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Best At-Home STD Tests Of 2023
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At-home STD tests offer privacy, accuracy, and convenience. You can find out your STD status and even get post-diagnosis guidance, all from home. Read on for details on Everlywell, Nurx, and others that made our list of the best.
Best at-home tests Hybrid testing for privacy and convenienceRegular testing for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is important for overall health and any necessary treatments. At-home tests can provide an accurate and convenient method for knowing your status.
STDs and STIs are very common. According to the World Health Organization, more than 1 million STIs are acquired daily worldwide.
One reason for this is that contraceptive methods, such as condoms, are not always failproof. Overall, if you're sexually active, you could contract an STI.
Nowadays, there are dozens of at-home testing kits that may make getting tested easier.
Here's some information on quality at-home testing options, how to figure out what type is best for you, and when to contact a doctor.
*Price is accurate as of the date of publication.
Healthline's reviewEverlywell sells STD kits geared to males and females. With a finger prick and a vaginal swab, the Everlywell at-home STD kit for females lets you test for six of the most common STDs. Each purchase comes with instructions, the materials for sample collection, prepaid shipping both ways, and both digital and printable results.
Aside from the kits, Everlywell also offers individual tests for trichomoniasis, chlamydia, gonorrhea, hepatitis C, syphilis, and HIV.
Every Everlywell test is reviewed and approved by an independent board certified doctor in your state. If your results are positive, Everlywell will connect you with their independent physician network (at no additional cost) to discuss questions and treatment options.
What our tester saysOur market editor Christy Snyder tried out a couple of different products from Everlywell. The review of each product she used was different, but overall, she had a decent experience with the test kits. She found it was easy to register her kits as the directions were straightforward.
Snyder also warns that some test kits may require a big blood sample that people may not be able to fulfill. She recommends doing your own research before purchasing a kit. She also advises knowing what information you will get from these kits as some, like the food sensitivity test, show that the "the science behind it isn't necessarily full proof."
Our market editor Christy Snyder tried out a couple of different products from Everlywell. The review of each product she used was different, but overall, she had a decent experience with the test kits. She found it was easy to register her kits as the directions were straightforward.
Snyder also warns that some test kits may require a big blood sample that people may not be able to fulfill. She recommends doing your own research before purchasing a kit. She also advises knowing what information you will get from these kits as some, like the food sensitivity test, show that the "the science behind it isn't necessarily full proof."
Pros & cons*Price is accurate as of the date of publication.
Healthline's reviewAlthough self-collected samples aren't typically as good as those taken in a lab, Nurx ensures accuracy by collecting fluids from various areas, such as a vaginal swab, throat swab, and rectal swab. This makes it possible to test for oral and anal STDs that might otherwise be missed.
Nurx offers three at-home test kits to choose from:
These tests are usually covered by insurance, and Nurx will bill your plan directly (or you can pay out of pocket). With insurance, you'll pay $75 for the test kit, shipping both ways, and a $15 medical consultation fee.
Once Nurx collects your samples, they'll bill your insurance directly for the cost of the lab testing. Without insurance, see the rates for each kit above. These prices include the test kit, lab work, and shipping.
Pros & cons*Price is accurate as of the date of publication.
Healthline's reviewmyLAB Box offers several at-home STD kits:
Aside from these, the service sells individual tests for each STD or STI. These allow you to get the answers you need without driving to a lab or spending money on copays to visit a doctor's office.
Every kit comes with a single-use collection kit, instructions, a specimen bag, and a prepaid return envelope.
Pros & cons*Price is accurate as of the date of publication.
Healthline's reviewAvailable at CVS locations across the country and covered by both flexible spending accounts (FSAs) and health savings accounts (HSAs), LetsGetChecked is a convenient and accessible option for at-home tests and diagnostics.
They offer three types of tests:
LetsGetChecked tests require you to collect a urine and blood sample, depending on which test you select.
The service also includes a medical support team to answer any questions. If your results are positive, a nurse or physician will call you to explain your results and provide treatment options.
Pros & consiDNA has a number of individual STI tests, including a test for Mycoplasma and Ureaplasma, the bacteria associated with bacterial vaginosis. They use a self-collection method, which means that you don't need to go into a lab to get your results.
Additionally, they offer two combination tests and a customizable test bundle. The customizable bundle — which starts at $78 — is useful if you want to be tested for numerous STIs, as it can be more convenient than ordering individual tests.
Their pre-selected bundles include:
iDNA also offers memberships. Their $24.99-per-month membership offers you discounted tests, affordable doctor consultations, and one free monthly test of your choice. Their $49.99-per-month membership offers the same benefits, but with the option of a free doctor's consultation or a free test every month.
Pros & cons*Price is accurate as of the date of publication.
Healthline's reviewQuick, secure, and completely confidential, STDCheck․com is a lab-based at-home test. This means you order the test over the phone or online and then go to a facility for sample collection.
Lab-based tests are generally more thorough than self-collected examinations. STDCheck․com has 4,500 locations nationwide.
While you can order individual tests from $24 to $99, the company's 10 Test Panel is their most comprehensive offer.
If you're concerned about a recent exposure, you can add the HIV RNA Early Detection Test, which can detect an HIV transmission as early as 9 to 11 days after exposure.
Pros & cons*Price is accurate as of the date of publication.
Healthline's reviewThough this is not an at-home testing service exclusively, PrioritySTD is one of the most reputable STD testing options. Most reviews say the tests are fast, private, and accurate. You can get same-day testing, same-day medications, and results in 24 to 72 hours.
You can purchase your PrioritySTD test privately, online, or over the phone. PrioritySTD has more than 4,000 labs across the country. After your testing, you can access your results online or by calling a care counselor. Treatment options are available as well.
Aside from individual STD tests, PrioritySTD offers the following panel tests:
The service complies with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act and will not mail anything to your home or report anything to your healthcare professional.
Pros & consAlso, you can use this chart for a quick comparison of the nine tests in our roundup:
*Note that we use the term "basics" to encompass chlamydia, gonorrhea, herpes, HIV, HPV, syphilis, and trichomoniasis. Other STDs tested are unique to that brand.
**All prices are rounded up to the nearest dollar.
There are a lot of factors to consider when choosing an at-home STD test, which is why we turned to the experts.
Our vetting team goes the extra mile to make sure you have the best options available to you. Every product we recommend and brand we work with is thoroughly vetted by our team. If there are any lawsuits, recalls, or regulatory action letters documented about these products or companies, our vetting team makes sure they're reported and listed.
In addition to legalities, our team always checks for medical credibility, good business practices, privacy practices and security, social impact, and the validity of any health claims a brand makes about a product. At-home testing services are required to abide by telehealth standards in the following circumstances:
STIs are infections transmitted from one person to another during vaginal, anal, and oral sex.
An STI is considered an STD when it causes symptoms. Usually, an infection is the first step on the road to potentially developing a disease.
Not all diseases start as infections. But in the case of STDs, they do. In both cases, STIs and STDs are used interchangeably, mostly because of the stigma that is associated with the term "STD." We also use these interchangeably throughout the article.
According to the CDC, in 2018, 1 in 5 people in the United States had an STD or STI.
Although common, most people don't realize they have an STI because most of these infections have no symptoms or only mild symptoms.
Common symptoms of STDs include:
Vaginal discharge can also be a symptom of an STD.
While most STIs are contracted through vaginal, anal, or oral intercourse, some can be transmitted through nonsexual means, such as blood transfusions and shared products, like needles and syringes.
With dozens of at-home testing kits available, it can be hard to choose the right one. After all, what does a good at-home STD testing kit look like? What should it entail? What do you need?
There's no one-size-fits-all answer. Your needs will vary, depending on your situation and circumstances. Also, they may change over time.
This chart can help you determine which type of test is right for you.
If you think you'll need help determining results from your at-home test, taking an in-office test may be preferable. It's an immediate source of information, and an action plan can be created on-site in the case of a positive result.
Also, be sure the test you choose is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). To determine whether the FDA approves a product, you can check the FDA's website.
While every home STI testing service is different, most of the brands recommended here offer professional advice or support for reading test results at home.
If you do a fully at-home STI test, there is a risk that you'll misinterpret your results. Lab-based tests can also be difficult to interpret if you have no medical background.
As such, it's best to opt for a testing service where you have access to a healthcare professional who can discuss your results with you. They can help you interpret your results and advise you on treatments and safety.
Talk with a healthcare professional if one of your partners has recently tested positive for an STD or STI or if you're experiencing possible symptoms of an STI.
The CDC recommends STD screenings from a healthcare professional in the following cases:
If you have an STI but are experiencing more or worsening symptoms, like genital discharge or urinary symptoms, contact a healthcare professional to further evaluate your symptoms.
The CDC makes the following additional recommendations for screening:
Our roundup of seven at-home STD tests is a good starting point if you want to get tested without contacting a doctor.
Depending on the test, you may need to visit a lab for collection. Every other part of the process, including the lab order, payment, and results, is done online.
If you receive a positive test result, the testing kit company may offer a consultation with one of their doctors. During that consultation, you can discuss any next steps, such as further testing or treatment.
At this point, it's also a good idea to contact your primary care doctor to share your results.
How do at-home and lab-direct STD tests work?With both at-home and lab-direct tests, you'll provide a sample. The samples may include blood, urine, anal, vaginal, or oral swabs.
The samples are submitted to a lab, and results are shared discreetly.
If you receive a positive STD result, contact your primary care clinician to discuss the best treatment option for you. Also, be prepared to notify any partners of the positive result.
How do I know if I should get tested?If you're sexually active or engaging in activities that have the potential to increase your chance of an STD or STI, it's important to get tested.
In fact, according to the CDC, "Getting tested for STDs is one of the most important things you can do to protect your health."
How can I tell if I have an STD without going to the doctor?An at-home test may confirm whether you have an STD, but it's important to contact your doctor if you have symptoms of a possible infection. These symptoms may include:
The CDC recommends that people ages 13 to 64 get tested for HIV at least once a year as part of their routine health checkup.
The CDC also recommends that sexually active women under 25 years old get tested for gonorrhea and chlamydia every year.
In addition, the CDC suggests that pregnant people get tested for syphilis, hepatitis B, and HIV early in their pregnancy.
Sexually active men who have sex with men may want to also get tested for syphilis, chlamydia, and gonorrhea annually.
If you experience symptoms at any time, don't wait to get tested. The quicker you're tested, the sooner you can begin treatment.
Are STD tests accurate?Most modern STD tests are very accurate. Still, test accuracy can vary, depending on the type of sample and the test detection method.
Traditional in-office tests are more accurate than fully online tests, and home-to-lab tests are more accurate than self-collected tests. But all are highly efficient.
How reliable are at-home STD tests?While in-office STD tests may be considered the most reliable, the at-home test kits on our list also have a reputation for being accurate.
It's important that you don't rely on home testing in place of contacting your doctor if you have any possible symptoms of an STD or STI or have other important questions about your overall health.
Does insurance cover STD tests?Most insurance plans cover the cost of STD tests, as these tests are considered preventive and covered under the Affordable Care Act. But whether your plan covers a specific STD test depends on several factors, including your:
Also, the coverage of at-home tests varies.
To learn more about your specific options, talk with a nurse, a doctor, or your insurance company.
You can also find free or low cost STD testing sites across the country.
Can you test for STDs by yourself?Yes. For at-home STD testing, you collect a urine sample or an oral or genital swab and then send it to a lab for analysis. You can collect the sample in the privacy of your home without the need for a pelvic exam or office visit.
Testing for STDs and STIs regularly is important.
Testing can help prevent the transmission of STIs. It can also help you get the appropriate treatment if you have a viral, bacterial, or fungal infection, as many STDs and STIs can be treated or cured.
Contacting a doctor or other healthcare professional is generally the most reliable way to know whether you've contracted an STI or have an STD. But an at-home test is an excellent alternative. For many, an at-home test is a confidential and convenient option.
Kimberly Zapata is a mother, writer, and mental health advocate. Her work has appeared on several sites, including The Washington Post, HuffPost, Oprah, Vice, Parents, Health, and Scary Mommy — to name a few. When her nose isn't buried in work (or a good book), Kimberly spends her free time running Greater Than: Illness, a nonprofit organization that aims to empower children and young adults working through mental health conditions. Follow Kimberly on Facebook or Twitter.
Kristeen Cherney is a freelance writer and PhD candidate who specializes in covering topics related to mental disabilities, women's health, skin health, diabetes, thyroid disease, asthma, and allergies. She's also currently working on her dissertation, which explores intersections of disability studies and literacy studies. When she's not researching or writing, Cherney enjoys getting outdoors as much as possible. She also practices yoga and kick-boxing.
STDs Have Been On The Rise. Who Should Pick Up The Tab For Testing?
Inside the glassy waiting room of a Hollywood clinic, a 33-year-old man sat and listened for his number to be called over the beats of a Mariah Carey song.
"It's just really easy. You don't have to make an appointment," said the man, who comes to the AIDS Healthcare Foundation clinic every two or three months to get tested for sexually transmitted diseases.
Nor does he get asked about his health insurance, which has sometimes been a frustration elsewhere. "And I like the discretion," added the man, who declined to give his name. "You don't want people in your business."
For months, the AIDS Healthcare Foundation has been resisting a push from Los Angeles County for such providers to ask people if they have insurance that can cover costs related to STD tests, a step that the Department of Public Health says is needed in order to spare public dollars for more services.
The Public Health Department has long contracted with community organizations to test people for sexually transmitted diseases. In the past, the county shouldered all the costs of processing those tests at a county lab.
County officials said that for several years, their contracts have included a requirement for groups to check if clients have a "third-party payer" that could foot the bill for testing, such as public or private insurance.
Many groups had already started doing so before the county stopped routinely covering the costs of laboratory testing in January, the department said.
If someone has no insurance to cover such testing costs, the organizations can have the county pay for it, although they cannot exceed the overall amount of money allotted to them under their contracts.
Getting insurers to pay for testing has been a strategy for strapped public health departments around the country, seen as a crucial way to offset the costs of providing free care to the uninsured and other needed services as federal funding to combat sexually transmitted diseases has fallen short of the need. L.A. County Public Health said it was hunting for "as many revenue streams as possible" to ramp up STD efforts.
"This type of work cannot just be exclusively publicly funded," said Dr. Rita Singhal, the department's chief medical officer and director of the disease control bureau. "The more revenue for this effort, the better." In the past, the department said it spent between $1.1 million and $2.3 million annually on testing for STDs.
But some local groups focused on sexual health argue that the change undermines their push to make STD testing easy and routine. Across the country, syphilis and gonorrhea have been on the rise — a longtime trend exacerbated by the interruption of preventative services as health agencies grappled with COVID-19. L.A. County has seen a persistent rise in STDs over the last decade, although there are some early signs of progress.
"If you're trying to control a disease that's spiking, you have to take away any deterrents, any obstacles" to routine screening, said Michael Weinstein, president of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation.
Dr. Ward Carpenter, chief health officer for the Los Angeles LGBT Center, said health providers want people to get tested regularly even if they have no symptoms, and "the harder that is, the more barriers that are in place, the less likely people are to do that."
Among the concerns: Young adults who are on the health plans of their parents may not want to hand over insurance information, fearing their tests could show up in paperwork seen by their families. Such privacy concerns could also affect people who are insured through a spouse, Carpenter said. And clients who are "underinsured" may get stuck with a bill later, he said, and decide to stop getting regularly tested.
California lawmakers are considering legislation, Assembly Bill 1645, that would prohibit insurance plans from imposing out-of-pocket costs for recommended screenings for sexually transmitted diseases. L.A. County Public Health said it was backing that bill and "exploring as many models as possible to reduce the impact of health insurance screening," including the use of technology to smooth the process.
Dr. Jeffrey Klausner, a USC Keck School of Medicine professor and formerly an STD prevention director in San Francisco, was nonetheless concerned by the county's move, calling it "a penny saved, a pound foolish."
"It's going to come back and bite them," Klausner said. "There will be a decrease in testing ... Particularly among the most vulnerable groups and young people."
So far, L.A. County Public Health said its early data suggest STD testing has not fallen this year compared with last. Nearly 12,000 tests were reported to the county between January and March — a similar volume to the past — and the department believes the total amount of testing by community groups is likely higher because some are not being reported to the county.
The county agency said it was too early to tell whether it is spending less on testing, but it expects insurers to pick up more costs over time.
The move was welcomed by Dr. Tony Mills, chief executive of the Men's Health Foundation, which also contracts with the county. Most people in California are eligible for some kind of health coverage, Mills said, and asking about it provides an opportunity to connect patients to coverage and other care.
If people are uneasy about a test showing up on paperwork for a shared plan, "we can easily get around" that issue by tapping other funds, he said. But L.A. County needs to be "the payer of last resort. ... That's going to save more money for the county to use on other things that are integrally important."
"It's just asking the providers to do a little bit more work," Mills said.
The Public Health Department said that to boost the number of people screened and treated for STDs, it needs to support a range of screening models, including home testing and street medicine teams. Mario Pérez, director of its division of HIV and STD programs, said that to make a dent in the STD crisis, the department wants most community groups to screen 10,000 to 20,000 people each annually.
"If you want to support that level of volume, having multiple revenue streams at your disposal becomes very important," he said.
One survey of more than 4,000 patients at STD clinics found that more than half had some kind of health insurance coverage, and 57% of those who were insured were willing to use it for their visit.
Among those waiting at the AIDS Healthcare Foundation clinic on a recent afternoon was Walter, a 32-year-old who said he liked going to the Hollywood site because his visits usually took less than a half hour.
He used to get routinely tested at an urgent care facility, but stopped when it no longer accepted his insurance. Still, he wasn't fazed by the idea of being asked for insurance information in the future.
"For me, it's not a deterrent or a big deal," he said.
Another patient named Joe sought out the Hollywood clinic after getting results back from a test he had taken in the U.K. Even asking people about insurance will discourage people from STD testing and treatment, said the 26-year-old, who had been worried about obstacles he might face to getting treatment as a foreign tourist. "It will put fear in people, and as soon as you start doing that, people stop doing it," he said.
Federal funding for preventing STDs has barely budged in the last decade, resulting in STD programs losing about 40% of their buying power and forcing them to rely more heavily on other funds, said Stephanie Arnold Pang, senior director of policy and government relations for the National Coalition of STD Directors.
A survey of public health departments found the vast majority were billing Medicaid for STD services and more than two thirds billed private third-party payers. San Francisco City Clinic, a public clinic focused on sexual health, will bill Medi-Cal — the California Medicaid program — if a patient has it, but doesn't bill private insurance or charge patients, according to the San Francisco Department of Public Health.
"It makes a lot of sense that jurisdictions are looking to have folks use insurance because it is another payer source in a system that's very challenged," Pang said.
But doing so has on-the-ground impacts: Carpenter, at the LGBT Center, said the organization had to hire more staff to collect billing information and testing takes longer as a result.
The AIDS Healthcare Foundation advertises free testing without an appointment and wants to get people in and out within an hour, Weinstein said. That speedy, walk-in model "will go out the window" if it has to screen everyone for insurance, he said.
Weinstein, an outspoken figure whose group has clashed with the county and other government agencies in court, said in late August that his group would not ask clients for information about third-party payers.
The Public Health Department, however, said the AHF had indicated to the county that it would begin screening clients for insurance. In response, the AHF said it would screen existing clients — people who are already AHF patients — when they come in for testing, but not "all individuals who walk in to our testing sites."
Under the county contracts, groups can turn to the county to cover lab costs for such testing only after they have checked that patients don't have insurance they could bill instead. The AHF said it expects an increase of at least $1 million annually in lab costs as a result of the county rule.
The Public Health Department said it was continuing to work with the AHF on adjusting to the change, as well as with any other groups "to review and resolve any unintended consequences tied to this approach." It has been hammering out a spending plan for an added $10 million allocated by the county for STD services, including efforts to "cover critical program elements not covered by" other payers.
Ozarks Community Organization's First 'Test Fest' Aims To Destigmatize STD Testing
The Ozarks Area Community Action Corporation is hosting its first "Test Fest" Sept. 30, aiming to destigmatize testing for sexually transmitted diseases and make the tests available to everyone.
Test Fest will be from 10 a.M. To 2 p.M. On Saturday, Sept. 30, at the OACAC main office, 215 S. Barnes St. Appointments are encouraged and can be made by calling 417-864-3410. Walk-ins will be accepted until all openings have been filled.
More: Syphilis cases in Greene County increased 12-fold since 2015, health department says
In addition to STD testing, OACAC will offer reproductive health care exams and birth control, including condoms. According to OACAC's Family Planning Clinic Facebook page, period products and socks will also be offered. The first 100 people at the clinic will receive free lunch.
OACAC is an organization that aims to identify causes of poverty and to alleviate its impact in the Ozarks area. It does that by offering resources for things like housing assistance, emergency services, life skills classes — and family planning.
"We want people in the community to know that we provide services for birth control, we provide services for STI testing for both male and female," said Aimee Adams, OACAC's nurse practitioner. "A lot of people don't understand that men can come (to OACAC) as well."
The event is open to people of all genders. Adams explained that OACAC's clinic strives to be welcoming.
More: 'Prevention is always better than treatment': Ozarks health experts on seasonal shots
"In this environment, it's not as intimidating. Sometimes people feel like they have to wait a long period of time or there's too much congestion in certain areas," Adams said. "We're a smaller clinic where there's not a big wait time."
Patients can seek care at OACAC's clinic regardless of insurance status, as OACAC accepts insurance, Medicaid and sliding scale payments. The main focus, Adams said, is giving everyone who comes through their doors quality care.
"It doesn't matter who they are, we're going to give them good quality care and we're going to treat them just as good as we can," Adams said. "We want to make them feel that we are important to us, because they are. They're special."
Susan Szuch is the health and public policy reporter for the Springfield News-Leader. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @szuchsm. Story idea? Email her at sszuch@gannett.Com.
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: OACAC wants to destigmatize STD testing with its first 'Test Fest'
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