Testosterone test guide: which test to get, what it shows, how to order

You are probably here because you have symptoms that could fit low testosterone, a result you want to understand, or a prescriber who asked for blood work. This guide covers which test to choose, what it measures, how to prepare, how ordering works and what a result can and can’t tell you.

Total testosterone

The lowest-priced test here that gives you a testosterone number.

$49

See this test at HealthLabs

Price checked October 2026. Not available in ND, RI, NY, NJ, MD and HI. We earn a commission on sales.

Which test should you get?

Match the test to your question. A bigger panel does not make the answer to a testosterone question clearer.

Your situation	Test to consider
First baseline, or symptoms and no prior result	Total testosterone
Total result was near the low end, or you have a condition that changes SHBG	Free and total testosterone, both numbers on one order
You are on testosterone therapy and your prescriber asked for specific labs	The panel or markers your prescriber names
You want general health markers alongside testosterone	A male hormone panel. See male hormone panels compared
You want to know which test fits your answers	The test finder

The Endocrine Society guideline says free testosterone should be checked when total testosterone is at or near the lower limit of the normal range, or when a condition alters SHBG. Its list of those conditions includes obesity, diabetes, hypothyroidism, aging, cirrhosis and hepatitis. It describes borderline total testosterone as roughly 200 to 400 ng/dL. The guideline accepts calculating free testosterone by formula when equilibrium dialysis is not available. Free vs total testosterone explains the difference in full.

If you are on therapy, the schedule and the list of markers belong to your prescriber. The tests below are for discussing with them, not for replacing that conversation.

• Total testosteroneThe usual starting point $49 See this test at HealthLabs
• Free testosteroneFree testosterone only $59 See this test at HealthLabs
• Free and total testosteroneBoth numbers on one order $99 See this test at HealthLabs
• Testosterone maintenance/therapy panelFor people on therapy whose prescriber asked for a panel $199 See this test at HealthLabs
• Basic male hormone panelTotal testosterone plus general health markers, not free testosterone $199 See this test at HealthLabs

Sold by HealthLabs. Prices checked October 2026. Not available in ND, RI, NY, NJ, MD and HI. We earn a commission on sales.

What a testosterone test measures

A testosterone test measures the hormone in a blood sample. MedlinePlus lists three versions.

• Total testosterone counts all the testosterone in the blood, bound and unbound. MedlinePlus calls it the most common test.
• Free testosterone counts only the unbound portion. It is less common and may help diagnose certain conditions.
• Bioavailable testosterone counts free testosterone plus testosterone attached to proteins other than SHBG. It is not commonly done.

Most circulating testosterone is bound to SHBG and albumin. The Endocrine Society guideline puts the unbound share at about 2 to 4 percent. That is why a total result and a free result can point in different directions when SHBG is high or low. What is free testosterone? has the short version.

What a result can and can’t tell you

MedlinePlus is plain about it: a testosterone test alone can’t diagnose a condition. A number means different things depending on the test type, your age, your symptoms, other test results and other conditions.

The Endocrine Society guideline sets out how clinicians use the number:

• Diagnosis needs symptoms and signs of testosterone deficiency and consistently low results. It recommends against routine screening of men in the general population.
• Symptoms are nonspecific. The guideline says they are modified by age, other illness and more, so they don’t point to low testosterone on their own.
• Testosterone varies by time of day and from day to day. The guideline says to measure total testosterone on two separate mornings.
• It notes that about 30 percent of men whose first result was in the low range had a normal result on repeat.
• Acute illness and some medicines, such as opioids, can lower testosterone, so the guideline advises against testing during those periods.

A test also can’t tell you why a level is low, whether you need treatment, or anything about fertility. A clinician looks at those with other tests. In the guideline’s approach, LH and FSH are measured after a low result is confirmed, to tell testicular causes from pituitary ones. See LH and FSH in men.

Labs do not agree with each other

The Endocrine Society guideline reports a survey in which 1,133 laboratories using 14 different assays measured the same quality-control sample from one man with low testosterone. The reported values ranged from 45 to 365 ng/dL. The guideline says most immunoassay kit makers and local hospital labs are not CDC certified. It recommends an accurate assay, ideally one certified by an accuracy-based program such as the CDC Hormone Standardization Program.

Reference ranges differ too. One published effort harmonized results from four large cohorts to the CDC reference method. In healthy, nonobese men aged 19 to 39 it reported a 2.5th to 97.5th percentile range of 264 to 916 ng/dL. One reference laboratory’s catalog lists 240 to 950 ng/dL for adult men. Use the range printed on your own report, and see testosterone levels by age for published ranges with their sources.

When and how to prepare

Time of day. MedlinePlus says providers take the sample in the morning, between 7 and 10, when levels are typically highest. A reference laboratory’s catalog says early-morning levels in young men average 50 percent higher than p.m. levels. See best time to test.

Fasting. The Endocrine Society guideline recommends morning samples after an overnight fast, because food and glucose can suppress testosterone. The seller’s pages for the standalone testosterone tests say fasting is not required, but that line is shared wording across its pages. Follow the instructions on your lab order, and see do you need to fast. The seller’s page for the therapy panel says to fast for at least 8 hours.

Medicines and supplements. MedlinePlus says some medicines can matter and you should tell your provider about everything you take. Don’t stop a prescribed medicine unless your prescriber says to. The Endocrine Society guideline notes that biotin interferes with some immunoassays, so mention biotin supplements to the lab or your clinician before the draw.

Illness. If you are sick or just recovering, a low result may not reflect your usual level. The guideline advises against testing in that period.

How ordering works

With a walk-in lab test you order online, then take the requisition to a draw site. A health professional takes blood from a vein in your arm, which MedlinePlus says usually takes less than five minutes. The seller’s page says the draw is the only step: no urine sample, swab or physical exam. Results go to your online account. For the standalone testosterone tests, the seller’s page says most results arrive within one to three business days.

A few practical points:

• The tests here are not available in every state. See where testing is unavailable before you order.
• Nothing you type into this site’s tools leaves your browser.
• HSA and FSA payment is covered on HSA and FSA.
• For the full walk-through, see how walk-in lab testing works and results timing.

Lab draw or at-home kit?

MedlinePlus describes two kinds of at-home test. Self-tests give an immediate result. Self-collection kits have you collect blood or saliva and mail it to a lab. At-home testosterone kits are the second kind.

A lab draw takes a venous sample, and the Endocrine Society guideline discusses serum measurements. A 2026 study compared finger-prick dried blood spots, self-collected under supervision at a clinic visit, with venous serum in healthy volunteers and men on testosterone therapy. Spot and serum results were highly correlated in healthy volunteers and strongly correlated in men on injections, though spot values ran about a third lower. Men using testosterone gel showed extremely elevated spot results, likely from contamination. Whether a kit is enough depends on you and the kit. At-home vs lab testosterone tests goes through the trade-offs, and best testosterone tests sets out the criteria for choosing any test.

What to do with your result

1. Read the range on your own report. Ranges differ between labs and assays, so a number can look low at one lab and not at another.
2. Don’t judge from one number. A single result is a snapshot. The Endocrine Society guideline recommends a repeat morning test to confirm a low result. See retesting.
3. Look at the whole picture. Symptoms, medicines, sleep, weight and illness all matter, and a clinician can weigh them.
4. Treat calculated free testosterone as an estimate. If you have total testosterone and SHBG results, the free testosterone calculator estimates free testosterone with a published formula. It is not a lab result.

When to see a clinician

See a clinician if you have symptoms, whatever your result. MedlinePlus lists these among the symptoms of low testosterone in men who have gone through puberty:

• Low sex drive
• Erectile dysfunction
• Difficulty getting a partner pregnant
• Enlarged breasts
• Lack of face or body hair
• Thinning bones or anemia with no known cause
• Loss of muscle mass

Take your results to a clinician if a number is outside the printed range, if two results disagree, or if fertility is a concern. If you are on testosterone therapy, bring results to your prescriber and ask about the schedule they want.