Free Online Test
Free Depression Test (PHQ-9)
This free depression test is the PHQ-9, a nine-question screener widely used in medical and mental health settings to measure depression severity over the past two weeks. It takes about two minutes, scores from 0 to 27, and gives you an instant result with a plain-language explanation. It is a screening tool, not a diagnosis.
- Questions
- 9
- Time
- ~2 min
- Instrument
- PHQ-9
- Cost
- Free
Anonymous and scored entirely in your browser. Nothing you enter is sent to us, saved, or stored anywhere. No email or sign-up required.
What this measures
Depression severity over the last two weeks. Time frame: over the last 2 weeks.
This is a screening tool, not a diagnosis. It can tell you how your answers compare to established ranges. It cannot tell you what is causing them, whether something else explains them, or what you should do next. Only a licensed clinician can do that, in a conversation.
Please check the box above to continue.
0 of 9 answered
Over the last 2 weeks
Over the last 2 weeks, how often have you been bothered by any of the following problems?
Answer every question to see your result.
Your result
0
out of 0-27
A score of 10 or higher is the point at which clinicians typically look more closely. It is not a diagnosis.
What this result is not
This is a screening score, not a diagnosis, and not medical advice. It reflects how you answered today. It cannot account for your history, your circumstances, a medical condition, a medication, or anything else that might explain these answers. If the result matches what you have been experiencing, the useful next step is a conversation with a licensed professional - not a second test.
Your score is not saved. Leaving or refreshing this page clears it.
About the PHQ-9
The PHQ-9 is one of the most widely used depression screeners in the world. It appears in primary care offices, hospitals, and therapy practices, and it maps directly onto the nine symptoms clinicians look at when assessing depression.
Each of the nine questions asks how often a symptom bothered you over the past two weeks. Answers score 0 to 3, so the total ranges from 0 to 27. Higher totals indicate more symptoms, and the score bands give a general sense of severity.
A screener measures symptoms at one moment in time. It cannot account for context - a recent loss, a medical condition, a medication, a stretch of bad sleep - all of which can move the number. That context is exactly what a conversation with a professional adds.
At MindView Therapy, we use the PHQ-9 as part of ongoing care, not just at intake. Repeating the same measure over time is how you see whether things are actually moving, rather than guessing.
Depression Test questions
Is this depression test accurate?
The PHQ-9 is a well-validated screening instrument with strong research support, and this is the standard nine-item version with standard scoring. Accuracy has limits, though: it reflects how you answered on one day, and it screens rather than diagnoses. A diagnosis requires a clinical evaluation that considers your history, context, and other possible explanations for the symptoms.
What is a normal score on the PHQ-9?
Scores of 0 to 4 are considered minimal. Scores of 5 to 9 suggest mild symptoms, 10 to 14 moderate, 15 to 19 moderately severe, and 20 to 27 severe. A score of 10 or higher is the common threshold at which clinicians look more closely.
Is this depression test free and anonymous?
Yes. It is completely free, requires no email or sign-up, and your answers never leave your device. The test is scored in your browser and nothing is transmitted, saved, or stored by us.
Can this test diagnose depression?
No. No online test can diagnose depression. The PHQ-9 measures symptom severity and flags whether a fuller evaluation makes sense. Only a licensed clinician can diagnose, and they do it through a conversation, not a questionnaire alone.
How we treat depressionWhat should I do with my score?
Treat it as information, not a verdict. If the score is moderate or higher, or if it simply matches what you have been feeling, that is a reasonable reason to talk to a therapist or your doctor. You can bring the score with you - clinicians read the PHQ-9 routinely.
How often can I take it?
The PHQ-9 asks about the last two weeks, so retaking it more often than every couple of weeks will not tell you much. Many people find it useful to repeat it monthly to see whether the number is moving.
Other free tests
- Anxiety TestGAD-7 · 7 questions
- Wellbeing TestWHO-5 · 5 questions
- Functioning TestWSAS · 5 questions
- Insomnia TestPROMIS Sleep Disturbance 8a · 8 questions
If this is something you are dealing with, here is how we treat it: Depression.
Instrument and attribution
PHQ-9 developed by Drs. Robert L. Spitzer, Janet B.W. Williams, Kurt Kroenke and colleagues, with an educational grant from Pfizer Inc. No permission required to reproduce, translate, display or distribute.
- Kroenke, K., Spitzer, R. L., & Williams, J. B. W. (2001). The PHQ-9: Validity of a brief depression severity measure. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 16(9), 606-613.
Reviewed by the MindView Therapy Team · July 30, 2026
A score is a starting point, not an answer
If something on this page matched what you have been feeling, talk it through with a licensed therapist. We respond within one business day.