Gut microbiome tests in Australia: what each one measures and costs
You can order a gut microbiome test in Australia without a GP referral. i-screen's at-home stool kits cost A$239 for the culture-based Microbiome Check, A$569 for the PCR-based GI-Map and A$599 for GutIQ, which uses shotgun sequencing. The testing method decides which organisms the report can name.
Last checked by Refer Labs, 24 October 2026
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The code referlabs takes A$20 off your first i-screen test, which can be a gut microbiome kit.
referlabsVerified by Refer Labs on 23 September 2026, confirmed directly with i-screen.
You need an i-screen account and must be signed in at checkout for the code to apply.
See the Microbiome Checki-screen's own terms state that none of its services are Medicare-rebatable or eligible for government subsidy, so the full price is what you pay.
How much does a gut microbiome test cost in Australia?
i-screen sells five gut panels you can order without a referral. The Microbiome Check, the GI-Map and GutIQ differ by testing method; the Gut Health Test and the Platinum panel add more markers or breath testing.
| Test | Price | Sample | Results | What it covers | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Microbiome Check | A$239 | Stool, posted kit | About 2 weeks | Grows organisms from the sample and names each by its protein signature: bacteria and yeasts, plus digestion markers such as pH and steatocrit. | See this test |
| Gut Health Test | A$479 | Stool | Not stated | A 95-marker stool panel covering digestion markers, bacteria and yeasts. | See this test |
| Complete Microbiome Mapping (GI-Map) | A$569 | Stool, posted kit | About 2 weeks | Uses PCR to measure a defined panel of organisms by their DNA, with digestion and inflammation markers. | See this test |
| Advanced Microbiome GutIQ | A$599 | Stool, posted kit | About 2 weeks | Shotgun sequencing: reads all the DNA in the sample against a reference of more than 28,000 microbial species, with inflammation, enzyme, gut-barrier and short-chain fatty acid markers. | See this test |
| Platinum Gut Health Test | A$1,200 | Stool and breath, posted kit | About 2 weeks | i-screen's broadest home gut panel, combining stool and breath testing. | See this test |
Culture, PCR or shotgun sequencing: what is the difference?
- Culture (A$239, Microbiome Check). The lab grows organisms from the sample and confirms each by its protein signature. i-screen notes that because it relies on organisms growing, it reports the culturable ones rather than every species present.
- PCR (A$569, GI-Map). Measures a defined panel of organisms by their DNA, so it reports quantities for the organisms on that panel.
- Shotgun sequencing (A$599, GutIQ). Reads all the DNA in the sample. i-screen says it compares the sample against a reference of more than 28,000 microbial species, and adds inflammation, enzyme, gut-barrier and short-chain fatty acid markers.
How does an at-home gut microbiome test work?
- Order online. No GP referral is needed.
- The kit and instructions are posted to you; there is no collection centre visit.
- Collect the stool sample at home and post it back in the prepaid envelope.
- Results typically arrive in about two weeks from when the lab receives the sample, in your i-screen dashboard.
Two weeks before the Microbiome Check, i-screen asks you to pause some prescription medicines it lists, unless your practitioner says otherwise. Three days before, stop castor oil, probiotics, laxatives, aspirin, ibuprofen and gut supplements.
Under-18s can use i-screen's home microbiome kits with a parent's or guardian's consent.
What a microbiome test does not tell you
As i-screen puts it on the Microbiome Check page: “This test tells you what's in your gut; it doesn't diagnose a disease or explain what caused one.”
More on how i-screen works, who reviews results and its cancellation terms is in the i-screen review.
Common questions
- Can I get a gut microbiome test in Australia without a referral?
- Yes. i-screen sells gut microbiome tests directly, with no GP referral: you order online and a stool kit is posted to you. Its tests run from A$239 to A$599 for a single kit, read on 24 October 2026.
- How much does a gut microbiome test cost in Australia?
- On i-screen's own site, the culture-based Microbiome Check is A$239, the PCR-based GI-Map is A$569 and the shotgun-sequencing GutIQ is A$599, read on 24 October 2026.
- How long do gut microbiome test results take?
- i-screen states about two weeks for its home stool kits, counted from when the sample reaches the lab. Results are published to your i-screen dashboard.
- What is the difference between a culture test and shotgun sequencing?
- A culture test grows organisms from the sample and names the ones that grow. PCR measures a set list of organisms by their DNA. Shotgun sequencing reads all the DNA in the sample against a reference library.
Keep reading
General information for an Australian audience, not medical advice and not a diagnosis. Circumstances differ from person to person, and a registered practitioner decides what is right for you after an individual assessment. Prices change; where we quote one, it carries the date we checked it.
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