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Compare PSA Tests: Total, Free and Ultrasensitive
A PSA test measures prostate-specific antigen in your blood. It is used for prostate cancer screening and for follow-up after treatment, and it does not diagnose cancer on its own. Compare our four lab tests for PSA below, each run by Quest and ordered online with no doctor visit.
3,200+ verified reviews
Which PSA test fits you?
4 tests · swipe to compare
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$39
Choose it when Your healthcare provider uses the lower 2.5 ng/mL cutoff; it measures the same total PSA.What you get Total PSAWhat sets it apart Flagged above 2.5 ng/mL -
$42
Choose it when You want the standard PSA number for routine screening or to track your level over time.What you get Total PSAWhat sets it apart Flagged above 4.0 ng/mL, the standard limit -
$74
Choose it when A total PSA result needs more context, and you want percent-free PSA from the same draw.What you get Total PSA, free PSA, % free PSAWhat sets it apart Adds percent‑free PSA -
$90
Choose it when Your prostate has been removed and PSA needs measuring at very low levels, down to 0.02 ng/mL.What you get Total PSA at very low levelsWhat sets it apart Measures down to 0.02 ng/mL
What a PSA test measures
PSA is a protein made by the prostate. A blood test reports how much is in your blood, in ng/mL. Levels can rise for several reasons, including an enlarged prostate, infection, recent ejaculation and prostate cancer. That is why a PSA result is a screening measurement, not a diagnosis. Labs flag a result above an upper limit: 4.0 ng/mL on the standard test, 2.5 ng/mL on the cutoff version some providers prefer.
Free vs total PSA
Total PSA counts all PSA in your blood. Free PSA is the part not bound to proteins, and percent-free PSA compares the two. Some providers use percent-free PSA when a total PSA result needs more context. The free and total PSA test reports all three from one draw.
Who considers PSA screening
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force says men aged 55 to 69 should decide about PSA screening individually, with a healthcare provider. The American Cancer Society suggests starting that conversation at 50, or earlier for men at higher risk, and the American Urological Association suggests a baseline PSA between 45 and 50. After prostate removal, PSA is followed with an ultrasensitive test instead.
What a result can tell you
- Measure your PSA level on the day of the draw
- Show whether it has changed since an earlier test
- Help you and your healthcare provider decide if more evaluation is worth discussing
What it cannot
- Diagnose, confirm or rule out prostate cancer
- Tell a harmless rise (enlarged prostate, infection, recent ejaculation) from other causes
- Replace a talk with your healthcare provider about a high or rising result
PSA is a screening measurement. It does not diagnose cancer. With urinary symptoms, blood in your urine or semen, or bone pain, see a clinician rather than relying on a screening test.
Sources
- U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Prostate Cancer: Screening (2018).
- American Cancer Society. Screening Tests for Prostate Cancer.
- National Cancer Institute. Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) Test fact sheet.
- American Urological Association and Society of Urologic Oncology. Early Detection of Prostate Cancer guideline (2023).
How ordering works
- Order your test No doctor visit needed
- Visit a lab nearby 4,500+ certified locations
- Get your results Many results back overnight
Compare PSA Tests FAQ
For routine screening or tracking, total PSA. If your provider uses the lower 2.5 ng/mL cutoff, the 2.5 cutoff version. For more context on a total result, free and total PSA. After prostate removal, ultrasensitive PSA.
Total PSA counts all PSA in your blood. Free PSA is the unbound part, and percent-free PSA compares the two. The free and total test reports all three.
No. A PSA test is a screening measurement. It can show that more evaluation may be worth discussing with your healthcare provider, but it cannot confirm or rule out cancer on its own.
$49 for total PSA with the 2.5 ng/mL cutoff, $53 for total PSA, $93 for free and total PSA, and $113 for ultrasensitive PSA. You pay $1 today and the rest after your results.
No. You order online, and every order is reviewed by a licensed physician, so there is no doctor visit. You take the order to a Quest lab for the draw.
At a Quest Diagnostics lab near you. After you order, find a Quest lab near you, then book or walk in.
No. Avoid ejaculation for 24 hours before the draw, because it can raise PSA for a short time.
