Best biomarker testing companies: tests, cost, and care (2026)

By Elo, updated October 16, 2026

Function Health is my starting pick for broad biomarker testing with a follow-up. Empirical Health is a stronger fit for a lower-cost single panel and access to medical care; WHOOP is useful for pairing labs with wearable data. I have used Function, Quest, and Empirical, and compared the other services’ published coverage and apps.

Which biomarker testing company is best for you?

Our shortlist by use case. Prices checked October 16, 2026.
Company	Best fit	Listed price	Main trade-off
Function Health	Broad testing with a scheduled follow-up	$365/year	Smaller follow-up; written review rather than ongoing treatment
Empirical Health	Lower-cost baseline and physician-led service	$190 single panel; $399 separate program	Different thyroid, hormone, and advanced lipid coverage from Function
WHOOP Advanced Labs	Labs alongside WHOOP wearable data	$199/year for one test; $349 for two	Wearable context requires a band and separate membership
Superpower	App guidance and care-team messaging	$349/year list; $199 promotional offer	Confirm included retests and renewal; extra services cost more
Vitals Vault	Choosing a one-time panel by tier	$99 Essential; $199 Advanced; $399 Max	Coverage differs substantially by tier; no personal lab purchase here
Apple Health / Quest	Ordering within the Health app	$119 single panel	No thyroid or vitamin testing in the listed panel

The recommendations consider coverage, purchase terms, results access, and follow-up. The highest biomarker count does not establish the healthiest choice. Apple supplies the ordering interface; Quest supplies its panel.

Function Health: best for broad testing with a follow-up

Function combines a broad baseline with a smaller mid-year panel. Its distinguishing coverage includes advanced LDL particles, a broader thyroid panel, hormone testing, and lead and mercury. I found the dashboard useful for reviewing results and trends.

The limitation is care after the report: clinician-written notes do not provide ongoing treatment or prescriptions. Confirm which tests repeat at mid-year. Read the Function Health review for my experience with its results and clinician notes.

Empirical Health: best for a lower-cost panel with doctor access

Empirical offers a broad single panel with physician interpretation for $190. It includes ApoB and Lp(a), thyroid screening, vitamins, blood counts, metabolic testing, and urine results. Its separate $399 heart-health program adds tailored follow-up testing over 12 months.

Medical visits and treatment depend on the selected plan and state. Its panel is not identical to Function’s: Function includes fasting insulin and broader thyroid testing; Empirical lists B12 and folate. See Function vs Empirical for the detailed overlap.

WHOOP Advanced Labs: best for existing WHOOP users

WHOOP’s appeal is viewing labs alongside sleep, recovery, and strain data you already collect. The comprehensive plan covers 75 advertised biomarkers per draw, with clinician-reviewed results and an action plan. One- and two-test annual options make the testing schedule explicit.

A wearable is optional when purchasing the labs. If you do not use WHOOP, compare the panel and report on their own merits before buying a band. Our WHOOP review separates the lab offering from wearable costs.

Superpower: best for app guidance and care-team messaging

Superpower organizes results, recommendations, and questions in one app, with a care team alongside its AI interface. It is worth comparing if you expect to ask questions after reading a report.

Use the $349 list price when comparing memberships, and show the advertised $150 discount to $199 separately. Published offer pages disagree about included follow-up draws, so check checkout terms. Marketplace tests, supplements, and treatments are extra purchases. See our Superpower review.

Vitals Vault and Apple: one-time alternatives

Vitals Vault lets you choose a one-time tier rather than an annual membership: Essential costs $99, Advanced $199, and Max $399. Compare the actual tests before buying Max; headline totals can include calculated results. I reviewed its published offering but have not purchased a panel. The Vitals Vault review explains the tiers.

Apple’s $119 Quest option is useful if you want to order within the Health app. I went through that flow and reviewed its included panel. We reconstruct 49 lab results and six physical measurements, a different scope from the broader panels here. See the Apple walkthrough and biomarker table.

How should you compare biomarker testing companies?

Start with the questions you want testing to answer. Check the actual markers, whether values are measured or calculated, and which repeat at follow-up. An annual total of 160 tests can include the same result twice; a 100-marker panel may include urine findings as well as bloodwork.

Then compare who helps interpret an unexpected result, whether you can discuss treatment, and what costs extra. Our recommendations weigh these differences and firsthand experience where available, without assigning an invented numerical score. They compare purchases, not proven health outcomes.

If price is your main constraint, read the best blood tests under $500. Our InsideTracker and Mito Health reviews cover other approaches. Use the comparison builder when you already know the markers you need.

References

Offers checked October 16, 2026. The shortlist comes from U.S. consumer services covered by our database, not every laboratory or medical practice. I have used Function, Quest, and Empirical. I reviewed Superpower and Vitals Vault; my spouse uses WHOOP, and I used Apple’s ordering flow. I have not completed a blood-test purchase with every service. Providers cannot pay for placement.