Welcome to my viome vs ombre (formerly thryve) comparison to see which gut health test is better. I’ll give you the facts, not the crap, so you can make the better choice for a healthy gut microbiome.
Did you know that your gut has a huge impact on your overall health? It may be the most important, and, according to the US National Library of Medicines' gut study, there are profound implications for disease.
As a registered dietitian, I’m always gathering more evidence so that I can present factual information about gut health to my clients. Yea, it’s THAT important!
While some gut health issues may be biological, chances are you didn’t have the proper nutritional diet, nor did you take care of yourself consistently. That’s just the truth, and the truth is hard to take.
Back in the day we had to schedule a physical appointment at our doctor’s office, feel embarrassed and walk out of there with our tails between our legs, not knowing what the test results of our gut health would be.
Things have changed drastically over the years – all for the better.
Today, I bring you an in-depth viome vs ombre gut health test comparison. After this article, you’ll be able to tell which one is better for you. Both brands (ombre and viome) are top-notch with excellent teams, and the truth is that you won’t be disappointed going with one over the other.
But, it is important to find out what your needs are and if the brand offers enough value to fulfill your needs. What I won’t do is promote one testing brand over the other because it’s not about that. They’re both better for certain things, and it’s about matching you up with the right one.
Before we get into it, let’s do a quick summary via a table comparison.
A ‘Gut Check' Summary of Comparing Ombre vs Viome
| VS |  |  |
|---|---|---|
| Test name | Gut Health Test | Gut Intelligence Test |
| Brand Name | Ombre (formerly thryve) | VIOME |
| Founder | Richard Lin, CEO | Naveen Jain, CEO |
| Year Founded | 2016 | 2016 |
| Starting Price | $199 | $299 |
| Discount/Coupons | Up to 65% off (sometimes more) using GW links (check LIVE sale now) | Great deals, but you have to catch them when going on (check live sale now) |
| Tests for | Bacteria | Bacteria, yeast, viruses, eukaryotes, and archaea |
| Sample Method | Stool sample | Stool and blood sample |
| Results timeframe | 2 weeks | 2-4 weeks |
| Personalized food plan | ✔ | ✔ |
| Personalized supplements plan | ✔ | ✔ |
| Website | ombrelab.com | viome.com |
Overview of Ombre's Gut Health Test Kit
You may have remembered Ombre as “Thryve.” However, they have rebranded, but their goal and values remain the same. Ombre's mission is stated very clearly on their website, and that is, “Trust Your Gut. Protect Your Immunity.”
They have been featured in trustworthy publications such as Forbes, Popular Science, Observer, Entrepreneur, Fortune and more.
Ombre's gut microbiome test is really a gut health program. It analyzes poop (or your feces sample) to pin point the good and bad bacteria in your gut. They then take that data and create a digital health report (the Gut Score), personalized food plan, and customized probiotics to treat the root cause of your symptoms.
The gut test itself is very simple, but also a very comprehensive test. If you follow through with Ombre's gut microbiome testing kit, you'll be able to get detailed insights into your gut health and even more insights with their unique technology.
Pricing
Let's take a deeper look into the costs and pricing of Ombre's gut test plus what you get with each pricing tier:
| Product | Price |
|---|---|
| Gut Health Test | $99 with our link / Only $24.75 per month with VIABILL |
| Healthy Gut Supplement | $39 |
| Endless Energy Supplement | $39 |
| Metabolic Booster | $39 |
| Rise | $49 |
How It Works
The process is super simple and it all starts with purchasing a gut test from their product page.
Step 1: Purchase one of the three gut test options
During the ordering process, you'll also create your own personal and secure account in your Ombre dashboard. This account will come in handy in step 3.
Step 2: Receive your gut test and take a stool sample, mail it back.
They give you a scientific container (all super professional) where you take a poop at the convenience of your home, put it in the container and send it back to Ombre's ISO-certified lab .
From here Ombre will get to work, as they use next-generation DNA sequencing to dial in your problem areas all the way down to a molecular level.
Step 3: Get your test results back and see your gut health score
Remember when you created an account in step 1? Well, now it comes in handy. Once you login, you'll have a score that shows your gut bacteria. That may sound simple, but in reality you can access thousands of bacterial species and how they affect your body. You'll also get personalized recommendations to improve your health and wellness.
I've been seeing a ton of sources out on the internet that discredits Ombre's gut health tests' sophistication, so I wanted to show you other insights you can receive from their technology.
Explore more insights like:
- Your microbiome
- Food intolerance
- Intestinal permeability
- Metabolism
- Sleep hormones
- Cardiovascular health
- Vitamin production
- Family tree
- Autoimmunity
- Trends
- Inflammation
Sample Report / Test Results
There have been over 100,000+ tests. That's a lot of data! Let's take a look at what some of the users get back (images below) so you get a good idea of what you can expect after the microbiome testing has been completed.
Top Benefits That Are Clinically Proven
- Cut bloating, constipation, and diarrhea for a super calm stomach
- Fight fatigue
- Reduce inflammation – When you choose Ombre, you'll get recommended foods that have been scientifically proven to reduce inflammation.
- Remove brain fog and find mental clarity – A clear gut is a clear mind.
- Improved immune system
Perks going with Ombre gut microbiome testing
- Two week turnaround time (better than waiting up to weeks with viome)
- All done at home, where you're comfortable
- Customized probiotic supplements so you can replenish the good bacteria
- Personalized dietary recommendations
- Ombre's testing service has conducted thousands of gut tests, you can trust this brand
Overview of Viome Gut Health Test
Just like Ombre, VIOME is also on a mission to reverse chronic disease by decoding individual's biology starting right at the gut microbiome. Millions of people are suffering from IBS, anxiety, depression obesity, diabetes and much more. VIOME's using science to help people find out exactly what's going on in their bodies in an effort to live a healthier life.
VIOME focuses on analyzing mRNA. The definition of mRNA can be found on the National Human Genome Research Institute (learn more here). The reason why they analyze mRNA is to see how diet, stress, disease, exercise or pathogens may be affecting you.
VIOME compares favorably to Ombre in how it tests your gut – they both use stool samples (also known as a fecal sample). The only thing that's different, is that VIOME also takes a sample of your blood.
The process is fairly simple, which we'll get to in the how it works section, but first let's take a look at their pricing and plans structure:
Plans and Pricing
Tests
| Product | Price | Includes personalized supplement and food plan that can support: |
|---|---|---|
| Viome's Gut Intelligence Test | -gut microbiome health | |
| Health Intelligence Test with Gut Intelligence by Viome | -gut microbiome health -immune health -cellular health -stress response health -biological age -mitochondrial health |
Test + Supplement Plans
| Product | Price | Includes |
|---|---|---|
| Precision Probiotics + Prebiotics with Viome's Gut Intelligence Test | $59.95 per month with our link | -1 gut intelligence test per year -30 day supply of prebiotics and probiotics delivered every month |
| Precision Supplements Complete | $199 per month with out link (most popular) | -2 health and gut intelligence tests per year delivered every 6 months -30 day supply of your personalized vitamins, minerals, herbs, amino acids and food extracts delivered every month -30 day supply of your personalized prebiotics and probiotics, delivered every month |
How It Works
The first thing you need to know is that Viome analyzes your stool and blood sample to get detailed insights on your gut health, all in an effort for you to live a healthier life.
Step 1: Decode
Once you order your microbiome test, you'll receive the box that comes with a return label and sample containers. The directions are easy to follow as you will give your blood and stool samples so the team at VIOME can test it and then give you some actionable insights.
Step 2: Activate
You'll use your login credentials to get in the app, which will have your digital score and personalized supplement plus food plan all laid out for you. Here, you are able to shop plans, such as prebiotics and probiotics so you can take action on improving your gut health.
Step 3: Optimize
The last step is critical as you'll need to put in the work. The testing results came back and your personalized food and supplement plan is ready to go. All that's left is you sticking to the plan and follow it.
Sample Report / Test Results
According to Viome's website, there are over 250,000 others who used their health intelligence test, which means they have crazy amounts of data. Of that large sample size, there have been some really positive results. VIOME's customers have reported improvements in:
- Stomach pain and occasional bloating
- Hard time losing weight
- Low energy / fatigue
- Poor digestion
- Join discomfort
- Anxiety and depression
- Immune system
Top Benefits from Viome tests
By analyzing the genes in your body, VIOME can identify internal and external factors that may be affecting you. Then, you'll have actionable insights and steps to take so you can take care of your gut problems, whether it's leaky gut syndrome or something completely different.
Perks going with VIOME
- Fast turnaround time (not as fast as Ombre, however)
- analyze mRNA
- over 250,000+ customers (lots of data and fine tuning the process)
- customer support team that cares
- Personalized prebiotic and probiotic plans, along with food plans
Which is better: Ombre or viome?
If you're looking for a simple solution to test your gut microbiome, get accurate results and a personalized food and supplement plan to get a healthier gut, then Ombre is better than VIOME. On the other hand, if you are wanting a more complex, detailed report in your testing results based on mRNA data, then VIOME is the superior microbiome test kit for you.
There are other microbiome testing kits in the market and they are all worthy of noting because you could be attracted to one over the other. BIOHM has been around for a long time and they are very similar to Ombre and viome. Floré is fairly new, but is worthy of noting and have been featured in our best gut microbiome tests list. BIOHM has been a leader in this field for quite some time. And, lastly, we can also recommend Thorne, similar to Flore in terms of being a newer brand on the block.
Why Take a Gut Health Test?
Poor gut health can result in some serious health conditions. And, if you're experiencing common symptoms, you can learn a lot about why those symptoms are happening, plus you can get a detailed report on how to get healthier. Science has come a long way and in order to optimize our overall wellness, we should all take advantage of it.
Others can go through with brands like VIOME or Ombre for peace of mind. Just taking a test to see if you're healthy and doing the right things can be beneficial. In addition, you can always re-optimize your health and get better.
Common Symptoms of an Unhealthy Gut
Take a look at the common symptoms below, based on scientific research. And, if you're experiencing any of these, you may want to invest in one of these brands' kits.
- Chronic bloating
- diarrhea
- gassiness
- constipation
- GI disorder
- IBS
- Skin irritation
- Sleep problems
- Weight gain or weight loss without even trying
- Sugar cravings
- Increased stress and anxiety
How Do At-Home Gut Health Tests Work?
In essence, gut health tests (some call it at home microbiome tests) are super simple for the person getting tested. For the telehealth company (in this case viome or Ombre), their process is pretty easy on the surface as well. Let's take a look at how a gut test process would work:
First, you'll order your kit from a reputable brand. During this process you'll create an account. Here you can choose whether or not to get a personalized food and supplement plan that could help you improve your gut health.
Next, you'll receive your kit in the mail along with clear directions on what to do. Sometimes you'll have to take a blood sample, but most of these tests you'll use a stool sample. Send the microbiome test back to the company, which will go directly to their certified lab.
Lastly, the company will alert you when your results are in. Results are digital and you can login to your account and can be accessed through your dashboard. Here, you can view your score and your personalized plan for nutrition and supplements (probiotics, some brands use prebiotics, too).
Isn't There Good and Bad Gut Bacteria?
Yes, there is such a thing called healthy gut bacteria and bad bacteria. Good bacteria have health maintenance effects such as helping digestion and absorption, plus stimulating immunity. Examples of good bacteria are lactic acid and bifidobacteria.
Bad bacteria, on the other hand, have unfavorable effects on the body. Examples include Clostridium perfringens, E. coli, and Staphylococcus.
Is a Gut Microbiome Test The Same As Food Sensitivity Tests?
The fact is that gut microbiome tests are completely different than food sensitivity tests. A gut microbiome test analyzes poop to target good and bad bacteria. Most microbiome testing kits can then give you a good idea of where your gut health is, and what to do to become healthier. A food sensitivity test takes blood samples and tests for foods that may be causing serious health conditions.
The Gut-Wrenching Decision: Choose viome or Ombre?
It's not easing choosing between viome or Ombre. However, it's nice knowing that both brands are very transparent and offer excellent experiences for their customers. Both gut health tests provide detailed feedback along with personalized plans for food and supplements to optimize your overall health.
Our Recommendation
Ombre is a great option for those looking to keep it simple and test bacteria in their gut, plus it only costs $99 to get started. Sometimes, simple is better and overcomplicating things can overwhelm you. On the flip side, if you're looking to test more than just bacteria, then VIOME is the better choice for you as you can see if other factors are causing gut problems through analyzing mRNA. So, if you think other factors, such as stress, diet, exercise or pathogens may be affecting you, then VIOME is for you. If not, then keep it simple and go Ombre.
Tips for a Healthy Gut From Our RD
Your gut health is vitally important and plays a key role in our overall wellness. Remember that gut microbiomes promote a plethora of healthy body processes – from infancy to adulthood. Pay attention to nutrition and they types of foods you eat, as this is a major factor in turning around
If you decide one of these at home microbiome tests are a good fit for you, here are some tips for success:
- be patient with the shipping and gut tests results!
- if you go with the personalized food and probiotics plan, commit to doing exactly what the experts tell you!
- be cognizant of what you're eating, always improve your diet!
- as always, trust your gut (or in this case, your gut microbiome)!
