The vacation season is quick approaching, and in case you are searching for a singular present for somebody particular in your life, a DNA check could also be what you’re searching for. As a result of let’s be actual, who would not wish to uncover a possible royal bloodline or a long-lost brother?
DNA assessments have develop into extra broadly obtainable and reasonably priced lately. What was as soon as an intensive scientific course of can now be delivered straight to your door — for lower than $100 in some instances. Though these assessments have been first used as paternity assessments or to unravel crimes, the assessments can now enable you uncover your heritage, any well being dangers you may need down the road, and even relations you might not learn about.
So why not present the opportunity of revealing hidden histories and household secrets and techniques this vacation season? Or, in most individuals’s instances, get an excellent snicker, validation, or shock as you look by means of your outcomes.
So if you happen to’re looking for distinctive vacation items for these seeking to construct out their household tree or get a snapshot of their well being, we have rounded up the very best DNA check package choices obtainable. ZDNET’s choose for the very best DNA check is AncestryDNA, due to its value level, vary outcomes, and ease of use. However maintain studying to search out out extra about the remainder of our high picks.
Additionally: Before taking that DNA test: Six things you need to know
The very best DNA assessments of 2023
- Helps with household tree analysis
- Can obtain your uncooked DNA information to make use of with different websites
- Well being testing is not as complete
- Entry to Ancestry’s historic data prices additional
AncestryDNA features: Leads to 6-8 weeks | Join with DNA matches | Places and origins from over 1,500 areas
AncestryDNA is understood for serving to folks discover out the place they got here from, however it additionally provides an entire DNA check package that may help in your loved ones’s historic analysis. This DNA check package consists of details about your geographic origins throughout greater than 1,500 areas.
Suppose you are wanting into your loved ones’s historical past and hit a roadblock. In that case, your DNA outcomes might provide you with a clue as to the place else you may look additional to search out extra data, making AncestryDNA a wonderful possibility for these digging deep into their household’s historical past and origin. Whereas the corporate does supply well being testing, it isn’t as strong as rivals however will do the essential job.
- Gives ancestry studies and DNA relative finder
- Simple to grasp outcomes
- Your DNA goes right into a database with 5 million folks
- Costly relative to different testing kits
- No steerage on learn how to alleviate well being dangers if you happen to’re liable to them
23andMe features: 3-step check | Leads to 5-6 weeks | Eligible for FSA/HSA reimbursement
23andMe’s check kits may help you uncover how the sequences in your DNA may impression the way forward for your well being. The Well being and Ancestry package examines how your DNA may have an effect on your probabilities of creating sure well being situations, together with diabetes, atrial fibrillation, hypertension, migraines, Alzheimer’s illness, and extra.
The package also can take a look at your life-style components to find out the way forward for your well being with issues like lactose intolerance, muscle composition, caffeine consumption, and alcohol flush response. As well as, the corporate was the first DNA test kit approved by the Federal Drug Administration as a screener for potential ailments.
Editor’s be aware: In Dec. 2023, 23andMe reported a data breach impacting about half its buyer base — round 6.9 million individuals. ZDNET stays conscious of the privateness and safety issues surrounding this breach and is working to guage 23andMe’s standing on our greatest DNA assessments checklist to make a ultimate dedication of its standing and standing.
- 4 plans
- Entry to Group Tasks so you may additional your loved ones tree analysis
- Does DNA testing in-house
- Privateness phrases enable legislation enforcement to make use of their DNA information
FamilyTreeDNA features: Join with relations inside the previous 5 generations | Leads to 4-8 weeks | Pay as you go return transport label included
Whereas AncestryDNA is nice if you happen to’ve already delved into the world of your loved ones analysis, FamilyTreeDNA is a greater place to begin if you happen to’re simply constructing out your loved ones tree. Some options of this check embrace offering you with a proportion breakdown of your origin, comparable to historic European teams, and the power to attach with relations from inside the final 5 generations.
One other nice characteristic of FamilyTreeDNA is that it provides paternal and maternal ancestry kits when you have gaps in both of these areas that you just wish to lastly uncover. Other than household issues, FamilyTreeDNA seems to be at your well being insights like health, vitamin, bone and coronary heart well being, and sleep routine, providing you with entry to meal and exercise plans based mostly in your DNA.
- Add-on providers maintain preliminary prices low, however choices open
- Does a wonderful job at defending all parts of your information
- Much less full of study in comparison with rivals
- Prospects say outcomes take longer than firm claims
Residing DNA Options: 3 totally different kits | Leads to 6-8 weeks | Free 7-day electronic mail course about DNA
Those that are hesitant about buying a DNA check package attributable to privateness ought to take into account Residing DNA. The corporate has an in depth privateness assertion that goes in-depth about what private data it holds, why it saves it, what it does with it, and the way it protects it. As a result of Residing DNA relies within the UK, it’s topic to the strict insurance policies and rules of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), making its privateness by far the very best on this checklist.
So far as what Residing DNA’s check kits will inform you, it offers you 21 subregional DNA breakdowns from over 150 worldwide areas to exactly inform your heritage. The corporate additionally provides DNA well being insights, comparable to how your physique responds to nutritional vitamins, meals, and train, all based mostly in your genetic make-up.
- Privateness settings can be found for DNA matching
- Can request DNA to be deleted at any time
- Easy cheek swab check
- Expensive yearly subscription required for superior DNA insights
MyHeritage DNA options: Cheek swab check | Leads to 3-4 weeks | Covers 42 ethnicities and origins amongst 2,114 geographic areas | Finds new relations by means of shared DNA
In case your objective for taking a DNA check is to search out new relations, uncover your loved ones tree, and discover your ethnic background, MyHeritage DNA check package is likely one of the greatest DNA assessments to find your previous. Merely swab your cheek at house and ship the pattern again to the lab. After 3 to 4 weeks, you’ll obtain your outcomes.
The essential MyHeritage DNA package will reveal your origins throughout 2,114 areas and enable you discover new relations. Nonetheless, in case you are occupied with deeply diving into your outcomes, the MyHeritage plan permits you to construct your loved ones tree, analysis your loved ones tree, and entry their historic data.
Initially priced at $89, the MyHeritage DNA package is presently on sale for $36 for the vacation on the MyHeritage web site. MyHeritage can be providing a 30-day free trial to their superior database with the acquisition of a testing package.
- Extremely correct DNA outcomes
- Provides three decisions/value factors
- Knowledge is on the market for obtain
- The extra correct DNA check kits are costly
- Should pay for subscription on high of the check package, which will increase value
- Longest consequence time at 12-14 weeks
Nebula Genomics Options: Leads to 12-14 weeks | Decodes 100% of your DNA | Genome exploration instruments
Essentially the most complete DNA testing package on this checklist is the Nebula Genomics Entire Genome Sequencing DNA check. This check package makes use of sequencing expertise to decode 100% of your DNA, in comparison with others that interpret solely probably the most important components of your DNA, thus offering you with extra specified data that solely consultants or educated clients is perhaps in search of.
The corporate says it decodes greater than 20,000 genes within the human genome, which may help spot very uncommon genetic variants which may trigger genetic ailments. As well as, Nebula Genomics identifies mutations in your genes and means that you can discover out extra about your oral microbiome, which is a crucial indicator of disease and maintains the steadiness of your total well being.
The very best DNA check is AncestryDNA, due to its value level, vary of outcomes, and ease of use. Nonetheless, based mostly on what you are attempting to search out out and your price range, some DNA assessments may fit higher for you than others. Take a look at the desk under to see how our high DNA assessments evaluate.
DNA check |
Worth |
What outcomes present |
AncestryDNA |
99+ |
Geographic origins, well being testings, join with DNA match tables |
23andMe |
$229 |
Ancestry studies, relative finder, well being report |
FamilyTreeDNA |
$79 |
Proportion breakdown of your origins, paternal and maternal outcomes, well being insights |
Residing DNA |
$179+ |
21 subregional DNA breakdowns, well being insights based mostly on genetic make-up |
MyHeritage DNA |
$89 |
Ethnicity estimate, DNA matches |
Nebula Genomics |
$299+ |
Decodes 100% of your DNA, identifies mutations in your genes |
*Lowest non-discounted value on the time of writing. Please be aware that costs might range based mostly on retailer and obtainable promotions, gross sales, or reductions.
Whereas all of those DNA check kits are nice choices, it finally comes right down to what you need to discover out out of your DNA, how shortly you need the outcomes, and what quantity you are keen to spend. Here is a chart that can assist you discover the very best DNA check for you based mostly on what you wish to uncover.
Select this DNA check… |
If you would like… |
AndestryDNA |
The very best total DNA outcomes check. |
23andMe |
A straightforward but efficient different to the very best total DNA check |
FamilyTreeDNA |
To start out constructing out your loved ones tree. |
Residing DNA |
A privacy-focused DNA check below strict privateness rules. |
MyHeritage DNA |
To take a deep dive into your ancestry, discover your ethnicities, and discover new relations. |
Nebula Genomics |
A complete DNA check package for educated consultants. |
We regarded on the most well-known DNA check package corporations for this checklist. We learn by means of every firm’s privateness insurance policies to make sure fundamental privateness protections of your DNA if you happen to select to make use of one in every of these manufacturers.
We additionally thought-about low to mid-tier pricing to check every package slightly than the costliest choices since many of those manufacturers supply kits at numerous value factors. Finally, we weighted the next components when curating this checklist:
DNA assessments are comparatively easy, and all work the identical method. After selecting which model you wish to use and shopping for one in every of their kits, the corporate will mail you a saliva assortment package. You merely spit right into a tube and mail it again to their lab. After a number of weeks, you obtain your outcomes and study your well being or household tree intimately.
Most DNA assessments (together with 23andMe) use genotyping to take a look at particular areas in your DNA and establish the variations that make you distinctive. Specializing in any particular variation can result in clues about your ancestry, well being situations, and different traits.
Different assessments, comparable to AncestryDNA, use autosomal DNA testing, which measures your autosomal chromosomes and matches them throughout a database of people that share DNA with you to search out relations.
DNA assessments can give you quite a lot of data. For instance, most kits in the marketplace can break down your lineage and inform you a proportion of your heritage (i.e., 25% German heritage or 40% Irish heritage). As well as, DNA assessments can cross-reference your DNA with others in an organization’s database so you may even discover long-lost relations.
Other than home functions, DNA assessments can provide perception into your well being and in case you are predisposed to sure ailments or situations. Particularly in case you are seeking to proactively take cost of your well being, taking a DNA check package could possibly be price it.
Many individuals is perhaps hesitant to order a DNA check package due to reports about compromised security and privateness. If you’re involved about your privateness, you should definitely learn by means of the DNA check firm’s privateness insurance policies. As well as, it is necessary to notice that corporations don’t share your DNA information with third events (comparable to public databases or an employer) however might present data to legislation enforcement if required by a sound court docket order or search warrant.
Nonetheless, in line with an investigation from Consumer Reports, these direct-to-consumer DNA testing corporations unnecessarily compromise shoppers’ privateness relating to your non-DNA information like details about your handle, identify, electronic mail, and so forth. Consequently, CR recommends opting out of DNA analysis out of your testing service or contemplating deleting your information as soon as you’re carried out utilizing it.
Its additionally necessary to keep in mind that your data will be topic to information breaches, hackings, or information leaks because of assaults on these platforms, as is with any firm that makes use of data offered to them from their customers. In Dec. 2023, 23andMe admitted to a data breach which concerned about half of their buyer base (6.9 million customers).
We selected a variety of the very best DNA assessments based mostly on accuracy, value factors, and ease of accessing data. Nonetheless, if these do not give you the results you want, listed here are some options to contemplate.
Best DNA test alternative
TellmeGen Advanced DNA Test
TellmeGen DNA Test provides results within 4 to 6 weeks regarding your health, ancestry, and genetic traits.
Best DNA test alternative for uncovering your ancestry
GPS Origins Algorithm by HomeDNA
If you already have a high-resolution DNA test, GPS Origins takes that raw DNA test data and gives you a deep dive into your family history within 24 hours.