Fluorophores and DNA intercalators effect the rate of toehold-mediated strand displacement. Ethidium bromide had a destabilizing effect on mismatches that contained cytosine. A cationic fluorophore and Black Hole Quencher 1 strand displacement system was 2–3 times faster than a FRET system. This enabled SNP detection using toehold-mediated strand displacement in 15 min.