Originally Posted by gnomey

covid tests are pretty much free at all the 3 major pharmacy retail chains here - cvs, wg, ra.
if it's just the usual swabbing at 72h before first departure leg, generally it's ok to rely on them.

the only time i think it's justified to shell out $300-400 for a same-day test, is when you 1) take a >24h multi leg flight and 2) still need to show a negative covid test result 72h prior to entering a destination country.
this usually involves flying half way across the globe or from northern to southern hemisphere
there is a great distinction between showing a test result for a swab that is taken 72h before your first departure leg versus 72h prior to entering a country, especially if you want to be assured that the test result can still be valid if subsequent legs of flights got delayed or cancelled.

always ask for a sample of the test report days or weeks before scheduling an appointment.
you can then check that the test report will fulfill what the destination country needs, and if they dont, confirm with the clinic / lab that they are willing to customize the test report for you before you commit $$$ and time to them.
my experience after calling a few places is that it usually cost $150 and upwards.
those places that cost $100 or under are usually not willing to do customization for you

hope that helps