If you’re looking for a DNA test to help you identify a birth parent or answer a family history question, you’re probably wondering which company is your best option. I’m going to share a quick overview of the strengths and limitations for the four major DNA testing companies in 2022 to help you determine which one is right for you.
Ancestry
Ancestry.com started in 1983 as an online database for genealogical research. The ability for users to create and share family trees, research within their historical record collections, and organized the information is really unmatched. Ancestry makes traditional family history research accessible and convenient for researchers at any expertise level.
In 2012, they added their genetic testing service, known as AncestryDNA. They are one of, if not the, biggest player in the realm of genetic genealogy. This is primarily due to the fact that they’ve been around for a long time and have acquired a huge database of over 22 million test takers (as of 2022). In fact, they have the largest consumer database of any DNA testing company. This means you have a higher chance at connecting with people related to you than one of the smaller companies. I’ve communicated with several distant cousins. We’ve exchanged photographs of our common ancestors never seen before. One of my matches even shared hand-written letters sent to and from my ancestors during the Civil War. They’ve also shared important health information, which will help me be proactive in screening and preventing certain cancers. AncestryDNA tests costs $99, but you can catch it on sale at $59 during most holidays.
Limitations
(1) They only offer autosomal DNA tests, meaning there are no mtDNA or Y-DNA options.
(2) They don’t show you X-chromosome matches. DNA on the X-chromosome has a unique inheritance pattern, which is genealogically useful. For whatever reason, Ancestry doesn’t make this information accessible.
(3) Chromosome segment data shared with your DNA matches is not made available. You’ll have to upload your DNA test results to a third-party company for this info and hope that your DNA matches have done the same. With this said, there ARE benefits of uploading your DNA results to additional testing sites, and I recommend doing so anyways because it opens you up to millions of additional matches. It’s still a little frustrating that they don’t offer this feature.
23andMe
23andMe has been around since 2006 and has more than 10 million test takers in their database. It’s the only company offering ancestry insights and health reports (they’re FDA approved for testing 3 different cancer genes, which is not an entirely positive thing because the results could be misinterpreted—more on that later). They also allow you to opt-in for “genome sharing,” which will allow you and your matches to see which segment(s) you share on which chromosome(s), if you choose to participate. Additionally, 23andMe shares data from the X-chromosome, unlike Ancestry. This means that 23andMe definitely has better tools for genetic analysis. Test takers primarily interested in health information should choose 23andMe.
Limitations
Their testing database is half the size of Ancestry’s, which translates to about half as many DNA matches. I think the biggest limitation for 23andMe is a lack of resources for genealogical research, such as historical record collections. But… that’s not their wheelhouse or intention.
Their DNA test is offered at three different price-points: $99 for the Ancestry and Traits service; $199 for the Health and Ancestry service; $499 for the VIP Health and Ancestry service. So, if you want access to the health and medical data unique to 23andMe, you’ll have to pay for it.
Other Players in the Genetic Genealogy Field
I will briefly touch on MyHeritage and Family Tree DNA. They are not as established as Ancestry or 23andMe, and their database of test takers is much smaller. However, they both have a unique strength, AND they accept uploads of DNA test results from other companies for free. They also have full functionality for comparing data with your DNA matches the segment-level and on the X-chromosome. *Ancestry and 23andMe do not accept uploads from other testing companies.
MyHeritage
MyHeritage‘s database has the largest number of European test takers in their database, so their ethnicity estimates could theoretically be more accurate than their competition. Their ancestry test costs $69, and their health and ancestry test is $199.
Family Tree DNA
Family Tree DNA is the go-to company for any DNA test beyond autosomal testing (i.e. Y-DNA and mtDNA). That’s more of an advanced genetic genealogy topic and this post is just an overview, so I’ll cover the different types of DNA tests another day. Their autosomal DNA test costs $79, or you can upload your data from Ancestry or 23andMe for free.
My Recommendation
Go with Ancestry if you’re searching for a birth parent or genealogical purposes, go with Ancestry.
Go with 23andMe if you’re mostly interested in the genetic health information, go with 23andMe.
I went with Ancestry, and then uploaded my results to MyHeritage and FamilyTreeDNA for the additional chromosome tools. My reasoning can be boiled down to three points: (1) Ancestry’s database of DNA testers is more than twice the size of 23andMe’s, (2) 23andMe lacks the resources and functionality for genealogical research that is Ancestry is founded on, and (3) the genetic analysis tools that AncestryDNA lacks are available with 3rd-party companies at no or minimal expense. In a perfect world with an unlimited budget, I would take a test at both companies to connect with as many DNA matches as possible.