The Best At-Home Chlamydia Tests Compared
LetsGetChecked Chlamydia Test
Self-collection
- Chlamydia
- gonorrhea
- trichomoniasis
- HIV
- syphilis
- gardnerella
- mycoplasma
- ureaplasma
Within 2 to 5 days
No
Sexually active adults seeking discreet, affordable at-home STD testing.
Everlywell Chlamydia and Gonorrhea Test
Urine
- Chlamydia
- gonorrhea
Within 5 to 7 business days
If you test positive, a doctor in your state will contact you to discuss your results and treatment.
Anyone who is sexually active and suspects being exposed to chlamydia or gonorrhea.
myLAB Box 3-Site Chlamydia and Gonorrhea At Home Kit
Self-collection
- Chlamydia
- Gonorrhea
Within 2 to 5 days
Free follow-up consultations
If you want a 3-site test to screen for chlamydia.
About At-Home Chlamydia Tests
Purpose of at-home chlamydia tests
The purpose of an at-home chlamydia test is to find evidence of a chlamydia infection. While there are few guidelines regarding the use of at-home chlamydia testing, experts suggest that at-home testing is an important way to improve access to chlamydia screening to prevent the spread of this common STD. In fact, young adults are three times more likely to use at-home kits to test for STDs like chlamydia than conventional testing in a lab or doctor’s office.
At-home tests are especially helpful in situations where you might not be sure of exposure and want to gain peace of mind, or getting conventional chlamydia testing is a challenge because of lab hours or location.
While testing for chlamydia at home is quick and easy for screening, at-home test kits should not be used if you have active symptoms of chlamydia or if you have a sexual partner who has been diagnosed with this condition. In these cases, it’s best to get a chlamydia test from a physician.
What does an at-home chlamydia test measure?
Most at-home chlamydia testing detects evidence of the genetic material, known as DNA or RNA, of the bacteria chlamydia trachomatis. These test kits, such as an oral chlamydia test kit, allow you to collect your own samples of body fluid and return them to a laboratory for a type of analysis called nucleic acid amplification testing (NAAT).
The NAAT detects genetic material of the bacteria and can be conducted on a variety of samples, including urine, a throat swab, or a swab of fluid taken from the urethra, vagina, or rectum. Examples of at-home STD tests, the necessary test samples, and what each test measures are listed in the tables below.
How does an at-home chlamydia test work?
Companies that offer at-home STD testing for common sexually transmitted infections like chlamydia make the process simple, discreet, and convenient. All you have to do is order your test online or by calling the company.
You will receive the home collection kit by mail in a plain envelope for privacy. You’ll activate the test and collect a sample (in the morning), and use a prepaid shipping label to return the sample to the lab. After the lab analyzes your sample, you will receive confidential results, usually via a secure online account you set up when you order the kit. If tests are positive, some companies offer support like follow-up consultation with a medical professional.
Before taking a chlamydia test, you should avoid urinating a couple hours in advance, avoid douching or vaginal creams, and stop taking medications like antibiotics (with a doctor’s permission).
Which at-home chlamydia test should you choose?
You can get an at-home test for just chlamydia or select panel kits that screen for multiple STDs. A standard STD panel might include testing for chlamydia, gonorrhea, HIV, syphilis, and trichomoniasis. Kits that test for chlamydia and gonorrhea are common. And a complete panel of STD tests may include a standard panel, plus testing for herpes, and three types of bacteria associated with bacterial vaginosis (gardnerella, mycoplasma, and ureaplasma).
Aside from which STDs a panel identifies, other considerations for choosing a chlamydia at-home kit include how fast you’ll get results, whether the company offers support or treatment if you test positive, and cost.
Benefits and Downsides of At-Home Chlamydia Tests
There are pros and cons of testing for chlamydia at home. Individuals deciding whether or not to use an at-home test to detect this common infection may find it helpful to consider both sides of this approach.
Benefits of at-home chlamydia testing include:
- Convenience: Using an at-home test kit to screen for chlamydia is convenient, providing you with all of the supplies needed to self-collect samples at home. This approach is especially useful in settings in which physician-ordered STD testing is unavailable.
- Privacy: At-home chlamydia tests allow you to collect samples of urine or other body fluids in the comfort of your home. The testing process can feel more discreet this way.
- Straightforward pricing: While doctor visits, sample collection fees, and other costs associated with physician-ordered testing can add up quickly, at-home testing offers clear and simple pricing.
- Comprehensive testing options: When purchasing an at-home chlamydia test, you are often given the choice of combining chlamydia testing with other STD tests.
Potential downsides of at-home chlamydia testing include:
- Follow-up appointments needed: Although most at-home chlamydia tests are considered accurate, some at-home test results need to be confirmed by a medical professional. Follow-up may involve additional laboratory testing.
- Potential for errors: While kits offer detailed instructions, there may be increased risks of errors and contamination when collecting the sample.
- Results without a doctor: Although some at-home tests can connect you with a medical professional over the phone, with an at-home chlamydia test you won’t have your doctor immediately available to answer questions or begin treatment. However, some companies offer support from medical professionals if you test positive.
- May not be covered by insurance: You typically have to pay for at-home tests out-of-pocket, although some at-home STD tests may be covered by health insurance. California was the first state to require health insurance companies to cover at-home STD testing
The Best At-Home Chlamydia Tests
There are many different types of at-home STD tests available, and it’s important to consider what type of STD testing you’re looking for when selecting an at-home STD test. The following sections provide information about top picks for at-home STD testing:
Methodology
At-home chlamydia tests were reviewed based on value, convenience, and availability of tests. These overall factors are based on data including price, insurance acceptance, comprehensiveness of tests, and how quickly you can get results and speak to a doctor. STD test selections have been screened by Testing.com’s Medical Review Board.
LetsGetChecked
Self-collection
Urine (Simple 2), urine and finger prick (Standard 5 or Complete 8)
Within 2 to 5 days
- Chlamydia
- gonorrhea
- trichomoniasis
- HIV
- syphilis
- gardnerella
- mycoplasma
- ureaplasma
Samples are sent to CLIA-certified and ISO accredited labs, the same hospitals and doctors use
No
One-on-one support from a member of the clinical team, at your convenience
Treatment options are available if you test positive
WHAT’S GREAT?
- Treatment options available
- Three test kit options
- One-on-one clinical consult
- FDA De Novo authorization
WHAT’S NOT SO GREAT?
- No insurance accepted (but takes FSA and HSA cards)
- More expensive than some other tests
- No test for just chlamydia
Why is LetsGetChecked at-home chlamydia test the best overall?
LGC’s test stands out among competitors because the company has treatment options if you test positive, and you do not have to get a referral to see a doctor to ask questions or get a one-on-one consultation like with other companies. You can get a 30% discount on kits if you subscribe to receive one every three months. The plain packaging and free shipping are also benefits. In 2013, LGC received FDA De Novo classification for this test.
Who should use LetsGetChecked at-home chlamydia test?
If you feel uncomfortable discussing sexual health with your doctor and have put off STD testing because you don’t want to ask for a test in person, LetsGetChecked is a good option for you. The company makes testing completely private with plain packaging, a secure portal for results, and access to on-staff clinicians who can answer questions.
Everlywell
Urine
Urine
Within 5 to 7 business days
- Chlamydia
- gonorrhea
The labs Everlywell uses are CLIA-certified, which means they meet federal regulations for diagnostic testing that ensure quality, safety, and accuracy.
If you test positive, a doctor in your state will contact you to discuss your results and treatment.
If you test positive, a doctor in your state will contact you to discuss your results and treatment.
Everlywell does not send you prescriptions, but a doctor who follows up with you if you test positive can prescribe medication.
Everlywell offers an at-home test kit for chlamydia and gonorrhea that includes everything you need to collect a urine sample and send (for free) it to their lab for analysis. When you get the unmarked box, it contains a urine collection cup, pipette for putting the sample into the provided test tube, a biohazard bag to seal your sample, and a prepaid shipping label. You can reuse the box.
Everylywell is affordable, costing less than other at-home chlamydia tests we reviewed, and you can get a discount if you subscribe to receive tests. While Everlywell does not accept insurance, you can use an FSA or HSA card.
As for accuracy, Everlywell uses labs that are CLIA-certified and use nucleic acid amplification testing that is considered more accurate than relying on microscopes. Also, the company sends results to an independent, board-certified doctor in your state to review.
Confidentiality is a major benefit of at-home testing, and Everlywell accomplishes this in a few ways. First, when you get your kit it comes with an ID number you register on the company’s secure online portal. After you return your test sample and it is processed in the lab, you will receive an email notifying you that results are ready. Then, you can access the information on the platform.
A downside is that Everlywell does not offer medications. But if you test positive, the doctor who reaches out to you will provide treatment information and prescriptions, if necessary.
WHAT’S GREAT?
- Cost-effective test screens for chlamydia and gonorrhea
- A board-certified doctor in your state reviews test results
- Everlywell accepts FSA and HSA cards
WHAT’S NOT SO GREAT?
- Everlywell does not provide medication
- There is no test for chlamydia only
- No insurance accepted
Why is Everlywell’s at-home chlamydia test the best membership option?
Everlywell is the most cost-effective at-home test kit for chlamydia we reviewed, and it provides the same CLIA-certified lab testing and access to a medical professional as other companies.
Who should use Everlywell’s at-home chlamydia test?
If you want the privacy of testing at home but you still want to be sure a doctor reviews your results, Everlywell checks those boxes and also makes it easy to test on a regular basis with a low-cost subscription.
myLAB Box
Self-collection
Oral swab, anal swab, urine
Within 2 to 5 days
- Chlamydia
- Gonorrhea
Labs are CLIA-certified and certified by the College of American Pathologists (CAP)
Free follow-up consultations
Free follow-up consultations
No, but the company will send a prescription to your local pharmacy if you test positive
myLAB Box offers an at-home test kit for chlamydia and gonorrhea that tests in three sites: the genitals, anus, and throat. This way, you can assure comprehensive testing as opposed to sending in only a urine sample when an infection might have been spread to you in a different way.
While myLAB Box does not accept insurance, you can use an FSA or HSA card to pay the flat fee. Also, the kit cost includes a free telemedicine consultation with a physician if you test positive. Or, you can refer to the company’s website for referrals to doctors near you.
myLAB Box is confidential and sends the kit to your home with prepaid shipping so you can return your sample to their lab. Its lab is CLIA-certified and also certified by the College of American Pathologists, unlike other companies we reviewed. myLAB Box also is CDC listed.
Even though it’s a three-site test, it only takes a few minutes to collect samples to prepare for the lab. And, you’ll find out the results within two to five days, which is typical with at-home STD test kits.
Overall, myLAB Box delivers an all-encompassing chlamydia and gonorrhea test because it screens in three sites, and the privacy factor of testing at-home is appealing to many people who might hesitate to go to a doctor’s office.
WHAT’S GREAT?
- Three-site testing for chlamydia and gonorrhea
- Accepts FSA and HSA cards
- Free physician telemedicine consultation if you test positive
WHAT’S NOT SO GREAT?
- No insurance accepted
- Does not include prescription medication for treatment
- Does not offer a test for just chlamydia
Why is myLAB Box the best two-panel test?
Because myLAB Box collects samples in three sites, it is comprehensive and can detect whether the STD spread in your throat, genitals, or anus.
Who should use myLAB Box’s at-home chlamydia test?
Anyone who wants comprehensive and confidential testing for chlamydia and gonorrhea will benefit from myLAB Box’s three-site test.
Interpreting at-home chlamydia test results
Results of at-home chlamydia testing are given as positive or negative.
Positive test results mean that the test detected evidence of a chlamydia infection. Positive test results indicate the need for treatment, and you’ll want your partners to get tested, as well.. You should always contact a healthcare professional if you receive a positive result on an at-home chlamydia test.
Negative test results mean that no evidence of an infection with Chlamydia trachomatis was detected in the sample used for testing. Even if an at-home test result is negative, you should talk with a doctor if they have symptoms of chlamydia.
Are test results accurate?
Nucleic acid amplification testing (NAAT) is considered by experts to be the “gold standard” for chlamydia testing. Research suggests that self-collected samples generally provide accurate results that are comparable to results from samples collected by medical professionals.
The accuracy of chlamydia testing varies based on the type of sample used and the care taken in collecting the sample. For example, urine samples used to test women and other people with vaginas may miss up to 10% more infections than swab samples taken from the vagina or cervix.
Although not specific to at-home tests, results of chlamydia testing can be affected by:
- Taking certain antibiotics within a few days prior to testing
- Urinating within one hour of collecting a urine sample
- Vaginal douching within 24 hours of sample collection
- Mistakes in sample collection
Doctors are an important resource for patients with questions or concerns about the accuracy of at-home chlamydia testing. You may also find it helpful to contact the companies providing at-home testing to ask if their test kits and laboratory methods have been studied for accuracy. If a sample is required to be sent to a laboratory, check to see if the lab is CLIA-certified and/or CAP-accredited, as these measures indicate a laboratory has met standards for quality assurance.
Do I need follow-up tests?
The need for follow-up testing depends on the chlamydia test results as well as your specific circumstances.
After a negative test result, you often do not need additional follow-up testing. A doctor can assist with creating a schedule for future chlamydia and other STD screening tests. If you are symptomatic and have a negative at-home test result, your doctor may advise repeat chlamydia testing or testing for another STD that might be the cause of symptoms.
If you receive a positive test result, you should pursue follow-up testing for chlamydia. To confirm the results of a positive at-home test, a doctor may recommend repeat testing with a sample collected by a healthcare professional.
In addition, if you have been diagnosed with chlamydia, you should get doctor-ordered testing a few weeks to a few months after the positive test. This follow-up testing is done to check the effectiveness of treatment and to make sure you have not been reinfected with chlamydia from an untreated partner during unprotected sex.
For some people, including pregnant people and those with persistent symptoms, additional follow-up testing may be recommended after treatment for chlamydia to ensure that treatment was successful in eliminating the bacteria that caused the infection. This type of chlamydia testing should be performed by a doctor who can support you in developing a follow-up care plan.
Questions for your doctor after at-home chlamydia testing
After at-home chlamydia testing, you may find it helpful to ask your doctor questions about your test result and need for future STD testing. Questions for a doctor may include:
- What is the significance of my test result?
- Are additional tests recommended to confirm my test result?
- When should I be tested again for chlamydia?
- What other STD tests are recommended for me?
- If I tested positive, should I share this information with sexual partners?
At-home chlamydia testing vs. physician-ordered chlamydia testing
While both at-home and physician-ordered chlamydia tests detect evidence of chlamydia in samples of urine and other body fluids, there are important differences between these testing strategies.
The primary difference between at-home and physician-ordered chlamydia tests is where the test sample is collected. At-home testing allows patients to collect samples from the privacy of their home, while physician-ordered tests require that patients go to a medical facility for sample collection.
Although research suggests that the accuracy of these tests may be similar, there is much less known about the role of at-home chlamydia test kits compared to traditional physician-ordered chlamydia tests.
Another important difference between at-home and physician-ordered tests is the cost of testing and who pays for it. The cost of at-home testing may be more transparent, allowing patients to pay prior to testing, but health insurance companies often require that testing is conducted by a medical professional in order for the cost to be covered. This means that purchasing an at-home chlamydia test is typically paid for out-of-pocket.
