Best At-Home Thyroid Tests

Everlywell’s at-home thyroid test kit is the best overall because it tests the four primary thyroid biomarkers—thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), free thyroxine (T4), free triiodothyronine (T3), thyroid peroxidase (TPO)—at a lower price than competitors that test for the same biomarkers. We also liked that Everlywell offers several discounts, including a monthly subscription option that will save you 25% off of your total cost.

While Everlywell advertises that results take “days” to return, some customer reviews say the process took longer than they expected. Everlywell also notes that if you opt for a physician to review your results with you, the time frame for results might extend by weeks. 

Everlywell’s test kit comes with prepaid shipping, detailed directions, and sample collection materials, including lancets, alcohol pads, gauze, and bandages. You do have to provide five blood spots for testing, which can be more difficult to provide vs. the one blood spot some other tests require. 

Everlywell uses CLIA-certified laboratories that meet high standards of testing, and a physician in your own state reviews the results. We also really like how easy it is to understand the website and the personalized report you receive when you get your results. The report includes actionable steps that can help you understand what you may need to do after receiving your results.

Biochemist and breast-cancer researcher David Zava started ZRT Laboratory in 1998, intending to provide accurate, comprehensive, and meaningful test results that help you and your doctors make informed decisions about treatments.

We chose ZRT Laboratory because it offers the most options in terms of testing and is itself a CLIA-certified lab, not just a vendor. It claims to use a superior extraction process for samples, which means you don’t have to stop taking supplemental hormones before testing (unlike some other tests). You’ll receive your results within five to seven days of the company receiving your test materials. 

ZRT works with select insurance companies and will bill them for you as an out-of-network provider. Your insurance company may or may not cover the costs, so be sure to check with them ahead of time.

You get a lot of information with the blood test kits from ZRT, but this does come at a price. The basic kit tests for T4, free T3, TSH, and TPO and costs $175. The Complete Thyroid Profile tests these and iodine, bromine, selenium, arsenic, cadmium, mercury, and creatinine, but costs $319, making it the highest-priced test we reviewed. The Complete profile also involves providing a urine sample. This is a dry urine sample, which means you must ensure the urine card is fully dry after you’ve collected your specimen before mailing it.

Paloma Health is an online medical practice specializing in hypothyroidism, and that’s why it's the winner in this category. This test measures TSH, free T4, free T3, and TPO. Paloma offers online consultations with a doctor ($110 for 30 minutes) or nutritionist ($75 for 30 minutes) once you get your results, and we value the continuity of testing that its site provides. 

Paloma Health is a newer company, founded in 2018. It is a completely online medical practice specializing in hypothyroidism for patients over 18 who have hypothyroidism or who’ve had their thyroid removed. The site includes information on its 15 thyroid specialists, all of whom are board-certified in endocrinology, family practice, or internal medicine.

In terms of results, the samples are analyzed by CLIA-certified laboratories and physician-reviewed. The complete thyroid test is $99, which aligns with many of the other at-home tests we reviewed.

While it’s not quite as comprehensive as the ZRT Elite kit, the LetsGetChecked Thyroid Antibody kit tests for almost as many antibodies, but at the much lower price of $119. It is also available over the counter at some drug stores, so it’s easily accessible. 

The test is certified by the CAP (College of American Pathologists). Certification requires a rigorous, year-long process that involves meeting high industry standards for quality and performance. We also like that the company returns results quickly, within two to five days of receiving your sample. 

Further accessibility points go to the fact the company offers a nurse helpline to get your questions answered. Also, a nurse will call you to explain your results and answer any questions you may have. 

This test’s most significant drawback is that it requires a vial sample instead of a finger blot like many tests. You may have to squeeze your finger quite a bit to get enough blood for collection. However, LetsGetChecked's medical care team can offer assistance with blood collection if you are unable to do it yourself.

We chose imaware as the best TSH testing value because it provides a lower-cost test ($79) with quality assurances that include a CLIA-certified laboratory and a physician’s review of all results. The company accepts flexible spending account (FSA) and health saving account (HSA) payments. 

We also liked that the company includes a sample report before you purchase the test to better understand how your results will come. The only drawback to this report is that you must provide an email address for imaware to send the report. 

The test is a finger prick, and imaware’s collection kit includes two lancets, a collection device to apply the blood, an alcohol pad, a bandage, and a prepaid return label. Once you mail in your sample, you can expect to receive results within seven days. 

One of the major drawbacks of this test is that it is solely for women. However, for a thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH)-only test, the test is affordable and imaware’s methodology appears solid and secure for helping determine if you have overactive or underactive thyroid functioning.