Not all biological age tests are built for daily life. Tally Health takes a different path, offering a cheek swab test focused on how your lifestyle, stress, and habits are aging you.
In this Tally Age test review, we cover what the test measures, how it works, and how it compares to the top biological age kits in 2025.
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Table of Contents
What is the Tally Age Test and how does it actually work?
Tally Health’s TallyAge test analyzes DNA methylation patterns from your cheek cells to estimate your biological age. It’s powered by a proprietary version of the CheekAge clock, trained on thousands of individuals and tuned to lifestyle factors.
Tally measures:
- Your biological age
- How habits like sleep, diet, stress, or alcohol affect aging
- How fast you’re aging relative to peers
- Changes over time with repeat testing
🧪 Sample Type: Cheek swab (buccal cells) — painless and easy
What do you get in the Tally report and platform?
You’ll see your TallyAge, habit-linked insights, and personalized tips, all shown clearly through a visual online dashboard. It’s designed for non-experts, so you can actually use what you learn.
- A clean digital report with your TallyAge
- Comparison to your real age and population norms
- Lifestyle-linked insights (sleep, alcohol, stress, activity)
- Personalized tips to improve your score
- Optional supplement bundles and habit guides
- Reminders to retest every 6 months
Is the Tally Age Test scientifically credible?
Yes, it’s built on a next-gen version of the CheekAge clock, using 200,000+ methylation sites. It focuses more on habit responsiveness than clinical diagnostics.
What’s different: this clock is designed to be more responsive to lifestyle interventions than older clocks like Horvath’s.
The test is:
- Linked to real-world health outcomes in public datasets
- Sensitive to sleep, BMI, alcohol, social connection, and stress
- Validated internally, though not yet widely peer-reviewed
- Designed for repeat use and habit-based optimization
It does not measure organ aging or telomeres, but it is ideal for habit tracking.
Why do some people prefer Tally over other aging tests?
It’s fast, painless, and gives lifestyle-linked feedback you can act on. Perfect for beginners or busy biohackers. If you want visible changes, not raw data, this is for you.
It is perfect for:
- People who want fast feedback on lifestyle changes
- Users who prefer a cheek swab over finger prick or saliva
- Wellness-focused individuals trying to stay youthful
- New biohackers looking for an easy entry point
- Busy people who want clear results, not complex reports
How to use the Tally Age test to improve your health?
- Order your kit and swab your cheek at home
- Receive your biological age and lifestyle scores
- Start applying recommendations (or use Tally’s supplement plan)
- Track your results with repeat testing every 6 months
- Adjust habits and watch your TallyAge shift over time
This is a long-term feedback tool, not a one-and-done test.
How does Tally compare to other biological age tests?
Tally is more about habit tracking, while others focus on organ aging, aging speed, or blood markers. It’s less scientific, but more practical for lifestyle tweaks.
🧬 Tally vs TruAge
TruAge gives deep organ aging and DunedinPACE scores using blood. Tally is quicker and lifestyle-focused, with no needles or lab-grade complexity.
đź’ˇ Tally vs Elysium Index
Elysium breaks aging into 9 systems using saliva. Tally gives one number but is more sensitive to habit changes and easier to retest.
🧠Tally vs NOVOS Age
NOVOS measures aging pace and telomeres via blood. Tally skips those but gives a more casual, habit-linked experience with cheek swab simplicity.
🧪 Tally vs GlycanAge
GlycanAge tracks immune aging via glycans. Tally focuses on how your full lifestyle is accelerating or slowing biological aging.
Pricing, availability, and platform details
đź’µ One-time test: $249
đź’Š Memberships: Available (includes supplements + retesting)
🏥 HSA/FSA Eligible: ❌ No (unless approved with LMN)
🌍 Ships to: US and selected international countries
📲 Mobile App: No dedicated app, but dashboard is mobile-friendly
Tally encourages testing every 6 months. They also offer bundles and subscription options for ongoing optimization.
Typical feedback from users and biohackers
🧠On Reddit:
- “So easy to use, I actually re-tested 6 months later.”
- “My sleep score sucked, fixed it, and my TallyAge dropped 4 years.”
- “No blood, no pain, just info I can actually use.”
đź’¬ On Quora:
- Often recommended as a beginner-friendly biohacking test
- Gets praise for visual simplicity and habit awareness
- Some say it’s perfect if you’re not a data geek but want results
FAQs
How long does it take to get results from the Tally Age test?
After mailing back your cheek swab, it typically takes 3 to 4 weeks to receive your results. You’ll get an email when your TallyAge report is ready, and you can view it through their secure online platform. The process is simple and fully at-home, making it one of the fastest biological age tests that doesn’t require lab visits.
Does the Tally test measure telomeres or DunedinPACE aging pace?
No, Tally Health does not provide telomere length or DunedinPACE scores. Instead, it focuses on a proprietary DNA methylation model designed to reflect lifestyle-linked biological aging. It’s ideal for tracking how daily habits, stress, diet, and social behavior affect your aging process over time.
Can I use the Tally Age test to monitor supplements, sleep, or fasting routines?
Yes, that’s one of the key reasons people use Tally. The test is designed to respond to lifestyle changes. Many users retest every 6 months to see how different interventions like NMN, sleep tracking, or dietary changes impact their biological age. The cheek swab method makes it easy to test regularly without discomfort.
Does Tally require a subscription, or can I do a one-time test?
You can purchase the TallyAge test as a one-time kit without subscribing. However, Tally also offers a membership plan that includes regular re-testing and access to their longevity supplements. The subscription is optional and designed for people who want to take a more structured approach to anti-aging and habit tracking.
How often should I retest my biological age with Tally?
Tally recommends retesting every 6 months. This gives your body enough time to reflect any lifestyle or supplement changes in your DNA methylation patterns. Since the test is non-invasive, it’s ideal for people who want to check their biological age multiple times per year without using blood or saliva.
Is the TallyAge test medical-grade or FDA approved?
Tally is not a diagnostic medical test and is not FDA-approved as a medical device. It is a wellness and longevity tool based on advanced epigenetic science. The goal is to help you track and optimize your biological age, not diagnose or treat disease. Always consult with a healthcare provider for medical conditions.
Is the cheek swab test easy to do at home?
Yes, the TallyAge test is designed for at-home use. The cheek swab takes just 1–2 minutes and comes with clear instructions. You don’t need to draw blood, spit in a tube, or visit a clinic. Once complete, you send it back using a prepaid envelope provided in the kit.
Can I follow Tally’s guidance without buying their supplements?
Yes. While Tally offers supplement bundles as part of their subscription, you can still access your biological age score and personalized lifestyle recommendations without purchasing supplements. Many users simply use the feedback to guide their own routines.
Written by the editorial team at Simply Anti-Aging.
Reviewed for accuracy and updated in July 2025.
