Vitamin B12 Test Cost: What a Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin) Test Costs Across Labs
What a vitamin B12 test costs across direct-to-consumer labs, with draw fees factored in.
A vitamin B12 test checks your status of this essential vitamin, and advertised prices vary across direct-to-consumer labs. This page compares vitamin B12 test prices so you can find the lowest all-in cost.
What a vitamin B12 test costs across labs
Ordered on its own, a vitamin B12 test ranges from about $6.99 to $49 across direct-to-consumer labs, before a one-time draw fee. Mito members pay $6.99, with a non-member price of $9.78.
Lab | Test price | Draw fee |
|---|---|---|
Mito (Member) | $6.99 | $9.50-15 |
Mito (Non-Member) | $9.78 | $9.50-15 |
GoodLabs | $10 | $12 |
DrSays | $13.99 | $9.99 |
Jason Health | $15 | $18 |
Marek Health | $19 | $10 |
Ulta Lab Tests | $28.95 | $12.95 |
Walk-In Lab | $35 | $6 |
Quest (direct) | $44.10 | $6 |
Labcorp (direct) | $49 | $0 |
Advertised prices, June 2026. Add each lab’s draw fee for a single-test order, and confirm current pricing before ordering.
Why vitamin B12 prices vary so much
The test itself is standardized. Most direct-to-consumer labs send your sample to one of the same national reference labs, usually Labcorp or Quest, so the measurement is identical no matter who takes your order. What changes is the markup. A reseller at the high end of this range is buying the same assay a low-cost lab sells for a fraction of the price, then adding its margin, an ordering fee, or a clinical-review charge. The draw fee is separate again, and it is set by the collection site rather than the lab. That is why the all-in price for one identical vitamin B12 test can swing so widely.
What a vitamin B12 test measures
A vitamin B12 test measures the level of B12 (cobalamin) in your blood, a vitamin found mainly in animal foods that is needed for nerve health, DNA synthesis, and red blood cell formation. Low levels can cause fatigue, nerve symptoms, and anemia. For a full reference on what the result means and where healthy levels sit, see the vitamin B12 biomarker guide.
Is a cheaper vitamin B12 test the same test?
For a standardized vitamin B12 test, yes. It is a defined assay run at CLIA-certified labs, so a low-cost result and an expensive one measure the same thing to the same standards. Paying more does not buy a more accurate number. What a higher price sometimes includes is a written interpretation or a clinician’s review of your result. If you only need the value, the cheapest CLIA-certified option gives you the same data. If you want help acting on it, check whether interpretation is bundled or sold separately before you compare prices.
All-in cost: test plus draw fee
Almost every lab adds a one-time draw fee on top of the vitamin B12 price, charged once per visit rather than per test. For a single inexpensive test that fee can be most of the bill, so compare the all-in total. If you add other markers to the same visit, that one draw fee is spread across all of them, which is where building a panel saves the most.
When should you get a vitamin B12 test?
People test B12 for fatigue, tingling or numbness, mood changes, or memory issues, and to check status on a vegetarian or vegan diet, with absorption problems, or on long-term metformin or acid-reducing medication. It is also used to confirm correction after supplementing.
Does insurance cover a vitamin B12 test?
When a doctor orders a vitamin B12 test for a medical reason, insurance often covers it, though some plans limit how often they will pay and you may still owe a copay or part of your deductible. The direct-to-consumer prices on this page are cash-pay and are not billed to insurance. For many people, especially on a high-deductible plan, paying out of pocket can be cheaper than the share they would owe through insurance. If you are testing for routine self-monitoring rather than to investigate symptoms, cash-pay is often the simpler and lower-cost route.
FAQs
- How much does a vitamin B12 test cost? On its own, a vitamin B12 test ranges from about $6.99 to $49 across the direct-to-consumer labs compared here, before a one-time draw fee. Mito has the lowest advertised price at $6.99 for members and $9.78 for non-members.
- Do you need to fast for a vitamin B12 test? No. A vitamin B12 test does not require fasting.
- Which vitamin B12 test should you order? A standard total B12 test is priced here and is the usual first test. If the result is borderline, an active-B12 or methylmalonic acid test can confirm a true deficiency. The B12 plus folate panel is a separate, more complete option.
- Where is the cheapest vitamin B12 test? In this comparison, Mito has the lowest advertised price. Remember to add the draw fee for a single-test order, since a low test price with a high draw fee can cost more all-in than it first looks.
- Do you need a doctor’s order for a vitamin B12 test? Not for the direct-to-consumer labs here. They include the test authorization, so you order online and visit a collection site without your own physician’s requisition.
- How long do vitamin B12 results take? Most labs post vitamin B12 results within one to three business days of your draw, and often the next day.
Related Reading
- How Much Does a Blood Test Cost? 29 Tests Compared
- Vitamin B12: Reference Range and What It Measures
- How to Improve Your Vitamin B12 Naturally
Medical Disclaimer
This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Pricing is based on publicly available information as of June 2026 and may change. Always verify current pricing directly with each provider before making a purchasing decision.
