Best Home Blood Test Kits UK 2026: Medichecks vs Forth vs Thriva

Choosing a home blood test provider in the UK comes down to what you want to test, how much you want to spend, and how quickly you need results. Here's how the top providers compare.

Quick comparison

| Provider | From | Tests available | Sample type | Results | Best for | |----------|------|----------------|-------------|---------|----------| | Medichecks | £39 | 300+ | Finger-prick or venous (+£25) | 2-3 days | Widest test range | | Forth | £39 | 100+ | Finger-prick or venous (+£45) | 2 days | Athletes and hormones | | Thriva | £59 | 50+ | Finger-prick only | 2-3 days | Subscription monitoring | | Vitall | £35 | 30+ | Finger-prick | 24 hours | Speed | | Lola Health | £69 | 20+ | Venous (phlebotomist visits you) | 2-3 days | Premium experience | | Monitor My Health | £29 | 40+ | Finger-prick | 3-5 days | Budget |

Medichecks — best all-rounder

Medichecks is the UK's largest private blood testing provider with over 300 individual tests. If you need something specific — cortisol rhythm, cancer markers (PSA, CA-125), coeliac screening — Medichecks probably has it.

Pros: Widest range, venous option, frequent discount codes (20-30% off), GP comments on results. Cons: Base prices higher than some competitors. Venous clinics not available everywhere.

Best test: Ultimate Performance Blood Test (£149) — 56 biomarkers covering everything from hormones to vitamins.

Forth — best for athletes and hormones

Forth specialises in fitness and hormone panels. Their custom panel builder lets you pick individual biomarkers. Popular with athletes tracking recovery, testosterone, and inflammation markers.

Pros: Custom panel builder, fitness-specific tests, good hormone range. Cons: Venous upgrade is £45 (more than Medichecks). Smaller test catalogue.

Best test: Baseline Plus (£79) — 22 biomarkers covering health, fitness, and hormones.

Thriva — best for regular monitoring

Thriva's subscription model sends you a test every quarter, so you can track trends over time. The dashboard shows how your biomarkers change. Good for people managing chronic conditions or tracking the impact of lifestyle changes.

Pros: Subscription tracking, trend graphs, quarterly reminders. Cons: Finger-prick only. Fewer specialist tests. Higher starting price.

Best test: Health Check Subscription (£59/quarter) — personalised panel based on your health goals.

How accurate are finger-prick tests?

All providers listed use UKAS-accredited laboratories. The main accuracy concern is sample quality — not lab quality. Tips:

1. Warm your hands before collecting
2. Don't squeeze too hard (dilutes the sample)
3. Collect first thing in the morning for hormone tests
4. Fast for 8-12 hours before cholesterol or HbA1c tests

For testosterone, cortisol, and insulin — a venous draw is more reliable than finger-prick.

Compare all blood test providers on our blood tests page.