HIV test: prices compared
Current prices from 8 providers, including panels that contain this test. Every price shows when we last checked it.
Medical review pendingWritten by the STD Test Prices editorial team using CDC sources
Prices
| Provider | What's included | Price | Route | Results time | Same-day? | HSA/FSA | Order |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best valueSTDcheck.com | Single test HIV-1/2 4th-generation antigen/antibody blood test. A $6 physician fee is added per order at checkout; orders at New York labs add a 35% New York compliance fee. | $49 | Lab visit | 1 to 2 days | Yes | Yes | Order (opens in a new tab) |
| Everlywell | Single test OraQuick oral-swab rapid antibody test, read at home in about 20 minutes; a positive result needs a follow-up test. Free shipping. | $49 | Home kit | 5 to 7 days | No | Yes | Order (opens in a new tab) |
| myLAB Box | Single test Rapid HIV-1/2 antibody self-test (finger stick), read at home; no lab. Free shipping only on orders of $150 or more; smaller orders pay a shipping fee shown at checkout. | $49 | Home kit | 2 to 8 days | No | Yes | Order (opens in a new tab) |
| Everlywell | Single test HIV-1/2 4th-generation antigen/antibody test with confirmation. Sample collected at a Quest location; all fees included; results in about 1–2 days. | $76 | Lab visit | 1 to 2 days | Yes | Yes | Order (opens in a new tab) |
| Quest DiagnosticsNot available in AZ, HI, PR | Single test HIV-1/2 antigen/antibody blood test; positives confirmed at no extra cost. A $6 physician service fee is added per order. | $85 | Lab visit | 1 to 3 days | Yes | Yes | Order (opens in a new tab) |
| Priority STD Testing | Single test HIV-1/2 4th-generation blood test. | $89 | Lab visit | 1 to 3 days | Yes | Yes | Order (opens in a new tab) |
| Labcorp OnDemand | Single test HIV-1/2 antigen/antibody blood test. Price includes the ordering provider's fee and sample collection. | $99 | Lab visit | 1 to 4 days | No | Yes | Order (opens in a new tab) |
| Wisp | Single test Lab antigen/antibody test on a finger-prick blood card. Care-team messaging only; Wisp does not treat HIV. Free shipping both ways. | $99 | Home kit | 3 to 5 days | No | Yes | Order (opens in a new tab) |
| Rapid STD Testing | Single test HIV-1/2 4th-generation blood test. | $139 | Lab visit | 1 to 2 days | Yes | Yes | Order (opens in a new tab) |
- $49
- Route
- Lab visit
- Results time
- 1 to 2 days
- Same-day?
- Yes
- HSA/FSA
- Yes
HIV-1/2 4th-generation antigen/antibody blood test. A $6 physician fee is added per order at checkout; orders at New York labs add a 35% New York compliance fee.
Order at STDcheck.com (opens in a new tab) Single test
$49- Route
- Home kit
- Results time
- 5 to 7 days
- Same-day?
- No
- HSA/FSA
- Yes
OraQuick oral-swab rapid antibody test, read at home in about 20 minutes; a positive result needs a follow-up test. Free shipping.
Order at Everlywell (opens in a new tab)Single test
$49- Route
- Home kit
- Results time
- 2 to 8 days
- Same-day?
- No
- HSA/FSA
- Yes
Rapid HIV-1/2 antibody self-test (finger stick), read at home; no lab. Free shipping only on orders of $150 or more; smaller orders pay a shipping fee shown at checkout.
Order at myLAB Box (opens in a new tab)Single test
$76- Route
- Lab visit
- Results time
- 1 to 2 days
- Same-day?
- Yes
- HSA/FSA
- Yes
HIV-1/2 4th-generation antigen/antibody test with confirmation. Sample collected at a Quest location; all fees included; results in about 1–2 days.
Order at Everlywell (opens in a new tab)Single test
$85- Route
- Lab visit
- Results time
- 1 to 3 days
- Same-day?
- Yes
- HSA/FSA
- Yes
Not available in AZ, HI, PR
HIV-1/2 antigen/antibody blood test; positives confirmed at no extra cost. A $6 physician service fee is added per order.
Order at Quest Diagnostics (opens in a new tab)Single test
$89- Route
- Lab visit
- Results time
- 1 to 3 days
- Same-day?
- Yes
- HSA/FSA
- Yes
HIV-1/2 4th-generation blood test.
Order at Priority STD Testing (opens in a new tab)Single test
$99- Route
- Lab visit
- Results time
- 1 to 4 days
- Same-day?
- No
- HSA/FSA
- Yes
HIV-1/2 antigen/antibody blood test. Price includes the ordering provider's fee and sample collection.
Order at Labcorp OnDemand (opens in a new tab)Single test
$99- Route
- Home kit
- Results time
- 3 to 5 days
- Same-day?
- No
- HSA/FSA
- Yes
Lab antigen/antibody test on a finger-prick blood card. Care-team messaging only; Wisp does not treat HIV. Free shipping both ways.
Order at Wisp (opens in a new tab)Single test
$139- Route
- Lab visit
- Results time
- 1 to 2 days
- Same-day?
- Yes
- HSA/FSA
- Yes
HIV-1/2 4th-generation blood test.
Order at Rapid STD Testing (opens in a new tab)
About this test
HIV is a virus that weakens the immune system. CDC recommends that everyone aged 13 to 64 get tested at least once, and that some people test at least once a year, including men who have sex with men and people with more than one partner.
There are three kinds of HIV test. Antigen/antibody tests look for antibodies and for a piece of the virus called an antigen. The lab version uses blood from a vein, and rapid versions use a finger stick. Antibody tests look only for antibodies. CDC says most rapid tests and FDA-approved self-tests are antibody tests, and they can use blood or oral fluid. Nucleic acid tests, or NATs, look for the virus itself and detect it earliest.
A positive antibody or self-test result needs a follow-up test to confirm it. HIV is reportable by name in every state, and reports are kept confidential. If you test positive, CDC says to start treatment as soon as possible. Treatment that keeps the virus undetectable means you will not pass HIV on through sex.
When to test
The window depends on the test type. CDC says a nucleic acid test (NAT) can usually detect HIV 10 to 33 days after exposure. A lab antigen/antibody test on blood from a vein can usually detect it 18 to 45 days after exposure. A rapid antigen/antibody test from a finger stick takes 18 to 90 days, and an antibody test, including most rapid tests and self-tests, takes 23 to 90 days. A negative result after the window for your test type, with no new exposure in that time, means you don't have HIV. If the exposure was in the last 72 hours, ask about PEP now. CDC says it must start within 72 hours.
Retesting
If you tested during the window period, test again once it has passed for your test type. After a possible exposure, CDC's sexual assault guidance repeats HIV tests at 6 weeks and 3 months. CDC says people at ongoing risk should test at least once a year, and sexually active gay and bisexual men may benefit from testing every 3 to 6 months.
Reported to public health
Positive results for this infection are reported to the state or local health department, which keeps them confidential. That includes tests you order online. What that means for your privacy
Common questions
Can I test for HIV at home?
Yes, in two ways. A home collection kit sends your sample to a lab. An HIV self-test gives a result at home, and CDC says you can get results within 20 minutes. Most self-tests are antibody tests, so they can take up to 90 days after exposure to turn positive, and a positive result needs a follow-up test.
How soon after sex can I test for HIV?
It depends on the test. A lab antigen/antibody test on blood from a vein can usually detect HIV 18 to 45 days after exposure. A NAT can detect it 10 to 33 days after. Rapid and antibody tests can take up to 90 days.
What is PEP, and when do I need it?
PEP is medicine that can prevent HIV after a possible exposure. CDC says it must be started within 72 hours. If your exposure was that recent, go to an urgent care, emergency room or your doctor now. Testing can wait.
Will a positive HIV result be reported?
Yes. CDC says all states use name-based HIV reporting to the state or local health department, and the reports are confidential. The data passed on to CDC don't include personal identifiers.
Which HIV test is in an STD panel?
It varies. Check whether a panel uses a lab antigen/antibody test, an antibody test or a NAT, because the window period is different for each. The What's included column and the provider page usually name the test.
Sources
- Getting Tested for HIV (opens in a new tab), CDC
- HIV Testing Overview (opens in a new tab), HIV.gov
- Preventing HIV with PEP (opens in a new tab), CDC
- STI Screening Recommendations (opens in a new tab), CDC
- Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Infection: Screening (2019) (opens in a new tab), U.S. Preventive Services Task Force
- Sexual Assault and Abuse and STIs: Adolescents and Adults (STI Treatment Guidelines) (opens in a new tab), CDC
- National HIV Surveillance System (opens in a new tab), CDC
- Reporting and Confidentiality (STI Treatment Guidelines) (opens in a new tab), CDC