Choose a well water test

Our pick for most wells: WaterCheck Basic, $220 for 36 tests, or Tap Score Essential, $209 for 54 tests. Check whether your state tests for free first.

Pick the kind of test, then the kit. We tell you what each one covers, what it costs and the one thing to watch out for, so the sample isn't wasted.

1Order a kitIt comes with bottles and instructions.
2Fill the bottlesAt your kitchen tap, in about 15 minutes.
3Mail them backResults arrive by email in about a week.

The yearly test can cost as little as $20

Bacteria and nitrate, the yearly check$20 to $70Your state or county lab. Indiana's state lab charges $20 for both, Wisconsin's $70. Some states test for free.
Bacteria only$75 to $99Mail-in kit. The sample has to reach the lab within about a day.
Nitrate only$79Mail-in kit. The one that matters most if a baby drinks the water.
Full well test: bacteria, nitrate and metals$209 to $220Mail-in kit. 36 to 54 tests from one kit.
PFAS$85 to $335Mail-in kit. The $85 kit isn't a certified test.
Radon in water$75 to $145Mail-in kit. Test your home's air first if radon is common nearby.

Mail-in prices from each seller's own page, state lab prices from Indiana's and Wisconsin's labs, checked November 7, 2026.

Full mail-in well test

One kit covers bacteria, nitrate and the metals that turn up in wells. Pick this if you've never tested, you're buying a house, or your county page flags arsenic, uranium or manganese.

Our pick for most wells

WaterCheck Basic Well Water Test

National Testing Laboratories · 36 tests

One lab runs every sample, and it's certified in 33 states. You get one clear report for one price.

$220Results in about 7 business days

Bacteria
Nitrate
Arsenic
Lead
Uranium
Manganese
Iron
Fluoride
Hardness
pH
Dissolved solids

Good to know: Return shipping isn't included, and the bacteria bottles have to go back by next-day delivery the day you fill them.

View kit at WaterCheck

Lab and shipping details

Lab: NTL's own lab in Cleveland. NELAC accredited and certified in 33 states, Guam and Puerto Rico (check yours on its certifications page).

Shipping: Ship the bottles back by guaranteed next-day delivery the day you fill them, and don't collect on a Friday or Saturday. Return shipping isn't included.

Lowest price for a full test

Essential Well Water Test

Tap Score · 54 tests

The same health basics for a little less, with results in about 5 business days.

$209Results in about 5 business days

Bacteria
Nitrate
Arsenic
Lead
Uranium
Manganese
Iron
Fluoride
Hardness
pH
Dissolved solids

Good to know: Pick overnight return shipping at checkout. The default 2-day shipping is too slow for the bacteria sample.

View kit at Tap Score

Lab and shipping details

Lab: Sent to an accredited lab in Tap Score's network (ISO 17025 or NELAC/ELAP). The lab can vary by order, so it may not be certified in your state.

Shipping: Choose overnight return shipping at checkout. The default is 2-day, which is too slow for the bacteria sample.

Most thorough

Advanced Well Water Test

Tap Score · 114 tests

Adds 50 fuel and solvent chemicals and 7 petroleum compounds. Worth it near a gas station, landfill or old industrial site.

$399Results in about 5 business days

Bacteria
Nitrate
Arsenic
Lead
Uranium
Manganese
Iron
Fluoride
Hardness
pH
Dissolved solids
Fuel and solvents (VOCs)
Pesticides

Good to know: Nearly twice the price of the Essential test, and most wells don't need the extra chemicals.

View kit at Tap Score

Lab and shipping details

Lab: Same lab network as the Essential test.

Shipping: Overnight return shipping and a cooler are included.

Just the yearly check: bacteria and nitrate

The CDC says every private well needs these two every year. A state or county lab is usually the cheapest way: Indiana's state lab charges $20 for both, Wisconsin's $70.

Easiest bacteria test

Coliform and E. coli Water Test

Tap Score · Bacteria only

Overnight shipping back to the lab is included, so the sample gets there in time.

$99Results in about 5 business days

Bacteria

Good to know: Bacteria only. Add a nitrate test for the full yearly check.

View kit at Tap Score

Lab and shipping details

Lab: Accredited lab in Tap Score's network.

Shipping: Overnight shipping back to the lab is included.

Lowest price bacteria test

Quick Bacteria

National Testing Laboratories · Bacteria only

Results in 2 to 3 business days from a NELAC-accredited lab.

$75Results in 2 to 3 business days

Bacteria

Good to know: You pay for overnight delivery by 10:30 am, and samples older than 30 hours are thrown out.

View kit at WaterCheck

Lab and shipping details

Lab: NTL's own lab (NELAC accredited).

Shipping: Overnight delivery by 10:30 am is required, and samples that arrive after 30 hours are thrown out. Don't collect Friday through Sunday.

Quick nitrate check

Quick Nitrate and Nitrite

National Testing Laboratories · Nitrate and nitrite

The yearly test that matters most if a baby under 6 months drinks the water or formula made with it.

$79Results in 3 business days or less

Nitrate

Good to know: Nitrate and nitrite only.

View kit at WaterCheck

Lab and shipping details

Lab: NTL's own lab (NELAC accredited).

PFAS

PFAS testing needs a specialized lab. Test if your county or state has found PFAS, or you live near an airport, military base, landfill or a field spread with sewage sludge.

Lab test by an EPA method

PFAS Water Test (EPA 537.1)

Tap Score · 18 PFAS

18 PFAS measured with EPA Method 537.1, one of EPA's drinking water methods.

$335Results in about 10 business days

PFAS

Good to know: Results take about 2 weeks.

View kit at Tap Score

Lab and shipping details

Lab: Accredited lab in Tap Score's network, using EPA Method 537.1.

Cheapest first look

Water Test Kit Pro for PFAS

Cyclopure · 55 PFAS

Checks 55 PFAS for $85. You run tap water through a small disc and mail the disc back.

$85Results in 10 to 14 business days

PFAS

Good to know: Not a certified test, as Cyclopure says itself. Don't rely on it for a home sale.

View kit at Cyclopure

Lab and shipping details

Lab: Not a certified test: you filter the water through a disc at the tap and mail back the disc. Cyclopure says so itself. Fine for a first look, not for a home sale.

Radon in water

Radon gas comes from uranium in granite and similar rock. Test if your county page mentions radon or uranium, or your home has a high radon-in-air result.

Lowest price radon test

Radon Water Test Kit

National Testing Laboratories · Radon

Return shipping is included, and the sample doesn't need next-day delivery.

$75Results in 3 to 5 business days

Radon

Good to know: Radon only.

View kit at WaterCheck

Lab and shipping details

Lab: NTL's own lab (NELAC accredited).

Shipping: Return shipping is included, and it doesn't need next-day delivery.

Radon Water Test

Tap Score · Radon

A good choice if you're already ordering other tests from Tap Score and want the results in one place.

$145Results in about 8 business days

Radon

Good to know: Costs about twice the WaterCheck radon test.

View kit at Tap Score

Lab and shipping details

Lab: Accredited lab in Tap Score's network.

Before you order

Bacteria samples expire. They have to reach the lab within about a day of filling the bottle, so ship them overnight early in the week.
"Certified" means certified by a state. States, not the EPA, certify labs for drinking water. If you need results for a home sale or a loan, ask the lender which labs they accept, or use a lab your state certifies.
Got results already? Type them in and we'll tell you which numbers are a problem.

Prices and details come from each seller's own page, checked November 7, 2026. They change, so confirm before you buy. We don't earn anything from these links. How we make money

Questions people ask about well tests

How much does it cost to test well water?

The yearly bacteria and nitrate check costs $20 to $70 at a state or county lab, and some states do it for free. By mail, a bacteria test runs $75 to $99 and a full well test with metals runs $209 to $220. PFAS and radon tests cost extra, $75 to $335 depending on the test.

Is a mail-in kit as good as a local lab?

It can be, if the lab is certified for drinking water. For a home sale or a loan, check that your state certifies the lab, because lenders often ask for that. A state or county lab is usually cheaper for the yearly check.

Which test should I get first?

If you've never tested, get a full well test once, then the yearly bacteria and nitrate check. Your county page lists anything else that turns up often nearby, like arsenic or uranium.

The full guide to testing your well