There are four real STI testing routes in Ireland and the right one depends on three things: whether you have symptoms, how fast you want results, and how much you mind a paper trail. Most adults in Ireland are best served by the free HSE options. The other two have specific use cases. This page lays them all out so you can pick once and move on.
Side-by-side comparison
All four routes use the same accredited laboratories. The differences are about access, cost, speed and privacy — not test quality.
| HSE clinic (GUM) | sh24 home kit | Private clinic | Your GP | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free — no medical card needed | Free for anyone 17+ with an Irish address | €100–€300 typical, depending on panel | €50–€70 typical · free with medical card or GP Visit Card |
| Where | One free GUM clinic in every county; book by phone | Posted to your home in plain unbranded packaging | Mostly Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick; some video options | Your usual practice — no specialist setting |
| Speed of results | 7–14 days · text or phone | ~1 week · text or phone from a clinician | 1–3 working days for most panels | 7–14 days · the practice contacts you |
| What's tested | Full screen + anything symptom-driven: HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis, plus herpes/HPV/hepatitis/mycoplasma as needed | Standard 4-panel: HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis. No herpes, no HPV, no exam of visible symptoms | Whatever you pay for — 4-panel up to 10+ panel with herpes typing and hepatitis | Whatever you ask for; same standard 4-panel by default |
| Privacy | Record stays with the clinic — not shared with your GP or insurer without consent | Record stays with SH:24 and the HSE — not shared with anyone else | Record stays with the private clinic — not shared with your GP or insurer unless you ask | Goes on your GP file as private medical information |
| If you have symptoms | Best option. They can examine, swab, test and treat in one visit | Not suitable — home kit can't examine sores or unusual symptoms | Good if you can pay; full exam included | Workable; may refer you on to a HSE clinic for swab of visible sores |
| If positive | Free treatment in the same clinic, free partner notification service | SH:24 phone you to arrange free HSE treatment | Treatment usually included in the fee or referred on | Prescription via the GP; treatment costs apply unless you have a medical card |
| Best for | Anyone with symptoms, anyone who wants to talk it through, anyone who wants a record kept out of their GP file | No symptoms, want maximum convenience, want it private, comfortable swabbing yourself | You need fast results (new relationship, travel, work medical) or a wider panel | You already have a GP appointment, you'd rather use the relationship you have |
Which one should you pick?
Five common situations and the route that almost always fits best:
Routine screen, new partner
You feel fine but you've had a new partner recently and want to know. Order the free sh24 home kit. No appointment, no scene, results in about a week.
Something looks or feels off
An unusual discharge, a sore, pain, anything that wasn't there before. Book your local HSE GUM clinic. Don't order a home kit — they can't see what's happening. Free, same-day exam and swab.
New relationship in days, not weeks
You want a clean result before sleeping with someone new and you don't have two weeks. Pay for a private clinic — 1 to 3 day turnaround. RSVP Clinic, Better2Know, iCare and similar.
You want zero paper trail to your GP
Free HSE clinic or sh24 home kit. Both keep the record out of your GP file entirely. Avoid the GP route for this scenario.
Already have a GP appointment
You're seeing your GP for something else and want to fold an STI screen in. Ask for a "full STI screen". It's a normal request, they hear it constantly, €50–€70 or free with a medical card.
Student in Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick
Your college SU usually has a free clinic referral pathway. Start with the campus SU welfare officer — they'll point you at the local HSE clinic or organise a free batch testing day.
Are home kits as accurate as a clinic test?
For what they cover, yes. The HSE-partnered sh24.ie kit uses the same accredited laboratories that the HSE GUM clinics send their samples to. The chlamydia / gonorrhoea / HIV / syphilis tests are identical pieces of lab work.
The limitation is what a home kit cannot do: it cannot look at a visible sore, swab a wart, or test for herpes, HPV, trichomoniasis, mycoplasma or bacterial vaginosis. Those are clinic-only. If you have any symptoms, the home kit is the wrong tool.
What about LetsGetChecked, Yoxly, MyLab and the other online kits?
These are private commercial kits (€80–€200) that work essentially like sh24 — order online, post sample, get a result by app. They're legitimate, but for almost everyone in Ireland the free HSE-partnered sh24 kit covers the same testing for €0. Use a paid kit if you need a broader panel than the standard four, or want a private app dashboard, or live somewhere sh24 doesn't ship.
Cost vs speed at a glance
- Free + 1–2 weeks: HSE clinic, sh24 home kit
- €50–€70 + 1–2 weeks: GP (free with medical card)
- €80–€200 + ~1 week: Paid online kits (LetsGetChecked etc.)
- €100–€300 + 1–3 days: Private clinic in person
Common worries when choosing
- "Will I be judged at the HSE clinic?" No. The clinicians chose this speciality. They do this all day. There is no judgment in the room. See how testing actually works for the full step-by-step.
- "Will my employer or insurer find out?" No. Free HSE services never bill an insurer. Private clinics do not contact insurers unless you ask. More on privacy and records.
- "What if I'm under 17?" The sh24 home kit is 17+. Under-17s should go to a HSE GUM clinic — they will see you, free, and treat the visit appropriately.
- "I'm worried about the conversation at the GP." Use the HSE clinic or sh24 instead — both keep the test out of your GP file entirely. Or read how to handle test-day anxiety.
- "What if it's positive?" Almost every STI in Ireland is curable or easily managed. What happens if you test positive walks through every common result.
Beyond the comparison
You've decided how you'll test. These pages help with everything around it — the appointment itself, the wait, and what happens next.
- Your first STI test — exactly what to do, in order, the day you book.
- STI test anxiety — the wait between booking and result is the hardest part. How people get through it.
- Confidentiality & privacy — who sees the result, what goes on which record, how to test with the smallest paper trail.
- If you test positive — what actually happens. Almost always: a course of antibiotics or a manageable plan, free.
- How STI testing actually works — the step-by-step inside a HSE clinic, demystified.
- How to tell a partner — for after a positive result, including the free anonymous HSE partner-notification service.
Still not sure which route fits?
A 30-second, judgment-free self-check. Five questions, no data saved, points you straight at the right free option for your situation.
Take the 30-sec self-check →Important: Nothing on STI.ie is medical advice. The HSE Sexual Health Line is free and anonymous: 1800 700 700. Costs quoted are typical 2026 ranges and may vary by clinic.