Key takeaways
- Everlywell uses CLIA-certified labs, which ensure quality testing, regular inspections, and lab quality improvement studies.
- Everlywell has been around since 2015 and takes privacy seriously with a HIPAA-compliant data platform using bank-grade encryption.
- The company offers nearly 20 at-home tests for things like cholesterol, heart health, hormone levels, and sexual health through its testing platform.
Whether you’re managing chronic allergies or just curious about your body’s inner workings, it’s common to want to know everything you can about your health. And at-home tests offer a convenient option for easy access to detailed health information. But how accurate are these tests, and are the results useful?
In this review, we look at Everlywell at-home test kits, explaining how they work, what they screen for, and whether they can take the place of regular visits to your doctor’s office.
Everlywell is a health-testing company based in Austin, Texas, that started in 2015. The company ships in-home testing kits directly to customers.
Customers take samples themselves using the provided materials and mail them in the included prepaid expedited packaging. The company delivers results quickly using a secure online platform.
You can also purchase some Everlywell testing kits on Amazon and at select retailers, including CVS, Walmart, Target, Kroger, or Walgreens.
Everlywell currently offers around 20 at-home tests, including those for men and women’s health, general wellness, and more.
The company receives positive reviews from customers who report that the at-home testing experience is easy and that their results came back quickly and efficiently.
However, other reviewers complain about being able to collect enough blood for some tests or report delays in processing, lost packages, problems reaching customer support, sample size issues, and concerns about test accuracy.
It’s worth noting that at-home tests are not a substitute for regular medical care and may require follow-up with a healthcare professional.
Some of our in-house testers tried Everlywell at-home tests. Archie Currin tried the Testosterone Test, while Heather Riesebeck tried the Women’s Health test, and Taylor Morelli tried the Thyroid Test.
All testers said the tests were easy to use. Archie said that the “instructions were very complete and easy to follow.” Archie also said that the ability to do the test at home saved a lot of time.
Heather had a similar experience and said, “I found the kit to be really well packaged and mostly easy to use.” She liked that it had the “option to scan a QR code to watch an instruction video.”
Heather also praised how simple it was to package everything up. The kit included everything she needed, including a free pre-printed shipping label for returning the results. “All I had to do was put my testing card with my samples on it into a ziploc-style bag that came with the kit, and then I put that in the box it came in.”
She also found the app useful and found it “easier than logging into traditional lab portals.”
Everlywell has an app that I found super helpful. The app makes it easy to register your kit, find out when your kit has been received by the lab, and when your results are ready.
Heather Riesebeck
While tester, Taylor, liked how straightforward her test was, she didn’t like the lack of communication afterward or that she didn’t get personalized care plan. She said, “Once I got the results, I didn’t see any follow-up options” apart from some “one-size fits all” resources.
You can read more about our testers’ experience with Everlywell at-home tests below.
Everlywell general health and wellness tests
Everlywell men’s health tests
Everlywell women’s health tests
Everlywell nutritional health tests
Everlywell sexual health tests
These Everlywell tests check for the presence of STIs. Read our in-depth review of Everlywell STI tests.
Pros
- Convenient: There’s no need to leave your home except to mail your test samples back for analysis.
- Information at your fingertips: Everlywell offers a wide range of tests to check for different health issues, including celiac disease and sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
- Empowering: For some people, regular monitoring of things like blood sugar or cholesterol levels can be useful for health management.
Cons
- Can be expensive: A test from Everlywell can range in price from less than $50 to almost $300.
- Not for the faint of heart: Everlywell tests require you to take your own samples, so you must be able to collect and handle your own blood, other bodily fluids, or more.
- Limited evidence for certain tests: For example, there’s a lack of evidence to support the method used for testing food sensitivities (which is why we have not included this product in our review).
1. Order your kit online
First, you’ll choose a test, create an online account, and pay. Your order will then be reviewed and approved by a board certified doctor in your state. You should receive the test kit in the mail within 5 to 10 business days.
You’ll have 5 months to use the kit before the doctor’s approval expires.
Note that Everlywell only ships to 49 U.S. states. Test kits are not available to ship to New York state due to state regulations around testing.
2. Take your samples
The kit will come with detailed directions and all the equipment you need to take samples at home. Depending on the test, you may need to take a blood, stool, saliva, or urine sample.
Everlywell has several online videos to show you how to take samples correctly at home. It also provides support if you have any questions or concerns after you receive your kit.
3. Send your samples to the lab
Each testing kit has a plastic biohazard bag and a prepaid shipping label to send your samples to a lab for analysis. You’ll write your name, collection time, and collection date on the bag.
If you’re taking samples for several tests, you may need to use separate bags. Check that the correct shipping labels are on each package, as not all samples go to the same lab for testing.
Put the package(s) in a USPS drop box. Everlywell says the samples take about 2 to 3 days to arrive at labs.
The package was small and discreet, and had everything I needed in it to test… They also provided an easy seal mailer to put it all in, with the pre-printed shipping label.
Heather Riesebeck, tester of the Women’s Health Test
4. Get your results online
It takes about 5 business days to receive your results, but processing times may vary, and some tests may take longer. You’ll get an email when the results are ready, and you can access the information online via your Everlywell account.
Some tests come with telehealth consultations with a doctor. You can also share results with your personal healthcare professional.
Everlywell is Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) compliant and takes privacy very seriously. It doesn’t share your results with anyone unless you provide authorization.
Everlywell is a good option for people who want personal health information at their fingertips. It’s also a convenient way for busy people to receive discreet test results.
While it’s not a substitute for talking with a doctor, it can be a good starting point for discussing your overall health with one.
Keep in mind that Everlywell’s testing kits are only available for adults ages 18 and older. Additionally, Everlywell test kits are not available to ship to New York state.
The cost of Everlywell tests varies considerably. Here’s a quick rundown of the cost range for each category:
- General wellness: $49 to $99
- Men’s health: $69 to $249
- Women’s health: $99 to $249
- Nutritional health: $89 to $99
- Sexual health: $69
Everlywell sometimes offers discounts on its testing kits. It also has a membership program where you pay $39 a month for credits, which you can redeem for various testing kits.
You can also use a health savings account (HSA) or flexible spending account (FSA) to pay for at-home health tests from Everlywell. Some plans may be stricter than others about what they allow, though.
Many health insurance companies won’t cover this type of in-home testing, including Medicare and Medicaid plans. Some insurance companies may only cover certain types of testing offered by Everlywell.
Where to buy Everlywell tests
You can buy testing kits directly from Everlywell on the company’s website.
You can also buy some kits from Amazon or select retailers like Walmart, Walgreens, Kroger, Target, and CVS. However, not all kits are available from these retailers. Prices may vary from what you see on Everlywell’s site.
Interested in other options for at-home testing?
Our reviews and brand comparisons cover top at-home testing kits, so you can feel confident in your decision to manage your health from home.
• men’s health
• women’s health
• nutritional health
• sexual health
Results are shared with
state health authorities
only.
and plan.
• women’s health
• men’s health
• general wellness
• COVID-19
not accepted.
• STI panels
• wellness and nutrition
• fertility and family planning
• drug and toxicology
are not shared with
third parties unless
legally required.
accepted.
Everlywell is a reputable company that has been around since 2015.
The company uses Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) certified labs. This regulatory body ensures labs conduct quality testing, regular inspections, lab quality improvement studies, and more.
At-home health tests may be as reliable as tests ordered by your doctor and done at a lab. But it depends on the type of test. Food sensitively tests, for example, are not considered reliable or accurate.
Other tests, such as those for cholesterol, blood sugar, or STIs, may be as accurate as those you would get at a lab and can be helpful tools for monitoring and managing your health.
Following the test instructions carefully is important to ensure the most accurate readings with any at-home test.
Everlywell can be trusted. The company says it does not sell customer data. It also says that its HIPAA-compliant data platform uses bank-grade encryption to ensure data security.
It states: “Customer information is only shared with the third-party lab and physicians that are a part of our testing process, except where a customer has consented to sharing the information with one of our enterprise partners.”
It may be possible to use promo codes to purchase Everlywell tests. Healthline, for example, often offers discounts on Everlywell products featured in articles, using specific promo codes.
If test results are positive with an Everlywell STI test, a board certified physician will contact you to discuss next steps and prescribe treatment if needed.
Food sensitivity tests measure immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels. Clinicians typically advise against IgG testing because it can provide inaccurate and misleading information, causing people to cut nutritious foods from their diet. There’s limited evidence supporting the accuracy of IgG testing to check for food sensitivities.
Having your health information at your fingertips can be empowering and exciting, but it’s still important to be cautious. If you use a home test kit, be sure to talk with a doctor about your results. Don’t assume you can interpret the results on your own.