At-Home STI Tests to Help You Protect and Address Your Sexual Health

Next Medical is an all-around great option for its comprehensive panels, its affordability, and its option for home visits.

You can choose between three different kits depending on how many viral and bacterial conditions you want to test for. The most affordable option is the STD Basic Test costs $129, and assesses for UTIs, herpes 1 and 2, chlamydia, and gonorrhea. The mid-tier product is the STD Standard Test costs $139 and has additional testing for trichomoniasis, HIV, and syphilis. Next Medical’s premium choice is the STD Complete Test, for an out-of-pocket cost of $199. This test builds on the STD Standard Test with Hepatitis B and C, mycoplasma, and ureaplasma.

What really sets Next Medical apart from the competition, though, is its home visit feature. When you purchase a test online, you can request to have a trained nurse come to your home to collect your blood or urine sample. An at-home collection option might be ideal for someone who is not comfortable collecting a sample on their own but who also prefers to avoid visiting a laboratory. This more professional collection may also help reduce user error. The price for this service might vary depending on your insurance coverage, and out-of-pocket costs aren’t clearly noted on the website. There is an automatic "lab fee" starting at $70 for the basic test, if you are paying without insurance; however, it’s unclear if this fee completely covers a home visit. 

All of your test results will be sent to your digital Next Medical account. If you test positive, you’ll have the option to retest to confirm the results. You also have the ability to chat online with or call health specialists to discuss your results. 

Unlike some companies on this list, Next Medical accepts insurance or out-of-pocket payments. You can save up to $70 on the STD Basic Test off the test’s out-of-pocket $199 fee when you pay with a qualifying insurance plan. These insurance options help make Next Medical’s impressive, comprehensive tests more accessible. Even if Next Medical is out of your network, the company still includes cost-saving measures such as medication discounts, unlimited chat messaging with health specialists, and health savings account (HSA) or flexible spending account (FSA) eligibility. 

LetsGetChecked offers fast and on-demand access to more features than just lab results, thanks to its intuitive app that’s available on iOS and Android. Not only can you access your results via the app, but you can also track your sexual health over time if you decide to test more regularly. You can even sync the app with a wearable health tracker, like a Fitbit, if you want to track more of your health metrics in one place. 

LetsGetChecked has simplified the testing process by featuring “how to” videos on its website and app. These demos can help users save time because they can follow along, step-by-step, when they collect their samples at home. The most detailed (and expensive at $249) panel includes eight bacterial and viral conditions: chlamydia, gonorrhea, HIV, syphilis, trichomoniasis, gardnerella, mycoplasma, and ureaplasma. You can access your password-protected portal to view the results of your test or to schedule virtual consultations to discuss your test results with a health professional. The app also provides round-the-clock access to your previous results, package tracking so you aren’t left wondering when your sample will arrive at the lab, and fact sheets created by clinicians. 

LetsGetChecked could be a great option for people who cannot easily travel to a local testing lab and for people who want to gauge their risk for some of the most common STIs. However, it does not provide the most comprehensive testing options of the companies we surveyed. 

Nurx sets itself apart from other at-home STI testing companies because it’s one of the few that accepts insurance plans. Nurx offers affordable, responsive telehealth consultations that cost less than medical appointments with other competing companies. Since its founding in 2015, Nurx has served around a million patients.

Customers can choose between three STI testing options at Nurx, all of which cost $44.50 with insurance: Full Control Kit, Basics Covered Kit, and Healthy V Kit. Customers will receive a package and instructions to collect several kinds of samples that may include the following: urine sample, throat swab, vaginal swab, rectal swab, and a finger prick blood card. The Full Control Kit can test for five different STIs: HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, and hepatitis C. The Basics Covered Kit tests for HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis so it's a helpful option for people who want to check themselves for some common STIs. The Healthy V Kit tests for five conditions that are likely to impact uterine health, vaginal health, or fertility. You package up and mail out these samples to the Nurx testing lab, and then you’ll receive your results on the digital platform in about a week. 

While many of Nurx’s competitors offer medical consultations to patients who test positive for an STI, Nurx provides all patients who pay the initial $15 consultation fee—whether or not they test positive—free access to an entire year of unlimited chat messaging with a medical professional. Patients can discuss any questions or concerns they might have about sexual health outside of their specific test results. 

One challenge with Nurx’s collection model is that customers might not feel comfortable collecting their own rectal, vaginal, or throat swabs at home. For patients who prefer to have a trained professional take these samples in a medical lab, a testing company like HealthLabs might be a better option. 

While some may prefer to take a blood sample in the privacy of their home, visiting a lab has several benefits. At-home tests use tiny amounts of blood, such as from a finger prick. If a patient does not collect enough blood from a finger prick, the lab might not be able to give a conclusive result. In this situation, a customer may have to pay to take the test again and spend additional, stressful days waiting for their new test result. 

HealthLabs has provided lab testing since 2015. Its STI tests include several options. At $99, the most affordable option is a urine test that checks for two of the most common STIs: chlamydia and gonorrhea. At $349, the company’s most comprehensive test covers 11 STIs and offers early detection for HIV. 

Most customers will need to visit a lab to have their specimen collected, but HealthLabs has over 4,500 partnered labs across the U.S. so there will likely be one close to you. Patients can visit one of these testing sites, where a medical professional will collect blood or urine samples. You’ll make an online account on HealthLab’s website when you purchase your test, and you’ll receive the results of your test on that same account. You can print out those results to share with your doctor. You can also discuss positive test results with a specialist over a phone call or chat on HealthLab’s secure website. 

The “at-home” component of this company means that when the patient orders their HealthLabs test online, that patient can then simply walk into a partner lab without having a doctor’s appointment. The patient can avoid awkward medical screenings or health questions because HealthLabs prescribes the type of sample (blood, urine, etc.) that a patient needs before the patient goes in for their visit. 

This company impressed us with its convenience, high accuracy rates, and satisfaction guarantees. HealthLabs promises to match competitors’ prices and guarantees that customers won't have to pay for shipping or other hidden fees. 

Couples may want to take an STI test together if they want to stop using condoms, if they have an open relationship, or if they’re just becoming exclusive. MyLAB Box is a leading brand for at-home STI tests for couples: iIts Love Box offers two comprehensive, full-panel STI test kits that each test for eight common STIs including HIV, hepatitis C, herpes 2, syphilis, chlamydia, gonorrhea, and trichomoniasis, and costs $378. The tests can be purchased for two people with uteruses, two people with testicles, or one with a uterus and one with testicles.

Individuals can choose from a variety of tests, too, including one of the most comprehensive options on the market: The Total Box for $369. This box tests for 14 conditions, some of which are rarely included in home kits: HPV; chlamydia and gonorrhea in the rectum, genitals, and throat; and more. 

Many competitors sell individual testing kits, so myLAB Box is a refreshing alternative that can help partners save time and money. While partners can take the test together at the same time, each person will need their own myLAB Box online account to receive their test results. After each person registers their test on their own myLAB Box account, they will receive their individual results on their profile. 

Collecting your own urine, vaginal or rectal swabs, or blood might be an intimidating process. Fortunately, myLAB Box reassures patients that the process is quick, easy, and (mostly) painless; it provides all of the needed supplies, as well as comprehensive instructions. After following them and adding your samples to the correct vials and collection pads, all you need to do is seal your samples in myLAB Box’s hygienic packaging, add the prepaid shipping label, and send the test to a CLIA-certified lab (Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments), a facility vetted by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services before it can accept or process blood, urine, or swab samples. 

The company’s main drawback is the unclear messaging on its website. For example, across different web pages, the website contradicts itself about exactly when patients can expect results. While different tests may require different processing times, it can be tricky to figure out just how long your expected processing time is for your specific test. Patients might weigh this potential con against the company’s variety of testing kits and positive customer reviews. 

Since its founding in 2015, the Texas-based company has made at-home testing as easy as possible. Everlywell offers subscription programs that automatically send customers STI tests in discreet packaging monthly, quarterly, and semi-annually, depending on the plan you sign up for. The most affordable test is an HPV test at $49, and the comprehensive panel (which includes HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, trichomoniasis, and hepatitis C) is priced at $169. If you purchase this comprehensive panel with a subscription plan, you’ll pay $126 per monthly test; $135 per quarterly test; or $143 if you plan to take the test semi-annually. 

Everlywell provides clear instructions with each test kit to guide customers through every step of collecting a swab, urine, and/or blood prick test. Under each product listing, Everlywell also includes a labeled photograph of the materials and supplies that will come with your test. These photographs may help customers feel more at ease about collecting their sample since they know right away what supplies will come in their testing kit. 

Everlywell is a great option for customers who want to make sure that their STI tests are vetted by medical professionals. Before you receive your results, Everlywell sends your test to an independent physician. Everlywell provides your results in your patient portal via a digital account you create when you purchase your kit. Patients can also schedule consultations and follow-up appointments there to learn more about their specific test results. You’ll also be matched with a physician who is board-certified in your state, and that physician can prescribe medications you might need and discuss regional or local health resources as well. 

Herpes 2 can increase your risk of developing other STIs, such as HIV. As such, you might want to regularly test yourself for it, as well as other STIs, which is why iDNA’s subscription service is so useful. iDNA’s subscription plans are helpful, cost-saving options whether you’re keeping tabs on your sexual health after a herpes 2 diagnosis, or are just beginning to test for herpes in the first place. iDNA has a couple of tests that can help: the Complete Test ($298), which tests for 10 common STIs including herpes 2; the Standard Test ($198), which tests for seven STIs; and the Herpes 2 Kit ($78), which just tests for herpes 2.

You can sign up for a membership that includes one test of your choice per month, discounts on additional tests, and access to virtual consultations with providers, so you’ll not only be able to test often, but can ask a medical professional questions along the way. As such, the iDNA herpes 2 test is a great option for people who suspect that they may have been exposed to herpes but who are not showing symptoms that would warrant an in-person doctor’s visit.

You can opt to buy a test on its own, or you can choose between two different monthly subscription plans: iDNA+ Membership or iDNA+ Telemedicine Membership. If you want to schedule a medical consultation with a clinician in iDNA’s network, you’ll need to have one of these membership plans. For $24.99 a month, you can get one test of your choice for that month; however, a virtual consultation carries an extra fee of $45. The Telemedicine Membership costs $49.99 a month, but it comes with one major perk. You can choose any testing kit OR a doctor’s consultation and no additional fee is required. Both plans offer an extra 25% off any extra iDNA testing kits you purchase. 

iDNA explains that herpes 1 isn’t included in the herpes test because it’s such a common virus and rarely causes dangerous symptoms. Sixty-seven percent of people have herpes 1 worldwide, while just 13% have herpes 2. While herpes 1 often causes cold sores, herpes 2 can emerge as genital herpes. Many cases of herpes 2 are mild, but in some situations, it can cause fertility issues. If you are diagnosed with herpes 2, you may feel overwhelmed. The condition is treatable but not curable, so you may wonder about how herpes could impact your health down the road.

iDNA is HIPAA-compliant and maintains customer privacy by allowing patients to delete their test results from the website at any time. You access your test results on the same digital account that you create when you purchase your kit, but a medical consultation is not automatically included with your test. When you purchase a kit from iDNA, your information is anonymized with a random number rather than your name. All specimens are processed at a CLIA-certified lab. 

Many comprehensive STI tests include HIV. However, Personalabs provides three different options for HIV-specific testing: a screening test, a $244 HIV-2 DNA/RNA test, and a $227 HIV-1 RNA test. The most affordable of these options is the HIV-I/II Antigen & Antibody 4th Generation screener test, starting at $46 if you go to a LabCorp community lab. This fourth generation test may be able to detect HIV infections four to 12 days sooner than the previous third generation style of test. 

Personalabs is not a completely at-home testing option because patients need to go to a partner lab to get their blood drawn. At one of these local sites, a medical professional will draw your blood for you (often painless and less time-consuming than at-home collection) and send it to Personalabs for analysis. In as little as two days, you will receive an online report with the test results.

While having to visit a lab can be tedious, a medical professional can ensure that the sample remains uncontaminated, which is important to preserve the sample and get the most accurate test possible. These prompt, reliable results can be a lifesaver when patients act as soon as possible to contact their doctor and plan their treatment.