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Legacy vs Fellow: What’s the Best At-Home Male Fertility Kit?

About the Author

Alex Goldberg

Alex worked at three early-stage startups before starting Fin vs Fin. Covering the rise of direct-to-consumer health, his mission is to help patients access better treatments online. He's also a husband, father, and UC Berkeley grad who enjoys golf, podcasts, live music, cooking, and home improvement.

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Medically reviewed by:
Dr. Steve Kim, MD

About Dr. Steve Kim, MD

Physician Advisor

Dr. Kim received his BA in Human Biology at Stanford University, before receiving his M.D. degree (Primary Care Track) from UC Davis School of Medicine. He completed his Internship & Residency in Family Practice from Glendale Adventist Hospital and is Board-Certified in Family Medicine via the American Board of Family Medicine. He has held faculty appointments at Stanford & UCSF medical schools and has championed telemedicine for decades. He is also a decorated, retired Flight Surgeon from the US Air Force Reserves.

In this Article

In this Article

Alex Goldberg

If your only reference for fertility testing involves a scene from a TV show where the guy goes into a sad, wallpapered room in a doctor’s office with an adult magazine, then it’s time to upgrade how you think about testing your semen.

 

It’s two decades into the new millennium, and you can get just about any test, prescription, or service mailed directly to your door, including fertility tests. A new crop of at-home tests for men like Legacy and Fellow are making it easier to find out if your little swimmers are, in fact, healthy and ready to start a family. Fellow and Legacy will even store your sperm for later use.

 

Where traditional fertility clinics can set you back over $1,000, these startups can help you understand your fertility for a fraction of the price. And if you’re planning a family, you’ll probably want to start saving asap for diapers, baby formula, and all the other expenses.

 

While female fertility has long been discussed openly, male fertility is only now becoming more mainstream and accessible. Given that 20 – 25% of couples can now expect fertility issues when trying to get pregnant, it’s valuable to know about your sperm earlier than later so you can start planning in the event of the unexpected. After all, if you’re unable to conceive the old-fashioned way, modern medicine offers many solutions. Best case scenario: you part with a small amount of cash today for the peace of mind of knowing you’re fertile and in good shape to start a family.

 

The best part about modern at-home fertility tests? They’re extremely convenient and easy to use. Let’s examine how the two most cutting-edge male fertility testing services, Legacy and Fellow, compare. By the end, hopefully you’ll be able to decide if an at-home fertility testing is right for you and  which kit is best for your needs.

How Do Home Sperm Tests and Male Fertility Kits like Legacy and Fellow Work?


Imagine you’ve made the decision to test your sperm –  a very sound choice. Well done, sir. But how exactly does it work? With at-home kits from Legacy and Fellow, you barely have to leave the living room, or bedroom — whichever sets the mood and allows for a few minutes of privacy.

 

At-home male fertility kits make the process easy with just five simple steps before you can glean more insight into your semen health. And some will even store your sperm sample as well.

STEP 1: Order a kit.


After a quick registration form online, Legacy and Fellow both discreetly ship a fertility kit to your door. Enter your home address for the most discretion, or ship it to your office to let the world know you’re ready for fatherhood — completely up to you.

STEP 2: Deposit your sperm sample.


Now for the fun part. Make sure to read the instructions carefully as you’d be surprised how easy it is to contaminate a semen sample. You’ll also want to map out a strategy for sending back your sample ASAP. Each minute your sperm is outside of your body, it’s dying, so time is of the essence when it comes to getting accurate results.


When you’re ready, find something arousing, then carefully deposit those swimmers into your kit. In case that went over anyone’s head: this step requires you to ejaculate into receptacle.

STEP 3: Get your sample tested


With Fellow or Legacy, you’ll securely ship your sample to their CLIA certified lab for analysis and wait for your fertility results to arrive in a day or two. 

STEP 4: Store your sperm (optional, for future use).


Both Legacy and Fellow offer options for cryopreservation, allowing you to store your sperm for an annual fee. These companies will freeze your sperm using a special media, then keep it in liquid nitrogen at negative 196 degrees celsius, which allows it to maintain a reasonable quality for many years. 

 

Note: Many states require men to have taken an STI test in tandem with their storing their sperm in order to use the sperm later for IVF. That’s because no doctor wants to be liable for fertilizing an egg with a HIV-positive sperm, and in fact many state laws require negative STI results before administering IVF. Thus, you should make sure  your cryostorage provider offers an STI test as well.

Which is the Best At-Home Fertility Test for Men?

Ready for an at-a-glance comparison of Legacy vs. Fellow? We prepped this chart to make it as easy as possible for you to find the right match for your needs.

Legacy vs Fellow

Cost of At-Home Fertility Kit$295 for standard analyses

$570 for advanced analyses
$189 $169 with code FINVSFIN20 for $20 off.
What's TestedVolume
Concentration
Motility
Total motile count
Morphology
Volume
Concentration
Motility
Total motile count
Morphology
Count
Offers DNA Fragmentation?
Location of Semen AnalysisLegacy-owned CLIA certified LabFellow-owned CLIA certified Lab
Fertility Results Turnaround Time48 hoursLess than 2 business days
Cryopreservation Available
Conducts Post-Thaw Analyses?
Multi-Geography Storage?
STI Kit for Storage Plans?
FSA/HSA Package Available?
Insurance Coverage Available?
Access to Licensed Medical Professionals?All Legacy packages include access to a fertility specialist.Fellow connects you with an in-house nurse practitioner to chat for no additional charge.
Able to Verify a Vasectomy (post-vas)?✅ Fellow offers a separate post-vas kit for just $120 $100 with code FINVSFIN20
Where is it Available?All 50 statesAll 50 states EXCEPT:
  • MD
  • NY
  • RI
  • Website

    Now that you have a general lay of the land when it comes to at-home male fertility kits, let’s dive a bit deeper into each provider so you can see which makes the most sense — Legacy or Fellow.

    Review of Legacy for Male Fertility Testing

    Overview

    4.7/5
    5/5
    • Price: $295 or $570 for one kit
    • Sperm analyses: Volume, concentration, motility, morphology, and DNA fragmentation
    • Other services: Cryopreservation, male prenatal, STI kit 
    • Results in: 48 hours
    • Insurance info: Accepts most major insurers and FSA/HSA

    Legacy is transforming male fertility care. With a focus on sperm testing and freezing, Legacy has earned the trust of elite organizations, including the Navy SEALs, and collaborates with top hospitals and insurers. Their services are distinguished by premium pricing, personalized client support, and round-the-clock availability, offering an exceptional, guided experience in fertility testing and sperm preservation.

     

    Their service is one of the fastest we’ve tried. Once you’ve selected your package, you’ll receive your kit at home in just 24 hours after ordering (as long as you order by 2pm ET). Their free “one-click pickup” process was also seamless; just push a button on their website and a courier will come by to pick it up – no need to drive to a facility or drop it off in an overheated dropbox. 

    Here’s what my gifted Legacy kit looked like when unboxed.

    Legacy’s kit packaging is regal yet sturdy to protect your sample during transit.

    Legacy Fertility Kit Pros & Cons

    Pros

    • Comprehensive and advanced analyses of semen health

    • Access to fertility advisor for sperm quality improvement recommendations

    • Accurate results from CLIA-certified labs

    Cons

    • More expensive than some other male fertility tests

    Is Legacy Male Fertility Test Accurate?

     

    After being transported in an FDA-approved transport media that keeps your sample healthy during transit, your sperm with Legacy is analyzed for volume, count, concentration, motility, and morphology. You’ll get to read all about it with their detailed six-page report, and you can have a complimentary tele-health call to discuss it with one of their fertility nurses or urologists that provide targeted evidence-based guidance to improve your fertility health.


    One of the most distinctive aspects of the Legacy sperm test is its focus on an additional crucial metric: DNA fragmentation (available for an extra cost). This analysis evaluates the level of damage to the genetic information within the sperm, a key factor in the potential to conceive a healthy pregnancy. This insight can be particularly beneficial for those experiencing unexplained infertility issues, including failed IVF cycles or miscarriages.


    Should you choose to freeze your sperm, Legacy does everything they can to protect it. They’ll split your deposit into four – two tanks each in two geographies – and store them in disaster-proof facilities with 24/7 security. They’re the only company to offer this multi-geography storage, which seems like a no-brainer. And just to make you feel extra secure, Legacy is HIPAA, GDPR, and CCPA-compliant as well as being SOC2 certified, which is enterprise-grade security.

    Fellow Sperm Test Review

    Overview

    4.5/5
    5/5
    • Price: $189 per kit
    • Sperm analyses: Volume, concentration, motility, morphology, and count
    • Other services: Cryopreservation, vasectomy test 
    • Results in: Less than 2 business days
    • Insurance info: Accepts FSA/HSA only

    Fellow offers a mail-in semen analysis service, which is clinically validated and peer-reviewed, ensuring accuracy comparable to traditional labs. Their CLIA-certified diagnostics lab processes samples, providing results within less than 2 business days.

     

    The service is convenient, allowing patients to produce samples at home, and is praised for its simplicity and fast turnaround times. Additionally, Fellow offers a cryopreservation option where sperm can be stored securely for future use. Their state-of-the-art facility ensures the safety and privacy of stored samples, and the company operates with high-quality standards, holding both a CLIA certification and an FDA tissue banking license.

    Fellow Sperm Test Pros & Cons

    Pros

    • Physician-approved results to ensure their accuracy

    • Offers budget-friendly standalone kits such as a vasectomy test

    • Results within 1.5 days of receiving your kit

    Cons

    • Does not accept insurance, self-pay only

    • No post-result care, for sperm quality improvement

    Is Fellow Sperm Test Accurate?

    Fellow’s at-home semen analysis kit offers a user-friendly and private method for men to evaluate their sperm health. The kit provides detailed insights into key sperm parameters, including concentration, motility, and morphology, and is processed in a CLIA-certified lab for accuracy. In addition to semen analysis, Fellow also offers a cryopreservation service, allowing for the secure storage of sperm for future fertility treatments.

     

    Fellow’s semen analysis and cryopreservation kits offer the advantage of having results reviewed by medical professionals. This doctor-reviewed aspect provides an additional layer of confidence for users in understanding their fertility health. 

     

    For men who have undergone a vasectomy, Fellow provides a specialized kit to assess the success of the procedure. This kit simplifies the process of confirming the effectiveness of a vasectomy, offering convenience and privacy.

    The Verdict: Which At-Home Male Fertility Test is Best?

    Finding the right sperm test kit is a personal choice with both Legacy and Fellow providing accurate and in-depth results:

    Legacy is our top pick for comprehensive sperm health analysis.

    Legacy is the ideal choice for those seeking an in-depth understanding of their sperm health. With its unique emphasis on additional key metrics like DNA fragmentation, Legacy provides a more comprehensive analysis than standard tests, especially beneficial for individuals dealing with unexplained infertility issues.

    legacy logo

    Fellow is our top pick for affordable stand-alone kits.

    fellow logo

    Fellow stands out for its affordable and convenient stand-alone kits, such as the semen test and vasectomy kit. Their at-home kits offer privacy and ease, with doctor-reviewed results that ensure accuracy and reliability. Fellow’s service is particularly appealing for those seeking a straightforward and cost-effective solution to assess and manage their fertility health.

    Save big on the latest fertility products

    Our team has tried and rigorously tested many of the most popular fertility testing apps out there. See which our medical advisory team likes most and enjoy exclusive discounts.

    fertility email widget

    Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

    Male fertility/sperm kits are ideal for men who are planning to start a family and want to assess their sperm health, as well as those experiencing fertility challenges, such as difficulties in conceiving or concerns about sperm quality. They are also beneficial for men who have undergone a vasectomy and wish to confirm the success of the procedure.

    A small amount of semen is sufficient for sperm testing, typically only requiring the amount that can be naturally ejaculated in one instance. This quantity is enough to analyze key sperm health parameters such as count, motility, and morphology.

    Waiting 48 hours before a sperm test is recommended to ensure optimal sperm quality. This abstinence period allows sperm concentrations to increase and improves the accuracy of the test, as frequent ejaculation can temporarily reduce sperm count and quality.

    We conduct extensive research to evaluate the pricing, effectiveness, accessibility, overall quality, and user experience of every telehealth service we review. This also includes examining and comparing each provider to comparable telemedicine alternatives. We also evaluate usability, treatments, prescription delivery time, and more to determine the best value for those seeking fast and reliable telehealth services.

     

    Review ProcessKey MetricsWeighting
    Sign up online– ease to complete intake form
    – affordability
    – upfront commitment or subscription required?
    – money back guarantee or refund policy?
    0.5
    Vitual consult with provider / determine eligibility– ease to get appointment to determine eligibility
    – need to leave house for labs or other in-person care?
    1
    Shipping + unboxing– shipping cost
    – time from order to treatment delivery
    – discreet packaging to maintain privacy
    0.5
    Test + journal for 1-3 months– ease of application
    – transition into habitual use
    – taste / smell / feel / pain
    1.5
    Results after 3 months of use– efficacy / results
    – lack of side effects
    – ease of refill / reordering
    – quality of ongoing clinical support
    – responsive customer support
    – willingness to recommend to a friend
    1.5

    Discover more fertility product reviews

    About the Author

    Alex Goldberg

    Alex worked at three early-stage startups before starting Fin vs Fin. Covering the rise of direct-to-consumer health, his mission is to help patients access better treatments online. He's also a husband, father, and UC Berkeley grad who enjoys golf, podcasts, live music, cooking, and home improvement.

    Learn more
    Alex Goldberg

    Alex Goldberg

    Alex worked at three early-stage startups before starting Fin vs Fin. Covering the rise of direct-to-consumer health, his mission is to help patients access better treatments online. He's also a husband, father, and UC Berkeley grad who enjoys golf, podcasts, live music, cooking, and home improvement.

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