LetsGetChecked vs. EverlyWell: Choosing for a Health Check At Home

Published on August 11, 2021 by Ashley Rothstein

 

If you care about your health, you’re probably some who likes to know what’s going on inside of your body.

Unlike our ancestors who lived millions of years ago, we now have tools to help us with this.

Enter: science and health testing.

Experts take your bodily secretions like blood, breath, and saliva, and extract data from them. They analyze this data over time, observe commonalities and differences, and determine an optimal range for the data. This range says “this is where a healthy person should be.”

If you believe in science, you can use this healthy range as a benchmark for optimal health.

Health testing is not a new concept. Decades ago, you could go to your doctor, express a concern, and they would order health tests for you.

But now, it’s even easier to take a peek inside your body.

Enter: at-home health testing.

Note: As a LetsGetChecked affiliate, I may receive compensation from LetsGetChecked if you purchase products through the links provided.

Health check at home: What is at-home health testing?

At-home health testing is exactly what it sounds like. Instead of having to go through a doctor to order health tests, you can do it yourself.

LetsGetChecked and EverlyWell are two companies that make it easier than ever before to do this.

Skepticism of Western medicine is on the rise…especially when it comes to treating chronic disease. People don’t blindly trust their doctors like they used to.

I went through my own roller coaster with Western medicine. It inspired me to research, learn, take charge of my health, and become my own advocate. Now, if I want to figure out what’s going on inside my body, instead of going to a doctor, I go online and order an at-home health test.

It comes in the mail a few days later. When I sit down to do it, it usually takes just a few minutes to complete. After I’m done, I pop it back in the mail in a pre-paid envelope and my results are emailed to me in a few days.

LetsGetChecked vs. EverlyWell: Which at-home health testing company should you choose for a health check at home

At first glance, I got overwhelmed with all of the health tests LetsGetChecked and EverlyWell offer. Do they offer the same tests? If not, how are they different? Which one is cheaper? Do they offer free shipping? How long does the process take? Do they ship everywhere? Why would I choose one over the other? How do I figure all of this out?

This guide will answer all of those questions using the following five categories:

• Variety of offerings
• Stock
• Turn times for results
• Cost
• Where you’re located

And if you’re new to at-home testing, read to the end where I make recommendations to help you choose the right tests.

By the end of this post, you should be ready to move forward with the right at-home health tests for you.

LetsGetChecked vs. EverlyWell: Variety of offerings

If you browse LetsGetChecked and EverlyWell‘s offerings on their websites, you’ll be met with huge lists. Unless you want your eyes to glaze over, don’t toggle back and forth between the lists to figure out what company offers what. I already did that for you.

I threw both lists in an Excel spreadsheet to analyze the data and figure out each company’s unique offerings. The raw data was a bit messy so I decided to not include it in this post. Click here if you want to check it out.

What I learned

For starters, both companies offer the following tests that measure the exact same markers…

• thyroid test (including antibodies),
• Chlamydia & Gonorrhea,
• vitamin D,
• HbA1c,
• and cholesterol.

Both companies also offer testing for…

• hs-CRP,
• ovarian reserve,
• HPV,
• women’s hormones,
• men’s hormones,
• STDs,
• Hepatitis,
• Lyme disease,
• heart health,
• sleep,
• and stress.

But for these tests, each company packages its offerings a little bit differently.

For example, EverlyWell measures free testosterone whereas LetsGetChecked measures total testosterone, EverlyWell includes the vitamin D marker with their hs-CRP testing whereas LetsGetChecked does not, and LetsGetChecked tests for 14 types of HPV whereas EverlyWell only tests for 3 types.

If you’re interested in seeing a side-by-side comparison of these similar tests, check out the raw data.

Unique offerings

When it comes to unique offerings, EverlyWell offers…

• an indoor & outdoor allergy test,
• heavy metals test,
• and food sensitivity tests (basic and comprehensive).

And LetsGetChecked offers…

• an essential vitamin test,
• omega 3 test,
• minerals test,
• micronutrient test,
• kidney test,
• liver test,
• iron test,
• prostate test,
• and a test for Celiac disease.

You may end up choosing a company solely based on what test you’re looking for.

For example, if you’re looking to test for heavy metals, food sensitivities, or allergens, you would go with EverlyWell.

If you’re looking to test for vitamins and minerals (like vitamin D, B12, E, omega 3, omega 6, magnesium, copper, selenium, zinc, and iron) and certain organ functions (like kidney, liver, or prostate function), you would go with LetsGetChecked.

LetsGetChecked vs. EverlyWell: Stock

Both companies have most of their tests in stock at this time.

Before I found LetsGetChecked, I used EverlyWell for all of my at-home testing. There were times when the test I wanted was not in stock.

Generally speaking, you should be able to rely on both brands having a reliable stock for most tests at any given time.

But I do recall out-of-stock tests being an issue for me in the past with EverlyWell. I have not yet come across this issue with LetsGetChecked.

I am sure both companies have tests that go out-of-stock periodically, I just haven’t personally experienced it with LetsGetChecked and have experienced it with EverlyWell on multiple occasions.

LetsGetChecked vs. EverlyWell: Turn times for results

As I mentioned in the previous section, I used to use EverlyWell.

When I took their Thyroid Test, the results took about two weeks to come in.

For all prior tests with EverlyWell, results took just a couple of days to come in after sending the completed test off in the mail. Sometimes they would even show up in a day or two. So, two weeks was a drastic change.

I emailed their support team and received this response:

Our partner lab is currently working through a delay caused by a large surge in sample volume. While they have been working tirelessly to get these delayed tests resulted as soon as possible, they are currently taking longer than usual to release results. You should expect to receive your results by this week, yet I’ll also hang onto your email and update you once these are made available.

This is fine and understandable, but it would have been nice to have been notified of the delay upfront.

Experiencing this long of a delay without any proactive communication from EverlyWell irritated me. Luckily, there was nothing at stake and my situation was not time-sensitive, but that is not the case for everyone. Some people have health concerns and a sense of urgency. In those cases, turn times matter.

I found LetsGetChecked around the time my husband and I began our fertility journey. He took their Testosterone Test to see where he was at, and they had the results back to us in just a couple of days. If I remember correctly, it may have even been the very next day. I remember being surprised and impressed with the quick turnaround.

The EverlyWell delay may have been temporary, but I was not pleased with their lack of proactive communication.

If result turn-times are important to you, while EverlyWell may have cleared up their delay, LetsGetChecked could be a safer bet.

LetsGetChecked vs. EverlyWell: Cost

It’s challenging to do an accurate apples-to-apples cost comparison because LetsGetChecked and EverlyWell group their tests in unique ways.

For example, EverlyWell offers a test for folate only, whereas if you want to test for folate with LetsGetChecked, you must purchase their Essential Vitamin Test or their Micronutrient Test. Both test for folate along with other markers. So it would not be a fair comparison to put these tests side by side.

But I was able to do a side-by-side comparison of a few of their products that are the same. Here is a cost breakdown of those products*:

• EverlyWell Thyroid Test ($99) vs. LetsGetChecked Thyroid Antibody Test ($119, $83)
• EverlyWell Chlamydia & Gonorrhea Test ($49) vs. LetsGetChecked Simple 2 ($99, $69)
• EverlyWell Vitamin D Test ($49) vs. LetsGetChecked Vitamin D Test ($89, $62)
• EverlyWell HbA1c Test ($49) vs. LetsGetChecked Diabetes Test ($49, $34)
• EverlyWell Cholesterol & Lipids Test ($49) vs. LetsGetChecked Cholesterol Test ($79, $55)
• EverlyWell FIT Colon Cancer Screening Test ($49) vs. LetsGetChecked Colon Cancer Screening Test ($69, $48)

Note: Both companies offer free shipping on all of their tests. The prices listed in red include my discount (ASHLEYR for 30% off).

This comparison does not demonstrate a comprehensive gauge of price since the majority of each company’s offerings is unique, but based on the above list, LetsGetChecked is cheaper in three of the scenarios and EverlyWell is cheaper in the other three.

So basically, it’s a toss-up.

If cost is an important factor to you…

• figure out what test you’re looking for,
• determine if there is a similar test offered by the other company,
• and complete a price/offerings comparison from there.

LetsGetChecked vs. EverlyWell: Where you’re located

I searched the website for both brands to determine which countries they ship to.

EverlyWell ships to the United States (with the exception of New York and APO/FPO/DPO addresses).

LetsGetChecked also ships to the United States (with the exception of New Jersey, Alaska, and APO/FPO/DPO addresses), along with Canada, the UK, and Ireland. They also plan to resume shipping to the EU soon.

For now, if you’re in the United States, you can have your pick of either brand with the exception of a few states. If you’re in New Jersey or Alaska, you must order from EverlyWell. And if you’re in New York, you must order from LetsGetChecked.

If you’re located outside of the United States and reside in Canada, the UK, or Ireland, LetsGetChecked is the way to go. And if you’re in the EU, look out for LetsGetChecked in the near future.

Which at-home health test should you choose?

I’ve talked about the similarities and differences between LetsGetChecked and EverlyWell, but not much about the actual tests yet.

And more specifically…

What test do you start with? Are certain tests more important than others? How do you choose?

Well, that’s a tough question to answer globally. It really depends on what you have going on in your body, and every situation is unique.

But for starters…

If there is a certain test that jumps out at you, I say go for that one first and foremost. I believe in intuition, and if you’re feeling called to a certain test, that’s more powerful of a sign than anything I can tell you here.

But if you don’t have a strong pull toward any test…

I recommend starting with core vitamins, minerals, and metabolic health.

For core vitamins and minerals, the micronutrient test is a great place to start. Omega 3 and iron are also important markers.

In regards to metabolic health, I emailed back and forth with Paul Saladino for a little bit about it. Below is a snippet from an email I received from him explaining the markers he recommends to determine metabolic health:

“Fasting insulin, c-peptide, Vitamin D, hs-CRP, fasting glucose, HgbA1C, homocysteine, folate, and RBC linoleic acid content (Omega-check). Generally, what you’re looking for is a C-peptide of 0.5-2.0, a fasting insulin of <5, Vitamin D levels of at least 40, and as little visceral fat as possible. 1.5lbs is a good measure, but experts in the field like Dr. Sean O’mara work with clients to get it down to zero!”

With the exception of fasting insulin, folate, fasting glucose, C-peptide, and homocysteine, you can test for the rest of the markers mentioned with LetsGetChecked:

• Vitamin D
• hs-CRP
• HbA1c
• Omega

This is a good starting point to determine your metabolic health, which really, is a core part of your overall health.

Final thoughts

TL; DR

When it comes to choosing an at-home health testing company, it comes down to what you’re looking for.

Both LetsGetChecked and EverlyWell offer a thyroid test (including antibodies), a test for Chlamydia & Gonorrhea, and tests for vitamin D, HbA1c, and cholesterol.

Both companies also offer testing for hs-CRP, ovarian reserves, HPV, women’s hormones, men’s hormones, STDs, Hepatitis, Lyme disease, heart health, sleep, and stress, but for these tests, each company packages their offerings a little bit differently.

Because of their unique offerings, if you’re looking to test for heavy metals, food sensitivities, or allergens, you must order from EverlyWell.

And if you’re looking to test for vitamins and minerals (like vitamin D, B12, E, omega 3, omega 6, magnesium, copper, selenium, zinc, and iron) and certain organ functions (like kidney, liver, or prostate function), you must order from LetsGetChecked.

For now, if you’re in the United States, you can have your pick of either brand. If you’re in New Jersey or Alaska, you must order from EverlyWell. And if you’re in New York, you must order from LetsGetChecked.

If you’re located outside of the United States and reside in Canada, the UK, or Ireland, LetsGetChecked is the way to go. And if you’re in the EU, look out for LetsGetChecked in the near future.

For a safe bet on results turn times, I recommend LetsGetChecked.

If cost is an important factor to you, figure out what you’re looking for and complete a price/offerings comparison from there.

And if you’re unsure what tests to start with, go for core vitamins, minerals, and metabolic health markers.

Now for some discounts…

If you choose to go with LetsGetChecked, use code ASHLEYR for 30% off your order. If you choose to go with EverlyWell, I don’t have a discount code to offer you, but you could look into their Membership option which would save you 20%. You would have to commit to ongoing testing, however.

I hope this guide was useful. If you end up purchasing some at-home health tests, let me know. I would love to hear about how you’re taking charge of your own health.