STI testing costs anywhere from $0 to about $250 per visit, depending on which infections you’re screening for, where you go, and whether you have insurance. A single test for one infection like chlamydia might cost under $50 out of pocket, while a comprehensive panel covering seven or more infections runs closer to $250 or more. The good news: many people qualify for free or reduced-cost testing and don’t realize it.
What a Full Panel Costs Out of Pocket
If you’re paying without insurance at a commercial lab, expect to spend in the mid-to-high hundreds. Quest Health, for example, charges $282 plus a $6 physician service fee for an expanded panel that screens for seven infections: chlamydia, gonorrhea, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, trichomoniasis, syphilis, and HIV. That’s the walk-in, no-insurance price for a broad screening.
Not everyone needs the full panel. If you’re only concerned about the two most common bacterial infections, chlamydia and gonorrhea, you can often get tested for well under $100. Adding HIV and syphilis brings the cost up. The more infections you screen for, the higher the total, which is why pricing varies so much from person to person.
What Insurance Covers for Free
Under the Affordable Care Act, most private insurance plans are required to cover certain STI screenings with no copay or out-of-pocket cost. This applies to non-grandfathered plans, Medicare, and Medicaid expansion. The catch is that the free coverage depends on your age, sex, and risk level.
Chlamydia and gonorrhea screening is fully covered for all sexually active women 24 and younger, and for older women at increased risk. For adolescents and young adults ages 11 to 21, annual screening for chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis is covered if they’re sexually active and at increased risk. Syphilis screening is covered for all pregnant women and for anyone at increased risk. HPV testing is covered as part of cervical cancer screening for women ages 21 to 65. HIV screening is also covered.
If you fall into one of these categories, your insurance should pay for the test entirely. The key phrase is “at increased risk,” which your provider determines based on factors like number of partners, condom use, and history of prior infections. If your doctor orders the test as preventive, you shouldn’t see a bill.
At-Home Test Kit Pricing
At-home STI kits let you collect a sample (usually urine, a swab, or a finger prick) and mail it to a lab. They’re convenient and private, but they cost more than many in-person options. Everlywell kits range from $69 to $253 depending on how many infections you’re testing for. LetsGetChecked offers a tiered system: $99 for chlamydia and gonorrhea, $149 for a five-infection panel that adds trichomoniasis, HIV, and syphilis, and $249 for a comprehensive eight-infection screen.
These kits rarely accept insurance directly, so you’re typically paying the sticker price. Some let you submit a receipt to your insurer for partial reimbursement, but that’s not guaranteed. If cost is a concern and you’re comfortable with a clinic visit, you’ll almost always pay less going in person.
Low-Cost and Free Testing Options
Planned Parenthood health centers use a sliding scale based on your income. The cost for STI testing at Planned Parenthood ranges from $0 to $250 depending on the tests you need, your income, and the funding available at your local center. Some centers provide testing at no cost for people who qualify. You don’t need insurance to be seen, and staff can help determine whether you’re eligible for reduced pricing or government-funded programs.
County and city health departments often run sexual health clinics with flat fees well below commercial lab prices. San Diego County, for instance, charges a flat $40 per visit that covers a risk assessment, any necessary physical exam, comprehensive lab testing, treatment, and even vaccinations. HIV-only testing there is free. And if you can’t afford the $40, the fee can be waived. Many counties across the U.S. operate similar clinics, some entirely free.
The CDC maintains a tool at gettested.cdc.gov where you can enter your zip code and find nearby clinics offering free or low-cost STI and HIV testing. These locations provide confidential services, and many don’t require you to share insurance information at all.
Costs Beyond the Test Itself
The sticker price for an STI test doesn’t always reflect the total bill. If you go to an urgent care clinic or your primary care doctor, you may also pay for an office visit, which can range from $50 to $200 depending on your provider and insurance. Some clinics bundle the visit and testing into a single fee, but others bill them separately.
If you test positive, treatment is an additional cost. Bacterial infections like chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis are treated with antibiotics, which are generally inexpensive, often under $20 with insurance or a discount card. Many public health clinics include treatment in the visit fee. San Diego County’s $40 flat fee, for example, covers both testing and treatment in the same visit.
Follow-up testing after treatment, sometimes called a “test of cure,” may also be recommended. At clinics like San Diego County’s, any follow-up visits within 30 days are included in the original fee. Private providers may charge for each follow-up separately.
How to Spend the Least
Your cheapest path depends on your situation. If you have insurance and fall into a covered screening category, a preventive screening through your regular doctor should cost nothing. If you’re uninsured or underinsured, a county sexual health clinic or Title X-funded health center will almost always be cheaper than a commercial lab or urgent care visit. Planned Parenthood is a reliable option in areas without a public health clinic nearby.
At-home kits make sense if privacy and convenience matter more to you than cost. But if you’re trying to minimize what you spend, an in-person visit to a public health clinic or Planned Parenthood center is the most affordable route, often free for people with limited income.