STDcheck.com Review: What to Know

We evaluated STDCheck․com based on a variety of factors, including its process, cost, accuracy, and customer reviews. Also, our team completed a thorough vetting process, and this article was reviewed by a medical professional.

Cost

STDCheck․com offers a variety of individual and panel tests, each is priced from $25 to $258 depending on the test. If you test positive, you’ll need to pay an extra $95 for a doctor to write a prescription. Your partner can get a prescription for an additional $95.

STDCheck․com says it does not accept insurance to protect its customers’ privacy. However, it will provide you with an itemized receipt that you can submit to your insurance company for reimbursement. You can also use your HSA or FSA funds. If you use a credit card, the transaction will show up as “HealthLabs.com” on your statement.

The company also offers a “pay later” option. You can order and complete the test at the lab without payment, but you need to pay before they will release your results.

Accuracy

STDCheck․com claims that its tests are 99 percent accurate. But it suggests waiting to get tested until after the incubation period for the STI has passed to get the most accurate results.

The incubation period is the amount of time it takes for your body to create antibodies against the infection. This period depends on the type of potential infection and can range from a few days to a few weeks. Since the test will detect the presence of antibodies, waiting until this period has passed helps ensure antibodies will be present.

Customer reviews

STDCheck․com’s online reputation is largely positive.

On the STDCheck․com website, the company has 5,200 reviews, with an overall rating of 9.8 out of 10.

Reviewers mention:

• quick and easy testing
• fast results
• professional service
• confidentiality

STDCheck․com promises quick, confidential testing delivered to your home. You don’t need to call your doctor or make an appointment at a clinic.

Here’s what the process looks like:

1. Order your test by phone or on STDCheck․com. You will receive an order form or confidential test code.
2. Take that form or code to one of the company’s 4,500 affiliated test centers. No appointment is needed. The center will take a urine or blood sample. The process takes just a few minutes.
3. Your test results will be available in your online account within 1 to 2 days.
4. If you test positive, you’ll be able to speak with an STDCheck․com doctor. They can answer any questions and send a prescription to your local pharmacy for an extra charge.

STDCheck․com offers an STD Test Recommender tool that evaluates which tests you need based on your answers to a few sexual health questions. You can also check the STI screening recommendations that the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides to see which tests you need. If you’re not sure which STI you’ve been exposed to, you can opt for the 10-test panel.

10 test panel

• Price: $139
• Type: urine and blood
• When to take it: 2–5 days after exposure

It’s possible to contract more than one STI at a time. And because some STIs do not show symptoms, you may not know you have one. If you’re not sure which STI you may have been exposed to, this full panel tests for 10 of the most common bacterial and viral STIs, including:

• chlamydia
• gonorrhea
• herpes type 1 & type 2
• hepatitis A, B, and C
• HIV type 1 & type 2 antibody/antigen (4th gen)
• syphilis

10 test panel with HIV RNA early detection

• Price: $258
• Type: urine and blood
• When to take it: 9–11 days after exposure

This version of the 10-test panel adds an HIV RNA test. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) can cause acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) if it goes untreated. While there’s no cure for HIV or AIDS, with early detection of HIV, there are effective medications that can slow progression, including antiretroviral therapy (ART).

HIV antibodies can take 23 to 90 days to form, so a traditional antibody test cannot be taken right away. This HIV RNA early detection test, however, looks for HIV genetic material instead, so it can detect the virus within 10 days after exposure.

Chlamydia

• Price: $59
• Type: urine
• When to take it: 1–5 days after exposure

Chlamydia is a bacterial infection, so this test checks a sample of urine for the bacteria Chlamydia trachomatis. Chlamydia does not always show symptoms so it can spread quickly. It can affect fertility if it goes untreated.

Treatment with antibiotics is simple and highly effective. Both you and your partner will need to be treated before engaging in sexual contact. You can pass the bacteria back to each other during your course of antibiotics if the infection is not completely cleared.

Gonorrhea

• Price: $59
• Type: urine
• When to take it: 2–6 days after exposure

Gonorrhea is a bacterial infection, so it can be cured with a course of antibiotics. This infection typically causes symptoms like:

• pain or burning while peeing
• discharge from the penis or vagina
• rectal itching and discharge

Chlamydia and gonorrhea

• Price: $99
• Type: urine
• When to take it: 2–5 days after exposure

These two infections often occur together. This test checks for both STIs with one urine sample.

Hepatitis A

• Price: $24
• Type: blood
• When to take it: 2–7 weeks after exposure

Hepatitis A is a liver infection caused by the hepatitis A virus (HAV). It’s passed through sexual activity but is more commonly transferred by consuming food or drinks containing the virus.

Symptoms include flu-like symptoms (fever and fatigue), stomach pain, and loss of appetite. These can last for up to 2 months before the infection clears, typically on its own. Avoiding alcohol and other toxins when possible while your body recovers can help your liver heal.

Hepatitis B

• Price: $24
• Type: blood
• When to take it: 6 weeks after exposure

This liver infection caused by the hepatitis B (HAB) virus can lead to serious complications like cirrhosis or liver cancer. It can be transmitted through genital fluids and blood, and it can be transferred from a birthing parent to their baby.

Your body may completely clear some infections, but others may become chronic infections that could lead to complications. If you suspect you may have been exposed to the HAB virus, getting treatment as soon as possible (even before a test can detect an infection) can help your body mount a defense.

Hepatitis C

• Price: $24
• Type: blood
• When to take it: 8–9 weeks after exposure

The CDC recommends hepatitis C testing for all adults ages 18 years and older, and for pregnant people. The virus can eventually cause cirrhosis, liver cancer, and other serious complications if it’s not treated.

This infection can only be transferred through blood. It may cause symptoms like fever, joint pain, and nausea. Your body may be able to create an effective immune response to the infection, but in most cases, this infection becomes long lasting.

Medical innovations are now available that can cure this type of infection. Although these innovations can be expensive, insurance may help cover the costs. You can check with your insurance provider for specific information about coverage.

Other available tests

On your results page, you’ll see the name of your test and whether your result was negative or positive.

Negative

The terms “not-detected” or “non-reactive” mean the test did not detect the STI in your body. In other words, you’re negative.

Positive

“Reactive” means the STI was detected. A number in the Value column is the reference range. It indicates whether the value is high enough to be considered positive. For example, a range of < 0.90 in the HSV-2 test means any results below 0.90 are considered negative.

STDCheck․com provides access to a doctor who can offer advice and answer your questions. Depending on the STI detected, the doctor can write a prescription or recommend additional tests and relevant follow-up.

It can also be helpful to discuss your test results with a preferred primary care doctor if you choose to do so.

STDCheck․com does not accept insurance payments, which it says is to protect its customers’ privacy. The company will give you an itemized receipt to use for insurance reimbursement.

Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), most private health insurance plans must cover the cost of recommended STI screening tests like HIV, chlamydia, and gonorrhea.

STDCheck․com promises to protect your privacy throughout the testing process. At the lab, you will not have to fill out paperwork or answer any questions. Your test results will not be reported to your insurance company or be added to your medical record.

The company’s Privacy Promise states that it does everything possible to protect your personal health information. That includes encrypting your data and partnering with labs that also keep your information secure.

You control all communications with STDCheck․com. When your test results are ready, you’ll receive an email directing you to your personal account on the website. The company will not leave you text messages or voicemails unless you consent to those types of communication.

Learn more about the best at-home STD tests here.

How trustworthy is STDcheck.com?

STDcheck isn’t listed on the Better Business Bureau’s website, but it does have more than 5,000 mostly positive reviews on its own site. The company says that all of its tests are FDA approved or cleared, and it only uses CLIA-certified labs.

How does STDcheck.com work?

Order the test by phone or online. Then visit one of over 4,500 test centers around the country for a blood or urine test.

How fast do you get results from STDcheck.com?

You’ll get results in 1 to 2 days.

It’s important to get tested for an STI if you think you might have been exposed to the respective bacteria or virus. Many of these infections don’t have symptoms, and they can cause serious health problems if left untreated.

STDcheck.com lets you order STI tests conveniently and anonymously and have them shipped to your home. You will not need a prescription or an appointment for the lab test, and you’ll have results within a day or two.

If you test positive, the company offers access to a doctor who can advise you on the recommended next steps.