# Tasso vs Finger Prick vs Lab Draw: Which Blood Collection Method Should Your Business Offer?

**In short:** A guide for gyms, coaches, med spas, creators and wellness brands deciding how their clients will give blood for lab tests sold under their brand: how Tasso devices, finger-prick kits and Labcorp venous draws work, which tests each handles well, what drives cost, which client base fits each, and how white-labeled Tasso subscriptions create recurring revenue.

Last reviewed 2026-11-08 · Written by Chad H.

## Key takeaways

- A business selling lab tests under its own brand can offer three collection methods: a venous draw at a lab such as a Labcorp patient service center, a finger-prick kit the client uses at home, or an upper-arm capillary device such as Tasso+ that the client applies at home and mails back.
- Venous draws support the widest range of tests because a standard tube holds several milliliters of blood, while capillary samples are a few hundred microliters and some analytes, including calcium, creatinine and albumin in one 2021 study of mailed samples, did not match venous results.
- Tasso+ is a single-use upper-arm blood lancet that received FDA 510(k) Class II clearance in September 2022; the client sticks it to the upper arm, presses a button, and blood flows into an attached tube over a collection window of about 5 minutes.
- On Karpa, starting December 1, 2026, Tasso devices can be white-labeled under a partner's brand above a minimum order quantity and sold as a subscription, such as a retest every quarter, alongside Labcorp walk-in or appointment testing for full panels.

## Questions this page answers

**How does the Tasso device work?**

Tasso+ is a blood lancet that collects liquid capillary blood from the upper arm into an attached tube. Your client sticks it to the upper arm with a mild adhesive and presses the button once; a sterile lancet punctures the skin and retracts, and a vacuum draws blood into the tube over a typical 5-minute window. The client caps the tube and mails it to the lab the same day. Tasso+ received FDA 510(k) Class II clearance as a lancet in September 2022.

**Can you reuse a Tasso device?**

No. Tasso+ is single use: the button can be pressed only once, and the lancet retracts permanently into the device afterward. For a business, that means every test and every failed collection needs a new device, so budget for replacement kits and sell retests as new kits on a subscription.

**Is a Tasso device better than a finger prick for at-home blood collection?**

For many businesses, yes, because the client does not have to squeeze a fingertip and the device collects liquid blood into a tube rather than spots on a card. It usually costs more per kit than a finger-prick lancet. The right choice depends on which tests you sell and which test the lab has validated for the sample type.

**Can I white-label Tasso devices under my own brand?**

Through Karpa, yes, starting December 1, 2026, when your device order is above a minimum order quantity. The devices ship under your brand and can be sold as a subscription, such as a retest every quarter.

**Which blood tests cannot be done with an at-home capillary sample?**

It depends on the lab and the test, so check the lab's specimen requirements for each panel. In a 2021 study of mailed capillary samples, HbA1c, lipids and liver tests matched venous results, while calcium, creatinine and albumin did not. Large panels that need several milliliters of blood are better suited to a venous draw at a patient service center.

**Should my business offer at-home kits or lab draws?**

Most businesses should offer both. A Labcorp walk-in or appointment draw covers full panels for clients near a location, and an at-home kit covers remote clients and easy retests between full panels. Offering both lets each client pick, and it gives you a reason to sell repeat tests.

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If you sell lab testing under your brand, you can offer your clients three ways to give blood: a venous draw at a lab such as a Labcorp patient service center, a finger-prick kit at home, or an upper-arm device such as Tasso+ at home. Venous draws handle the widest range of tests, finger-prick kits are the cheapest to mail, and Tasso devices make at-home collection easier for the client. Most businesses do best offering a lab draw for full panels plus one at-home option for remote clients and retests.

This guide is for gyms, trainers, coaches, med spas, chiropractors, supplement brands and creators deciding which methods to put on their menu. For the whole business model, start with our [guide to starting a lab testing business](/resources/how-to-start-a-lab-testing-business/).

## What Are the Three Ways Your Clients Can Give Blood?

The three methods are a venous draw by a phlebotomist, a finger-prick sample the client collects at home, and an upper-arm capillary device the client applies at home.

### Venous draw at a Labcorp patient service center

A phlebotomist draws blood from a vein in the arm into standard tubes. On Karpa, your client either walks in or books a time at a Labcorp patient service center. Labcorp runs 2,200+ locations, and Karpa offers lab testing in 47 states plus Washington DC (not Hawaii, Maine or North Dakota, where Labcorp has no patient service center). A standard venous tube holds several milliliters of blood: the venous tubes in one 2021 study were 4 to 6 mL ([Annals of Clinical Biochemistry](https://doi.org/10.1177/00045632211004995)).

### Finger-prick kit at home

The client pricks a fingertip with a small lancet and collects drops of blood one of two ways:

- **Dried blood spot (DBS):** drops go onto a filter card that dries before it is mailed.
- **Small capillary tube:** drops are squeezed into a tube that holds a few hundred microliters. The capillary tubes in the same 2021 study were 400 to 600 µL.

The client mails the sample back to the lab in the prepaid packaging.

### Tasso+ upper-arm device at home

Tasso+ is a single-use blood lancet that collects liquid blood from the upper arm. The client sticks it on with a mild adhesive, presses a button once, and a sterile lancet punctures the skin and retracts. A vacuum then draws blood into an attached tube ([Parkinson's Foundation Tasso+ FAQ](https://www.parkinson.org/sites/default/files/documents/Tasso-FAQ-2026.pdf)). The client caps the tube and mails it back the same day.

## Tasso vs Finger Prick vs Lab Draw: How Do They Compare?

The short version: a lab draw covers the most tests, a finger prick is the cheapest kit to ship, and Tasso sits between them with an easier client experience at home.

| | Labcorp venous draw | Finger-prick kit (DBS or small tube) | Tasso+ upper-arm device |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blood type and volume | Venous blood, several mL per tube | Capillary blood, a few drops on a card or a few hundred µL in a tube | Capillary liquid blood, about 300 µL per tube in published trial use |
| Tests it supports well | Full panels, including tests that need large volumes or prompt processing | A narrower menu the lab has validated for capillary samples, such as HbA1c and lipids | Same capillary limits as finger prick, with liquid blood in a standard tube |
| Client experience | Trip to a lab, walk in or book a time, needle in a vein | At home, finger squeezing, can be fiddly | At home, button press on the upper arm, about 5 minutes of collection |
| Turnaround | Sample goes straight to the lab | Mail time added | Mail time added |
| Cost drivers | Lab fee for the panel, no device to ship | Low-cost lancet and card, outbound and return shipping | Higher device cost per kit, shipping, branding |
| Best for which business | Any business whose clients live near a location and want full panels | Large creator audiences and low-price entry tests | Subscription retests, remote coaching clients, premium brands |

Two numbers matter most when you read that table. A venous draw yields several milliliters, while capillary collection yields a few hundred microliters: Tasso's Serum Separator Tube device takes "an average of five minutes to collect about 300ul of blood," according to authors who used it in trials ([Applied Clinical Trials](https://www.appliedclinicaltrialsonline.com/view/self-collection-of-blood-specimens-in-clinical-trials)). That difference in volume is why the lab draw supports more tests.

## What Is Known About the Tasso Device?

Tasso+ is a blood lancet that collects whole liquid blood, and it is FDA 510(k) cleared as a Class II lancet ([Tasso](https://www.tassoinc.com/tasso-plus)).

The facts a business owner should know:

- **FDA clearance.** Tasso announced on September 14, 2022 that the FDA cleared Tasso+ as a Class II medical device. The company called it the first single-use, patient-centric blood collection product to receive Class II clearance ([BioSpace](https://www.biospace.com/tasso-device-earns-fda-510-k-class-ii-medical-device-clearance)). The Class II status comes from an FDA rule that moved single-use lancets with a sharps injury prevention feature from Class I to Class II ([MedTech Dive](https://www.medtechdive.com/news/tasso-at-home-blood-collection-lancet-cleared/631920/)).
- **Clearance covers the lancet.** The clearance is for the collection device. Whether a given test can be run on the sample is a separate question for the lab that runs it.
- **How it is applied.** The device sticks to the upper arm, the button can be pressed only once, and the lancet retracts into the device after use, so it goes in regular household trash.
- **How long it takes.** The typical collection window is 5 minutes. Blood can take 1 to 2 minutes to appear, and collection stops when the tube reaches the top fill line or at 5 minutes, whichever comes first. With warming the arm beforehand and packing the sample after, the whole session runs longer than the collection window itself.
- **Success rate.** Researchers reported a 94.2% success rate when people used Tasso+ to self-collect samples ([MedTech Dive](https://www.medtechdive.com/news/tasso-at-home-blood-collection-lancet-cleared/631920/)). Plan for some clients needing a second device.

Tips that improve the success rate, from the Parkinson's Foundation FAQ: drink 8 to 16 ounces of water 30 minutes before, move the arm a little right before collection, and keep the arm relaxed at the side while the device is on. Put those in your branded instructions.

## What Are the Limits of At-Home Capillary Samples?

Capillary samples work well for some tests and poorly for others, so build your at-home menu around tests the lab has validated for capillary blood.

The clearest evidence comes from a 2021 study by North West London Pathology, which compared 15 common analytes in capillary blood held for three days (as a mailed sample would be) against venous blood processed within 4 hours ([Annals of Clinical Biochemistry](https://doi.org/10.1177/00045632211004995)):

- **Comparable:** HbA1c, the lipid profile and liver function tests, which the team went on to pilot with patients.
- **Not comparable:** calcium, creatinine and albumin "failed comparability assessment" because the gap between capillary and venous results was large enough to matter clinically.
- **Comparable but not used:** urea and magnesium passed, but the team left them out because they need companion tests such as creatinine, potassium and calcium to be useful.

Trial researchers make the same broader point: most approved lab tests are based on venous blood, some analytes may need their own reference ranges for capillary blood, and every test needs a minimum volume ([Applied Clinical Trials](https://www.appliedclinicaltrialsonline.com/view/self-collection-of-blood-specimens-in-clinical-trials)).

What this means for your menu:

- Put large panels on the lab draw. A broad wellness panel needs more blood than a capillary tube holds.
- Put focused tests on the at-home kit. Markers like HbA1c and lipids are a good fit for retests between full panels, as long as the lab accepts that sample type for the test.
- Check each test against the lab's specimen requirements before you list it as an at-home option.

## Which Collection Method Should Your Business Offer?

Match the method to where your clients live and how often they will test. Most businesses end up with a lab draw as the default plus one at-home option.

### Gyms and studios

Your members live near you, and Labcorp runs 2,200+ patient service centers, so many will have one close by. Make the Labcorp walk-in or appointment draw the default for baseline panels. Add a branded Tasso retest every quarter so members can track progress without another trip. Our guide to [blood testing for gyms](/resources/blood-testing-for-gyms/) covers the member offer in detail.

### Remote coaches and online trainers

Your clients are spread across states and may never visit a city with a lab near them. An at-home kit removes that barrier. Tasso is the easier sell for a premium coaching client, and a quarterly retest subscription matches a coaching cycle.

### Creators and influencers

Your audience is large, spread out and price sensitive. Lead with a low-priced focused test on an at-home kit, then offer a full Labcorp panel as the upgrade. Watch your return rate: a kit that sits in a drawer earns nothing after the first sale.

### Med spas, chiropractors and clinics with older clients

Older clients often prefer a familiar lab visit, and some will find squeezing a fingertip harder than walking into a lab. Offer the Labcorp draw first. Tasso is a better at-home option than a finger prick for clients who cannot get to a lab, since it needs one button press.

### Supplement brands

Your customers already buy from you on a schedule. A Tasso retest subscription can ship alongside that rhythm, with a lab draw for anyone who wants a full baseline.

## How Do White-Labeled Tasso Subscriptions Create Recurring Revenue?

A one-time lab panel is a single sale. A retest subscription turns the same client into a recurring payment.

On Karpa, starting December 1, 2026 and above a minimum order quantity, Tasso at-home collection devices can be white-labeled under your brand and sold as a subscription, for example a retest every quarter. The box, the instructions and the storefront carry your name.

How the pieces fit together on Karpa:

- **Baseline:** the client buys a full panel and gets blood drawn at a Labcorp patient service center, walk in or by appointment.
- **Retests:** the client subscribes to a branded Tasso kit every quarter to track the markers that suit capillary blood.
- **Ordering:** a licensed provider in Karpa's independent network orders every test. You never order, interpret or diagnose.
- **Results:** the Labcorp report lands in the client's branded portal. Results are not reviewed by a provider by default.
- **Payments:** you set the retail price, and payments settle to your own Stripe account. Partners typically charge $50 to $200+ per order and aim for around a 50% margin.
- **Your portal:** revenue, orders, lab results, custom panels and discount codes in one place.

To set the subscription price, work from your cost per kit, the return shipping and the margin you want. Our guide on [how much to charge for lab tests](/resources/how-much-to-charge-for-lab-tests/) walks through the math.

### The upgrade path

A client who retests testosterone, thyroid, A1c or lipids every quarter is often a candidate for a TRT, HRT or GLP-1 program. On Karpa, the same brand can add prescription telehealth programs from $297 a month plus a one-time implementation fee, with LegitScript certification at $3,000 through Karpa. A provider looks at lab results only if the client books a TRT or HRT consult. See [how to launch an HRT brand](/resources/how-to-launch-hrt-telehealth-brand/) or the [TRT brand guide](/resources/trt-brand-entrepreneur-guide/).

## What Drives the Cost of Each Method?

Each method has a different cost shape, and your price needs to cover the full one.

- **Labcorp draw:** the main cost is the lab fee for the panel. There is no device to buy or ship, and the client travels to the lab.
- **Finger-prick kit:** low device cost, but you pay for outbound and return shipping on every kit, and a failed sample means a second kit.
- **Tasso device:** a higher device cost per kit than a finger-prick lancet, plus shipping both ways. White-labeling starts above a minimum order quantity, so plan the subscription volume before you launch it.

The hidden cost in at-home kits is the unreturned kit. Remind clients by email or text, and price the kit so one unreturned unit does not wipe out the margin on the next.

## How to Add Blood Collection Options to Your Brand

1. **List the tests you want to sell.** Start with what your clients ask about: hormones, metabolic markers, lipids, thyroid.
2. **Sort each test by sample type.** Put large panels and anything not validated for capillary blood on the Labcorp draw. Put focused, capillary-validated tests on the at-home kit.
3. **Pick your default method.** For local businesses that is usually the lab draw. For online businesses it is usually an at-home kit.
4. **Decide on a retest cadence.** Quarterly fits most fitness and coaching programs. Price it as a subscription.
5. **Set prices for each option.** Cover the lab fee, the kit, shipping and your margin.
6. **Launch on a storefront.** On Karpa, the lab storefront runs under your brand with a patient intake form, and no website build, medical license or LegitScript certification is needed for labs-only. See [diagnostic labs on Karpa](/solutions/diagnostic-labs/).

## The Bottom Line

Offer a Labcorp walk-in or appointment draw for full panels, because venous blood supports the widest range of tests. Add an at-home option for clients who cannot reach a lab and for retests between panels, and keep that menu to tests validated for capillary blood. If you want recurring revenue, a white-labeled Tasso retest every quarter turns a one-time panel into a subscription under your own brand. For the rest of the setup, read the [lab testing business guide](/resources/how-to-start-a-lab-testing-business/) or [book a call](/book/labs/?source=labs-guide-collection).