STDcheck.com Reviews: Is this STD testing company legit?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates over 26 million new cases of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) will occur each year.1 STD infections can persist for an extended period, and most people are not aware they are infected until advanced symptoms appear. Screening is critical in effectively stemming the spread from person to person, and it’s also the first step toward getting successful treatment.2

STDcheck takes some fear and shame out of the screening process by introducing a significant amount of anonymity. You won’t have to make a doctor’s appointment or spend an hour in the waiting room of a clinic. You won’t even have to use your name if you don’t want to. And its testing quality is right in line with what you would get from any major medical facility.

We’ve taken a close look at the quality of STDcheck’s offerings and operations, tested them ourselves, and broken everything down here so you can make an informed decision and do everything necessary to safeguard your health.

STDcheck offers anonymous service and accurate testing. Compared to at-home testing kits, its in-person sample collection reduces the risk of user error and gets results faster. However, many at-home testing companies offer supportive services like consultations and prescriptions for far less money. A laser focus on STDs also makes STDcheck slightly less versatile than some of its competition, but it also speaks to the company’s specialized expertise.

At Innerbody Research, we extensively test each health service we review. Our research team has spent over 185 hours testing and researching STDcheck and its close competitors in order to give you an unbiased exploration of your STD testing options. Our team has taken the company’s panel tests, as well as many of its individual tests.

In addition to our hands-on testing experience and competitor analysis, we studied nearly 100 scientific journal articles pertaining to sexually transmitted diseases, testing methods, and treatment options. Lastly, like all health-related content on this website, this review of STDcheck was thoroughly vetted by one or more members of our Medical Review Board for accuracy.

Over the past two decades, we have helped tens of millions of readers like you make more informed decisions to live healthier lives.

We judged STDcheck based on various criteria, including accuracy, cost, results, privacy, and efficiency, among others. Our testers tried out a number of the company’s offerings, and their experiences went a long way toward adding context and specificity to everything else our research had to show us.

Accuracy

At-home testing kits, like those from myLAB Box or Everylwell, are straightforward and easy to complete correctly, but mistakes can happen if a person doesn’t follow the testing instructions. STDcheck doesn’t provide you with a kit you use at home to draw your own blood or collect your own urine sample. As a result, there isn’t an opportunity for untrained human error to cause a problem. And each of the facilities STDcheck employs is CLIA-certified and uses only FDA-approved tests, so no matter where you go, you’ll get top-quality testing.3

STDcheck also recommends the most viable testing windows for each of its tests, advising its patients to wait a little longer to get tested for certain infections than its competitors might. This recommendation is an example of the company putting the accuracy of your test above your convenience or its immediate bottom line. Still, we believe both of those sacrifices to be ethically sound.

STDcheck is one of the few places where you can easily access the HIV RNA Early Detection test, as well. It’s an accurate test that can identify the virus much earlier than an antibody screening can, which is imperative with something as understandably frightening as HIV.

Cost

Most of STDcheck’s tests fall in the low-to-mid-range pricing tier among similar websites. There are also no hidden costs to worry about upfront, like processing or shipping charges. STDcheck also retests positive HIV and syphilis samples for free.

You can choose to speak with a physician in the event of a positive test result, but this service is not free. Many of STDcheck’s competitors include consultation services without an added charge. But to speak with an STDcheck doctor, you’ll pay a $95 fee. Even among competitors that do charge for a follow-up consultation, this price is typically much lower.

Now, this fee might come from the doctors themselves, and STDcheck might pass it along to its users. But it seems unfair to ask people who just found out they have an STD to pay what sometimes amounts to 200% of the cost of the test to seek out the necessary treatment. And that fee is not well advertised on the STDcheck website. We weren’t even aware of it until after our testers got their results.

We feel the right thing to do here would have been to calculate the average cost of yearly doctor’s fees for its customer base, redistribute that cost into the prices of its tests, and then offer consultation services for free or for a more competitive rate. That way, the fortunate people who test negative could bear some of that cost instead of heaping it on people who find themselves in a more difficult position.

Results and actionability

When we evaluate any testing company, we take a hard look at the quality of the results they provide. For example, are they thorough and comprehensible to an average person? We also look at what options a company makes available to you should you test positive for a disease or disorder and desire a consultation or treatment.

STDcheck’s results (similar to most at-home tests) are easy to understand. If you take one of its panels, you can view the entire test as a whole or look at results for each panel’s tests individually. Here’s a look at the full order and per rest views side-by-side:

STDcheck also offers a unique feature among testing companies. Its website has an interface through which you can notify past sexual partners of a positive test result anonymously. Your partners will never have to know the message originated from a positive result in your life unless you happen to be the only sexual partner they’ve had in recent memory.

Efficiency

The customer experience with STDcheck is rather efficient. Through its live chat system, it employs a team of representatives who have answers to some of the most complicated questions you could ask. It helps that there are real humans on the other end of the line and not just bots, as well.

One of the most efficient aspects of the STDcheck experience is the purchasing path. From start to finish, the website provides you with a direct route to precisely what you need, and if you don’t quite know what you need, it packs each test’s purchasing page with concise, vital information.

STDcheck advertises the average time you’ll spend in a lab facility at around five minutes. That includes checking in, waiting, providing whatever sample is necessary, and leaving. In our initial round of testing, however, one of our testers arrived at a Quest Diagnostics and waited an hour, only to be turned away for not having the paperwork STDcheck said it had faxed over.

Keep in mind that STDcheck’s customer care quality only stretches to the front door of any lab you visit. These labs aren’t STDcheck facilities; they are partners in practice, and once you’re inside one of them, you’re at their mercy. We’ve found some labs to treat customers much better than others.

Turnaround speed is still something STDcheck can boast. In part because you don’t have to worry about shipping times; STDcheck delivers its results faster than just about any at-home testing service can. You’ll usually hear from the company within 1-2 business days for most tests. One of our testers submitted a sample at around 2 p.m. on a Monday and got their results just after 8 p.m. the next day for a total turnaround time of about 30 hours.

Privacy

If you confine STDcheck's services to its website, where you order tests and view results, its privacy protections are excellent. The company complies with HIPAA regulations, and it only shares any of your personal health information with partners integral to the testing process (like partner labs). The company thoroughly explains its practices under HIPAA, including a list of other entities to which it may send your personal information, including certain public health authorities or correctional institutions.

Like most testing companies and other internet entities, STDcheck uses cookies to track your browser activity as it relates to the company’s site and services.

Your privacy in the STDcheck experience extends to your signup and testing process, where you can use a fake name if you prefer. Your personal information will likely be part of the transaction process, but you can set it up so that your real name is not used in the lab where you’ll collect your sample.

This anonymity is a nice feature, but it doesn’t always translate in the real world. Some of our testers have had the reason for their visit to a lab spoken loudly enough for other patients in the waiting room to hear. Others have found difficulty when using John Doe as a fake name, as other lab patrons had had the same idea and the situation required some delicacy to untangle. Some of this will come down to the quality of the lab you visit, and while we can’t fault STDcheck directly for the behavior of its partner labs, we also can’t deny that situations where your personal information may be compromised are possible.

STDcheck is a testing company that enables you to browse a selection of STD tests and order the test that you need, anytime, from the convenience and privacy of your home. You order the test from home, submit your sample at a testing center, and review your results from anywhere.

The company partners with more than 4,500 testing centers nationwide, so the chances that you live conveniently close to one are high. After any positive test, you can consult with a doctor and acquire any necessary prescriptions to treat an infection, albeit for an added fee.

STDcheck’s full library of tests is as follows:

Is STDcheck legit?

STDcheck is a trustworthy company whose services we’ve evaluated over the course of several years. It only partners with CLIA-certified labs, and lab locations are spread conveniently across the country. We’ve consistently had positive experiences, and a quick look at the company’s online reputation reinforces this.

STDcheck itself isn’t accredited by the Better Business Bureau, but its parent company (Analyte Health) boasts an A+ rating and a 4.84 star rating out of 5, with over 1,300 reviews on the BBB site, which is among the best ratings we've seen for any such company. On Trustpilot, you’ll find a listing for STDcheck specifically, and it garners a 4.9 rating out of 5 after nearly 3,000 reviews.

Ultimately, you don’t have to worry about STDcheck’s credibility. It’s not a guarantee you’ll have a stellar experience when you visit the physical lab, though, as the company’s partner labs don’t boast anywhere near as good of a record. They are, however, professional labs that perform tests reliably. What you can expect from STDcheck is a good experience purchasing a test and receiving accurate, timely results.

Note about Quest Diagnostics and Labcorp

When you test through STDcheck, there’s a high chance you’ll end up at a Labcorp or Quest Diagnostics for your sample collection. These two companies make up the vast majority of available locations in STDcheck’s network. Neither Quest nor Labcorp have profiles with the Better Business Bureau, but each has a presence on Trustpilot, where they have ratings of 1.5 and 1.6 stars, respectively.

In testing, our team members had a wide variety of experiences, from quick and easy visits to long waits and technical difficulties. (One tester even helped troubleshoot a jammed printer!) Your experience will come down to the quality of the labs in your area. Making an appointment and printing off your own lab requisition forms from the STDcheck website are two things you can control that may improve the process.

While you won’t have to deal with either Quest or Labcorp if you opt for an at-home test, it’s worth noting that STDcheck’s most direct in-lab competitors like PersonaLabs also use Quest and Labcorp for sample collection.

STDcheck is a smart choice for several groups of people. Initially, it should be obvious that it can serve sexually active adults who want to test for certain STDs. But it’s especially important to consider who STDcheck could better serve than at-home testing companies that send you kits in the mail.

Specifically, STDcheck would be a better choice if:

• You need results as quickly as possible
• You want early RNA HIV detection testing
• You’re squeamish about drawing your own blood
• You want to save money on certain tests that are more expensive elsewhere
• You don’t want anyone you live with seeing a kit arrive (shipping is discreet from most at-home companies, but it’s worth considering)

Who might want to look elsewhere?

While that seems like a nice list of reasons to go with STDcheck instead of at-home test kits, there are still several reasons to look elsewhere for testing, both in the at-home kit space and among other in-lab providers like STDcheck.

If you’re deeply concerned about privacy, you might prefer to use an at-home kit. There are also several tests that STDcheck doesn’t offer, which you can find from at-home kit providers, including tests for:

• Trichomoniasis
• HPV
• Mycoplasma
• Ureaplasma
• Gardnerella

It’s also worth noting that STDcheck’s gonorrhea and chlamydia tests are single-site tests, but you can get a three-site test (oral/genital/anal) from myLAB Box.

Among in-person providers, Personalabs may be a better choice if you have extremely specific testing needs, as it provides several kinds of tests for many STDs, though often at higher prices.

The STDcheck testing process is very straightforward and is as follows:

Step 1 - Order your STD test

Simply go to STDcheck.com and select which individual tests or test packages you want to order. You can also call the company on your phone. All of these tests are FDA-approved. Pay for the testing to complete your order. STDcheck accepts several forms of payment, including:

• Major credit cards
• HSA/FSA
• Cashiers checks and money orders (over the phone only)
• Cryptocurrency
• PayPal
• Apple Pay

If you can’t afford the test at the moment, you can opt to pay later. However, you will need to pay for the test to gain access to the test results.

When you set up your order, you can use a fake name to try and ensure your anonymity at your local lab. Our testers have successfully done this at several Quest Diagnostics locations, and we’ve spoken with representatives from Labcorp to confirm that you can use an alias there, as well. If you do use a fake name, be sure to write it down and remember it. You don’t want to get to the lab and not know how to check-in.

For many people, panels are the way to go since they offer comprehensive results for as many as 10 possible infections. Innerbody Research readers can currently take $10 off any test.

Step 2: Choose a test center

You’re able to use the STDcheck website to find a testing center that’s convenient for you. Enter your zip code or let the website search your location via GPS. The matching system will show you a list of all the nearest testing centers (usually Labcorp or Quest). There are more than 4,500 testing locations nationwide, most of which are open Monday-Friday during standard business hours, but some are also open on Saturdays. Not all testing centers are created equal, so we advise looking into their ratings if you have a few options.

To be clear, this process doesn’t make an appointment for you; it really only exists to show you labs in your area and put one on file to which STDcheck can fax your lab order form if you request it. But we’ve had several testers’ faxes not go through when using this system, so we suggest printing your form and bringing it with you. We also recommend you make an appointment if one is available at a nearby lab on a convenient date. You’ll have a much shorter wait with an appointment than you will without one in many labs, especially those in densely populated areas.

You may then provide some optional personal information, such as your name, gender, date of birth, etc., along with your preferred payment method and how you want to receive your test results. Finally, you will receive a personal test code to write down, which you don’t want to lose.

Keep in mind that STDcheck does not own or operate these centers; it partners with existing labs for collection and processing. That means it’s a good idea to check out the ratings of a given lab in your area, especially if you have more than one choice.

Step 3: Visit the test center

To get tested, visit your local lab at your convenience. There is no need for an appointment (though, it can make things easier), and you may be able to get in and out pretty quickly. Our testers had different experiences at several labs, some of which were nearly empty and others of which had wait times exceeding 60 minutes.

Make sure to bring your personal lab test form. Otherwise, the lab will not be able to take your sample. STDcheck gives you the option to print your lab order or have its system fax it directly to the lab. We highly recommend printing out your order if you can, as the fax system failed our testers twice. Also, note that the test centers do not accept payments; you’ll have to make your payment online.

Step 4: Receive your results

You can expect STDcheck to send your test results back to you within only one or two working days. Our testers saw an average turnaround of about 30 hours. These are among the fastest turnaround times available, in part because they don’t rely on return shipping times for samples collected at home. And this is also consistent for the various tests available, whereas our testers experienced different wait times for different tests, even from the same company. LetsGetChecked had the fastest turnaround average, but there were some test results, including herpes tests, that came back faster from myLAB Box.

You can choose to receive your results via text or email. You can also opt to call in to receive your results (an especially convenient option if you share a phone or email account with someone).

Step 5: Consult with a doctor if you test positive

If you test positive, you can schedule a consultation with one of STDcheck’s doctors, which we strongly encourage you to do. However, unlike the consultations that some other services offer, STDcheck’s doctor consultation is not free. To speak with a physician, the company charges an additional $95.

If you have access to a doctor you trust who either costs less or accepts your insurance, feel free to pursue treatment that way. Just keep in mind that a visit to your primary care doctor or a specialist will likely end with your STD diagnosis landing in your official medical record.

Should you wish to pursue a telehealth appointment after a positive test result, you can bring your results with you to an appointment with a company like LetsGetChecked, which recently launched a broader telehealth service that’s open to people who’ve tested elsewhere.

Step 6 (Optional): Send anonymous notifications

One additional feature unique to STDcheck is the ability to send 100% anonymous notifications to your partner(s), alerting them about the positive result. It will advise them that they might also want to take a test without connecting the message to you in any way.

You used to be able to send these notifications by text or email, and the form on STDcheck’s website still has input fields for either. But the text messaging system is currently disabled, and the company could not say when it will return. If you attempt to use it to send a text, you’ll get a message explaining this and advising you to use the email form.

Here’s what the email form looks like, including the message STDcheck sends:

At-home testing companies do not offer a similar tool, so if you’re testing after experiencing symptoms and you suspect you may have infected someone else, STDcheck would be a reliable way to both test and inform past partners anonymously.

Need to cancel your order?

If you change your mind about testing, or you need to cancel for whatever reason, here are your options:

• As long as you cancel within 21 days of purchase, you will get your money back minus a 20% cancellation fee.
• If you cancel later than 21 days after ordering your test, then you will be given credit to order other tests at a time of your choosing rather than getting your money back.

This is actually similar to how many at-home companies structure their refund policies. Everlywell, for example, allows for cancellations up to 15 days after shipment, but with a $15 fee per test.

At the moment, STDcheck accepts FSA and HSA payment cards. To pay using one of these cards, select your product, proceed to the checkout as usual, and enter your FSA/HSA card number as you would a regular credit card. There is no guarantee that it'll accept this form of payment due to the various types of regulations attached to different cards.

If you’re having trouble using your FSA/HSA card, STDcheck provides an email address on its website that you can contact for advice. However, STDcheck does not accept payment via health insurance providers. While the lack of this payment option may be frustrating, it does allow STDcheck to give you a higher level of privacy, as your test results and information won’t be shared with your insurance company and won’t appear on your medical records.

STDcheck bases its privacy standards and requirements on the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and uses HIPAA web security protocols and data storage systems. It also uses the industry-standard HL-7 interface and 128-bit SSL encryption to protect your data and information. You don’t need to provide a name as you order your test or submit your sample, and only you can see your test results.

STDcheck doesn’t accept health insurance, which means it can’t report your test to any insurance company. This restriction also prevents your test results from ending up in your medical records, unless local or state governments mandate reporting.

Payment records are deliberately nondescript, as well. Any payments and charges appear as “HealthLabs.com,” which offers many different health tests in addition to STD testing through STDcheck. Notification emails also come from “HealthLabs.com.” These messages contain no indication of the nature of the test. STDcheck will not call or text you at all unless you approve the company to do so.

If you test positive for an STD, STDcheck allows you to send an anonymous, untraceable message to any prior sexual partner(s) to suggest that they get tested. The news doesn’t come from you; it comes from STDcheck. This process is entirely anonymous — by design, there is no way for the prior sexual partner(s) to identify who initiated the message.

The one place privacy protections may fall short is in the lab locations. Some facilities take these issues more seriously than others, and many facilities have been stretched thin in recent years. Our testers found several lapses in privacy protections throughout their lab visits, including a lack of private physical space and the audible — sometimes shouted — use of first and last names to call patients in from the waiting room.

All told, STDcheck offers 14 individual tests or bundles, with its 10-test panel being one of the best-priced around when compared to at-home testing alternatives. That said, there are some gaps in the tests it provides — gaps that those competitors can fill if you need.

Let's take a slightly closer look at each testing category (prices below reflect $10 Innerbody reader discount):

10-test panel

PRICE: $129 or $249 with HIV RNA early detection

STDcheck’s 10-test panel is a comprehensive set that includes every available test on the website with either its standard HIV screening or the early detection HIV screening, depending on your preference.4 The standard HIV screening 4th generation antibody screening for HIV, but if you’re concerned about early detection, you can easily add the RNA HIV test for an extra $120.

In addition to HIV antibody screening, the 10-test panel covers chlamydia; gonorrhea; hepatitis A, B, and C; herpes types 1 and 2; and syphilis.5 It’s an intelligent test to take if you’ve had unprotected sex outside of a faithful, monogamous relationship and want to make sure you didn’t contract anything. If you know that you’ve had contact with someone suffering from a specific infection, however, a more specialized test might be your preferred way to go.

Chlamydia and gonorrhea panel

PRICE: $89

Chlamydia and gonorrhea are the first and second most frequently transmitted infections among all STDs in the U.S., and they often occur together.6 7 Both are bacterial infections, but their respective courses of treatment differ slightly. Symptoms include:

• Painful or frequent urination
• Yellow discharge
• Vaginal bleeding between periods
• Pain or bleeding from the rectum

STDcheck offers standalone tests for chlamydia and gonorrhea, but most patients would do well to utilize the combined panel. That’s because chlamydia and gonorrhea are so commonplace that people often contract them simultaneously. By testing for both, you can ensure that you have neither or get proper treatment for either.

Herpes

PRICE: $35 individually or $69 for both simplexes

Many people think of the herpes virus as occurring either orally or genitally, and they associate oral herpes with type 1 simplex (HSV-1) and genital herpes with type 2 simplex (HSV-2). While it is true that type 1 will usually present orally and type 2 genitally, both simplexes can present in the mouth and genitals.8 They can also lie dormant without presenting any symptoms at all.9 There is no cure for herpes, and treatment courses and risk of transmission are different for each type, so knowing what type you have is vital to understanding what you should do about it.10

STDcheck uses a serological test that can successfully identify and distinguish between HSV-1 and HSV-2 with tremendous accuracy.11 When you order the combined Herpes I & II test panel, the lab will check your blood for both types. You can also order individual tests that look for either HSV-1 or HSV-2. If you’ve had sexual contact with a partner you know has one or the other, you may only need to test for that simplex. But given the modest cost difference, we believe the most responsible course is to check for both whenever possible.

Hepatitis (A, B, and C)

PRICE: $14 for each

Hepatitis is a viral disease that causes inflammation and sometimes scarring in the liver, known as cirrhosis.12 There is a vaccine available for A and B, but not for C, and since C also presents one of the highest risks for developing cirrhosis, it’s hazardous. The danger of hepatitis B for unvaccinated individuals stems mainly from its persistence in the system without any symptoms. That may allow it to do significant damage to the liver before detection. Hepatitis A can be more unpleasant symptomatically than B but often resolves on its own after several weeks without serious complications. There are increased risks of liver cancer associated with hepatitis, as well.13

Most hepatitis transmissions result from blood-to-blood contact through things like infusions, shared needles, and unclean tattoo or piercing practices. Rarely does transmission occur from the fluid exchange during sex, but this is not unheard of.

Testing standards for these three hepatitis viruses are slightly different. The hepatitis A test is a serological test designed to look for immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies. With hepatitis A, these are among the earliest indicators of infection and can show up in as little as two weeks after exposure. They remain present for up to six months, after which a test to look for immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies would be necessary.

For the hepatitis B test, STDcheck employs a highly accurate surface antigen test, which looks for a specific protein that lives on the surface of the hepatitis B virus.14 These are early indicators of infection, but they remain in the body for the duration of chronic disease, so the test is suitable well into the course of a virus.

The STDcheck hepatitis C test is similar to the one performed for hepatitis A but looks for the IgG antibodies instead of IgM.15 That means you have to wait a little longer (6-12 weeks) after exposure for an accurate test. An IgG test for hepatitis C may come back positive even in the case of a past infection. Hence, an additional RNA test is necessary to determine if a positive result is due to an active infection.

HIV

PRICE: $39 or $119 for HIV RNA early detection

There was a time when an HIV diagnosis was deeply and reasonably terrifying. That fear persists enough today to keep some people from testing for it, which can only contribute to spreading the virus. In addition to testing for it anonymously, you can now expect a much more comprehensive treatment regimen than was available in days past.16 The life expectancies of many HIV patients today are comparable with those of uninfected individuals.

Many people may not realize this, but there are two strains of HIV to watch out for: HIV-1 and HIV-2. HIV-1 is the most common type, accounting for around 95% of global cases. HIV-2 is more concentrated in West Africa (though it’s been seen in the U.S.). It’s both less infectious and slower to develop than HIV-1.

STDcheck offers two excellent HIV testing options. The more common of the two is the 4th-generation P24 test. Its sensitivity to the P24 antigen can detect both HIV-1 and HIV-2 as early as a few weeks after exposure.17 P24 is a viral protein that shows up in the blood well before antibodies reach a detectable level. However, the test also seeks out those antibodies; even if you’ve been infected for a while, it will still be effective.

The newer of the tests is the RNA Early Detection Test.18 Compared to the 4th-gen test, which requires around three weeks after exposure to produce a reliable result, the RNA test can identify an HIV infection in as little as nine days after exposure.

STDcheck understands the importance of accuracy in HIV testing. It will perform a confirmation test on the same blood sample free of charge if you receive a positive result.

Syphilis

PRICE: $39

While syphilis is a straightforward bacterial infection to treat, it can be challenging to diagnose without testing. Doctors and patients alike often confuse its symptoms for other ailments, and if it progresses to its latent stage, a patient can be asymptomatic for years on end.19 Pregnant people with syphilis put their babies at risk for various complications.20 Tertiary syphilis — the stage that emerges after a latency period — can be extremely dangerous, causing heart and vision problems and even strokes.

If you have any reason to believe you may have contracted syphilis from a sexual partner, you should get tested. If you’ve had any unprotected sex outside a faithful, monogamous relationship, you should get tested. STDcheck offers a standalone syphilis test, but it’s also available in its 10-test panel.

The STDcheck syphilis test has two parts. First, there’s a rapid plasma reagin (RPR) test to look for antibodies in your blood. If that yields a positive result, the lab will test the same sample using a treponemal palladium assay (TPA) to identify the bacteria itself.

Tests STDcheck is lacking

While STDcheck provides tests for a wide array of infections, its catalog has some noteworthy absences. If you suspect you may have contracted any of these (if, for example, you have certain symptoms but have tested negative for other STDs), you might want to test elsewhere, such as LetsGetChecked or myLAB Box.

Other common STDs not present in STDcheck’s testing catalog include:

• Mycoplasma and ureaplasma
• Gardnerella
• Trichomoniasis
• HPV
• UTI

To get a firm grip on the STDcheck experience, our testers tried out a variety of available tests over the course of several years. At times, their experience failed to live up to the promises STDcheck makes, while other aspects of the process were smooth and satisfying. None of our testers tested positive for the STDs in their tests and panels, so retesting with STDcheck or a competitor to determine any false positives or negatives was not an option.

Purchasing process

Purchasing the test panel was incredibly easy, and the system allowed us to use fake names at our discretion. We were pleasantly surprised that the site didn’t require a name for credit card input, either.

We then quickly found the nearest lab and selected it. Interestingly, the site sent us to another page with the same map on it, where a prompt claimed that it had found a better lab for us to choose. We ignored this, as our original selection was the closest, but this would turn out to be a mistake.

At the end of the process, STDcheck gave us the option to print our lab work order or have it faxed to the lab we selected automatically. We had our testers choose the fax, and the only thing they needed to take with them was the order number generated by the site — or so they were told.

In the lab

The first lab our testers visited was a Quest Diagnostics lab in the back of a grocery store in Hollywood, CA. It could have been a better experience. The waiting area was tiny and uncomfortable, and the only person working there had to simultaneously play the roles of receptionist and sample collector. The check-in system was tablet-based, and the interface failed to recognize STDcheck codes, so testers had to input all manner of personal information to get the appointment started.

There was only one exam room, and it was right next to the waiting area. Amazingly, the lab tech never closed the door to this space, even when she had a patient. Presumably, this was so she could hear if anyone came in and needed help with the check-in process. Still, the result was that anyone in the waiting room could overhear any personal information discussed during collection.

As far as we’re concerned, one of the most compelling things about STDcheck is its promise of anonymity. This Quest Diagnostics lab undercut that promise at every turn.

To make matters worse, our testers’ faxes never arrived, despite the confirmation given to us on the STDcheck website. That became a real sticking point because you can’t get tested without a physical copy of the lab order. Of course, our testers only discovered this after nearly an hour’s wait and had to return home empty-handed.

A couple of days later, they visited a different Quest Diagnostics in a more affluent part of town. This time, things went much more smoothly. The order codes were still useless as far as Quest was concerned, but the faxes went through without a hitch. The wait time was still long, however, coming in at just under an hour.

The sample collection rooms offered little privacy; in fact, every room was doorless and shared between two patients with a three-quarter wall between them. Patients could hear each other’s names and other details, but at least they couldn’t see one another. Collection was fast and painless, however, and everyone was back on the road in short order.

The lesson here, again, is to research the labs in your area. If you have a choice, go the distance to visit one with a good reputation. Also, if you can find the time to schedule an appointment instead of being a walk-in, you likely won’t have to wait as long, and you might not have to answer additional questions.

A few hours after returning to the office, no update on our account pages indicated that we submitted a sample.

Waiting for results

If you’re anxious to see your results, your account interface won’t soothe you. As far as we could tell, it doesn’t provide status updates between the time before you get your test and the arrival of your results. Twenty-four hours after submitting our samples, the site still showed that we were waiting to visit the lab. It offers an expedited 12-hour turnaround for an additional $50; whether this is worth it for you depends on how urgently you need to know your status.

We received emails telling us our results were ready about 30 hours after our testers left the lab. The results themselves are incredibly straightforward. For chlamydia and gonorrhea, you’ll receive either a ‘Not Detected’ or ‘Detected’ outcome, and for the rest, you’ll see either ‘Normal’ or ‘Abnormal.’

If you want to take a deeper dive into your results, you can download a PDF that provides more information for each test. You can see what kind of test the lab performed and get specific results where possible.

STDcheck sits at an interesting place in between doctors’ offices and at-home testing kits. Unlike doctors’ offices, STDcheck provides you with a bit more privacy and autonomy, especially if you want to use a fake name and you’re fortunate enough to have a discreet lab in your area. You don’t have to make or keep a specific appointment. Of course, you still have to put yourself into a public space and look a few medical professionals in the eye.

An interesting comparison still exists between STDcheck and at-home tests from companies like Everlywell, MyLAB Box, and LetsGetChecked.

For starters, STDcheck keeps its focus exclusively on STDs. That means its partner labs are experts at collecting samples and running the specific tests required to ensure accurate results. One downside is that its specialized labs are somewhat limited in their testing capabilities; no STDcheck-associated lab can process anything other than a urine or blood sample. As a result, they have no means by which to test for HPV. The only FDA-approved HPV test available to individuals requires a cervical swab, and STDcheck cannot currently process those. That said, STDcheck is one of the few providers to offer the HIV RNA Early Detection Test, so anyone fearful of recent exposure would do well to use its services.

STDcheck also shares the online convenience factor with its competitors for ordering your test and receiving results. It even takes it a step further by offering the ability to contact previous sexual partners in the event of a positive test on your behalf. It anonymously provides these partners with a recommendation that they, too, get tested.

For some people, not having to collect their sample is a blessing, as well. At-home kits will have you doing everything from poking yourself in the finger and drawing blood to excavating a stool sample with a plastic stick. Not only are those experiences sometimes less than desirable, but administering them yourself introduces a degree of untrained user error that you don’t have to worry about at an STDcheck-affiliated lab.

For a closer look at how STDcheck and other testing companies compare, read our guide to finding the best at-home STD test.

STDcheck vs Personalabs

STDcheck’s closest in-lab competitor is a company called Personalabs. It might be more accurate to say that STDcheck’s parent company Analyte Health is in direct competition with Personalabs; like Analyte Health, Personalabs offers a wide variety of tests outside the STD landscape. But for our purposes, we can compare either company’s STD testing directly.

Whether you should use STDcheck or Personalabs may come down to which STDs you want to detect and which type of test you may need. If you present symptoms to a doctor who advises a specific kind of test (like a PCR test for hepatitis instead of a surface antigen test), then you’d want to go with Personalabs.

Ultimately, however, most of Personalabs’ testing is a little pricier than STDcheck. Its comprehensive 11-test panel (with only one more test than STDcheck’s 10-test panel) costs over $100 more. For that price difference, you could add early HIV detection to STDcheck’s panel, an upgrade unavailable through Personalabs. We believe most people will be better off opting for STDcheck.