Question 1

Do I need to use my real name to join?

Accepted Answer

No. Accounts are alias-only. On-platform payments are processed by Stripe, which requires valid information. We never collect your name or payment information on-platform, so we don't store it in our system. Payment information is handled entirely through Stripe.

Question 2

What's the difference between a Public and a Private group?

Accepted Answer

Public groups are listed in the Browse directory and any signed-in member can join. Private groups are hidden from the directory and joinable only by an invite link or email invite. A Manager can convert a Private group to Public, but not the other way around.

Question 3

What does "Managed" vs. "Independent" mean, and which should I pick?

Accepted Answer

Managed groups have Group Test Hub handle payments on the platform via Stripe, communicate with the lab, and upload results. This is the safest and quickest option for most people.

Independent groups are run entirely by the group's Managers off-platform — they collect payments themselves (Zelle / Venmo / crypto), talk to the lab, and upload results. The Creator's only on-platform payment in an Independent group is a $5 launch fee.

Pick Managed if you want the platform to do the work; pick Independent if your Manager already has a workflow and you trust them 100% in regards to your lab funding, lab communication, and group test experience.

Question 4

How do I join a group I was invited to?

Accepted Answer

Use the invite link, or open the dashboard and enter the Group ID in the lookup field. Email invites are accepted from your inbox.

Question 5

What happens if a group is already full?

Accepted Answer

You can join as a late participant, or join the waitlist. If late-join opens after the group is funded, waitlisted users are notified first.

Question 6

Can I start my own group, and what do I have to decide to do it?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The Create wizard walks you through three easy steps — Choose between Public or Private, and Managed or Independent — then pick the compound being tested, along with compound details.

Question 7

How is my share calculated, and why does it change?

Accepted Answer

Your share is the total cost of testing divided across everyone in the group. It updates live as people join, as vial donors get credited, and as shipping line items are added — the number you see is the real number. Once the group is finalized and moved into the Payment phase, the number you see is lock-in and your full payment can be made.

Question 8

What is the $5 deposit, and does it count toward what I owe?

Accepted Answer

If you join a Managed group during its Open / recruiting phase, the $5 deposit is credited toward your final share. It's not an extra charge if you stay in. If you back out, the $5 deposit is non-refundable.

Question 9

What payment methods can I use?

Accepted Answer

Managed groups use Stripe (card / supported wallets). Independent groups use whatever off-platform method the Manager posts in the group (Zelle, Venmo, crypto, etc.) — the platform is not involved.

Question 10

When do I pay my full share vs. just the deposit?

Accepted Answer

In a Managed group's Open phase you pay the $5 deposit at join, then the difference at finalization. In the Payment phase, you pay the full share immediately.

Question 11

Does Group Test Hub ever see my card details?

Accepted Answer

No. All card data goes directly to Stripe; we never store or see card numbers.

Question 12

What do I actually get for my share?

Accepted Answer

Your share covers the lab's testing fee, platform coordination of the group, secure payment processing, and permanent hosting of your results in your dashboard. Shipping is not included — members arrange and pay for postage themselves.

Question 13

Who pays for shipping?

Accepted Answer

Members do, spread equally across all members. Whoever donates or forwards a physical vial covers the postage and receives a credit towards their final share. The platform never handles the compound and does not bill for shipping.

Question 14

Do I have to ship anything if I just want to chip in for results?

Accepted Answer

No. Most members only pay their share. Shipping is only on members who explicitly take a donor or shipper role.

Question 15

What is a "vial donor," and how do I get credit for donating a vial?

Accepted Answer

A donor supplies a physical vial of the compound. The Manager assigns the vial a dollar value, and that value becomes a credit against the donor's own share — so donating product reduces what you owe in cash.

Question 16

What is a "Lab Shipper," and when does a group use one?

Accepted Answer

A Lab Shipper is a member who collects donor vials from multiple senders and forwards a consolidated package to the lab. Some groups skip this and have every donor ship directly to the lab - some labs allow this, others don't.

Question 17

How do I know when it's safe to ship?

Accepted Answer

For Managed groups, the platform notifies the group when the lab is ready to receive samples. For Independent groups, the Manager gives the green light.

Question 18

Can I track where the samples are?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Donors and Lab Shippers enter tracking numbers and carrier info. The whole group can see this information to stay updated at all times.

Question 19

Why might a 10-person group still need several vials?

Accepted Answer

Some tests destroy the vial or require an untouched one. Endotoxins, Sterility, and Variance each need their own dedicated vial. So a typical 10-person peptide group often needs 2–4 donated vials.

Question 20

Where do I see my results, and for how long?

Accepted Answer

Results live in your dashboard, permanently. You can open the Certificate of Analysis (COA) whenever you want.

Question 21

What exactly does a COA tell me — and what does it not tell me?

Accepted Answer

A Certificate Of Analysis means the sample was tested by the issuing laboratory for the listed tests. The data provided by labs are just that - data for scientific research purposes. Nothing more. A valid COA does not provide medical, legal, or sourcing advice. Results from a Certificate of Analysis are provided by independent laboratories.

Question 22

How do I know the COA wasn't faked?

Accepted Answer

We upload originals from the lab. You can also cross-verify against each lab's own public verifier: Janoshik publishes a QR-coded report verifier, Vanguard has their own COA lookup, and Freedom Diagnostics maintains a searchable database of 42,000+ COAs created by them.

Question 23

Can I add my own third-party test results to a group?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Members can upload additional third-party tests for the same batch. A Manager approves them before they're visible to the rest of the group.

Question 24

Who can see that I'm in a group?

Accepted Answer

Other group members see your alias only. There are no real names stored or displayed on the platform.

Question 25

Does anyone at Group Test Hub handle the actual compound?

Accepted Answer

No. The compound moves directly from a donor (or a Lab Shipper, if the group is consolidating) to the lab. Group Test Hub never receives, holds, or ships any compound.

Question 26

Is this medical or dosing advice?

Accepted Answer

No. Everything coordinated through Group Test Hub is for Research Use Only. We do not provide medical, legal, dosing, or sourcing advice, and we do not interpret lab results.

Question 27

Can I get a refund if I change my mind or the group is cancelled?

Accepted Answer

A member can request that a group be cancelled. A Group Test Hub admin reviews the request and either approves it (store credit issued) or rejects it. Two things are never refunded under any circumstances: the $5 Independent launch fee and any late-join payment. See the Terms of Service for the full, governing policy.

Question 28

What's different about an Independent group, and what is GTH responsible for?

Accepted Answer

In Independent groups the Manager runs payments off-platform, talks to the lab, and uploads results themselves. The platform's role is the directory, the join flow, the role / phase tracker, result storage, and adding the ability for members to earn store credit from late-joiners. A red disclaimer banner appears on every Independent group page making clear that GTH is not handling money or speaking to the lab, and that the Manager owes the duty of care to the other members. The Creator's $5 launch fee and any late-join payments are non-refundable, even on cancellation.

Frequently asked questions

Joining a group

Paying

Shipping samples

Receiving results

Privacy & safety

Refunds & cancellations

Independent groups