Our 7 Picks for At-Home Vaginal pH Tests to Help You Address Your Discomfort

Your reproductive system can have a profound effect on other parts of your body. Between hormones that indicate whether you can conceive and carry a baby to vaginal discharge that may signal a bacterial infection or worse, keeping tabs on these is vital to remaining healthy. LetsGetChecked offers a range of at-home tests and products to help address concerns at every age and stage of reproductive life, plus the option to speak with a healthcare professional should they receive positive results. 

If you suspect you may have a vaginal infection but aren’t sure what kind, LetsGetChecked has a vaginitis test option. The $199 test kit requires a vaginal swab to collect the appropriate sample for testing for bacterial vaginosis, trichomonas vaginitis, and candida vaginitis. Shipping is free, both when the test is sent to you and when you send it back to the lab. If the test detects a vaginal infection, you can consult with a medical provider through LetsGetChecked’s website for $39. This provider can write you a prescription, if necessary (price will vary). The company does not take health insurance for the test or treatment costs at this time but does accept flexible spending account (FSA) and health saving account (HSA) payments.

Evvy’s Vaginal Health Test gives people with vaginas insight into the fundamental chemical balance of the vagina that often goes unstudied until things go wrong. Evvy’s test consists of a simple vaginal swab that produces results that are anything but. The company claims that its test is the only one that paints a complete picture of all microbes in the vagina. This comprehensive breakdown of the bacteria and fungi of the vagina allows users to learn how and why these organisms impacts their health, including fertility, menopause symptoms, and infections.

One test costs $129, or $99 if you sign up for a membership where you get four tests a year (one every three months). This allows you to track vaginal changes over time, and you skip tests or cancel whenever you like. Every test result is physician-reviewed, and the results are conveyed in a free coaching call where users can get advice about ways to improve the vagina's microbiomes through supplements, diet, lifestyle changes, prescription meds, or a combination of these. If the test shows an infection, users can get treatment plans and medications through a telehealth appointment with a physician in Evvy’s Clinical Care program. Prescriptions and telehealth appointments are not included with the test price, and the Clinical Care option is not available in every state as of now.

Some people don’t love making the trip to the drug store to get tests for sensitive issues like vaginal discomfort, especially if it costs more to do so. That’s why co-founders Cynthia Plotch and Jamie Norwood created Stix, a company where people could purchase affordable vaginal and sexual health products from the privacy of their homes with "No judgments, Just answers." For someone looking for answers as to what might be causing vaginal discomfort, such as itching or odor, the Vaginal Testing Kit is not only simple but inexpensive.

The kit gives users two vaginal pH tests to help diagnose the source of mild vaginal symptoms. You simply insert a sterilized swab into the vagina to gather a sample. The swab is then wiped across a pH test strip. The paper should begin changing color immediately. The included color chart is used to interpret whether the vaginal fluid is more acidic, which may indicate a yeast infection, or less acidic, which could mean bacterial vaginosis. 

The Stix Vaginal Testing Kit also includes three UTI tests for people who aren’t sure whether the source of their discomfort is bacteria in the urinary tract, which often results in a urinary tract infection or bladder infection. For these conditions, the UTI tests can provide actionable steps for dealing with these scenarios. Stix also offers subscriptions for 15% off the price of tests delivered in one, two, or three-month increments, which might come in handy if you experience ongoing vaginal discomfort, or are trying to track your pH over time. And, Stix provides free standard shipping on purchases totaling $30 or more.

Sexually transmitted infections can lead to a whole host of health issues, including vaginal pH imbalances. Nurx is one of the few at-home testing companies that allows users to use their insurance plan to cover various at-home tests that look for common vaginal infections. The Healthy V Kit is a great option for people with insurance experiencing symptoms of infection or wanting peace of mind that they have not contracted an infection from a partner.

The Healthy V Kit screens for the most common infections people with vaginas can develop, including HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, and trichomoniasis. Of these, Trichomoniasis can impact vaginal pH and present in the same way as bacterial vaginosis—with itching, burning, and an unpleasant odor. It is important to get tested should these symptoms arise to get the proper treatment. The kit requires users to swab the throat and vagina and provide a blood sample via finger prick. Nurx’s test kits offer access to a physician consultation—which includes treatment options for a year—after an initial fee of $15. Nurx and its lab may also be in network for people hoping to use their insurance benefits, reducing their costs for at-home services to under $30 in some cases.

Nurx has become well known in recent years for offering telehealth services that focus on sexual health. The company started by providing prescriptions for birth control pills and PrEP, a drug that can reduce the rate of HIV infection. Over the years, Nurx has expanded its offerings to at-home test kits, such as the Healthy V Kit.

One of the first signs that your vaginal environment could be compromised is unusual discharge. Not only can it ruin your underwear and cause discomfort, but it’s also usually accompanied by an unpleasant odor. However, since this symptom can be caused by a number of different factors, it’s important to find a test that will help you narrow them down. 

The myLAB V-Box 5 Panel At Home Vaginal Health Test Pack contains one swab that collects enough of a sample to test for five of the most common causes of vaginal discharge and discomfort, including yeast and bacterial vaginosis, as well as STIs such as trichomoniasis, chlamydia, and gonorrhea. These infections are all treatable, but can drastically alter the vaginal environment, cause pH imbalance, and produce unpleasant discharge.

V-Box costs $189, which is on par with similar comprehensive STI at-home test kits. It includes shipping both to the user and back to the lab for processing. Expect to receive results within one to five days from receipt of the sample at the lab. If you receive positive results, you’re entitled to a free virtual consultation with a physician, who can provide treatment options for most infections.

Bacterial vaginosis, or BV, is the most common vaginal infection in people with vaginas, impacting those between the ages of 15 and 44, including a staggering one in four during pregnancy. The condition is often accompanied by unpleasant symptoms, such as a strong fishy odor, milky discharge, and painful urination. Some people with BV don’t know they have it, putting them at risk for contracting other, more serious infections, including STDs, because it decreases the vagina's natural defenses, making it less resistant to attack. This infection cannot be diagnosed without a specific test, but for people monitoring vaginal pH, the numbers will be higher (aka more acidic). 

EmpowerDX’s Bacterial Vaginosis Test ($119) allows users to find out fast whether their symptoms require a prescription for treatment or not. It may also prevent people from taking over-the-counter medication not suited to BV that will either be ineffective or make things worse. The test involves collecting a urine sample, which enables clinicians to measure the five most common bacteria associated with a BV infection. If the test does show that a user has an infection, a licensed provider will conduct a telehealth appointment for treatment recommendations and next steps. This follow-up appointment is included in the cost of the test, but the treatment is additional.

Sexual activity can lead to infections that can cause a whole host of health problems for people with vaginas, including acidic vaginal pH levels, which can increase the chance of vaginal pain, discomfort, and infections. MyLAB Box Total Box is one of the most comprehensive at-home STI screening tests on the market today. Instead of stopping at the top four or five STIs, Total Box tests for 14, including:

• HIV I and II
• Trichomoniasis, which increases vaginal pH
• Syphilis
• Chlamydia (rectal, genital, throat)
• Hepatitis C
• Gonorrhea (rectal, genital, throat)
• Mycoplasma genitalium, which increases vaginal pH
• Herpes simplex 2

The test costs $399, or $356 if you subscribe (meaning you agree to buy a test every six months). For an additional $30, people with vaginas over 30 can also get tested for the human papillomavirus virus (HPV). This is the most commonly transmitted sexual infection and has been known to lead to cervical cancer. HPV can also lead to anal, vaginal, vulva, and throat cancer.

The test kit includes a finger prick blood collection kit, as well as vaginal, anal, and throat swabs, as well as a container for a urine sample. Results usually generate in one to five days after the lab receives your samples, although our user data suggests the average is eight days. If any tests come back positive, myLAB Box offers a free medical consultation via telehealth to go over how to proceed, including prescription treatment options. if necessary.