Best Ancestry DNA Tests
DNA ancestry tests can uncover information about one’s lineage and ethnic roots. A spit or a swab of your inner cheek can establish your family tree, find contemporary relatives, place of origin, etc.
However, if you are looking forward to getting tested but don’t know which ancestry DNA test is best, then look no further. In this article, we will review the top-rated DNA testing services to help you find the best ancestry DNA test for yourself.
Best DNA Ancestry Test Comparison Chart
If you want to know which ancestry DNA test is best with a quick comparison, you can look at the chart below.
| DNA Ancestry Testing Services |  |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Who is this Test for? | Best all-around test, good interface with ancestry and health reports. | Best for people who want to get tests that provide them information about a specific area they really want to learn about (such as family trees, maternal and paternal lineage) | Affordable testing service that only offers one testing plan that you can choose to learn about your family background. | Best for Finding Ancestors and is also one of the cheapest on the market. |
| Main Purpose | Medical, Genealogical, Personal Ancestry | Genealogical, Personal Ancestry (autosomal) | Genealogical, Personal Ancestry (autosomal) | Genealogical, Personal Ancestry (autosomal) |
| Prices | $99 for the Ancestry and Traits service $199 for the Health and Ancestry service- $499 for the VIP Health and Ancestry service. | Lifetime platform costs $79 | Ancestry test: $69 Ancestry and health test: $199 | Costs $69 |
| Medically related SNP data included | Yes | Yes (not: 3000 medically related SNPs have been removed.) | Yes | Yes |
| Biogeographical Ancestry Analysis | Yes, using Ancestry composition feature | Yes, using MyOrigin Features | Yes, the ethnicity estimate feature. | Yes, the ethnicity estimate feature. |
| DNA sample storage | Yes | Yes (they may store for 25 years) | Yes | Yes |
| Method for collecting a DNA sample | Saliva sample (About 1cc) | Cheek swab | Cheek swab | Saliva sample |
| See Full Review | 23andMe Review | FTDNA Review | MyHeritage Review | Ancestry DNA Review |
Should I get a DNA Test?
If you want to learn about your lineage, family background, and hidden family connections, then you should get the best DNA ancestry test.
Even though DNA tests give a rough estimate about your place of origin and ethnicity – they will provide you with a crisper idea about your family background and origin.
Before you get yourself tested, you must understand how your data will be stored and shared. It’s essential to read privacy policies before you make a well-informed decision.
Our Reviews of the Best DNA Test Kits
In this article, we listed the best ancestry DNA test services to save your time.
AncestryDNA Review – The Best DNA Ancestry Test!
Pros
- Construct an accurate family tree.
- Your DNA can be matched with 1000 global ethnic regions.
- Has a long, devoted history of helping customers build family trees.
Cons
- Neither of the packages is cheap.
- Heritage tests may be less precise for Non-European people.
- Other health testing options are better.
- Cannot track maternal and paternal heritage independently.
What’s Unique About This Service?
The renowned company named AncestryDNA stands out as the best ancestry DNA test kit. The main benefit we wanted to highlight in our AncestryDNA Review is that it presents test results in a clearer manner than other services.
The ancestry information the company gives you contains a useful historical context that gives an insight into your family history and helps you with your genealogy. As DNA analysis is backed with solid information, you will never have any doubts about your lineage and ancestors.
User Interface
The AncestryDNA tests are gender-neutral– both men and women can take the test and are tested in the same way for the same number of markers. Plus, both of them are provided with the same level of detail in the results.
The company offers an enhanced DNA matching tool. Unlike the Y-chromosome or mitochondrial DNA tests, AncestryDNA tests a broader range of your DNA. This helps to identify matches throughout your entire family tree—along both your paternal and maternal sides.
As compared to the Y and mtDNA tests, which have a 10,000 to 50,000 year time focus. The information they provide is more relevant and recent—regarding your family history a few hundred or thousand years ago,
Ethnicity Calculation
Since all the DNA testing services provide broadly similar results for the ethnic origins of our panel of testers, AncestryDNA’s thorough reports and interface gave it a clear advantage.
Usually, all the DNA services present you with broadly similar results about your ethnic origins. However, AncestryDNA provides test-takers with thorough, detailed reports that give it a clear advantage.
Finding Relatives
The company has a DNA database of more than 18 million customers that makes finding relative easy. Owning a vast database increases the odds of successful matches, and you have a greater chance of discovering hidden family connections.
The one must-mentioned drawback in our AncestryDNA review is that it can’t trace your ancient migration path out of Africa. Thus, you may have to face a few difficulties while tracking your place of origin.
Our review of Ancestry DNA kits gets better when we talk about privacy. Like 23andMe, Ancestry also carries out biomedical research with both for-profit and nonprofit groups. However, it shares anonymized data after taking explicit consent from the consumer.
After a thorough review of Ancestry DNA kits, we have concluded that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. You can establish your family tree and have a complete analysis of your family history.
Packages And Pricing
| Ancestry Reports | Ancestry DNA | DNA + Family Tree Bundle | Ancestry DNA Traits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $99 (plus shipping) | $100 (plus shipping) | $119 (plus shipping) |
| Purpose | This can help you learn about your family background, ethnic origins and reconnect with unknown relatives. | This bundle will provide information about your ancestry, map your family tree and family story and revive lost connections with relatives. | Premium package for people who want to learn about their traits and how their genes can influence them. If you want to know about fitness and nutrient traits then you should get this test. |
| Full ancestry reports – precise ancestry breakdown percentages are available. It comes with detailed reports, maternal and paternal haplogroups. | Available | Available | Not Available |
| Family matching – this is optional. This feature can help you connect with and discover relatives. | Available | Available | Not Available |
| Well-being reports – provides actionable insights for Vitamin D levels, muscle strength, lactose sensitivity, endurance, and flexibility response | Not Available | Not Available | Available |
23andMe Review – Our Second Choice
23andMe is an FDA-approved testing service that is also known as the best risk screener for diseases. After a full 23andMe review of its testing methods, we can confidently conclude that the sample collection procedure is completely safe and non-invasive.
One similarity 23andMe has with AncestryDNA is that it offers the same type of ethnicity estimates (and presents the same privacy concerns) at the same price.
Pros
- Assesses genetic risk for some health conditions.
- User friendly reports and interface.
- Gives broad ancestry composition
- Allows you to find potential genetic relatives
Cons
- Doesn’t feature family trees in the database.
- No raw genetic data uploading.
- Lack of personalized recommendations.
- Experienced a data breach before.
Finding Relatives
The testing service has a database of 12 million customers (a smaller database than AncestryDNA) which reduces the chances of connecting with unknown family members. The low accuracy of finding your relatives negatively impacted our review of the 23andMe DNA test.
Using the Service
Another advantage we wanted to mention in our 23andMe review is the user-friendly website design makes navigation and analysis of myriad charts, reports, and documents much easier than on competitor’s websites.
Uncover Migration Paths
The must-mention in our review of the 23andMe DNA test is that it provides migration paths of both maternal and paternal lines independently. But, this service is only available for male testers.
Why Does This Service Provide Migration Paths To Male Testers Only?
23andMe uses the same genotyping technology for both women and men. It provides results that are based on the DNA they inherited from both parents. But as the haplogroup assignment is traced through the Y-chromosome DNA (women don’t possess) the service is only available for males.
Health Results
If you are seeking potential health indicators in your DNA, then 23andMe testing kits are the best as they make you aware of genetic health risks. In addition to that, they also provide detailed pharmacogenetic reports and even tell if you or any other member of your family are carriers of a disease or genetic disorder.
Privacy and Security
This company also monetizes your anonymized medical data after taking your consent. However, you must note that 23andMe does not reveal the name or any other sensitive information about the tester to anyone.
23andMe partners with GlaxoSmithKline and uses user data to study different health conditions or genetic disorders to learn more about them. This information can help researchers create an effective cure to counter the disease or disorder.
This also means that you will continue to get more insights from your test in the future. As more studies are conducted and more is learned about our genes this will be added to your account so you will get more information in the future as scientists learn more about our genes.
Packages And Pricing
| 23andMe Reports | Ancestry + Traits Service | Health + Ancestry Service |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $99 (plus shipping) | $119 (plus shipping) |
| Purpose | Best for people who want to learn about their family background, ethnic origins and reconnect with unknown relatives. | Suitable for those who want to learn about their ancestry and uncover unknown relatives. In addition, you can also get this test to check if you have any underlying health conditions. |
| Full Ancestry Reports – it comes with 50+ reports that include: ancestry composition, ancestry detail reports, maternal and paternal haplogroups, and Neanderthal Ancestry., | Available | Available |
| DNA Relative Finder – you can use this tool to connect with relatives. | Available | Available |
| Family Tree Building | Available | Available |
| Health Predisposition Reports – you can get 10+ reports including BRCA1/BRCA2 (Selected Variants), Late-Onset Alzheimer’s Disease, Type 2 Diabetes | Not Available | Available |
| Carrier Status Reports – helps you to check what health conditions your relatives are potential carriers of. It includes 40+ reports including Cystic Fibrosis, Sickle Cell Anemia, Hereditary Hearing Loss, etc. | Not Available | Available |
| Wellness Reports – this service provides you with 5+ reports that can give you an overview of your health. From lactose intolerance to genetic weight, these reports cover each and every detail about your health. | Not Available | Available |
Family Tree DNA Review – Best Alternative Testing Service
We wanted to highlight in our review of FamilyTreeDNA that the ethnicity estimates were broadly similar to those from AncestryDNA and 23andMe. However, the service provides the most comprehensive suite of testing options as it carries out separate tests to help find your family, and provide information on your paternal/maternal lineage.
Pros
- You can test your Y-DNA, mtDNA, and Autosomal DNA.
- Store sample for 25 year so that you can get additional tests. (Unless you opt out)
Cons
- All tests are carried out separately.
- May grant data access to police.
Family Tree Discovery
The lineage tests examine all regions of your mitochondria to identify your specific haplogroup and reveal connections to early human migrations.
Finding Relatives
advantage of the family ancestry test this service offers.
Our review of FamilyTreeDNA on their testing methods is great! The company’s à la carte approach (which would help reveal information about a specific area) quickly adds up.
Cost
Though, one poor aspect we wanted to highlight in the Family Tree DNA review is regarding the expenditure. You will spend more than three times what you would with AncestryDNA or 23andMe.
Privacy and Security
Our Family Tree DNA review regarding privacy and security is not that good as it is the only testing service that voluntarily provides law enforcement agencies with access to customer data.
People who are not comfortable sharing their data with any law enforcement agencies should not get this test. However, if you really want to get tested – you can try 23andMe and AncestryDNA.
Packages and Pricing
Single Tests
| FamilyTreeDNA Reports | Family Finder | Maternal Ancestry Test | Paternal Ancestry Test |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $79 | $159 | $119 to $449 |
| Types of Tests | Autosomal DNA Test | MtFull Sequence Test | Y-37, Y-111, Big Y-700 |
| Purpose | You can explore the percentage breakdown origins and connect with relatives all across the globe – select this option! | This service gets all regions of mitochondrial DNA tested. This test also identifies haplogroup and migration paths. Moreover, you can also get refined DNA matches on your maternal line. | Provides information on STRs and provides advanced Y-DNA tests to expert users. You can also identify haplogroups and learn about your paternal ancestry. |
Bundled Tests
| FamilyTreeDNA Reports | Family Finder + Y37 | Family Finder + mtFull Sequence | Family Finder + Y-111+mtFull Sequence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $189 | $229 | $469 |
| Types of Tests | Autosomal DNA Test and Y-37 | Autosomal DNA Test and mtFull Sequence Test | Autosomal DNA Test, Y-111, and mtFull Sequence Test |
| Purpose | You can get information on your lineage and origins with data about your paternal ancestry if you choose this bundle | If you want extra information on your maternal lineage as well as learn about your ancestry and connect with relatives – you should purchase this service. | This package will provide you with an insight into your maternal, paternal ancestry and will help you learn about your ethnic origins and find unknown relatives. |
MyHeritage DNA Review – Best Affordable Testing Service
MyHeritage DNA is one of the largest genealogy sites and over 100 million people use this ancestry service. This company only offers autosomal testing to its consumers.
Pros
- Comes with family tree software.
- Reports available in more than 40 languages.
- Wide international reach
Cons
- Collection process is tricky.
- Provides no context to your results.
Finding Relatives
This is most useful for connecting you with close relatives and exploring your ethnic heritage. The downside about this service is that it doesn’t offer a large range of pricing plans and testing options to choose from.
The best thing we wanted to talk about in the MyHeritage DNA review is that you can build your family tree even if you are on a tight budget. Another benefit that you can gain from this service is that you can get results quicker too.
However, after a complete MyHeritage DNA review, we think that this service is not suitable for people who wish to do hardcore research or get health-related genetic information because it doesn’t offer that service.
Privacy and Security
In 2018, MyHeritage experienced a security breach that exposed email addresses and hashed passwords of more than 92 million users.
They offer consumers the right to give their consent if they want to share anonymized (non-identifying) information for scientific research.
Like all other companies, every consumer has an anonymous ID number. Test lab technicians never have access to your name. MyHeritage gives consumers the chance to decide whether or not they want to share their information.
Package And Pricing
MyHeritage DNA only offers a package (costs $79) that includes an autosomal test. It can help map your family tree, connect with relatives and gain information about your ethnicity.
This test is one of the most affordable offers that you will ever find on the market and what’s best is that it frequently has a sale on it.
DNA Test Privacy And Security
Many privacy experts claimed that the Genetic Information Non-discrimination Act (also known as GINA) narrowly focuses on banning employers and insurance companies from accessing private information. Many testing services reassure the test-taker that the company protects their data and test-takers maintain ownership over it.
The question is: Why does strict legislation like that still haunt people who got tested? DNA testing companies like FamilyTreeDNA may share your data with pharmaceutical companies or law enforcement agencies. However, not all companies are known for sharing your data with other companies and researchers.
Do DNA Testing Services Get Hacked?
Yes, DNA testing services are a regular target for hackers. Recently, 92 million accounts were hacked from the genealogy testing service at MyHeritage.
Do Ancestry DNA Testing Companies Share Your Data?
Despite the controversies and speculations, all of these companies reassure customers that they will not share your data without their consent.
23andMe offers consumers the choice of opting into research for academic, nonprofit, and industry organizations. This way, you can ensure your privacy towards your data.
AncestryDNA testing service also takes consent from the test-taker. After doing so, they share anonymized data – excluding personal/sensitive details – with other researchers.
Both AncestryDNA and 23andMe do not share user data with law enforcement agencies or pharmaceutical companies.
What You Can/Cannot Find From A DNA Test?
DNA Tests Can Reveal Your Family Tree
DNA tests build a detailed family tree and provide valuable information about your ancestry.
Melvin J.Collier, a genealogical researcher and author of the Mississippi to Africa: A Journey Of Discovery, said that: “I have utilized autosomal DNA tests to find long-lost branches of my family tree that my family and I were totally unaware of and likely would have never been found had it not been for DNA.”
But Collier isn’t the only one who found out about unknown connections with people. Many people who got tested were able to find their families and connect with relatives they never knew.
You can’t build a Complete Family Tree just with a DNA Test
Judy Russell, genealogy lecturer and author of the blog The Legal Genealogist, said that: “DNA works hand-in-hand with paper trail documentation … It’s something you do with, not instead of, regular [genealogy] research. Except in very close relationships, DNA alone can’t provide the answer. It can tell you you’re related to someone, but DNA can’t distinguish between a first cousin, a half aunt or half-uncle, or a great-grandparent.”
Collier and other experts agree that DNA ancestry tests are just another tool under the genealogy belt. They may not be a great way to establish family relations as they can only tell you who you are related to – not if that person is your father, brother, cousin, etc.
Most genealogy experts stress that unearthing family history takes a lot of work. DNA tests can raise a lot of questions, as well as answer a few you always had in mind. To search for these answers, one must turn to family documents, public records, and interviews.
So Can An Ancestry DNA Test Find Relatives?
Yes, but most likely, it will take more work to piece together your family tree and find out how people are related to you.
Ancestry DNA Tests Can Also Give You Unexpected Results
Another genealogist, CeCe Moore – who worked as a consultant and producer on the PBS series Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. – said that anyone considering getting a DNA test must mentally prepare themselves for unexpected results.
DNA tests can identify your kin, and they can also tell you who you’re not related to. “We see it every single day,” Moore said. “Sometimes—as with adoptions for instance—our paper trail does not represent our true genetic heritage.”
Oftentimes when someone gets tested, you need to keep in mind that the results may contain information that you weren’t ready for.
DNA Ancestry Tests Can’t Tell You Everything About Race Or Ethnicity
It’s important to note that even though DNA tests are good at revealing your ancestry, they can only estimate your actual ethnicity. CeCe Moore added that “The continental predictions [as in] European versus African versus Asian are pretty solid.”
He further explained to the NYT WireCutter that: “There are two parts to the DNA tests offered by the major DNA testing companies that are relevant to genealogy.
- The DNA match lists of relatives and
- The admixture or ethnicity predictions
The latter should still be taken with a grain of salt and vetted using the former.”
This means that DNA can accurately tell you who you are related to, but the results it produces on your ethnicity are just rough estimates.
Errors in DNA Testing?
According to an anthropology professor at the University of North Carolina, Jonathan Marks – most customers are unaware that there is always a margin error with a few algorithmic estimates. “If [a service] tells me I’m 95 percent Ashkenazi Jewish and 5 percent Korean,” he asked, “Is that really different from 100 percent Ashkenazi Jewish and zero percent Korean?”
A small change in ethnicity percentages may be problematic and cause tension between families because questions arise, and members may start distrusting each other.
In addition to this, Lawrence Brody said that race and ethnicity are problematic terms to use because DNA tests only point at our biological ancestry.
The remarkable growth of the reference sample populations has allowed DNA testing companies to provide more precise geographical estimates. But science does not support people to turn these insights/rough estimates to factually correct notions about one’s ethnicity or racial identity.
Limits of Ancestry DNA Testing
The fact remains that 99.9% of the entire human genetic makeup is identical, and the remaining 0.1% is different. Around 85% of the distinctions are not related to the person’s ethnicity or race.
Before submitting a DNA sample to trace your ethnicity, keep in mind that only a small proportion of genes (0.015%) could possibly be different between human beings.
DNA can only position you in one of the branches of your family tree. It cannot give you precise results on your ancestors’ period, particular geographic area, or heritage.
“This is an issue we’ve been struggling with since the genome was sequenced. Race and ethnicity are really complicated issues and in some ways are outside of the genome,” Brody said while talking about a DNA analysis that gives an insight into ancestry from 10,000 years ago.
Conclusion
A DNA test is a door opening to learning about who they are, where they came from, and who they are related to. Experts greatly emphasize that extracting the most out of DNA testing takes a lot of work.
They also involve uncertainty, inherent risks, and breakthroughs that may come with unanticipated implications. Now that you know which ancestry DNA test is best, when are you getting tested?
