Is Empirical Health worth it?
By Elo. Prices checked .
Empirical looks competitive for a broad one-time baseline. A short test list can still cost less, and the separate heart-health program needs its own comparison. The provider charges $190 one-time. A partial Marek Diagnostics rebuild costs $248.50 for 84 of the 100 panel entries analyzed here, including 18 additional calculations from the lab results.
I've used Empirical Health, Function and Quest. This analysis compares published testing coverage and prices; my experience with Empirical does not put a dollar value on the medical care.
What does Empirical Health's price include?
Comprehensive Health Panel: $190 one-time. One baseline panel; further testing separate. The panel includes physician interpretation and a personalized action plan. Access to medical care is part of the service, but the panel price does not establish unlimited appointments or included medications.
TSH is the baseline thyroid screen; reflex testing is conditional. We price TSH only. Urine microscopy is also conditional in the replacement product, so individual microscopic findings stay uncovered.
What would the lab tests cost separately?
The selected basket contains 16 purchasable products: $248.50 tests + $0 collection = $248.50 for one order and visit. Marek charges $10 per Quest visit, waived for orders of $199 or more. No lab membership or coupon is assumed.
The partial basket is $58.50 more than the provider price. That supports a cash-price value case for this breadth, but it does not prove this is the cheapest way to get the tests you need.
Coverage is measured against our recorded comparison list, after aliases and duplicate entries are removed. It is not an audit of every result in the provider's current marketing count. A result reported by a bundled lab product may itself be calculated; these counts are not numbers of independently measured assays.
Itemized products, prices and matching panel entries
| Product | Price | Matching entries |
|---|---|---|
| Apolipoprotein B (ApoB) | $20 | Apolipoprotein B |
| Apolipoprotein A-1 (ApoA1) | $29 | Apolipoprotein A1 |
| Lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) | $32.50 | Lipoprotein (a) |
| Lipid Panel (Total Cholesterol, HDL, LDL, VLDL, Triglycerides, HDL/LDL Ratio) | $9 | Total Cholesterol, LDL Cholesterol, HDL Cholesterol, Triglycerides, Estimated VLDL |
| C-Reactive Protein, High Sensitivity (hs-CRP) | $18.50 | High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein |
| Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP) | $9 | Glucose, Albumin, Globulin, Total Protein, Albumin/Globulin Ratio, Calcium, Carbon Dioxide (Bicarbonate), Alanine Aminotransferase, Aspartate Aminotransferase, Alkaline Phosphatase, Creatinine, BUN (Blood Urea Nitrogen), BUN/Creatinine Ratio, Estimated GFR, Sodium, Potassium, Chloride |
| HBa1c (Hemoglobin A1c) | $9 | Hemoglobin A1c |
| Complete Blood Count (CBC) with NLR, Differential, and Platelets | $9 | Red Blood Cell Count, Hemoglobin, Hematocrit, Platelet Count, Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV), Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin (MCH), Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin Concentration (MCHC), Red Cell Distribution Width (RDW), White Blood Cell Count, Absolute Neutrophils, Absolute Lymphocytes, Absolute Monocytes, Absolute Eosinophils, Absolute Basophils, Neutrophils Percent, Lymphocytes Percent, Monocytes Percent, Eosinophils Percent, Basophils Percent |
| Iron Panel (Iron, Transferrin Saturation, TIBC, UIBC) | $9.50 | Iron, Total Iron Binding Capacity, Iron Saturation |
| Ferritin | $9 | Ferritin |
| Vitamin D (25-Hydroxy) | $20 | Vitamin D (25-Hydroxy) |
| Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone (TSH) | $9 | Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone |
| Cortisol | $12 | Cortisol |
| Urinalysis, Routine | $10 | Urine Specific Gravity, Urine pH, Urine Color, Urine Appearance, Urine Glucose, Urine Bilirubin, Urine Ketones, Urine Occult Blood, Urine Protein, Urine Nitrite, Urine Leukocyte Esterase |
| Vitamin B12 | $19 | Vitamin B12 |
| Folate (Folic Acid), Serum | $24 | Folate |
| Test subtotal | $248.50 | |
| Collection, one visit | $0 | |
| Total | $248.50 | 66 product-reported entries + 18 additional calculations |
Calculations with no additional assay charge: Apolipoprotein B/A1 Ratio; Non-HDL Cholesterol; Cholesterol/HDL Ratio; LDL/HDL Ratio; LDL/Cholesterol Ratio; Non-HDL/Cholesterol Ratio; Triglycerides/HDL Ratio; HDL/Total Cholesterol Ratio; Atherogenic Index of Plasma; ApoB/LDL Ratio; Remnant Cholesterol; Non-HDL/HDL Ratio; LDL/Non-HDL Ratio; Estimated VLDL/HDL Ratio; Estimated VLDL/LDL Ratio; Estimated Average Glucose; Anion Gap; De Ritis Ratio (AST/ALT). These can be computed from the basket's inputs; a retail lab order does not necessarily deliver them in the provider's format.
Uncovered entries (16): Mean Platelet Volume (MPV); Total Bilirubin; FIB-4 Score; Urine White Blood Cells; Urine Red Blood Cells; Urine Squamous Epithelial Cells; Urine Transitional Epithelial Cells; Urine Renal Epithelial Cells; Urine Bacteria; Urine Calcium Oxalate Crystals; Urine Triple Phosphate Crystals; Urine Uric Acid Crystals; Urine Amorphous Sediment; Urine Hyaline Casts; Urine Granular Casts; Urine Yeast.
Some gaps reflect conservative matching. Marek's itemized CMP omits total bilirubin, and its CBC list omits mean platelet volume, so those remain uncovered. Its routine urinalysis has reflex microscopy, so we do not promise individual microscopic findings. Assay methods, sample types and sex-specific eligibility can differ even for matched names. The basket assigns no price to the provider's app, consultation, scores or action plan.
When would a small lab order cost less?
| Marek order | Tests | Collection | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| CMP + CBC + lipid panel | $27 | $10 | $37 |
| Lipid panel + ApoB + hs-CRP | $47.50 | $10 | $57.50 |
These orders do not reproduce Empirical Health's whole panel or support. They show why a short test list may cost much less than a comprehensive package. They are shopping examples, not advice that these tests are sufficient for everyone. See the individual test cost guides for product sources and other focused comparisons.
How do repeat testing and membership change the math?
Two separately purchased baseline panels would cost $380 before extras. The separate $399 Advanced Heart Health program instead includes a baseline and tailored retests at three and nine months. It should not be modeled as three identical $190 panels.
A retail cash basket is not an insurance quote. A covered clinician-ordered test could cost less out of pocket; deductibles, negotiated rates and medical-necessity rules determine that. The insurance estimate on our Function page cannot be applied to a different panel.
How does Empirical Health compare with other testing services?
Compare package prices and support alongside coverage. These partial baskets have different missing tests and are not a ranking of clinical usefulness or savings.
| Provider / panel | Purchase price | Partial cash basket, one visit | Tracked entries covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| Empirical Health: Comprehensive Health Panel | $190 one-time | $248.50 | 84 / 100 |
| WHOOP Advanced Labs: Comprehensive Health Panel | $199/year, one test | $368.95 | 62 / 65 |
| Vitals Vault: Advanced | $199 one-time | $257 | 45 / 48 |
| Mito Health: Core Panel | $296.59 + draw fee with annual membership | $524.95 | 75 / 98 (male scenario) |
| InsideTracker: Membership + Ultimate test | $489 starter package | $331 | 44 / 46 |
| Everlywell 360: 360 annual membership | $399/year | $530.95 | 78 / 85 (male scenario) |
Our Function analysis and Superpower analysis use earlier, separately selected baskets. Differences in catalog dates, matching and scope mean their rebuild totals should not be ranked against this table as though the panels were interchangeable.
Sources and calculation method
- Empirical Health product and purchase terms, checked October 17, 2026. Additional pricing or program details. State fees, mobile draws, renewal and add-ons can change the final bill.
- Marek public catalog, page 1 and page 2, listed prices captured October 17, 2026. Every chosen product is linked above. Collection fee and $199 waiver.
- The basket selects the lowest product subtotal covering the priceable inputs within our selected catalog of individual tests and small panels. It does not search every large bundle, vendor, promotion or insurance arrangement. We have not established the cheapest complete basket available everywhere.