County / city public-health STI clinics
- Cost
- Free or sliding-scale
- Tests
- HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, hepatitis B/C; sometimes HSV
- Speed
- Walk-in often; results 2-7 days
- Privacy
- No insurance involved; standard reportable infections only
Between county STI clinics, Planned Parenthood, AHF, the CDC's TakeMeHome program, and at-home kits, accessible STI testing is available in every US state at every income level. The main variables are cost, speed, and privacy.
Below are eight testing channels, what they cover, and the trade-offs between them. None of these are sponsored. We get no referral fee from any provider listed.
Testing options compared
AHF (AIDS Healthcare Foundation)
- Cost
- Free
- Tests
- HIV (rapid 20-min), syphilis (rapid)
- Speed
- Rapid HIV in 20 minutes
- Privacy
- Anonymous at many locations
Planned Parenthood
- Cost
- Sliding-scale; often free for low-income
- Tests
- Full STI panel + HSV (sometimes extra fee)
- Speed
- Same-week appointments; results 3-7 days
- Privacy
- Confidential; insurance optional
TakeMeHome (CDC-funded HIV self-test kits)
- Cost
- Free
- Tests
- HIV self-test (oral swab)
- Speed
- Ships in days; rapid result at home
- Privacy
- Mailed to your address, results private
iWantTheKit (free chlamydia/gonorrhea at-home)
- Cost
- Free in MD, AK, AR, IL, IA, KS, MN, NM
- Tests
- Chlamydia, gonorrhea, trichomonas
- Speed
- Mail back, results in days
- Privacy
- Self-collected, mailed-back
Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs)
- Cost
- Sliding-scale ($0-$50)
- Tests
- Full STI panel
- Speed
- Appointment usually needed
- Privacy
- Confidential medical visit
Paid at-home kits (LetsGetChecked, Everlywell, myLAB Box)
- Cost
- $40-300 per kit
- Tests
- Customizable panels (4-test to full panel)
- Speed
- Mail back, results in 3-7 days
- Privacy
- Excellent — no clinic visit, no insurance
Insurance-covered testing at primary care
- Cost
- Usually free under ACA preventive care
- Tests
- Full panel; HSV less consistently covered
- Speed
- Standard appointment turnaround
- Privacy
- In medical record; visible on family insurance plans
Quick decision guide
| Your situation | Best option |
|---|---|
| Uninsured, no symptoms | TakeMeHome.org for HIV + county STI clinic for the rest |
| Uninsured, possible exposure | County STI clinic same-day; AHF for rapid HIV |
| Insured, prefer privacy | At-home paid kit (Everlywell, LetsGetChecked) |
| Insured, want everything covered | Primary care doctor — uses insurance, comprehensive |
| Symptoms now | Urgent care or county STI clinic — same-day visit |
| Just want HIV result fast | AHF or county clinic — rapid HIV in 20 minutes |
| Multiple partners, routine | Planned Parenthood every 3-6 months OR at-home kit |
Frequently asked questions
Is STI testing really free?+
Yes, through several channels. County public-health STI clinics, AHF, TakeMeHome.org (for HIV), Planned Parenthood (sliding-scale, often free for low-income), and most insurance plans cover STI testing with no copay under ACA preventive-care rules.
What does a full STI panel include?+
Standard panel: HIV, syphilis, chlamydia, gonorrhea, hepatitis B and C. NOT included by default: HSV (herpes), HPV (no test for men), and trichomonas. You can request HSV testing but be aware that asymptomatic HSV testing is controversial because of false positives.
How often should I get tested?+
CDC: every adult 13-64 should get an HIV test at least once. Sexually active women under 25 — annual chlamydia + gonorrhea. Sexually active gay/bisexual men — annual to every 3 months depending on risk. People on PrEP — every 3 months. After a new partner — test.
Are at-home tests reliable?+
Modern at-home kits use the same lab tests as clinic-collected samples. Accuracy is comparable when sample collection is done correctly. Self-collection errors are the main limitation. For HIV specifically, FDA-approved at-home rapid tests (like OraQuick) are very reliable.
Will my insurance company find out?+
If you use your insurance to pay, the visit and lab work will appear in your Explanation of Benefits (EOB), which is visible to whoever holds the policy. If you want maximum privacy, use a free clinic (AHF, county clinic), an at-home paid kit, or pay out of pocket at Planned Parenthood.
What if my test comes back positive?+
For curable STIs (chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis): treatment is fast and effective. For chronic STIs (HIV, HSV, HPV): there is a clear path forward — modern treatments make HIV manageable, herpes manageable, and HPV mostly self-clearing. Find a community like Shameless Path to talk it through.
Tested positive? You are not alone.
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