A Nurse's Review Of LetsGetChecked + How It Compares To Competitors

Interest in at-home testing is surging as people become more comfortable than ever taking an active role in their health care, and home-testing brands like LetsGetChecked are quickly rising in popularity as consumers consider their options.

After all, we've become accustomed to doing seemingly everything from home: working, ordering food, teaching, and scheduling telehealth visits. So it's no surprise performing at-home medical testing from the comfort of our kitchen counters feels pretty, well, normal—and experts predict the at-home testing market will be worth more than 25 billion by 2025.

This option to self-administer a lab test, find out the results, and then go to a health care provider for treatment is changing trends in health care. The ability to bypass busy waiting rooms, expensive office visits, inconvenient testing locations, and strict insurance qualifications is streamlining the health screening process and pushing consumers to take health care into their hands.   

LetsGetChecked is a leader in at-home testing. With over 30 tests to choose from, the brand emerged in 2013 as a one-stop shop for direct-to-consumer testing. The company offers screenings for men's and women's specific health concerns, along with STI, wellness, and coronavirus testing.

Similar to other at-home testing brands, LetsGetChecked offers the general public a chance to purchase tests without a doctor's order or even an office visit. However, the brand sets itself apart by allowing shoppers to add a virtual consultation to discuss test results with a health care provider for just $39. Considering the lack of information about test results and post-test care is often one of the biggest downsides for many at-home test kits, this process helps the brand stand out in an ever-growing market.

My LetsGetChecked testing kit was delivered via USPS four days after it was ordered online. I opted to try out the at-home vitamin deficiency test, as it felt the most comprehensive of the offerings.

The sample box comes in what some may consider a discreet shipping bag, and the return address reads "Privapath Diagnostics." It's a clever move from the company—however, if you were hoping to keep your testing a secret from your mail carrier or someone in your household, it doesn't take much to realize this is a lab test. Inside the bag is a compact, neatly organized sample kit box.

The sample kit comes complete with printed directions (plus a link to video directions), lancets (very small pinprick needles), gauze, Band-Aids, a collection tube, a card with a bar code, a sample bag, and a shipping bag. To say this company is user-friendly is an understatement.

Once I laid out all the materials and read through the directions, I began to prep my sample finger. (Nurse's note: It's incredibly important to make sure your hands and working surface are clean.) After sanitizing my finger with the provided alcohol swab, I went in for the prick. I will say, this part was a bit uncomfortable.

After pricking your finger, you're directed to ease the drops of blood into a tiny little vial while being careful not to touch the vial and tip it over. This was the most difficult part of the whole process. It took about 10 drops of blood total to fill the container to its marked lines, and I had to use multiple fingers.

Once I placed the sample vial in the bag, I sealed it up, placed it inside the box that it arrived in, and then put the sample inside the provided self-addressed envelope. The whole process took me about 10 minutes to complete.

As the brand requires, I dropped the sample off at a UPS Store the same day the sample was taken. As soon as it was scanned into the UPS system, I received a notification on my phone that it was on its way. I mailed it on Monday morning and was notified in the app that it was received by the lab on Wednesday. The notification that my results were ready to be viewed arrived on Saturday afternoon, five days after I had dropped off the kit.

My results revealed that I was low in vitamin D. This is not surprising to me as vitamin D deficiencies are incredibly common. The test incorporates a generic blurb, outlining the results and why this vitamin is important. This is the point at which you can choose to schedule a virtual consultation with a health care provider to review your results (for an added $39 cost). I declined further interpretations but read up on how to reach my optimal vitamin D status.

LetsGetChecked is not the only at-home lab testing brand on the market. Although the company does have a longer track record than newcomers, there is still stiff competition. Two other prominent players in the game are EverlyWell and imaware.

EverlyWell is a relatively newer company on the at-home testing scene. Its testing process and costs are similar to LetsGetChecked; however, it stands out by including food sensitivity panels, which LetsGetChecked does not currently offer. You can also purchase vitamins and minerals directly from the EverlyWell site, and the kits are available for pickup at major retailers nationwide, such as Target, CVS, and Walgreens. EverlyWell does not offer a follow-up consultation, so you will need to take any abnormal results to your own provider.

LetsGetsChecked has declared itself a reliable, convenient way to screen for basic lab abnormalities. The company offers physician consults for an additional fee, but each test provides simple-to-understand results and easy-to-use testing directions. These kits are making at-home lab testing accessible for anyone. 

In this in-depth review of LetsGetChecked, we came to love its streamlined approach to health care. Our only wish is that the company offered more options for testing. As at-home testing becomes more desirable, these companies will inevitably respond. LetsGetChecked is leading the way into the future of autonomous health care, and we love the direction it's going.