Thriva helped make home blood testing mainstream in the UK and their subscription model works well for simple quarterly monitoring. But if you want comprehensive testing with real clinical depth, the gap is significant.
| Feature | TrueVitals | Thriva |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum biomarkers | 200+ (Signature) | ~40 (Ultimate Health) |
| Most popular panel | 114 biomarkers (Ultimate, £349) | ~20-30 (Advanced Health, ~£79) |
| Entry panel | 74 biomarkers (Advanced, £269) | ~12 (Baseline Health, ~£49) |
| Collection method | Venous (clinic £19 / home £39) | Tasso+ shoulder device (home only) |
| Full hormone panel | 9 hormones including cortisol, DHEA-S, prolactin | Testosterone, oestradiol only |
| Full thyroid | TSH + Free T3 + Free T4 + antibodies | TSH only in standard panels |
| ApoB / Lp(a) | Both included | Not available |
| Insulin / HOMA-IR | Included in Ultimate | Not available |
| Tumour markers | 7 markers in Ultimate | Not available |
| Report format | 30+ page personalised AI report | App dashboard with GP review |
| Turnaround | 48 hours | 2-15 working days |
| Subscription required? | No, test when you want | Subscription model (quarterly) |
| App experience | Web dashboard + PDF | Polished app with tracking |
Thriva is designed for monitoring. You test a small set of markers quarterly and track changes over time. That model works well for people who already know what they want to check and just want to see if the numbers are moving.
But monitoring 20 markers does not tell you what is happening across the systems you are not testing. If Thriva checks your cholesterol, liver, and thyroid (TSH only) but misses your insulin resistance, your ApoB, your Free T3, your cortisol, and your tumour markers, you could have a genuinely concerning pattern developing in a system that is not being watched.
TrueVitals takes a different approach. Rather than checking the same narrow set repeatedly, a comprehensive panel of 114 or 200+ biomarkers gives you the full picture. AI cross-references over 6,400 possible interactions and surfaces the patterns that matter. You get understanding, not just numbers.
One comprehensive test per year tells you more about your health than four quarterly tests of 20 markers.
Thriva uses a Tasso+ shoulder collection device, which is a step up from a traditional finger-prick lancet. It draws a small blood sample from the upper arm without a needle, which is more comfortable and produces a cleaner sample than a finger-prick.
However, the sample volume is still limited compared to a venous blood draw, which is why Thriva's panels max out at approximately 40 markers. Venous collection provides a larger, cleaner sample with lower haemolysis risk and supports comprehensive panels of 70+ markers from a single draw.
TrueVitals uses professional venous collection for every panel. A trained phlebotomist draws blood from your arm at one of 350+ UK clinics (from £19) or at your home (£39). The sample is larger, more stable, and supports the full 114 or 200+ marker panels without compromise.
Read more about why collection method matters for result accuracy.
Thriva's subscription model sends you a kit every quarter. That works if you want to build a testing habit. But it also means you are paying monthly whether you need a test or not, and the tests you receive are limited to the same narrow panel each time.
TrueVitals has no subscription. You test when you want, at a fixed price, and every test is a comprehensive panel. Most people find that testing annually or every 6 months with a full panel gives them more useful data than testing quarterly with a fraction of the markers.
The maths is worth doing. Four Thriva Advanced Health tests per year costs approximately £316. One TrueVitals Ultimate panel costs £349 and tests nearly three times as many biomarkers in a single draw, with a 30+ page personalised report instead of an app dashboard.
If you want a low-commitment starting point, Thriva's entry-level panel at approximately £49 is one of the cheapest ways to get a basic health snapshot. It will not tell you much, but it gets your foot in the door.
If you dislike needles, Thriva's Tasso+ shoulder device is the most comfortable home collection method on the market. No lancet, no visible needle. If needle anxiety is a genuine barrier to testing, Thriva removes it.
If you want app-based tracking, Thriva's app is polished and makes it easy to see trends across tests. TrueVitals delivers reports as PDFs and web dashboards, which are more detailed but less app-native.
But if you want to actually understand what is going on inside your body rather than checking a few numbers quarterly, TrueVitals provides a fundamentally deeper level of insight. Take our 2-minute quiz to find the right panel for you.
For comprehensive health testing, yes. TrueVitals tests up to 200+ biomarkers with venous collection and a 30+ page AI-powered report. Thriva maxes out at approximately 40 markers with a shoulder collection device and app dashboard. Thriva suits people who want affordable quarterly monitoring of a small number of markers.
Per test, yes. TrueVitals starts at £269 vs Thriva's ~£49. But TrueVitals tests 74-200+ biomarkers per test vs Thriva's 12-40. Four Thriva Advanced tests per year (~£316) costs a similar amount to one TrueVitals Ultimate (£349) which tests nearly three times as many biomarkers with a far more detailed report.
No. Thriva uses a Tasso+ shoulder collection device which draws a small sample without a needle. It is more comfortable than a finger-prick but collects a limited sample volume, which restricts the number of biomarkers that can be reliably tested. Why collection method matters.
Yes. Thriva subscriptions can be cancelled through your account settings. TrueVitals has no subscription requirement. You simply choose a panel, book your collection, and receive your report. Test again when you are ready.
If you were using Thriva's most comprehensive plan, the TrueVitals Advanced (74 biomarkers, £269) is a strong step up. For maximum depth, the Ultimate (114, £349) covers every major health system including markers Thriva does not offer. Take the quiz for a personalised recommendation.
Up to 200+ biomarkers. Venous collection. AI-powered personalised reporting. No subscription. Medical professional review on every report.
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