How group testing works
The 10-step GTH-Managed group test
What happens from the moment you discover a group to the moment results land in your dashboard.
Discover & sign up
Register with an email address — nothing else. Set a display name if you'd like to.
Find a group
Browse public groups or accept an email invite from a Group Manager. Can't find a group? Use the Create wizard to start a group in minutes.
Join
In the Open phase, pay a $5 deposit that is credited toward your final share.
Donate a vial (Optional)
If you're a sample donor, a credit gets applied against your share. When instructed, ship to the Laboratory or the group's Lab Shipper and enter a tracking number so members can track shipping.
Finalization
When a group Manager finalizes a group, the platform freezes the final per-share price, the funding goal, and which vial holds which tests. The group moves from Open phase to Payment phase.
Pay the share
Group members pay the remainder of their full share. When every share is paid, the group hits the Funded phase.
Shipping
In the Funded phase, GTH Admins signal when it's safe to ship samples to your selected lab(s) and provide shipping instructions. Once the lab confirms they received samples, the group moves to the Laboratory phase.
At the lab
The group sits in the Laboratory stage until test results are ready. Typical turnaround is 2 to 14 days from when the lab receives the samples (depending on the lab).
Results
Once results are ready, Admins upload the COA and the group moves to the Complete phase. Every member can read results in their dashboard, download the file, or look up the results in the laboratory's verification portal.
After the fact (Late Joiners)
Anyone joining after Funded phase pays the same full share to join the group and see COA results. 100% of that amount is distributed as store credit to original members, split fairly based on their total contribution.
What changes for an Independent group
Independent groups are run by their Managers, not by Group Test Hub. The journey above shifts in a few important ways.
- Payment happens off-platform — the Manager posts Zelle / Venmo / crypto instructions and marks members paid manually, one by one.
- Finalization and lab work are run entirely by the Group Manager, not by Group Test Hub staff. For Independent Groups, you trust Group Managers with your lab funding, lab communication, and test results.
- Results are uploaded by the Manager on the group page.
- The only on-platform payments are the $5 group creation fee (paid once, by the group creator) and Late Joiner payments, both of which are non-refundable.
- Late-join store-credit redistribution still applies — you can still earn store credit from Late Joiners.
- A disclaimer banner sits on every Independent group page making clear that GTH is not involved and that the Manager owes the duty of care. Independent group tests should only be joined if you 100% trust the Group Manager(s).
Informal group testing vs Group Test Hub
The same milestones, two very different experiences.
- Discovery
Traditional
Recruit people on forums or Discord for weeks to get enough participants.
Group Test Hub
Browse or create a group on the site.
- Payments
Traditional
One person holds all the money, collecting it manually (Venmo / crypto).
Group Test Hub
Pay through the platform with Stripe.
- Money handling
Traditional
One person holds all the money.
Group Test Hub
Payments made directly on-platform.
- Privacy
Traditional
Exposing real identity and payment handles to a stranger.
Group Test Hub
Alias-only accounts. Payments via Stripe. We never see or store card numbers, names, or addresses.
- Communication
Traditional
Slow lab communication.
Group Test Hub
Lab communication handled by full time GTH staff for a quicker group test.
- Cost split
Traditional
Manual cost-splitting, often involving re-calculations and multiple payments.
Group Test Hub
Automatic per-person pricing (group size, donor credits, shipping).
- Updates
Traditional
No tracking, the organizer may ghost.
Group Test Hub
Group test status tracker + on-platform and email notifications.
- Results delivery
Traditional
COA emailed to one person, maybe shared.
Group Test Hub
COA hosted in every member's dashboard and the group page itself as soon as the testing is complete.
- Late joiners
Traditional
Group closes at funding, latecomers are shut out because the group is "full".
Group Test Hub
Late-joiners pay the same share and original group members earn store credit.
- COA distribution
Traditional
COA leaked or sold under the table so only the seller profits.
Group Test Hub
COA stays gated to the group. Late-joins are distributed as store credit, rewarding original members.