

Settings → Services → „+“ → Nightscout → Site URL + API_SECRET

https://[server-name].ns.10be.de

Then activate „Allow Uploading“ in Trio.

After 5–10 minutes you see the first values in your Nightscout dashboard. Sensible next steps:

• Set up profiles (basal rate, ICR, ISF), mandatory for AAPS and Loop use.
• Backups: run automatically every few hours in the background. In your profile you can download, restore or merge them anytime.
• Alarms: either use the local alarms built into Nightscout, or additionally connect Pushover or Maker-Webhook for push notifications.
• Enable 2FA, account protection.
• Followers: share read URLs for partners/parents.

What is a Nightscout URL?

The Nightscout URL is the web address of your personal Nightscout instance. At NS10BE following the scheme https://[name].10be.de or https://[name].ns.10be.de. Via this URL you reach your dashboard, send CGM data there (with API-Secret) and pull it back out for other apps.

Do I have to reserve my server name in advance?

No. You simply choose the name freely when creating it, as long as it isn't taken yet. Allowed are letters, digits and hyphens.

What does Nightscout hosting cost at NS10BE?

Every new server is testable free for the first 3 days. After that, plans from 5,99 €/month. Within the first 3 days the subscription can be cancelled free of charge, so you can effectively test for 6 days. No minimum term.

Does it work with Dexcom G6/G7, Libre, Medtrum?

Yes. The extra providers (Dexcom Share, LibreLinkUP, Medtronic CareLink, Medtrum, Diasend/Glooko, Eversense, t:connect) can be enabled per server in your profile, enter login details, done. Details in the getting-started guide.

I'm coming from Heroku/Railway/Fly.io: can I migrate?

Yes. Migration with API-Import or MongoDB-Import, take all Nightscout data with you, done in a few minutes. Also possible from your own MongoDB Atlas cluster.

Which Nightscout version runs at NS10BE?

By default master (stable release version) or dev (latest branch). Switchable per server in your profile. Updates come without any action from you, all servers get the new images.

Is this really GDPR-compliant?

Yes. Servers in Germany, data processing in accordance with GDPR. Automatic backups every few hours, in your profile you can download, restore or merge backups yourself anytime. Details in the Terms & Privacy.

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