Best At-Home Hepatitis C Tests Monitor your liver and overall health By Kayla Hui, MPH twitter linkedin Kayla Hui, MPH, is a New York-based public health journalist and Pulitzer Center fellow on crisis reporting. Learn about our editorial process Kayla Hui, MPH Fact checked by Fact checked by Sean Blackburn on March 25, 2021 linkedin Sean is a fact checker and researcher with experience in sociology and field research. Learn about our editorial process Sean Blackburn on March 25, 2021 Print Our editors independently research, test, and recommend the best products; you can learn more about our review process here. We may receive commissions on purchases made from our chosen links. Having hepatitis C can be like swimming in murky water: You can't see if there's danger ahead. That's because the virus can live quietly inside the body for years until it causes liver and even kidney damage. Because people can be asymptomatic, testing can be the one method of being sure whether you have hepatitis C. Luckily, with at-home hepatitis C tests, you can ease your mind from the comfort of your own home. At-home testing allows you to ditch the health clinic lines and get results back quickly from certified labs. If you feel like your body may have been exposed either through drug-injection, sex, unregulated tattoos or body piercings, or sharing personal items, getting tested is recommended as soon as you’re aware. Here we rounded up the best at-home hepatitis C tests, so you can start taking care of your health. Best At-Home Hepatitis C Tests Best Overall: Everlywell Hepatitis C Test Best Budget: LetsGetChecked Hepatitis B&C Test Most Accurate: iDNA cBox Plus Best Reviews: myLAB Box 14-Panel At Home STD Test Kit Best At-Home Hepatitis C Tests View All Best At-Home Hepatitis C Tests Everlywell Hepatitis C Test LetsGetChecked Hepatitis B&C Test iDNA cBox Plus myLAB Box 14-Panel At Home STD Test Kit Final Verdict Compare Providers What Is Hepatitis C? Do I Need to Be Tested for Hepatitis C? How Much Do At-Home Hepatitis C Tests Cost? What Do I Do if I Have Hepatitis C? Methodology Best Overall : Everlywell Hepatitis C Test Everlywell Hepatitis C Test Learn More Why We Chose It: We chose Everlywell because it has affordable and easy-to-use, physician-reviewed tests. What We Like Test is under roughly $50 Least invasive test: finger prick Physician reviewed tests Data is HIPAA compliant Connect with physician about results What We Don’t Like Results may take a few days Everlywell checks all the boxes: Not only is the test affordable, but the results are easy to understand. To use the test, you'll first clean your finger with the alcohol pad, then use the lancet to collect a few drops of blood and put them on the collection card. Seal the collection card in the biohazard bag, and then mail your sample to a CLIA-certified lab with the prepaid return label. The test is easy-to-use and results should be returned in a matter of days. The data is delivered straight to your device where it is protected by bank-grade encryption. The test will inform you whether you have been infected with the hepatitis C virus. If your results appear abnormal, you can connect with an independent physician in the network at no additional cost to discuss your results. You can get the test for roughly $50, or with a membership, you can save nearly 50% and pay about $25. Best Budget : LetsGetChecked Hepatitis B&C Test LetsGetChecked Hepatitis B&C Test Learn More Why We Chose It: We selected LetsGetChecked because it's easy-to-use, offers fast results, and provides medical support. What We Like Easy-to-use Confidential results via secure online account Medical support available What We Don’t Like Reviews mention late tests Reports of difficulties with account activation LetsGetChecked offers a 30% discount with a three-month subscription, making this test a steal. The finger prick test not only tests for hepatitis C, but hepatitis B as well, also a blood-borne virus that also targets the liver. First, activate your test and collect your sample in the morning. You can use the prepaid label to ship your sample out on the same day. Once the sample reaches the laboratory, your results will be available via a secured online account: It typically takes two to five business days. Once you get your results, if you have questions or concerns, a team of nurses is available 24/7 to assist you. LetsGetChecked will call to explain the results and provide next steps, such as treatment options. Usually, with a one-time purchase, the test costs about $79. You can save more if you subscribe, and you'll get tests sent to you every few months. Most Accurate : iDNA cBox Plus iDNA cBox Plus Learn More Why We Chose It: We like iDNA cBox Plus because of its 99.9% accuracy and free retest on positive results. What We Like Easy to use 99.9% accuracy HIPAA-compliant testing and reporting Free retest on positive results What We Don’t Like More expensive No service available to discuss results iDNA’s cBox Plus is a test you can rely on. With more than 99.9% accuracy, you will never have to second-guess your results, and you'll be able to move to the next step of care with confidence. The testing process is safe, simple, and private. You can either take a blood and urine sample or a vaginal swab. Then, you mail your samples to iDNA’s labs. Results are available in a few days and are provided via a private and secure online portal. Although the kit has a hefty price tag, you will not only be getting tested for hepatitis C, but nine other sexually transmitted diseases and infections including chlamydia, gonorrhea, trichomoniasis, HIV I and II, syphilis, herpes II, HPV, mycoplasma, and ureaplasma. To test for hepatitis C and nine other STDs, the kit runs about $298. Best Reviews : myLAB Box 14-Panel At Home STD Test Kit My LabBox 14-Panel At Home STD Test Kit Learn More Why We Chose It: We chose myLAB Box for its high reviews and free physician consultation. What We Like Intuitive Lab results in 2 to 5 days Free physician consultation for positive results What We Don’t Like Temporarily unavailable in NY state More expensive Stress less with the myLAB Box to test not only for hepatitis C, but for other sexually transmitted diseases. The kit comes with HIV I and II, herpes type II, syphilis, chlamydia, gonorrhea, trichomoniasis, mycoplasma genitalium, and an optional HPV test. The kit arrives with a unisex rectal and oral swab, blood drop collection kit, instructions, postage-paid return envelope, and free two-day shipping. The best part is that it only takes five minutes to take the test at home. Mail your sample the same day and get the results back within two to five days. All data is protected under HIPAA-compliance. If you test positive, a physician will be available free of charge to discuss your results and help determine the next best course of action. You can purchase the test for about $369. The rave reviews say it’s worth the hype. Final Verdict The best at-home hepatitis C tests are easy-to-use, offer understandable data, and deliver results in a timely manner. We chose Everywell’s hepatitis C test as the top pick for its price point, easy use, and quick results. But all of the choices have a great record of helping people understand their hepatitis diagnosis. Compare Providers Test Why We Picked It Price Everlywell Hepatitis C Test Best Overall $49 LetsGetChecked Hepatitis B&C Test Best Budget $55.3 iDNA cBox Plus Most Accurate $298 myLAB Box 14-Panel At Home STD Test Kit Best Reviews $369 What Is Hepatitis C? Hepatitis C is a viral infection that, if left untreated, can cause severe liver damage. When blood that has been contaminated with the virus enters the bloodstream of an uninfected person, the infection spreads. Common symptoms include bleeding or bruising easily, poor appetite, fatigue, dark-colored urine, weight loss, and itchy skin. Do I Need to Be Tested for Hepatitis C? People with hepatitis C may not show symptoms until liver problems show up, underscoring the importance of getting tested. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends all adults aged 18 years and older to get tested at least once in their lifetime. For those who have HIV, injected drugs or shared needles and syringes, or received a transfusion or organ transplant, testing is recommended regardless of age. How Much Do At-Home Hepatitis C Tests Cost? At-home hepatitis C tests range from about $50 to $400. To take a test at a clinic, the national average is estimated to be about $62. What Do I Do if I Have Hepatitis C? Hepatitis C infection is treated with antiviral medications that can clear the virus from the body. The medications are usually taken over several weeks to months. The goal of the treatment is to not detect hepatitis C in the body after 12 weeks after the completion of treatment. If a person has developed serious complications from hepatitis C, a liver transplant might be an option. During this procedure, the surgeon will remove parts of the damaged liver and replace it with a healthy one. A liver transplant alone will not cure hepatitis C and antiviral medications might be required post-transplant. Living with hepatitis C is never easy and you are not alone. There are myriad ways to cope with help emotionally and physically. For example, there are support groups where you can find community and share your experiences with others. Methodology Hepatitis C can be serious and impact your liver and health, so we honed in on tests that were user-friendly and delivered timely results in addition to considering cost and reviews. Because checking results can be medically complex, we also considered whether the tests were reviewed by medical experts and offered support to consumers. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. CDC. What is hepatitis? Updated April 9, 2020. CDC. Hepatitis C questions and answers for the public. Updated July 28, 2020. Mayo Clinic. "Hepatitis C."