On this page
- How do ovulation tests work?
- LH strips vs multi-hormone fertility monitors
- At-home progesterone and fertility hormone tests
- How we chose: criteria for an ovulation test
- Options that meet the criteria
- What does each option cost per cycle?
- How to get more reliable results
- Before you start testing: folic acid comes first
- When to see a clinician instead of buying more tests
- Frequently asked questions
- Sources
- Standard ovulation tests detect the LH surge in urine, which happens about 1 to 1.5 days before ovulation 1.
- Some tests also measure E3G (an estrogen breakdown product) to flag fertile days earlier, and PdG (a progesterone metabolite) to check whether ovulation happened 12.
- There is no single best test: basic LH strips cost little, while multi-hormone systems like Mira, Oova, Inito and Proov were listed at roughly $100 to $230 to start in October 2026 1013147.
- Home tests do not diagnose infertility. ACOG recommends an evaluation after 12 months of trying, or after 6 months if you are over 35 4.
- Anyone trying to conceive should already take 400 mcg of folic acid daily, ideally starting at least one month before trying 1718.
The best ovulation test is the one that measures what you need to know, at a cost you can keep up each cycle. A basic LH strip predicts ovulation about a day ahead; multi-hormone monitors add estrogen (E3G) to find more fertile days and progesterone metabolite (PdG) to check that ovulation actually happened.12
This page explains how ovulation and fertility hormone tests work, the criteria we used to compare them, the verified options (Mira, Oova, Inito, Proov, Clearblue and Easy@Home), listed costs per cycle, and when a clinician visit makes more sense than another box of tests. We have not tested these products ourselves; everything below comes from official product pages and government or medical sources.
How do ovulation tests work?
Most home ovulation tests read hormones in urine. Each hormone tells you something different about where you are in your cycle.
LH: the surge before ovulation
Luteinizing hormone (LH) is made by the pituitary gland. Your body always makes a little, but just before ovulation it makes much more, and that surge signals the ovary to release an egg.31 FDA says the surge usually comes about 1 to 1.5 days before ovulation.1
A positive LH test means ovulation should happen soon. MedlinePlus says within the next 24 to 36 hours, and ACOG gives a range of 24 to 48 hours.34 That makes a positive result a signal to time sex, not proof that an egg was released.
E3G: an earlier heads-up
E3G (estrone-3-glucuronide) is produced when estrogen breaks down. It builds up in urine around ovulation and makes cervical mucus thin and slippery, which helps sperm move.1 Tests that measure E3G as well as LH aim to flag fertile days before the LH surge appears.
PdG: checking that ovulation happened
After the ovary releases an egg, progesterone rises to prepare the uterus lining.5 Its main urine metabolite is pregnanediol-3-glucuronide (PdG), and a sustained rise in urine PdG is used in research to confirm ovulation.2 Home PdG tests look backward: they cannot predict your fertile window, but they can suggest whether ovulation occurred.
Temperature: confirms, does not predict
Basal body temperature rises around ovulation. ACOG notes that charting temperature can confirm ovulation but cannot predict it.4 Temperature-based apps such as Natural Cycles use overnight readings from a wearable, and the company says its Plan Pregnancy mode can also prompt and read LH tests.6
LH strips vs multi-hormone fertility monitors
MedlinePlus separates simple LH urine tests from fertility monitors: monitors are digital devices that predict ovulation from urine hormones, saliva, or temperature and can store several cycles of data.3 Newer systems read strips with a phone app or a small reader and report hormone numbers rather than just a line.
| Feature | Basic LH strips | Digital LH + estrogen test | Multi-hormone monitor (app-based) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hormones | LH | LH and estrogen | LH, E3G, PdG, sometimes FSH |
| Result type | Line you read (or scan into an app) | Symbol on a digital holder | Numeric levels and charts in an app |
| Predicts fertile days | Yes, about 1 to 2 days ahead | Yes, often more days | Yes, often more days |
| Checks that ovulation happened | No | No | Yes, if PdG is measured |
| Typical start cost | Lowest | Moderate | Highest |
| Example | Easy@Home strips | Clearblue Advanced Digital | Mira, Oova, Inito, Proov Complete |
FDA describes standard home LH and E3G tests as qualitative: they tell you whether a level is high, not whether you will become pregnant.1 Quantitative monitors report numbers, but their accuracy figures are published by the companies themselves.
At-home progesterone and fertility hormone tests
What a PdG test can and cannot tell you
Searches for an "at home progesterone test" usually lead to urine PdG tests. These are different from the blood progesterone test a clinician orders.
| Question | Urine PdG test at home | Blood progesterone test |
|---|---|---|
| What it measures | PdG, a progesterone metabolite, in urine 2 | Progesterone in a blood sample 5 |
| Who does it | You, on several days after the LH surge | A lab, from a blood draw 5 |
| Typical timing | Daily or on scheduled days in the second half of the cycle | About 1 week before your expected period 4 |
| What a rise suggests | Ovulation likely occurred 2 | Ovulation occurred 4 |
| What it cannot do | Diagnose the cause of low readings | Explain results without your history; it may need repeating 5 |
A research team that compared lab assays found urinary PdG performed well for confirming ovulation in a small group of women whose ovulation was dated by ultrasound.2 That supports the idea behind PdG tests, but it is a lab study, not a test of any home brand.
MedlinePlus lists several possible reasons for low progesterone outside pregnancy, including not ovulating normally, PCOS, high stress and perimenopause.5 A low home PdG reading is a reason to talk with a clinician, not a diagnosis.
FSH and "ovarian reserve" claims
Some kits add FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone). Proov Complete includes 3 FSH tests, which Proov describes as "a read on ovarian reserve".7 Mira's Ultra4 wands and Inito's strips also measure FSH.89
Treat home FSH results with care. Mira's own page states that it "does not measure follicles and is not a diagnostic device."8 In a clinic, ovarian reserve is one of several blood tests in a full workup that may also include thyroid function, prolactin and imaging.4
How we chose: criteria for an ovulation test
We did not rank products by personal use. Instead, we compared published facts against criteria that matter when you are trying to conceive.
| Criterion | Why it matters | What to look for |
|---|---|---|
| Hormones measured | LH predicts; E3G widens the window; PdG checks ovulation 12 | LH at minimum; PdG if you want confirmation |
| Test type | Lines can be hard to read; digital or app readers reduce guesswork | Strip, digital holder, phone scan, or reader |
| App and data | Charts help you and your clinician see patterns | Export or share options, privacy policy |
| Cost per cycle | Most people test for several cycles | Listed kit price plus refills |
| Fit for your cycle | Irregular cycles may need more tests 3 | Strip counts and refill options |
| Claims | Company claims are not independent evidence | Footnotes, study size, peer review |
Options that meet the criteria
Each option below measures at least LH, is sold through an official site, and publishes enough detail to compare. Prices are as listed in October 2026; confirm on the official site before you buy.
Mira Max Kit: reader with numeric LH, E3G and PdG
Mira's Max Kit pairs a reusable monitor with wands that measure LH, E3G and PdG; you dip a wand, insert it into the monitor, and see results in the free Mira app.10 Mira lists the kit at $219 with 10 wands or $229 with 20 wands, and a 20-wand refill at $89.1011 The product page says 10 to 20 wands per cycle are typically recommended.10 Read our full Mira review.
Oova: phone-scanned strips for LH, E3G and PdG
Oova uses test strips that you scan with your phone camera, with no separate reader, and its app reports LH, E3G and PdG levels in about 10 minutes, according to the company.12 The fertility Cycle Kit is listed at $159 for one cycle (15 LH and PdG strips plus 15 E3G strips), or $129 per month by subscription.13 See our Oova review and the side-by-side Mira vs Oova comparison.
Inito: one strip, four hormones
Inito says its monitor measures estrogen, LH, PdG and FSH from one test strip.9 Its buy page lists the Inito Fertility Monitor (InSight Wireless Reader plus 15 strips) at $169, shown at $119 with a $50-off code, and a 15-strip refill at $49.14 Inito also describes its accuracy as outperforming other home tests in "head-to-head lab testing", which is a company claim.9
Proov Complete: strips plus FSH, read by an app
Proov Complete includes 20 test strips: 3 FSH tests and 17 multi-hormone tests that measure E1G (an estrogen marker), LH and PdG.7 The free Proov Insight app reads each strip with your phone camera after 10 minutes and builds a testing schedule.7 The listed price was $99.99, and Proov's home page also showed a lower sale price when we checked.7
Clearblue Advanced Digital: no app needed
Clearblue's Advanced Digital Ovulation Test detects LH and estrogen and shows a flashing smiley face for High Fertility and a steady smiley for Peak Fertility.15 Clearblue says it typically identifies 4 or more fertile days and was over 99% accurate at detecting the LH surge in a laboratory test.15 It does not measure PdG, and the manufacturer page we checked did not list a price, so compare retailers.
Easy@Home LH strips: the low-cost option
Easy@Home strips are basic LH tests sold in packs of 25, 50 and 100, with prices shown from $9.99 on the Premom shop page.16 You can scan or upload a photo of each strip to the free Premom app for a digital reading.16 The page says the strips use a 25 mIU/mL LH cutoff.16 They do not check whether ovulation occurred.
What does each option cost per cycle?
These are listed prices from official pages in October 2026. The per-cycle figures for refills are our own arithmetic from the listed prices and the company's suggested usage, not quotes from the companies.
| Option | Hormones | Starting purchase (listed) | Ongoing cost (listed) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mira Max Kit | LH, E3G, PdG | $219 (monitor + 10 wands) or $229 (+ 20 wands) 10 | $89 per 20 wands; about $44.50 to $89 per cycle at 10 to 20 wands 1110 |
| Oova fertility kit | LH, E3G, PdG | $159 per one-cycle kit 13 | $129 per month by subscription 13 |
| Inito Fertility Monitor | Estrogen, LH, PdG, FSH | $169, or $119 with a listed $50-off code (reader + 15 strips) 14 | $49 per 15 strips 14 |
| Proov Complete | FSH, E1G, LH, PdG | $99.99 per 20-strip kit 7 | Same kit each cycle |
| Clearblue Advanced Digital | LH, estrogen | Not listed on manufacturer page 15 | Varies by retailer |
| Easy@Home LH strips | LH | From $9.99 16 | Pack sizes of 25, 50 or 100 16 |
Several of these companies say their kits are HSA or FSA eligible; check with your plan administrator.1013
How to get more reliable results
Whatever you choose, a few habits help. FDA says how well a test predicts your fertile period depends on following the instructions, and starting at the wrong time in your cycle can make results unreliable.1
- Start at the right time. MedlinePlus suggests beginning 3 to 5 days before expected ovulation (around day 11 of a 28-day cycle).3
- Avoid large amounts of fluid before testing, which can dilute urine.3
- Know your medicines. Estrogens, progesterone and testosterone can lower LH, and clomiphene can raise it.3
- Test daily during the window. Missing a day can mean missing the surge.3
- Expect occasional false positives, which MedlinePlus describes as rare.3
Before you start testing: folic acid comes first
Tracking ovulation is about timing. Preparing for a healthy pregnancy starts earlier. CDC recommends 400 mcg of folic acid every day for everyone who could become pregnant, and USPSTF recommends a daily supplement of 400 to 800 mcg starting at least one month before conception.1718
The baby's neural tube closes about 26 to 28 days after fertilization, often before a pregnancy test turns positive.19 Folic acid is the only form of folate shown in studies to help prevent neural tube defects, so check that your supplement lists "folic acid" on the label.20 Our guide to folic acid before pregnancy covers when to start and how much to take, and how much folic acid you need in pregnancy covers the pregnancy dose.
Folic acid's proven role is preventing neural tube defects. Evidence does not support claims that it boosts fertility in people whose folate levels are already adequate.21 The same caution applies to many products marketed for conception; see our page on fertility supplements for women and our best prenatal vitamins guide.
When to see a clinician instead of buying more tests
Home tests can show patterns, but they cannot explain why you are not getting pregnant. ACOG recommends an infertility evaluation after 1 year of regular unprotected sex, after 6 months if you are older than 35, and a conversation now if you are older than 40.4
MedlinePlus also advises talking to your provider if you cannot detect a surge or do not become pregnant after several months of using a kit.3 An evaluation looks at both partners: ACOG notes that problems with ovulation are the most common cause of female infertility and sperm problems the most common cause of male infertility.4
Frequently asked questions
What is the most accurate ovulation test?
No independent head-to-head study we could find ranks brands for real-world accuracy. FDA says home LH and E3G tests detect those hormones reliably about 9 times out of 10 when you follow the instructions carefully 1. Accuracy claims on brand websites come from the companies themselves, so read them as marketing statements.
Can you test progesterone at home?
Do ovulation tests work with irregular cycles?
They can be harder to use. MedlinePlus notes you may not detect a surge if your cycle is irregular, and missing a day of testing can mean missing the surge 3. Talk to your clinician about timing, and about the cause of irregular cycles.
Can an ovulation test tell me if I am infertile?
Can I use an ovulation test to avoid pregnancy?
When should I start taking ovulation tests?
MedlinePlus says to begin about 3 to 5 days before you expect to ovulate; with a 28-day cycle that is around day 11, counting the first day of your period as day 1 3. App-based monitors usually build a testing schedule for you.
Sources
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Ovulation (Urine Test).
- Scientific Reports via PubMed Central. Confirmation of ovulation from urinary progesterone analysis: assessment of two automated assay platforms (Gifford et al., Scientific Reports, 2018).
- MedlinePlus (U.S. National Library of Medicine). Ovulation home test.
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Evaluating Infertility (FAQ136).
- MedlinePlus (U.S. National Library of Medicine). Progesterone Test.
- Natural Cycles. NC Plan Pregnancy.
- Proov. Proov Complete Fertility Tracker (product page).
- Mira (Quanovate Tech Inc.). Mira Hormone Monitor: Ultra4 Kit (product page).
- Inito. Inito Fertility Monitor (home page).
- Mira (Quanovate Tech Inc.). Mira Hormone Monitor: Max Kit (product page).
- Mira (Quanovate Tech Inc.). 20 Mira Fertility Max Wands (product page).
- Oova. Oova Hormone Monitoring Kits (home page and FAQ).
- Oova. Oova Hormone Kit for Fertility (shop page).
- Inito. Buy Inito Fertility Monitor.
- Clearblue. Clearblue Advanced Digital Ovulation Test.
- Premom (Easy Healthcare). Easy@Home Ovulation Test Strips.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). About Folic Acid.
- U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). Folic Acid Supplementation to Prevent Neural Tube Defects: Recommendation.
- U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). Folic Acid Supplementation to Prevent Neural Tube Defects: Final Recommendation Statement.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Folic Acid: Facts for Clinicians.
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Folate - Health Professional Fact Sheet.
This article is for general education and is not medical advice. Doses and needs differ from person to person, so talk with your clinician or pharmacist about your situation. Read our editorial policy and medical disclaimer.
