If you think you might be pregnant, there’s an easy way to find out for sure: Take a home pregnancy test! You can go to a doctor’s office or hospital to have a urine or blood test done, but many women prefer to get the answer from the comfort of their home—or, more specifically, their bathroom. Keep in mind, while many tests claim to be “over 99 percent accurate”, this accuracy rate only really applies after you’ve missed your period. As a result, it’s important to consider where you are in your cycle before determining which test to take; an early pregnancy test will (unsurprisingly) pick up on the pregnancy hormones earlier.

That said, whether you’re scouring the aisles of your local pharmacy or scrolling online, it’s difficult to know what’s the best home pregnancy test on the market. Don’t worry: As an expectant parent, I’ve tested multiple pregnancy tests to bring you the scoop on the best options in various categories so you can choose what’s best for you and your personal needs, from the best overall pregnancy test (and this year’s Best of The Bump winner) to the best test for fast results and even an eco-friendly option. You’ll be “adding to cart” with confidence in no time.

How We Chose and Tested the Pregnancy Tests

For more than 10 years, The Bump has been recognizing the absolute best baby and pregnancy products on the market through The Best of The Bump awards series. To help you find the best pregnancy tests on the market, we took the following steps to create this roundup:

• We chatted with four ob-gyns to understand essential features and health considerations you should keep in mind when shopping for and using pregnancy tests.
• I personally tried 11 pregnancy test options. At 34 weeks pregnant, I knew for sure what an accurate reading would be and was able to concentrate on the nuances of use, rating each on ease of use, clarity of results, speed of results, accuracy and value for money.
• We surveyed over 300 new and expectant parents in The Bump community for additional insight on the ins and outs of specific pregnancy test brands and products.
• We leveraged our knowledge of leading pregnancy brands and reliable online retailers to source top-rated tests.
• We considered several criteria when choosing which products to include, such as cost, type of result display and how early it can detect pregnancy.
• We read user reviews to get the lowdown on how these products have worked for real customers and didn’t consider anything with less than an average four-star rating.

Editorial integrity is at the heart of everything we publish. Read about how The Bump develops and reviews all articles, including product reviews.

When you’re anxiously waiting to learn whether or not you’re pregnant, you want a test that’s easy to use and fast results that are easy to read. Thankfully, Clearblue Rapid Detection has you covered. Out of all the pregnancy tests I used, this was hands down my favorite—and I’m not the only one. According to our survey, 48 percent of parents in The Bump community favored this brand, highly praising its accuracy, clarity and speed. Moreover, it stands out for its ease of use and reliability, earning it a Best of The Bump award for overall best pregnancy test (head here to see all of this year’s Best of The Bump winners).

How It Works

When the tip of the wand is urine-soaked (either dipped for five seconds in a collected sample or held in a five-second urine stream), it changes to a pale shade of pink, letting you know that the urine has been fully absorbed and the test is working. I loved having that peace of mind, so I wasn’t left anxiously wondering if I had done the test correctly. Once the urine reaches the testing window, you’ll see results in one to three minutes. If you’re pregnant, the test will show a plus sign in the testing window (and yes, even if it’s faint, the results are still positive). If you’re not pregnant, the test will show a negative sign. An additional control window will display a blue line to confirm that the test worked.

Ease Of Use

This was one of the easiest pregnancy tests to use. It’s got an extra-wide tip, which makes it simpler to pee on. Not only that, but the tip turns pink to let you know it’s working, which really sets this test apart for me. It also features a patented floodguard technology, which prevents too much urine from entering the test—the leading cause of user testing error, according to Clearblue. My positive result was visible almost instantly, even though the instructions said to allow one to three minutes for results. It showed a bold plus sign, making it very clear and easy to read. The clear, easy-to-understand display was a recurring source of praise among our survey respondents as well.

One thing to note about the Clearblue Rapid Detection test is the indent lines, which are where the ink collects to create the control line and the result lines (and are indented so the ink doesn’t spill out). As the test sits and the urine evaporates, it can sometimes draw a bit of ink into the indent line, creating the illusion of a false positive. That’s why it’s so important to read the test results within the three-minute result window.

Accuracy

When used after your first missed period, results are 99 percent effective, according to Clearblue. Survey respondents from The Bump community raved about this test’s accuracy, earning it an average rating of 4.9 out of 5. However—like all the best pregnancy tests on the market—its accuracy starts to decrease the earlier you test. If you use it one day before your expected period, it’s 98 percent accurate; two days out it’s 97 percent accurate; three days out it’s 88 percent accurate and four days out it’s 56 percent accurate. I never got a false negative when using these tests, although I’m already well into my pregnancy.

Number of tests included: 2 | Type of result display: Plus or minus sign | How early it can detect pregnancy: 4 days before expected period

When you just need to know whether you’re pregnant as soon as possible, you need an at-home pregnancy test that allows you to test days before your expected period—and that still offers a high accuracy rate so early on, so you can depend on reliable results. The Proov Check Early Pregnancy Test checks both boxes.

How It Works

Testing with Proov was simple. Dip the strip in a collected urine sample until the urine flows up the strip to reach the “max” arrows (around 10 seconds). Lay the strip flat on a clean surface, and wait five to 15 minutes for a result. A positive test will show two lines, and a negative test with only one line means either you are not pregnant, or the pregnancy hormones are not yet high enough to be detected by the strip. If for any reason you’re unsure of your results, Proov instructions recommend retesting after 48 hours.

Ease Of Use

My test results appeared right before my eyes, nearly instantaneously, and the positive result was very bold and clear. Plus, you have access to a whole network of support via the Proov Insight App, which offers cycle tracking, advice on the best days to test, and even diet, lifestyle and supplement suggestions. And if that’s not enough, the brand maintains a private Facebook community where women can share their experiences. There’s a lot of value packed inside these tiny testing strips!

Accuracy

According to Proov, the test can detect pregnancy up to five days before your expected period with 77 percent accuracy. While there are other early pregnancy tests on the market that can also be used five days out, Proov has the edge in accuracy—most other early pregnancy tests hover between 68 and 76 percent accurate at this early stage in pregnancy. Proov’s accuracy jumps to 96 percent accurate four days before your period and 99 percent accurate at three days out, offering fantastic reliability. It’s important to note that if you’re testing before an expected period, using first-morning urine is required; if testing after, you can test at any time of the day.

Number of tests included: 10 | Type of result display: Single or double line | How early it can detect pregnancy: Five days before expected period.