The best at-home STD tests offer fast and accurate results, use CLIA-certified labs, and accept HSA/FSA. Learn how these tests work and what our reviewers thought of our top picks.
If you’re sexually active, regular testing for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and infections (STIs) is crucial to protect your health and the health of your partners.
While you can get tested at a doctor’s office or a clinic, if you’re concerned about a specific STD, a home test may be a quicker and cheaper way to get results. Testing for STIs at home is convenient, discreet, and reliable.
At-home STI tests can be an important first step in getting the sexual health care you need, according to Dr. Kenosha Gleaton, a board certified OB-GYN and medical adviser for Natalist.
“These tests detect abnormal or positive results across a variety of STI screens and can help people identify when it’s time to seek medical care,” she said.
STI? I thought it was STD
An STI is considered an STD when it causes symptoms. Usually, an infection is the first step in potentially developing a disease.
Not all diseases start as infections. But in the case of STDs, they do. In both cases, the terms “STI” and “STD” are used interchangeably, mostly due to the stigma associated with the term “STD.” We also use these terms interchangeably throughout this article.
• gonorrhea
• herpes
• HIV
• HPV
• syphilis
• trichomoniasis
• Mycoplasma
• hepatitis C
• gonorrhea
• herpes
• HIV
• syphilis
• trichomoniasis
• hepatitis (A, B, and C)
• gonorrhea
• herpes
• HIV
• syphilis
• trichomoniasis
• hepatitis B and C
• gonorrhea
• HIV
• syphilis
• trichomoniasis
• hepatitis C
• gonorrhea
• HIV
• syphilis
• trichomoniasis
• hepatitis C
• gonorrhea
• herpes
• HIV
• syphilis
• trichomoniasis
• G. vaginalis
• Mycoplasma
• Ureaplasma
• gonorrhea
• herpes
• HIV
• HPV
• syphilis
• trichomoniasis
• hepatitis B and C
• vaginosis
• Mycoplasma
There are many factors to consider when choosing an at-home STD test, which is why we turned to the experts.
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:
Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) and/or Certified Analytics Professional (CAP) certified- guidance available to customers who test positive for an STD
- prescription services available in the event of positive test results
- physician orders for in-person lab test available where necessary
Pros
- It’s discreet.
- You can test for several STDs and STIs at once.
- The timing for collecting the sample may be more convenient for you and provide your test results quickly.
- Some companies offer subscriptions for people who test regularly.
- Some services provide medical consults and access to prescriptions if needed.
Cons
- If your test results are positive, treatment isn’t always readily available.
- The results may be difficult to interpret without a healthcare professional.
- There may be delays in sending and receiving tests.
- The tests may be expensive.
- A risk of error in collecting samples yourself means your test results could be inaccurate.
Both the CDC and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) have pointed to an overwhelming recent surge in STDs:
- The CDC issued a 2023 report showing more than
2.4 million cases of syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia in the United States. - In a January 2024 report, the HHS warned of the “surging syphilis epidemic,” reminding people that untreated syphilis can damage the heart and brain and cause blindness, deafness, and paralysis.
Dr. Dhaval Desai, a physician board certified in internal medicine and pediatrics and the director of hospital medicine at Emory Saint Joseph’s Hospital in Atlanta, emphasized the urgency of getting tested.
“STDs or STIs are still a major concern for public health,” he said. “These diseases are still spread. We want to encourage safe sex practices among our population and make sure people are aware of disease manifestations and symptoms.”
“Regular STD testing in sexually active persons is key in preventing sexual partners from becoming infected and spreading STDs,” said Dr. Gary Bucher, an anal health specialist who is the medical director and founder of Anal Dysplasia Clinic MidWest in Chicago. “Treatment of STDs is necessary to prevent health issues that occur with untreated STDs.”
With dozens of at-home testing kits available, it can be difficult to choose the right one. After all, what does a reliable at-home STD test kit look like? What should it entail? What do you need?
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. Your needs will depend on your situation and may change over time.
This table can help you decide which type of home test is right for you.
| Reasons to test | Fully online test | Home-to-lab test | In-office test |
|---|---|---|---|
| You’re curious. | X | X | X |
| You’re having sex without a condom or another barrier method, or a condom broke during sex. | X | X | |
| You’re experiencing unusual symptoms. | X | ||
| You have a new partner. | X | X | |
| You have a current or recent partner who received a positive test. | X | ||
| You want to stop using a condom or other barrier method with your current partner. | X | X | |
| You have not had an in-office test in a year or more. | X | X | X |
An in-office test can be appropriate for any of these scenarios. A home-to-lab test may work well for most situations, but it’s still best to opt for an in-office test if you’re experiencing unusual symptoms or if a current or recent partner has tested positive for an STI.
A fully online test is best reserved for when you only want to test out of curiosity, but none of the other scenarios apply.
If you think you’ll need help determining results from your home STD test, an in-office test may be preferable. It’s an immediate source of information, and you can speak with a healthcare professional in person in the case of a positive result.
Be sure that the test you choose is FDA approved. You can check on the
“I always tell my patients to look for clinically validated and processed tests through CLIA-certified labs,” explained Gleaton.
At-home STD tests arrive with all the tools you need to collect a sample, such as:
- needles or lancets
- swabs
- collection tubes
- alcohol wipes
- bandages
- a prepaid envelope to mail your sample back to the company
You might need to provide a blood or urine sample or perform a rectal, oral, or vaginal swab. It’s best to return the samples the same day you take them. The company then sends your test results to your online account, usually within 1 to 7 days.
While every STD self-testing service differs, most brands recommended here offer professional advice or support for reading your test results at home.
If you do a fully-at-home STD test, there’s a risk that you’ll misinterpret your results. Lab-based tests can also be difficult to interpret without a medical background.
For these reasons, it’s best to opt for a testing service that offers access to a healthcare professional to discuss your results. They can help you interpret your results and advise you on treatments and next steps.
Related at-home STD tests
The tests listed above check for multiple STIs and STDs at the same time. But if you want to test for a single specific STI, consider these options:
You can talk with a healthcare professional if a partner has recently tested positive for an STD or STI or if you’re experiencing possible symptoms of an STI.
The
- You’re between 13 and 64 years old and have never had an HIV test.
- You share needles. A doctor may recommend annual HIV testing.
- You have sex without a condom or another barrier method. A doctor may recommend annual HIV testing.
- You have oral or anal sex regularly. A doctor may recommend throat and rectal testing.
- You’re pregnant. A doctor will test you for hepatitis B and C, HIV, and syphilis.
If you have an STI but are experiencing more or worsening symptoms, such as genital discharge or urinary symptoms, you can contact a healthcare professional to further evaluate your symptoms. They can help you with STI testing and treatment.
The CDC makes the following additional recommendations for screening for people who are sexually active:
- Women younger than 25 years old and men who have sex with other men may want to undergo annual chlamydia and gonorrhea testing. Men who have sex with other men may want to have these tests as often as every 3 to 6 months.
- Women 25 years old and older who have any risk factors, such as new or multiple partners or a partner who has an STD, should also receive annual gonorrhea and chlamydia tests.
Gleaton recommends speaking with a healthcare professional if you think you’ve been exposed to an STI, even if you’re not having symptoms.
“It’s crucial to catch STIs early and start treatment to avoid any long-term damage from the disease and to avoid passing it unknowingly to others,” she said.
Most modern STD tests are highly accurate. Most at-home tests claim to be 95% to 99% accurate, which is similar to the accuracy of tests done in a clinic or doctor’s office.
Urine tests for STDs such as chlamydia and gonorrhea are typically accurate when conducted correctly. However, the accuracy can vary based on factors such as the specific STD and the timing of the test in relation to potential exposure.
Test accuracy can also 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.
For accuracy, it’s crucial that you precisely follow the test instructions and consult with a healthcare professional to interpret your results.
An at-home test may confirm whether you have an STD, but it’s important to contact a doctor if you have symptoms of a possible infection, such as:
- vaginal or penile burning or discharge
- frequent urination
- pelvic or genital pain
- sores or bumps around your genitals, anus, or mouth
- atypical bleeding (bleeding other than menstruation)
Most insurance plans cover the cost of STD tests, as these 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:
- age
- sex and gender
- risk factors
- pregnancy status
Also, coverage for at-home tests varies.
To learn more about your specific options, you can talk with:
- a nurse
- a doctor
- your insurance company
You can also find free or low cost STD testing sites across the country.
Yes, there are over-the-counter tests for chlamydia that you can purchase at pharmacies such as Walgreens, CVS, and Walmart, or online.
One example is the Simple 2 Test from LetsGetChecked, which is the first FDA-authorized test with at-home sample collection for any STD other than HIV.
These STD home tests typically involve collecting a urine sample or a swab from your genital area and then sending it to a lab for analysis. However, it’s important to ensure that any test you choose is FDA approved and provides accurate results.
You can also buy a limited range of STD tests from popular retailers and pharmacies like Walgreens and CVS. They can cost between $30 and $100 and test for most common STIs.
No. Desai pointed out, “Until home kits are available for a broad range of STDs and STIs, it is important that patients seek out primary care from healthcare [professionals] who are highly trained clinically and that prioritize patients’ privacy.”
The doctors we reached out to for expert opinions, Desai and Bucher, agree about the convenience and anonymity that home tests can offer. However, they also point to potential downsides, including mistakes in collecting samples, unreliable results, privacy breaches, and lack of follow-up care.
Additionally, Desai advised, “If there were to be a positive reading on a home test, the individual would still need to proceed to see a primary care or urgent care [clinician] for the best treatment and steps moving forward.”
Regularly testing for STDs and STIs is important.
Testing can help prevent the transmission of STIs. It can also help you get the appropriate treatment options 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.