Having sex can be fun AF. Going to a clinic for STI testing? Not so much. Thankfully, you may be able to skip right over the awkward doc visits and get the answers you need fast by testing yourself at home.
But the question on everyone’s mind is: Are at-home STI tests really reliable? Yes, as long as they meet the right criteria. Our guide will walk you through those criteria, the best tests, and your most common questions about STIs and STDs.
5 best at-home STI tests
- Best for repeated testing: Everlywell
- Best for privacy: Priority STD
- Best for fast results: STDcheck
- Best for couples: myLAB Box
- Best for using insurance: Nurx
Our criteria for choosing the best STI tests
Just like your favorite dating site, the at-home STI test market is a sea of possibilities. To cut through the duds, we dug into the world of STI testing and reached out to sexual health expert and nurse practitioner Kimberly Breneman, CNM, for tips to make sure we recommended only the best.
Certifications and approvals
One of the most important certifications to look for on an at-home STI test is a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) certification. This means the lab has been proven to provide accurate, timely, and reliable test results to patients. Every test we recommend uses CLIA-certified labs.
A note on FDA regulation of STI tests
Some tests will have additional certifications and approvals, such as FDA approval or clearance. This means the test has gone through a rigorous process to prove its validity.
But the vast majority of diagnostic tests in the United States don’t go through the FDA approval process. This is because they’re often classified as laboratory-developed tests (LDTs), which the FDA defines as “a type of in vitro diagnostic test that is designed, manufactured and used within a single laboratory.”
LDTs are regulated by the CLIA, which is why we looked for tests that use CLIA-certified labs. Any test below that doesn’t have FDA approval or clearance is considered an LDT.
Collection method
Breneman says there are two main types of at-home testing:
- Self-collection. You collect the specimen at home (or wherever, really) and send it to a lab to be tested.
- Lab collection. You order your tests online and go to a lab (rather than a doctor’s office) to collect the specimen.
Self-collection adds a layer of privacy to the experience, which can be super important to some people. Lab collection tends to be quicker and can also be a better route for those who are totally uninterested in peeing in a cup at home, pricking their own fingers, or self-swabbing.
We included both collection methods, because every person and situation is different, and having options is 🔥🔥🔥.
Privacy
All our picks are HIPAA-compliant, which means the company takes care to protect sensitive patient information from being disclosed without consent.
We also included some options that go a step further to protect your privacy with unmarked packaging and discreet billing.
Post-test care
While figuring out if you have an STI is fine and dandy, it doesn’t help much if you have no idea what to do next. A good STI testing company will have an option for a post-test consultation with a doctor (often free of charge!) and even free medication for some easier-to-treat infections.
Our picks for the best at-home STI test
Best for repeated testing
Everlywell
Price | $49–$149 |
Certified lab | CLIA-certified labs |
Type | self-collection (finger prick & urine sample, vaginal swab) |
Tests for | chlamydia, gonorrhea, hepatitis C, HIV, syphilis, trichomoniasis |
Results | less than a week |
Privacy | very discreet, HIPAA-compliant |
Post-test care | free consultation with positive result, prescriptions available for some infections |
Everlywell’s full kit lets you discreetly test for six of the most common STIs — trichomoniasis, chlamydia, gonorrhea, hepatitis C, syphilis, and HIV — via a self-collection method. All you need to do is use the included gear to provide a urine and blood sample (folks with a vagina will also have to provide a vaginal swab).
The kit comes with all the collection materials and instructions you need, and the company sends you a prepaid label to ship all your stuff back to them. Your results will be sent to you digitally with the option to print them out.
The best part? Everlywell has a pretty sweet membership program in which you can receive one test of your choice each month for $24.99, plus 20 percent off any additional tests you want to order. This kind of program is an amazing way to stay on top of your sexual health without constant visits to the doc.
Plus, if you don’t think you’ll need to test for STIs some months, you can select from 14 of Everlywell’s other tests, like metabolism, thyroid, or cholesterol tests.
If you get a positive result, they’ll connect you with independent board certified docs in your state to talk about treatment options and answer questions at no additional cost.
Best for privacy
Priority STD
Price | $59–$198 |
Certified lab | FDA-approved tests, CLIA-certified labs |
Type | lab collection (urine and/or blood sample) |
Tests for | chlamydia, gonorrhea, trichomoniasis, hepatitis B and C, herpes 1 and 2, syphilis, HIV 1 and 2, HIV RNA early detection, herpes early detection |
Results | expedited results available in 1–2 days |
Privacy | never mails anything to your home, bills under a generic name, HIPAA-compliant |
Post-test care | $65 consultation with positive result, prescriptions available for some infections |
Priority STD is serious about keeping it discreet. The company will never mail you anything, and the charge will show up on your credit card statement as “SFHT.” The tests are also reasonably priced, and you’ll get your results in 1 to 2 days.
The drawback? If you have a positive result, it costs $65 for a consult with a doctor to get medication called into your pharmacy. Since other companies offer this service for free, this isn’t the best deal. BUT if privacy is your biggest concern, Priority STD is a solid pick.
Best for fast results
STDcheck
Price | $24–$239 |
Certified lab | FDA-approved and cleared tests, CLIA-certified labs |
Type | lab collection (urine and/or blood sample) |
Tests for | chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV, herpes, hepatitis A, B, and C, HIV RNA early detection |
Results | same-day testing in lab, 1–2 days to receive results |
Privacy | results not reported to insurance, HIPAA-compliant |
Post-test care | free consultation with positive result, prescriptions available for some infections |
STDcheck’s 10-panel test screens for the 10 most common STIs, including chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV (types 1 and 2), herpes (types 1 and 2), and hepatitis A, B, and C. And if you’re concerned about a potential recent HIV exposure, they offer the only FDA-approved HIV RNA early detection kit, which can detect antibodies in as little as 9 to 11 days after exposure.
STDcheck offers a bunch of different ways to pay, including cryptocurrency (trendy much??) and a “pay later” option. But if you do choose to pay after your test, you’ll have to pay before the company will release your results.
Because there’s no waiting for a kit to be mailed back and forth, STDcheck provides super speedy results. All you need to do is place your order online and visit a lab near you whenever you can — you can even go the same day. Reviewers say the lab visit is really quick and discreet (an average of 10 minutes!) and you get results within 1 to 2 days.
Best for couples
myLAB Box
Price | $75–$499 |
Certified lab | CLIA-certified labs |
Type | self-collection (urine and/or blood sample; rectal, genital, and throat swabs) |
Tests for | chlamydia, gonorrhea, trichomoniasis, hepatitis B and C, HIV, herpes type 2, syphilis, mycoplasma, HPV |
Results | 2-day shipping, results in 1–5 days |
Privacy | unmarked packaging, HIPAA-compliant |
Post-test care | free consultation with positive result, prescriptions available for some infections |
myLAB Box has a huge selection of testing options and isn’t afraid to have a little fun with it. Offering options like “Boomer Box” for older adults, the “V-Box” for people with mysterious vaginal discharge, and the “Love Box” for couples, they’ve managed to make shopping for STI kits a little less like, well, shopping for STI kits.
All kits come with easy instructions, return shipping envelopes, and free consultations for positive results. The biggest downside is that they’re a little pricey — so it might be cheaper to go to your doc if you have insurance. But if you have a hunny (or potential hunny) you want to get tested with, myLAB Box has you covered.