What Is the Difference Between Cheap and Expensive Pregnancy Tests?

You might have imagined the moment you take a home pregnancy test and find out you're having a baby. But you probably never spent much time thinking about shopping for a pregnancy test at the drugstore beforehand, staring at all the boxes and wondering which one to buy.

Once you get to that stage, you'll see just how many options are on those shelves and how much they can range in price. But is an expensive pregnancy test somehow better or more accurate than a cheap pregnancy test? And what's the difference between cheap and expensive pregnancy tests, anyway? Here’s how to figure out what kind of pregnancy test is right for you.

Is there a difference between expensive and cheap pregnancy tests? How are they different?

All pregnancy tests work by measuring levels of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), a pregnancy hormone produced by the placenta. It shows up in a woman’s urine as well as her blood as soon as an embryo implants in her uterus (six to 12 days after fertilization), and the amount keeps building every day. But it takes until around 19 days post-fertilization for hCG levels to rise high enough to be detected on a urine pregnancy test. When used correctly, most tests can pick up hCG in your urine on the first day of your expected period.

So what accounts for the price variations among different tests? Some pregnancy tests may be more sensitive to hCG than others. Certain brands might claim that their test can give you an accurate result as early as five to six days before your missed period. Some tests may also work a little faster — giving you results within a few seconds instead of a few minutes.  

Design features can come into play too. Pregnancy test sticks encased in plastic handles tend to cost a little more than plain pregnancy test strips without handles. You also might pay more for a test with a digital display compared to one without. And this may be stating the obvious, but packs with more pregnancy tests tend to be more costly than packs with less. (Most packs have at least two tests, but some offer five or more.)

How much do cheap pregnancy tests cost vs. expensive ones?

Depending on the brand, sensitivity and other features, you can expect to pay somewhere between $5 and $25.

Are expensive tests more accurate than cheap ones?

All home pregnancy tests are up to 99 percent accurate if you follow the instructions. That’s just as reliable as the urine pregnancy tests used at doctors' offices. The key is taking the test at the right time.

When is that, exactly? You’ll get the best reading when you wait until the first day of your expected period. Testing too early in your cycle before enough hCG has built up in your urine could lead to a false negative. False positives can also occur, but they’re rare. Testing very early could detect a chemical pregnancy, where a fertilized egg implants in the uterus but stops growing before it's big enough to see on an early ultrasound.

It may be possible that a more sensitive — and possibly more expensive — pregnancy test could give you that all-important yes or no a little sooner. But waiting to use it until the expected day of your period will generally give you the most reliable results, regardless of how much your pregnancy test cost.

In fact, even the fine print on tests that claim to give you results five to six days before your missed period say that they’re not 99 percent accurate until the day of your expected period. And since hCG levels keep increasing, every additional day you wait will make the test even more accurate.

What are the pros and cons of less expensive pregnancy tests?

The main benefit is — you guessed it — they’re cheaper! But they work just as well. The results of less expensive pregnancy tests will still be up to 99 percent accurate when you use them according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

As for the downsides? Cheaper options have fewer features that might make pregnancy testing more convenient, like a plastic handle or a slightly shorter wait time. They may also be more likely to have basic, line-based displays instead of digital readouts, which some studies suggest could be harder for users to decipher and interpret correctly. If a line on the display is super faint, for instance, you might find yourself wondering if the result really counts.

Finally, a less expensive box might contain fewer pregnancy tests. So if you like the idea of being able to reconfirm your results, it might be worth paying more for a box with more sticks or strips.  

What are the pros and cons of pricier pregnancy tests?

A more expensive test might be more sensitive to hCG levels, which means that you may be able to get an accurate result sooner. But it’s not a guarantee. No matter how much you pay, the chances of getting a false negative or false positive are higher when you take a test before the day of your expected period.

There are also those extra bells and whistles. You’ll likely pay a little more for a digital display, which could be a little easier to read and interpret. Same goes for tests with plastic handles or shorter wait times. Another potential benefit? Pricier packs will often contain more tests, which can be handy if you know you’ll want to double- (or triple-) check your results or have extra pregnancy tests on hand if you need to try again next month.

What kind of pregnancy test is right for me?

Since all pregnancy tests basically work the same way and are equally reliable if you take them according to the instructions on the box, what kind is right for you depends on your preferences. If you want to try finding out whether you're pregnant a little sooner than the first day of your expected period, a pricier, more sensitive pregnancy test that can be used a little earlier might be right for you, as long as you're willing to pay for it and you realize it might not be as accurate as if you'd waited. If budget is your priority, one of the cheaper pregnancy tests might be a better choice. And if you like extra features that make taking and reading a pregnancy test easier, then it might be worth it to you to pay more for those.

Whatever pregnancy test you choose, just take note of the expiration date on the box before buying it. Cheap pregnancy tests don’t expire faster than expensive ones, but any expired pregnancy test is more likely to give a false reading. Just rest assured that whether you spend $5 or $25 on a pregnancy test, your results will still be equally accurate, and you'll still need to confirm a positive reading with your doctor (congratulations!).