We dove deep into leading pregnancy tests on the market and narrowed down which you could count on to deliver accurate, easy-to-read results before your expected period. An obstetrician/gynecologist on our Medical Expert Board also reviewed this article for medical and scientific accuracy surrounding what to look for in pregnancy tests, how accurate they are, and how soon you can take one.
But different types of tests have different thresholds, so some will turn positive sooner than others, he adds. What’s more, you want to consider how easy the results are to interpret and the price of a pregnancy test, especially if you’re trying to conceive and may be using multiple tests a cycle. “The ‘best’ at home pregnancy test will depend on your needs and your budget,” adds Kecia Gaither, MD, double board-certified in OB/GYN and maternal fetal medicine, Director of Perinatal Services/Maternal Fetal Medicine at NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln in the Bronx.
The good news: Nearly all pregnancy tests are 99% accurate at detecting hCG, the hormone that builds up in your urine when you become pregnant, explains Eric Flisser, MD, board-certified OB/GYN and reproductive endocrinologist at RMA of New York.
Whether you’re trying to conceive or trying to avoid pregnancy, you want the same thing: a highly-accurate pregnancy test that can detect a fertilized egg as early as possible.
We also love that this is a very accurate early pregnancy test, as you can test up to five days before your missed period.
The digital display also shows a countdown for the one to three minutes you wait for results. It's easy to use, as you can either immerse it in a cup of urine for 20 seconds or hold it midstream for five seconds, and it has an extra wide tip to help catch more midstream.
If you find color-change tests difficult to interpret or you want black and white answers, Dr. Flisser recommends the Clearblue digital monitor. Clearblue is a long-trusted brand with over 99% accuracy and its Digital Pregnancy Test clearly and simply displays the word “pregnant” or “not pregnant” to remove any doubts about the results.
Clearblue can detect pregnancy early, has an extra-wide tip for a more sanitary mid-stream catch, and it clearly announces “Pregnant” or “Not Pregnant” on its digital display for minimal confusion.
These strips are also compatible with the Premom ovulation app, in which you can scan and record your test results over time as well as track your fertile window.
The test strips are easy to use—just dip the test into a cup of urine for five to 10 seconds, then wait five minutes—and easy to read, with clear, dark lines that indicate pregnant (two lines) or not pregnant (one line).
Easy@Home Pregnancy Test Strips are highly accurate (99% according to the brand) with the ability to detect low levels of hCG (25 mIU/ml) in early pregnancy. The tests come in a pack of 20, so they're ideal for women trying to get pregnant who might need to test more than once.
Strip pregnancy tests work via the same technology as plastic stick tests (that is, measuring the hCG in your urine)—the difference is really just a matter of preference for how the results are displayed, Dr. Flisser explains.
These pregnancy strips are affordable in bulk for frequent testing, they’re highly accurate, and they display positive or negative lines clearly.
While these tests aren’t the cheapest, as they average about $0.90 per test, they do make the most concerted effort to offset the waste that comes with most pregnancy tests.
And while they're over 99% accurate two days before your expected period, they can work up to five days before.
These strip pregnancy tests come 15 to a recyclable box, and the tests are super easy to use: Dip the test strip into a cup of urine for 15 seconds, then wait five minutes for your results.
There are other eco-friendly pregnancy tests on the horizon, most notably Hoopsy out of the UK and Lia, a promising bio-degradable test that’s struggling to meet demand. But as for what’s both available in America and reliably accurate, Natalist is the top pick.
Natalist Early Pregnancy Test Strips are FDA-cleared and highly accurate—over 99% accurate from 2 days before your expected period. What’s more, they not only use 81% less plastic than stick tests but also are 100% plastic neutral—for every pound of plastic Natalist sells, they remove a pound of plastic pollution.
These aren’t as cheap as other strip tests and do still have some plastic waste, like non-recyclable wrappers around each strip test.
These strip tests are FDA-cleared, highly accurate, and not only use less waste than plastic tests but are also 100% plastic neutral.
The tests are easy to use as you insert the strip into a cup of urine, and results show up after five minutes. Because they're strip tests, results are indicated via one or two stripes, which may not be as easy to interpret for some as a digital display.
One box includes 10 hCG strip tests, which averages out to about $1.20 per test. But with that slightly higher price, the brand offers 1:1 support for buyers, so you can talk to a specialist at any time if you have questions about your results or your situation.
Proov is actually a full fertility hormone testing company with the first and only FDA-cleared strip test to confirm ovulation at home. Because they have doctors and scientists working away at other fertility hormone kits for the brand, it’s no surprise their pregnancy test, Check, is so sensitive and so accurate.
Proov Check is one of the few tests that can detect pregnancy hormone levels as low as 5mIU/mL, which allows you to check for pregnancy as early as five days before the expected period, Dr. Flisser says.
Developed by a science-heavy fertility hormone testing company, Proov Check can detect pregnancy as early as five days before your expected period and comes with perks like 1:1 support from fertility experts.
Premom also has an accompanying app that allows you to scan in your test results to help you read and record them, and the app allows you to track your ovulation so you can narrow in on your most fertile window.
These tests are easy to read, with crisp, dark lines that indicate not pregnant with one line and pregnant with two.
Premom is a reliable company and their stick test can detect hCG levels as low as 25 mIU/ml at 99% accuracy. To use, you dip the test in a cup of your urine for five seconds, and results will display within three to five minutes.
The Premom Pregnancy Test Strips come in a pack of 30 for $10, which averages out to be just $0.33 per test—the best deal we’ve seen per pregnancy test.
Pregnancy strip tests are almost always cheaper than stick tests because they require a lot less packaging—but they’re just as reliable since the technology is the same between the two, assures Dr. Flisser.
This is only the best budget if you’re testing over multiple months to try and get pregnant.
These strips run $0.33 per pregnancy test and display crisp, clear results within 5 minutes—plus, they come with an accompanying ovulation app.
The First Response Early Results test can be found at most major drugstores, which is ideal if you need one stat. That being said, they do run about $4 per test, so if you’re trying to conceive and may be testing multiple months, we recommend using this as early detection and then following up with cheaper strip tests until your period arrives.
The test can be done midstream or dipped in a cup, and it takes just three minutes to display your results.
Dr. Gaither adds that this test is low-cost and is easy to use and interpret. In fact, we love that this test offers quick color-changing results (one line means not pregnant, two means pregnant), but if there’s any confusion, you can also scan and confirm the results into the free EasyRead app to see a clear "Pregnant" or "Not Pregnant" result.
Both our experts agree that First Response Early Results is one of the most sensitive home pregnancy tests available with the ability to accurately test levels of hCG five days before your expected period.
These are not the cheapest tests you can get if you don’t need the early detection.
This easy-to-find test is one of the most sensitive pregnancy tests for early detection with two result displays for clear interpretation.
How We Selected
To determine the best pregnancy tests you can buy, we started by talking to experts in the field, including:
Based on their insight into what makes for a quality pregnancy test, alongside leading medical research on the topic, we dove deep into what differentiates one product from another. We analyzed leading pregnancy tests based on their detection period, response time, display method, and quantity included in the purchase, all of which is weighed against the price to determine overall value.
What to Know About Pregnancy Tests
Home pregnancy tests have been around for a long time and the technology behind them is fairly simple—they measure levels of the pregnancy hormone hCG in your urine. Because of this, most every test and brand on the market is going to be accurate and reliable, says Dr. Flisser. Therefore, when trying to pick the best pregnancy test to buy, the difference is in the details:
Detection Period
Super sensitive pregnancy tests can detect low levels of hCG—as low as 5 mIU/ml. “However, the lower the level, the harder it is to detect, so testing too early increases the chance of having a false negative result,” explains Dr. Flisser.
More typically, Dr. Gaither says tests can confirm a positive test roughly 10 days post conception, or one to four days before your expected period, when your levels are closer to 25 mIU/ml.
Response Time
Most pregnancy tests require you to insert the stick or strip into urine for five to 10 seconds, and then take one to five minutes to display your results.
Display Method
The difference between strip tests and plastic stick tests is namely in how they display the results. Strip tests are almost always color changing, so your results show up by either a single or a double line materializing on the test. Stick tests have different types of displays, some of which are also color changing, some of which will show a smiley face or frowny face, or, the most advanced option, some will have a digital display that clearly reads “Pregnant” or “Not Pregnant.”
Which is best is a matter of personal preference, Dr. Flisser says. Obviously the digital displays leave no room for confusion, but these are often more expensive. Smiley faces can be confusing if your goal in taking a test is to not be pregnant. Color changing tests are super simple, but they can be a bit more confusing to interpret, especially if a line only faintly shows up.
False Readings
False positives can happen if you take the test too soon after taking a fertility medicine containing hCG or if you’ve had a pregnancy loss after the fertilized egg attached to the uterine lining, explains Dr. Gaither.
Much more common is a false negative, which can happen if you take the test too early in the pregnancy, she explains. If your hCG concentrations aren’t high enough yet and your pregnancy test isn’t highly sensitive, it will falsely read negative. Also, you should always take a pregnancy test first thing in the morning when hCG will be most concentrated in your urine; you can get a false negative reading if you’re early in your pregnancy and take the test in the evening.
How Much You Can Expect to Pay for Pregnancy Tests
Pregnancy tests range in price from $0.30 to $5 a test. Strip tests are usually the cheapest since they require less material and packaging to produce and often come in bulk. The more expensive tests are often a cut-and-dry digital display to leave no room for confusion.
Your Questions, Answered
How soon will a pregnancy test read positive?
“Pregnancy tests can detect very low levels of hCG that could be present even a few days before your anticipated period is missed,” says Dr. Flisser. For most people, this will be one to four days before your expected period. By the first day of your missed period, most pregnancy tests should read accurately.
How soon can you take a pregnancy test?
You can take a pregnancy test as early as five days before your expected period, but you might not have enough of the hormone hCG in your urine yet for the test to detect it, explains Dr. Flisser. Additionally, your test may not be sensitive enough to detect low levels of the hormone.
How accurate are pregnancy tests?
Pregnancy tests are very accurate, at about 99% or more, both our doctors agree. The variability in accuracy comes not from the tests itself but from timing—if it’s very early days of conception, you might not have enough of the hormone hCG in your urine for the test to pick up yet.
Who We Are
Rachael Schultz has been a science- and research-focused health writer for the better part of a decade, including women’s health and fertility. She specializes in translating medical jargon and study findings into digestible and actionable information the every-person can understand. She is also a long-time product journalist and is adept at sussing out what makes one product better than another, and which is worth your money.
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