Best DNA Test 2024: Explore Your Heritage And Health With These Home Kits From Ancestry, 23andMe, And More
We’ve tested a selection of DNA test kits, so you can research your heritage, find your family tree, or discover your health risks
Deciding which is the best DNA test for you can be tricky. The market has expanded massively over the past decade, with companies competing for your attention with a raft of mind-boggling statistics and extra features. You can get everything from simple lineage information to a full rundown of your genetic predisposition to diseases, and even whether you’re likely to hate the taste of cilantro. Luckily, we’re here to help you sort through the crowd.
We put five of the most popular DNA tests through their paces by using them and sending them off for analysis. We judged how easy the process was and the accuracy of the results, noting any (figurative) pain points or omissions. The result is a list of tests that you can trust won’t let you down or be a waste of your money.
If you’re unsure where to start or are bamboozled by the buzzwords the testing companies use, check out our detailed buying guide at the bottom of the page.
Best DNA test: At a glance
| Best DNA test | Ancestry | Check price at Ancestry |
| Best DNA test for health screening | 23andMe | Check price at Amazon |
| Best-value DNA test | LivingDNA | Check price at LivingDNA |
| Best DNA test for heritage | MyHeritage | Check price at MyHeritage |
How we test DNA kits
Our experts thoroughly tested all of the best DNA test kits in this roundup. First, they send the DNA test for analysis, making a note of how easy the DNA collection process was and how promptly the results were returned. Then they thoroughly examined the reporting from the kit providers, exploring every aspect of the results and noting any areas that were lacking in detail or interactivity. They also noted the type of tests that were run and how easy the report is to access, navigate, and export elsewhere.
A good degree of comparison was required and these kits were used simultaneously so that results could be compared based on the size of the provider’s database and the accuracy of the tests.
The best DNA tests you can buy in 2024
1. Ancestry: Best DNA test
Price when reviewed: From $99 | Check price at Ancestry
| Test type | Autosomal |
| Test method | Saliva |
| Information provided | Health and heritage |
Ancestry has the biggest DNA testing database in the world by far, which could make all the difference if you’re trying to locate lost relatives or expand your family tree.
You don’t technically need to do a DNA test for the latter but if you do, you’ll automatically get suggested connections and the option to share your tree with them. Just keep in mind that you’ll have to pay an extra monthly fee if you want to add, for instance, census and marriage records to your tree.
Ancestry also offers a “Traits” screening service, alongside the usual ethnicity estimates. It explains how your genetics influence your metabolism (food and vitamins) and how you might be predisposed towards traits such as freckles, beard thickness, and hair loss. Again, you should note that this is an additional, paid-for service on top of the standard heritage test; however, by offering this extra Traits service, Ancestry has cemented itself as our favorite DNA test overall. Just be sure to choose your package wisely to avoid paying for services you don’t want.
Key specs – Contactable matches: Yes; Import results: No; Export results: Yes; Deletable data: Yes
2. 23andMe: Best DNA test for health screening
Price when reviewed: From $199 | Check price at Amazon
| Test type | Autosomal, Y-DNA and mtDNA |
| Test method | Saliva |
| Information provided | Health and heritage |
23andMe is unique on this list since, as well as analyzing your heritage, they offer a health screening that uses your genetic information to assess your predisposition to illness or disease. Hypochondriacs beware.
Their standard package doesn’t include the health risk screening service, but still provides insight into your genetic predispositions towards traits like freckles, baldness, and even taste/smell preferences. The pricier package includes the screening of more serious health risks such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. It also asks you to read a brief tutorial before you receive your results for the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, which are associated with breast and ovarian cancer.
We found 23andMe to be the most user-friendly DNA test, with all of the information presented simply with fun facts included along the way. For example, facts like whether you’re genetically more or less likely to get bitten by mosquitoes. It presents an interesting insight into how your genes affect your health, although you should keep in mind that having a higher risk of something doesn’t mean you’ll definitely have to deal with it some day.
Key specs – Contactable matches: Yes; Import results: No; Export results: Yes; Deletable data: Yes
3. LivingDNA: Best-value DNA test
Price when reviewed: From $90 | Check price at LivingDNA
| Test type | Autosomal, Y-DNA and mtDNA |
| Test method | Cheek swab |
| Information provided | Health and heritage |
It’s not the cheapest DNA test in this roundup, but LivingDNA is arguably the best value. Depending on the package you choose, it provides both heritage and health results, as well as including autosomal, Y-DNA, and mtDNA tests – unlike many of its rivals. This means you can see the results based on each individual test and so figure out which heritage comes from your father or your mother with far more accuracy.
All of the data is illustrated using lovely animations that can show your family’s migration over the years and you can connect with any genetic matches you uncover. Plus, you can both export and import your genetic data – as they provide autosomal, Y-DNA, and mtDNA tests, LivingDNA is a good way to obtain all of this data for subsequent uploading to other sites.
The main negative is that, as this is a UK-based firm, you might not get the kind of coverage you would from some of the more established competitors. There’s also no family tree-building tool, though that does mean there are no extra subscription fees.
Key specs – Contactable matches: Yes; Import results: Yes; Export results: Yes; Deletable data: Yes
4. MyHeritage: Best DNA test for tracking heritage
Price when reviewed: From $89 | Check price at MyHeritage
| Test type | Autosomal |
| Test method | Cheek swab |
| Information provided | Heritage |
If you just want a fuss-free DNA test that provides the basis of your genetic lineage, look no further than MyHeritage. There are no tiered packages here – just a single, autosomal test kit that covers heritage and skips health altogether.
As a relative newcomer in its field, MyHeritage’s database is quite a bit smaller than its rivals. There’s an annual subscription fee for the family history tool which unlocks the family tree builder and gives you access to billions of historical records and photo tools. MyHeritage currently offers this tool at half price for the first year, though you can try it out for free with their 30-day trial period.
Feature-wise, the service is very similar to Ancestry’s: build your family tree and contact relatives as and when the system tags them. However, MyHeritage DNA has one significant advantage in that it allows you to import as well as export DNA information, which means you can increase your chances of finding matches by using other services.
Key specs – Contactable matches: Yes; Import results: Yes; Export results: Yes; Deletable data: Yes
5. FamilyTreeDNA: Best DNA test for detailed results
Price when reviewed: From $79 | Check price at FamilyTreeDNA
| Test type | Autosomal, Y-DNA, and mtDNA (for a fee) |
| Test method | Cheek swab |
| Information provided | Health and heritage |
The standard FamilyTreeDNA autosomal test starts at $79, but you can buy various Y-DNA and mtDNA tests separately, or as a bundle, to supplement your results. Of course, the more detailed the Y-DNA test, the pricier things become – starting with a 37-marker test for $119 and going up to a 700-marker test aimed at experts for $449.
You can also buy a package called myDNA Wellness that assesses your health wellbeing and traits, as well as providing a heritage assessment, for $119. Fundamentally, the more you pay, the more you’ll get from your test results.
At the moment, FamilyTreeDNA has only a sixth of the records that Ancestry claims to have, but its in-depth tests mean that any matches you receive may be of a higher quality than some of the cheaper options. This service not only offers an impressive set of tools (for instance, the chromosome browser lets you compare people to see which DNA strands you share), but its online community is well-informed about what can be read into your DNA should you have any questions.
Key specs – Contactable matches: No; Import results: Yes; Export results: Yes; Deletable data: Yes
How to choose the best DNA test for you
What can a DNA test do?
DNA tests can provide results about either your heritage or your health, which breaks down as below:
Lineage: This is a rough guide to where your ancestors came from and gives an idea of how your family has moved over the centuries. This is the most basic level of detail offered by most DNA-testing sites.
Family: Whether you’re trying to grow your family tree or looking for long-lost relatives, the majority of DNA-testing sites offer this to some degree.
Wellbeing/traits: A look at how your body metabolizes food and vitamins, and how it will respond to specific forms of exercise. Though some of these results are simply for fun and aren’t particularly useful, such as how likely you are to get freckles or dislike a specific type of food.
Health risks: Some DNA tests can tell you whether you have a genetic predisposition towards specific diseases, including Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. Of course, it’s important to be aware that a predisposition is not a guarantee that it will occur.
Why do you want a DNA test?
If you want to explore your heritage without any health screening or family tree-building, you can get away with simply buying a basic DNA test kit such as the one from MyHeritage.
If you want to examine your health in detail, you’ll have to spend a bit more on a test kit that includes wellbeing/trait assessment or health risk assessment as described above. 23andMe is currently the best option here.
If you want to build a substantial family tree, you’ll often find that full access to a service’s database is locked behind a monthly/yearly subscription.
Should you worry about privacy?
In short, no. Every DNA-testing service on our list allows you to delete your data from its database after you’ve taken the test and read your results.
What does the DNA test involve?
You don’t have to do much at all: visit the website, enter your credit card details, and fill out a questionnaire. The kit will show up a few days later and you simply spit into a tube or take a cheek swab, package it up, and send it off to the lab. Six to eight weeks later, you’ll get an email telling you that the sample has been analyzed and your results are ready to browse online.
What do autosomal, mtDNA, and Y-DNA mean?
Companies offering DNA tests tend to throw around a lot of scientific terms, such as “autosomal”, which can be confusing. In short, they refer to the type of tests and the information you can glean from them. We’ve covered the main ones below but, before we start, here’s some basic biology: humans have 46 chromosomes, with 23 from the mother and 23 from the father. They’re arranged along two strands, which are twisted to form a double helix, and the final chromosome on each strand is either an X or Y. This determines whether you’re male (XY) or female (XX).
Here’s how the different tests interpret that information.
Autosomal – This focuses on the first 22 pairs of chromosomes, before the gender-based 23rd. This is important as it means both men and women can take an autosomal DNA test. It’s only really accurate for the last four or five generations, so it’s the best option for identifying living relatives. It also offers some clues about your ethnicity, which can be firmed up with additional tests.
mtDNA – Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) testing analyzes the genetic material found inside the mitochondria within your cells. Mitochondria have their own separate DNA strands which are passed down from the mother. The big advantage here is that mtDNA changes are remarkably slow, which means mtDNA testing is accurate and reaches a long way back in time, but you can only roll back through female relatives. It’s of limited use on its own, but some companies bundle it with autosomal tests for greater accuracy.
Y-DNA – Y-DNA testing looks at the Y on the 23rd chromosome; however, since genetic females lack a Y chromosome, this test is only available for men. In contrast to mtDNA testing, Y-DNA testing concerns itself exclusively with male relatives. So, the subject’s father, his father’s father, his father’s grandfather, and so on.
Do I need to take more than one test?
Not necessarily. Plenty of DNA-testing sites let you export your results. Of course, unless you’re a professional genealogist, you probably won’t be able to decode these yourself. Handily, several services will let you upload them for the benefit of their opinion. This is handy if you’re searching for long-lost relatives, as you can check for matches between different services.
What are contactable matches?
Most of the testing companies include an option to contact people who have already taken the test and have a DNA or family tree link to you. The messaging process is secure, but it’s not obligatory if you’d rather not get involved.
