Rapid STD Testing, Made Simple

Even if you are not currently sexually active, you can become infected. Although abstinence lowers the risk substantially, some STIs spread through more than one route, and some viruses, like herpes, can spread through close skin contact. That makes testing worthwhile for almost everyone, regardless of past sexual history.

You can choose what to get tested for based on your sexual history and activity. People of any age, race, and gender can get an STD, and the CDC reports that infection rates remain high^[1]. Many infections have no symptoms at all, so getting tested is the only way to erase your doubts and stay informed about your body.

No. It depends on which tests you want, how fast you want results, and how much privacy you prefer. Through our preferred provider, individual tests start around $24 and a complete 10-test panel is $139, even if you are paying out of pocket and without insurance.

Public clinics are harder to predict. Many do not offer every STD test, some tests are free, and for others you pay based on eligibility criteria. Contact the clinic directly for details.

If you are worried you were exposed to an STD, get tested for your own health and that of your loved ones. If you are sexually active with one or multiple partners, whether or not protection was used, regular testing is recommended.

Test today if:

• You have never been tested before
• You have had more than one partner
• You have had unprotected sex
• You are about to start a new relationship

Test in 2 to 4 weeks if:

• You are concerned about a recent single sexual partner
• You think you might have a new infection (some tests need time after exposure to become accurate)

The procedure is quick, and most people never feel more than a quick prick of the needle when blood is drawn.

• Blood sample — a small draw tested for HIV, syphilis, herpes, and hepatitis.
• Urine sample — you urinate into a cup; used for chlamydia, gonorrhea, and trichomoniasis.
• Swab — in some settings a swab collects a sample from the mouth, throat, or genitals.

An STD test takes only a few minutes, noticeably faster than an annual checkup. Samples go to a certified lab, and even people with a fear of needles find the draw no worse than any routine blood test. Testing is the only sure way to find out whether you are infected.

Sometimes you don’t want to wait for a standard HIV result. A rapid HIV test, done with blood from a finger prick or an oral swab, can return a result within minutes^[3]. Results are generally accurate, but remember that a rapid HIV test only checks for HIV, not the other sexually transmitted infections. Lab-based tests ordered online cover the full panel with results in 1 to 2 days.

Our preferred service provider lets you get tested privately at one of more than 4,500 labs around the country. Order online, walk in without an appointment, and your results are delivered to you and no one else. Nothing is reported to your insurance or placed on your medical records.

The visit takes about 5 minutes, and a doctor is available to discuss positive results, prescribe treatment where appropriate, or refer you for care.

They are the same thing. “Sexually transmitted disease” is the older term; the medical community has updated it to “sexually transmitted infection” because many infections cause no disease symptoms at all.

Yes. Even if you were just treated for an STD, you can contract the same one again, or a different one. You are never immune, which is why regular retesting matters. The exception is hepatitis B: if you have antibodies from a prior infection or the vaccine series, you are immune to future hepatitis B infections^[2].