About the test
Depression test (PHQ-9)
The PHQ-9 is the most widely used questionnaire for depression symptoms. It asks how often nine common symptoms have bothered you over the past two weeks and adds them up to a score from 0 to 27. Our free version uses the official wording and shows your result right away, but it is a screening tool, not a diagnosis.
Questionnaire / instrument: PHQ-9
The test at a glance
- Price
- Free, including your results
- Registration
- No account required
- Length
- 9 questions
- Time
- About 2 minutes
- Format
- Self-report · four response options
- Your report
- Total 0–27 · five severity levels
The nine symptoms
Each question covers one of the nine symptoms used in the diagnostic criteria for depression. Your report shows them under these names:
Interest or pleasure
Having little interest in or pleasure from doing things. One of the two core symptoms.
Mood
Feeling down, depressed or hopeless. The other core symptom.
Sleep
Trouble falling or staying asleep, or sleeping too much.
Energy
Feeling tired or having little energy.
Appetite
Poor appetite or overeating.
Self-worth
Feeling bad about yourself, feeling like a failure or feeling that you have let yourself or your family down.
Concentration
Trouble concentrating on things such as reading or watching television.
Restlessness or slowing
Moving or speaking so slowly that others could notice, or the opposite: being so fidgety or restless that you move around much more than usual.
Thoughts of death or self-harm
Thoughts that you would be better off dead or of hurting yourself. Any answer other than “Not at all” shows a separate box with advice on getting help, whatever your total score.
What your results show
Your result is calculated as soon as you answer the last question. You can preview an example report before taking the test.
- Your total from 0 to 27, placed on the five severity levels from minimal to severe, with a marker for the usual cut-off of 10.
- A symptom profile showing how often each of the nine symptoms bothered you, and how many were present on more than half the days, including whether a core symptom is among them.
- If you answered above “Not at all” on the question about death or self-harm, a separate box encouraging you to get help.
- A comparison with earlier PHQ-9 results saved in the same browser, where a change of 5 points or more is considered meaningful.
- Facts about depression, what helps, what you can do next and an optional calendar reminder to take the test again in two weeks.
What does it measure?
The frequency of nine depressive symptoms over the past two weeks, including low mood, reduced interest, changes in sleep or appetite, low energy and difficulty concentrating.
Where does it come from?
The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) was developed by Kurt Kroenke, Robert Spitzer and Janet Williams. Its validation was published in 2001; development was supported by Pfizer.
How is the result calculated?
Answers contribute 0–3 points each, for a total of 0–27. The usual severity bands are 0–4 minimal, 5–9 mild, 10–14 moderate, 15–19 moderately severe and 20–27 severe; 10 or more is the usual point for a closer look. The report also counts the symptoms you reported on more than half the days. We use the nine scored items and omit the separate daily-life difficulty question.
What can the result tell you?
The total describes symptom burden, not a diagnosis or its cause. The self-harm item is considered separately in our feedback regardless of the total score. Persistent symptoms or concerns deserve assessment even if the total is low.
Languages and adaptations
We use the source’s official question translations where available. If the questionnaire is unavailable in the selected language, it is shown in English. Our result explanations are separate from the original instrument.
Frequently asked questions
Is the depression test free?
Yes. You can answer the questions and read the full result without paying or creating an account.
Can this test tell me whether I have depression?
No. The PHQ-9 measures how much symptoms have bothered you over the past two weeks. A diagnosis needs an assessment by a health professional, who also looks at how long the symptoms have lasted, how they affect your life and whether something else explains them, such as stress, grief, lack of sleep, physical illness or medication.
What do the PHQ-9 scores mean?
The total runs from 0 to 27. Scores of 0–4 count as minimal symptoms, 5–9 as mild, 10–14 as moderate, 15–19 as moderately severe and 20–27 as severe. A score of 10 or more is the usual point where a closer look by a doctor or psychologist is recommended. Persistent symptoms deserve attention even if your score is lower.
How accurate is the PHQ-9?
In the original validation study in primary care and obstetrics clinics, a score of 10 or more identified major depression with about 88% sensitivity and 88% specificity. That means it misses some people with depression and flags some who do not have it. Results from clinics do not transfer directly to people taking a test online, so treat your score as a signal, not a verdict.
What should I do if I have thoughts of suicide or self-harm?
Seek help immediately. Contact emergency services, your doctor or a crisis line, or tell someone you trust. Thoughts like these are more common than many people think, and they can be talked about. Your result page shows a separate box with advice whenever this question is answered with anything other than “Not at all”.
How is it different from the anxiety and burnout tests?
The PHQ-9 asks about depression symptoms such as low mood and loss of interest. The anxiety test (GAD-7) asks about worry and nervousness, and the burnout test (CBI) about exhaustion in daily life and at work. The conditions often overlap, so taking more than one can give a fuller picture, but none of them is a diagnosis.
Why take the test again after two weeks?
The PHQ-9 is also used to follow changes over time, and clinicians often repeat it every two weeks. Results you take in the same browser are compared on the result page, and a change of 5 points or more is considered meaningful. You can add a reminder to your calendar from the result page.
License and reuse
PHQ Screeners / PfizerThe PHQ and GAD-7 materials are distributed with permission to reproduce, translate, display and distribute them without a separate permission request. The original forms credit their developers and Pfizer’s educational support.
The terms below apply to the test materials. Articles, translations, software and our result descriptions may have separate terms.
Sources and further reading
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.