The 5 Best At-Home STD Tests of 2023

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At-home STD tests can provide an accurate and convenient method for knowing your STD status. Find out which test kit is best for you.

Regular 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.

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:

*Price is accurate as of the date of publication.

Everlywell 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.

*Price is accurate as of the date of publication.

Available 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.

*Price is accurate as of the date of publication.

myLAB 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.

*Price is accurate as of the date of publication.

Although 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.

*Price is accurate as of the date of publication.

iDNA 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.

*Price is accurate as of the date of publication.

Quick, 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.

*Price is accurate as of the date of publication.

Though 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.

Also, 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.

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.

While not all STIs cause symptoms, knowing what to look out for can make it easier to get prompt treatment. Here are some of the most common symptoms of STIs:

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.

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.

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.”

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

9 At-Home Fertility Tests to Help Guide Your Reproductive Journey

When you're getting serious about starting a family, fertility becomes a major talking point. How healthy are your eggs? Are your hormones at optimal levels for conceiving? What, exactly, is a "fertile window," and how do you know if yours is open or closed? With almost 20 percent of people with uteruses struggling with infertility according to the CDC (defined as a lack of conception after one year of trying to get pregnant), many turn to at-home fertility tests for answers.

These tests are discreet and relatively affordable, and you can use FSA/HSA funds to cover the cost. At-home fertility tests can detect fertility in a variety of ways — some look at changing hormone levels, while others check sperm count and quality. The best ones are convenient, backed by scientific studies, and relatively easy to use (reducing the likelihood of user error), giving you the information you need to understand what's going on with your reproductive health.

So to help you choose the right at-home fertility test for you, we researched over 40 tests, tested several ourselves, and narrowed them down based on common needs with the help of two subject matter experts with years of experience as medical practitioners. Here's what we recommend.

This fertility test can measure up to seven key hormones, the most we've seen in our research of at-home fertility tests.

Pros

Cons

Overview

You don't have to choose which fertility factors to measure with the Modern Fertility Hormone Test sold by Ro: It detects up to seven different hormones (depending on whether or not you're on hormonal birth control), all of which can help give you an explicit view of how fertile you are.

Some of these include luteinizing hormone or LH (which controls the release of eggs during the menstrual cycle), estradiol (which is produced by the ovaries and helps maintain the reproductive system), and free thyroxine or fT4, which is the main hormone produced by the thyroid. Every test measures thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), which indicates thyroid health, and anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH), which helps you determine your ovarian reserve — i.e. the number and quality of eggs in your ovaries.

The Modern Fertility Hormone Test isn't as comprehensive as an in-office workup with a reproductive specialist, but it's about as close as you can get with at-home fertility testing — and given that the test costs $179, is available in every state but New York and Rhode Island, ships for free, and is FSA/HSA reimbursable, you're looking at an affordable way to get a more extensive than average look at your fertility health for a reasonable price. The site and community are also inclusive of LGBTQIA+ people — even featuring research into LGBTQ+ fertility, done in 2019 with the help of dating app HER and Mere Abrams, LCSW — making it an all-around great choice for fertility testing.

One thing to note is that the Modern Fertility test requires a finger prick, so if you're squeamish about blood or pain, this one might be tough for you. Other than that, the collection process is a cinch, thanks to the simple instructions included in your kit, and you'll get your physician-reviewed results seven to 10 days after the lab receives your sample. The test was also the subject of a peer-reviewed study sponsored by Modern Fertility, so you can feel more confident in the results you receive.

We would, however, advise you to be off hormonal birth control for at least three months (be sure to use a backup method!) if you want to get the most out of this comprehensive test as it can skew your estrogen and progesterone levels; only two of the seven measurements (TSH and AMH) can be taken if you're still using it.

This efficient kit captures key fertility markers for both partners in a streamlined and affordable way

Pros

Cons

Overview

Although many people think of fertility as only being a concern for people who can get pregnant, research finds that about half of couples aren't able to conceive due to issues with sperm quality. It makes sense, then, to test both partners' fertility health when thinking about starting a family — and the Proov Hers and His Fertility Starter Kit is an affordable way to assess some of the primary factors relating to your combined fertility health at the same time.

For $159, you'll get the Complete Testing System for follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and other hormones, as well as a sperm motility test and 10 hCG pregnancy test strips, too. The kit includes three urine test strips to measure FSH, which can help you understand your ovarian reserve, and 17 test strips measuring LH and markers for estrogen and progesterone, meant to be used throughout your cycle.

While the Proov Sperm Test is limited to assessing motile sperm concentration and not any other signs of sperm count or quality, motility is still a strong indicator of fertility, so this will get you off to a good start. Plus, the included wi-fi enabled testing device gives you a sperm quality score and a recorded video of your sample in just two minutes.

There is one particular downside to this test. By the use of gendered language like "hers and his," it is not inclusive of all couples who can get pregnant, which is a big miss. There are couples including one or more transgender and/or intersex partners who can conceive together, and even though not all LGBTQ+ couples can get pregnant without IVF or intrauterine insemination (IUI), that doesn't mean these couples might not still want to test both partners' fertility together.

Proov tells you to begin testing on day five of your cycle, and you'll continue testing according to the kit's directions until that cycle has ended. While you can get day-to-day ovulation information from the Proov Insight app, you won't get a full analysis or your ovulation score until your cycle is over.

Your results are reviewed by board-certified medical professionals before being sent out to you, and if your tests are abnormal in any way, LetsGetChecked will give you a call to discuss them and recommend next steps.

Pros

Cons

Overview

Once you've decided to take the plunge into testing your fertility at home, you may end up wondering what happens if you get abnormal results. What do they mean, and where do you go from there? We appreciate that the LetsGetChecked Female Hormone Test enlists a physician to review your results. Further, if your results are abnormal in any way, a member of the clinical team will call you to chat about next steps and give you space to ask questions.

The test itself costs $159, shipping is free, and you'll get your results online within two to five days. If you subscribe for deliveries every three, six, or 12 months, you can bring your cost per test down to as low as $97.30 per test (when delivered every three months). Just be sure to collect your sample in the morning on a weekday, so that you have time to get it in the mail on the same day. The other bit of good news is that the LetsGetChecked Female Hormone Test doesn't sacrifice accuracy for speediness. You collect a blood sample from a quick and (nearly) painless finger prick, then package it up to be sent to a lab that's CLIA certified and College of American Pathologists (CAP) accredited—which are the same levels of accreditation as labs used by clinics and hospitals.

When your results come in, you'll be able to view your levels of four different fertility hormones: FSH; LH; estradiol; and prolactin, which pauses ovulation after conception. Just be aware that this test is not accurate if you're currently taking hormonal birth control — if you currently are, LetsGetChecked recommends being off it for three months before testing.

Key Specs

Why We Chose It

It's competitively priced for the number of fertility factors it measures and is available as a monthly, quarterly, or semi-annual subscription to help you save even more.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Cons

Overview

The Everlywell Women's Fertility Test is a close competitor to the LetsGetChecked Female Hormone Test: Both measure a similar number of hormones via a finger prick and are almost identical in pricing. But while, at $149, the Everlywell test is technically $10 more, you'll be able to measure five key fertility factors instead of LetsGetChecked's four — and there are subscription options that can bring the cost down to just $111 per test (when sent monthly).

Just like LetsGetCheck's test, the Everlywell Women's Fertility Test measures FSH, LH, and estradiol to assess your ovarian health and predict ovulation, but it also checks your TSH)and total testosterone levels. High levels of TSH are associated with infertility and — contrary to what you might think — testosterone can also play a vital role in helping to achieve pregnancy, so these are very helpful additions.

There are a few downsides to this test: First, like most at-home test kits, it's not available to people in New York (due to regulatory reasons). Everlywell also does not use language that is inclusive of trans and nonbinary people, preferring terminology like "women's" and "men's" health. Perhaps the biggest sticking point for some, however: For accurate results, you must collect blood samples on the third and nineteenth day of your cycle, meaning that there will be two finger pricks total, as well as a longer waiting time to send your samples to a CLIA-certified lab for analysis.

That said, the Everlywell test is still a comprehensive, affordable test that works like many others on our list. Use the included sample collection card to collect a total of 12 blood drops, then use the included prepaid shipping label to send in your samples. Unlike some of the other kits, there's not a same-day requirement for shipping your sample, which is a bonus. Once the lab receives your sample, and a physician reviews your results, a simple-to-read, personalized report will be available via your Everlywell app or portal in five to seven business days.

By measuring five different factors of sperm health, instead of only one or two, and offering the option to have your specimen frozen for potential later use, this test is the next best thing to heading to a clinic to get your sperm professionally analyzed.

Pros

Cons

Overview

There are a number of sperm tests available for at-home use, but many of them only evaluate one or two measures of sperm health. What makes the Legacy For Today Semen Analysis stand out is that it checks for five different sperm fertility factors: sperm count, volume, concentration, motility, and morphology (size and shape).

These are generally the factors that would be measured if you went to a professional clinic, making the Legacy test a more comprehensive at-home test than most of its competitors. You can also choose an add-on package to cryogenically freeze the sperm sample you submit — an uncommon bonus for these types of tests (it's $145 per year, $595/5 years, or $795/10 years). The HSA-/FSA-eligible For Today kit is a bit pricey at $395, but you may pay as little as $0 for the test and a year of frozen sperm storage if you have one of the major insurance plans that Legacy accepts. Financing plans with 0% interest over two to 12 months are also available.

The sample collection kit includes everything you need to be sure your sample arrives in good condition via free overnight shipping to the lab, but nothing extra to over-complicate the process. In addition to a prepaid return label with expedited shipping, you'll receive a vial of transport fluid and an insulated foam "vault" that will make sure your sample remains viable while it's transported overnight to a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) certified lab. (Legacy does not ship semen analysis tests to Alaska and Hawaii, unfortunately, as it's not possible to guarantee overnight delivery from these states.) Within three business days of Legacy receiving your sample, your portal will display a comprehensive report of your results, information about lifestyle changes that could improve your sperm quality, and the option to have a video call with a fertility specialist.

Another plus: Legacy is inclusive of LGBTQIA+ couples and is experienced with fertility preservation for trans women.

If you think you might need to test your fertility for a few cycles, the Mira Max Starter Kit syncs your samples up to the company's app for continuous, comprehensive fertility prediction.

Pros

Cons

Overview

The Mira Max Starter Kit is a bit of an investment upfront, but if you're planning to do some long-term fertility tracking, it will pay dividends after your first cycle. The starter kit supplies you with the Mira Analyzer — an egg-shaped digital device that processes your daily results — and either 10 or 20 Fertility Max Wands (urine test strips) that measure LH, estradiol, and progesterone. This means you'll get both daily readings and long-range fertility information via the Mira app, giving you everything you need to predict and confirm ovulation, as well as pinpoint your fertile window for conception.

The Starter Kit that includes 10 Max Wands is $229, but since you'll need 10 to 20 Wands per cycle, you may want to go with a Starter Kit with 20 Wands for $249. Using the Mira device is as simple as traditional urine test strips for fertility but more sophisticated; you'll take a urine collection with a Mira wand, then insert it into the analyzer box. After 21 minutes, the analyzer will sync to the Mira app and send you the results of its analysis, which will give you personalized info about what's happening with your ovulation and what steps you should take for conception.

If you're planning to do this frequently throughout your cycle or for longer than one cycle, you'll need to buy more Wands — and that can get costly at $89 for a one-time purchase of 20. However, recurring subscription options are available, lowering your cost to as low as $80.10 when delivered monthly.

Mira makes it easier for people with PCOS and irregular periods to track their fertility, since you don't need to know what cycle day you're on in order to test which other tests on this list require. Its site also uses mostly gender-neutral language and there's a page about Mira's support for LGBTQIA+ people trying to start families and learn more about their own health. So the convenience and personalization offered with this way of testing may be worth the expense for couples making an investment in long-term fertility tracking.

This panel of hormone testing can give you a good jumping-off point for talking to your doctor about conceiving with PCOS. Plus, LetsGetChecked offers a no-cost consult with one of its medical professionals for advice on taking action with your regular provider.

Pros

Cons

Overview

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal disorder where ovaries overproduce androgens, which can cause symptoms such as irregular periods, excessive hair growth, and acne. It affects about five million Americans, but getting a diagnosis can be tricky because PCOS symptoms can be attributed to several different causes, not just PCOS. If you're 20 or older, and don't live in New York, you can take the LetsGetChecked PCOS Test to narrow down the possibilities. While it can't provide a PCOS diagnosis, it can act as a jumping off point to consult with your doctor and potentially undergo more definitive, diagnostic tests.

This test kit measures some basic signs of fertility, like FSH and LH, but also hormones often associated with PCOS: testosterone, sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), free androgen index (FAI), AMH, and cortisol. (FYI, high levels of testosterone, AMH, and free androgens are potential markers for PCOS, as are low levels of SHBG.)

The FSA-/HSA-eligible PCOS Test costs $139, which is a competitive price for a test that can measure so many hormones. While LetsGetChecked's site uses "women's" and "men's health" to describe its products, an FAQ near the bottom of the page notes that you can take the PCOS test as long as you have ovaries and are not on hormonal therapy.

The test itself is comprehensive but simple. A finger prick and saliva sample are all that's needed — though you will need to send these samples back the same day they're collected, so be sure to do this on a weekday morning. After the samples make it to a CLIA-certified, CAP-accredited lab using a prepaid shipping label, your results will be available in your private portal within two to five days. Not only are your results reviewed by a provider before being sent to you, but you can also schedule a phone call with a medical expert (at no extra cost) if you're not sure what your results mean or what to do next. If red flags for PCOS show up in your results, you can take them to a healthcare provider to have further diagnostic testing — and find help getting back on the conception track.

There's a competitive market for ovulation test strips, but we like the cost and quantity in this kit. Plus, the nifty test strip organizer helps you see how your hormone levels are progressing each day.

Pros

Cons

Overview

We'll be honest: Urine tests strips for ovulation aren't fancy, complicated, or really that different from one another. But when we tried to find test strips that stood out from the pack, we happily discovered the Natalist Ovulation Test Kit, which offers an affordable and eco-friendly way to track your LH over the course of one cycle.

For just $25, you'll get 30 test strips — that's $0.83 per test — as well a reusable silicone collection cup. There's also a nifty cardboard Cycle Tracker that allows you to tuck your test strips into little display slots one day at a time so you can watch your hormones change as your body prepares for ovulation. Your LH will surge when you're about one to two days away from ovulating, and the tests will display your results within five minutes.

There are a few downsides: All you'll be tracking is the LH test strips themselves, and no additional analysis or reports will be provided. Also, as of the time of writing, the company does not ship to Alaska or Hawaii, and only bundles or orders over $35 ship free.

Still, as a whole, the kit is budget-friendly, accurate, and easy to use — and we love that Natalist has made a big commitment to being eco-friendly. In fact, this kit uses 75% less plastic than typical kits and is marketed as plastic neutral (a.k.a. Natalist says it removes as much plastic from the environment as it creates).

The Ava Fertility Bracelet combines the long-term cycle-tracking benefits of other fertility trackers on this list with the ease of use of a simple wristband.

Pros

Cons

Overview

The Ava Fertility Bracelet isn't a fertility test in the traditional definition of the word, but since wearable fertility trackers can give you insight into your fertility at a given point in time and are less fussy than some at-home tests, we felt it important to include it. Worn around the wrist while you sleep, the Ava fits like a watch but tracks your fertility like a reproductive specialist, collecting data about your basal body temperature (BBT), resting pulse, sleep cycles, and more to predict ovulation and identify five of your six most fertile days.

The biggest benefit of the Ava Fertility Bracelet is its BBT tracking. Normally, to do this, you have to take your BBT first thing in the morning, before getting out of bed, and that reading is only accurate if you've been asleep for the previous few hours. (Your BBT rises as you approach ovulation, and biomarkers like pulse and sleep are added to the Ava algorithm to help it confirm where you are in your cycle.) It can become wildly inaccurate pretty quickly — like, say, with an early morning trip to the bathroom. But this isn't true for the Ava, since it's always recording data while you sleep. You'll have an accurate BBT in the morning as long as you wear the bracelet for at least four hours and get three hours of sleep. After that, you can sync your data up to the app and review your daily and cycle-long results. It's also the first (and only) FDA-cleared fertility tracker bracelet, so you can be confident in the science behind it.

The Ava Fertility Bracelet is a bigger investment upfront than most at-home fertility tests. There are three bundles available: Ava Fertility Basic ($279), Plus ($309), and Premium ($359). The Basic bundle includes the Ava bracelet, access to the Ava app, and membership in the company's online community. Plus and Premium bundles also include an e-book with a guide to getting pregnant, and are backed by a money-back guarantee — if you're not pregnant after six months (Premium) or 12 months (Plus), you'll get a full refund.

Something we wish Ava did better? Its website isn't trans/nonbinary inclusive; in fact, searching for "LGBT," "transgender," or "nonbinary" on the AvaWorld blog returns no results.

All said: While using the Ava Fertility Bracelet requires some patience to learn your cycle patterns, doing so can give you valuable insight when it comes to pinpointing the best time to conceive — and the device can still be used during pregnancy — making this a great option for those who are looking for a high-tech wearable.

We think the Ro Modern Fertility Hormone Test is a great option for a comprehensive hormone panel that can help you pinpoint your fertility health accurately and affordably. With a simple finger prick, you'll get access to multiple metrics of fertility in just a few days after sending your results off to Ro's CAP-accredited lab.

If you and your partner are looking to conceive together, we love that the Proov Hers and His Fertility Starter Kit includes a complete fertility workup and a sperm testing kit. Finally, if you're looking to save a little money on at-home fertility testing, the Everlywell Women's Fertility Test is affordable as a one-time purchase as well as a biannual subscription.

At-home fertility tests work by collecting blood, urine, or semen samples to be analyzed at home or in a lab, either daily or over a period of time.

"At-home tests measure vital factors that influence reproduction, such as hormone levels or sperm health," says Lindsay Modglin, our subject matter expert who has over a decade of experience as a nurse. "The more comprehensive options often include a variety of tests — such as a general women's fertility test that looks at the ovarian reserve, thyroid hormones, and ovulation — or a sperm test that checks for volume, count, and motility."

Whichever test type you choose, it should help you get a clearer idea of your fertility health.

Unfortunately, any test you take at home won't provide the same accuracy as one administered by a healthcare provider. These tests have a higher rate of user error than ones conducted by professionals, says Modglin, and collection methods and lab processing can also affect the results.

So while many at-home fertility tests promise results that are 90% accurate or higher, that number represents what the tests are capable of capturing — not necessarily what they actually capture once the tests are administered by you and shipped off to a lab. Remember, too, that tests ordered by your medical provider are tailored to your concerns, health history, and other factors, while at-home tests are limited to only the data they receive and analyze.

"Importantly, while the tests can empower patients and provide them with information on basic fertility hormone levels throughout their cycle as well as sperm characteristics, the tests do not provide a medical diagnosis and should not replace a consultation with a fertility physician," says Dr. Kate O'Leary from Midwest Fertility Specialists who is dual board certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology and Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility.

That's not to discourage you from using an at-home test; they can be a good jumping-off point for understanding your fertility and, in many cases, are cheaper than a doctor-ordered panel. They can also give you some peace of mind if you've been having irregular periods; sometimes this means you're not ovulating, but a fertility test could confirm if you are (and your periods are just irregular). But you should be aware of their limitations and see a healthcare provider if you have concerns about any abnormal test results.

There are a few things we used to compare at-home fertility tests when choosing them for this list, and those are also the things you might want to consider when choosing one for yourself, too.

According to Modglin, people with medical conditions that could affect fertility and those who have received a diagnosis of infertility from their doctor should be aware of the limitations of using at-home tests. At-home tests can lead to false positives or negatives; over-reliance on these results could lead you to delay necessary fertility treatments.

Also, at-home fertility tests can alert you to potential fertility issues, but they can't (and shouldn't) replace a diagnosis and ongoing care from a doctor — so make sure you know that fertility problems can affect your results and that you're using them in conjunction with medical care if you have a known fertility issue.

Fertility hormone tests look for anywhere from one to seven markers of fertility, including progesterone, luteinizing hormone (LH) for ovulation prediction, and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) for egg quality. Depending on the individual test, other hormones tested might include:

Insurance doesn't typically cover at-home fertility tests, but many are eligible to be paid for with FSA/HSA funds. Check your plan to see if you're able to utilize these spending accounts to pay for the cost of your at-home fertility test.

The official definition of infertility is being unable to conceive after one year of trying, regardless of your gender and/or sex assigned at birth. However, there are other signs you may notice before or during your attempts to conceive that may signal a fertility problem.

For people who menstruate, these symptoms include:

There are not many obvious signs of infertility in people with testicles, but there are some risk factors that can increase their chances of being infertile, which include:

To find the best at-home fertility tests, we compared more than a dozen companies offering a variety of home testing options, from finger pricks and urine strips to sperm collection kits and wearable fertility trackers. After conducting in-depth market research about these companies, we evaluated them based on the fertility factors they analyze, how long results take, and what their average cost is, as well as how convenient the tests are to use.

Since at-home tests aren't as accurate as tests administered by a healthcare provider, we didn't overemphasize each company's accuracy claims when selecting the tests to feature. But we did choose a selection of tests aimed at assessing fertility across a wide spectrum, including tests measuring hormones, tests measuring the health of sperm, tests detecting ovulatory patterns, and trackers that collect information about fertility health over several weeks and months.

CDC. Infertility FAQ.

Burke EE, Beqaj S, Douglas NC, Luo R. Concordance of fingerstick and venipuncture sampling for fertility hormones. Obstet Gynecol. 2019;133(2):343-348. doi:10.1097/AOG.0000000000003066

Society for Endocrinology. Female Infertility.

Johns Hopkins Medicine. Male Infertility.

American Urological Association. Diagnosis and Treatment of Infertility in Men: AUA/ASRM Guideline (2020).

CDC. What is Infertility?

National Library of Medicine. Genetic, hormonal and metabolic aspects of PCOS: an update.

CDC. PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome) and Diabetes.

Science Daily. Female fertility: What's testosterone got to do with it? Research shows male hormones may enhance IVF therapy.

Orouji Jokar T, et al. Higher TSH levels within the normal range are associated with unexplained infertility. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2017;103(2):632-639. DOI: 10.1210/jc.2017-02120.

American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Male Infertility Evaluation: What Do I Need To Know?

Fact-checked by Ray Finch

The Race Is On to Crack an Artist’s ‘Test’ Signal From Aliens

Humanity has sent its own simple outgoing messages, like Frank Drake’s message from the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico to the globular cluster M13, which included information about our solar system and DNA, or the Golden Records on the Voyager spacecraft, which include sounds and symbols showing the diversity of life and culture on Earth. We’ve even tried sending outbound “music lessons.” 

Still, aliens might beam us something more complex, or a message in a format people have never encountered before. No matter how much extraterrestrials might want to be understood, their message could prove difficult to decipher, since they’ll likely have an entirely different language, culture, history, biology, and level of technological development than humans. And of course, a real alien signal would come from much farther away than Mars, perhaps originating many, many light-years away. That means it might have been sent millennia ago, maybe even by a long-dead civilization, de Paulis says. 

But the Sign in Space experiment is more about us than it is them. De Paulis has been working with radio astronomers on art-related projects for years, including one called Opticks that reflected images off the surface of the moon, with their distorted colors and shapes evoking a long lunar journey. With this new project, she has been trying to reach a wide global audience—and so far thousands of people from around the world have been discussing their theories on a Discord channel as they work on decoding attempts. (One theory is that some of the radio data, when arranged in a particular way, could make up a 256- by 256-pixel image, with clouds of dots displayed in a way that perhaps resembles the Pleiades or another star cluster.)

At a small online workshop she led yesterday, de Paulis pointed out that so far people have submitted more than 100 sketches, images, poems, and essays, showing the broad range of thoughts and emotions evoked by the notion of alien contact. Many sketches appear welcoming, including drawings of humans, a human hand, Earth, a waving alien, or the word “peace.” Others include invented symbols or pictographs—speculations about what could be included in a “first contact” message. 

Video: Olivier Auber

SETI has at times lain uneasily between astrobiology—the study of exoplanets that could host life—and attempts to sight UFOs, which are hard claims to verify or investigate scientifically. But that could be seen as a largely Western distinction, says Bowdoin College anthropologist William Lempert, who led a workshop for the project last week about different cultural outlooks on the celestial realm. “This tendency to view space as a cold emptiness separated by material objects and perhaps lifeforms is actually an outlier framework,” he said, noting that the Polynesian and Aboriginal Australian people he has worked with have different perspectives. “Most people imagine outer space and aliens as neither ‘outer’ nor ‘alien,’” he says. 

Philosopher and ethicist Chelsea Haramia, another of de Paulis’ colleagues, will lead a workshop later in June about how people can deal with the uncertainty inherent in thinking about alien contact. While responses to A Sign in Space have been overwhelmingly positive, a real call from ET could elicit more mixed responses, including fear, panic, and the urge to lash out at scientists and other experts, Haramia says. This project could help people have a subjective experience of how they’d react if it really ever happened, she says, and answer the question, “What would a successful alien detection be for me?” She describes the art project as a way to make the abstract real, like actually tasting a durian fruit instead of just hearing a description of what one is like. 

De Paulis believes it will take at least weeks—or possibly months—before someone cracks the message. It’s also possible the message might never be completely deciphered, and de Paulis is alright with that. She and her colleagues refer to other artworks about extraterrestrial contact—like Italo Calvino’s Cosmicomics, the movie Arrival, and the Star Trek episode “Darmok”—in which an alien race communicates confusingly through metaphor, invoking histories and tales humans don’t understand. “If we ever receive an extraterrestrial signal, scientists won’t know where the noise ends and where the actual message begins,” she says. “So this is quite faithful to what would happen if the scientific community decided to share the signal in an open source format.”