3 Essential Tips You Must Know Before Buying a DNA Test
Your Free Guide to the Highest Rated DNA Tests
Dear Reader,
Before you go down this rabbit hole,
You should be warned. Digging into your ancestral past isn't for the faint of heart. You'll need curiosity, an open mind, and…your reading glasses.
If you think exploring the wonders of your DNA will take just five minutes of your day, you may need to think again. Your ancestors went on an incredible journey to bring you to this exact point in space and time. Every single choice they made or action they've taken has led you to where you are today.
And your DNA works in the same way. You are the culmination of your ancestors. Within your DNA lies traces of their experiences, hopes and dreams for the future, and fight for survival.
So, who were these fantastic individuals of the past? How can you piece together the legacy they've left behind? With the latest advances in genetic testing, the struggles and sacrifices your ancestors endured to bring you to this very moment are now at your fingertips.
But heed this advice: if you think you'll need a mere ten minutes to browse through your genetic results, turn back now. As you discover your past, each new layer of family history will bring you deeper into what makes you YOU. And trust us, you won't want to skim.
The DNA market doubled in 2021—
for the 5th year in a row
It's no surprise that DNA tests are in high demand. The things you learn from them are irresistible:
5 Things You Can Learn From DNA Testing
Frustrated by limited access to only recent documents? Many ancestry tests allow you to trace your family history back much farther than traditional genealogy records. A select few even give you deeper detail about your family history, and some provide relative matching to fill-in missing pieces of your story.
Feeling a sense of emptiness? You can also use your DNA to figure out where you and your family came from. With more advanced tests, you can even find out WHEN your family arrived in certain locations.
Lacking direction to find yourself? On top of these first two benefits, digging into your family history and ancestry enables you to find out more about who you are personally.
Worried about the genetic legacies left you by your ancestors? While the main draw is ancestry, you can also use DNA testing to uncover important health information. The best DNA tests will enable you to gain insights into a new wellness routine, and even learn about what traits you inherited from your parents.
All the top DNA tests we rank at Genetics Digest offer services that help you discover relatives you didn't know you have. In addition to growing your family with a "relative finder" feature, DNA tests can help you build a sense of community by connecting you to countries you didn't know you had ancestry from. You may even find yourself connected to royal dynasties!
How Do You Know Which DNA Test is Right for You?
With so many people clamoring to get their hands on the benefits listed above, more and more DNA testing companies have been rising to meet them.
Each DNA test has different strengths and weaknesses, and according to Kantar Media, the advertising spend by two of the biggest players in the market - Ancestry and 23andMe - now amounts to hundreds of millions of dollars a year to make sure you've heard of them.1
That's why we've compiled 3 of the most popular DNA tests, along with user reviews and criteria.
First, let's get started on the 3 Essential Tips You Must Know Before Buying a DNA Test…
3 Essential Tips You Must Know Before Buying a DNA Test
Tip #1: Buy from a Company That Cares.
Your data is always protected
Some brands have a great marketing team with a massive advertising budget. You might see/hear their ads everywhere. That's because they're spending millions to make sure you've heard of them.
Despite the great marketing, some of those companies aren't backed by leading geneticists. Instead, some of the biggest ancestry companies are owned in part by pharmaceutical giants or data companies.The best genetics companies are 100% privately owned, meaning they don't answer to corporate investors. Instead, they answer to you, the customer. Look for a company renowned for their customer service and professional pedigree.
Tip #2: Find a Test That Reveals When and Where Your Ancestors Appeared.
View your ancestors' migrations
One of the most common complaints we see from ancestry customers is that their results “fall flat”—you get a basic pie chart breakdown of where your ancestors are from, but a disappointing amount of information about how or why you got those results. And we all know that ancestry is more than just a bunch of boring percentages.
The best DNA tests feature an Ancestry Timeline that tells you not only where your ancestors are from, but also when they got there, enabling you to form a clearer, fuller picture of your family history. These top-quality tests give you the best of both worlds of broad genetic results and deeper ancestry detail.
Tip #3: Follow the Science and the Genetic Experts.
Dr. Alexei and Dr. Larisa Fedorov
On a similar note to our #1 tip, you don't want to go for the loudest, flashiest DNA brand—instead, look for true experts in the field of genetics. After all, you want highly qualified scientists and researchers handling your DNA. Fortunately, the best DNA companies' science teams are headed by genetic experts, who have literally decades of experience in the genetics field.
Experts have dedicated their lives to helping you find out the meaning behind your DNA and family history, and they won't rest until their customers' curiosity is satisfied.
If you want your burning questions about your DNA and family history answered, make sure you find a company with professional scientists.
8 Key Factors You Should Consider When Choosing a DNA Test
Does the company enjoy positive relationships with its customers and the worldwide scientific community?
In addition to an in-depth ancestry product, does the company also offer mtDNA, Y-DNA, and Famous People reports? Do they help you connect with genetic relatives, and give you a clear way to protect your privacy if you don't want to connect?
Do the company's labs hold both CLIA and CAP accreditations - industry gold standards?
Are the company's lead researchers professional geneticists whose work is published in scientific journals?
Does the company provide Facebook and Google reviews with a weekly update of its 5-star status?
Are the costs for its ancestry and health reports priced competitively with attractive discounts available to all customers?
Does the company enjoy positive relationships with its customers and the worldwide scientific community?
Does the company guarantee delivery of your DNA test results within a reasonable time-frame or there is no cost to you?
Now that you know what to look out for, we want to reveal which DNA test is the highest-rated according to customers like you on top review platforms like Facebook and Google.
Without further ado, here are the top 3 DNA Tests according to real customers.
Our Top 3 DNA Tests According to Research and Online Customer Feedback
Pros:
- Privately Owned
- Autosomal, mtDNA, and Y-DNA Tests Offered
- Advanced "Relative Finder" Feature With Option to Opt Out for Privacy
- Science Department Headed by Professional Geneticist
- “Efficiency Guarantee” Refund Policy
Cons:
- Only Ships in United States, Mexico, Canada, & UK
- Only Ships During Standard Business Hours
Overview:
From the detail and length of its up-to-50 generation timelines, to the everyday help its 120+ health, wellness, and traits reports can provide you, you can't go wrong with CRI Genetics. A commitment to customer privacy and an 8-Week Efficiency Guarantee don't hurt either! Here are some of the reasons to consider CRI Genetics for YOUR next DNA test.
CRI Genetics's Chief Scientific Officer is Dr. Alexei Fedorov, Ph.D, a renowned genetic scientist
with a reputation for leading exceptional studies in genetic science. While most genetic testing
services rely on other people's past research to produce their ancestry reports, CRI Genetics
relies on an expert currently active in the field of genetic science, with 85+ papers published
and 1,800+ citations to date.2
See Full Review Here
Company Reputation:
Dr. Fedorov was mentored by Nobel Prize-winning scientist Walter Gilbert, and he has gone on to spearhead many genetic studies of his own. CRI Genetics has established itself as a company which deeply values quality of service. CRI is also the only DNA testing company to offer an Efficiency Guarantee.
If you want a company that puts extreme importance on data security and encryption, look no further than CRI Genetics. Even better, CRI is 100% privately owned, which means CRI does NOT answer to outside investors. They also do not share data with pharma companies OR the government. In a crowded market, this is one leading company that ancestry enthusiasts can trust.
Details/Accuracy of Reports:
CRI Genetics currently offers 7 unique ancestry reports that are generated using a proprietary DNA analysis algorithm created by Dr. Fedorov. Your report features not only a basic geographical breakdown of your ancestry, but also a deeply detailed Ancestry Timeline that shows you where your ancestors are from and how and when they got there, going back up to 50 generations. See Full Report Here
Pros:
- Autosomal DNA Test Offered
- Very Large Database of Customers
Cons:
- Owned by Large Investment Companies
- No mtDNA or Y-DNA Test
- No Health Reports
- Limited Refund Policy with Fees
Overview:
Ancestry.com has been in business for a long time, which has allowed them to acquire a large base of customers partly from their genealogy services. This has made them one of the top players in DNA Testing.
Company Reputation:
Ancestry Publishing was founded in 1983 and eventually grew into a genealogy service, allowing customers to sort through historical records to fill out family histories. AncestryDNA was launched as a service in 2012.
Ancestry.com uses data collected from customers in genetic research with their consent.
Ancestry was recently acquired by Blackstone, a large investment firm, after years of ownership by AOL, Compaq, and even GIC, formerly known as the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation.3
Details/Accuracy of Reports:
Ancestry DNA's greatest strengths lie in the size of their customer base and in their genealogy service that allows you to use historical records to fill out your Family Tree. However, you will have to disclose some personal information in order to get access to these social resources. Overall, a good resource for genealogy—but not the best DNA test on the market. View Full Report
Pros:
- Autosomal, mtDNA, and Y-DNA Tests Offered
- Many Health Reports Available
Cons:
- Taken Public by Virgin SPAC
- Limited Refund Policy with Fees
Overview:
23andMe boasts one of the most detailed Ancestry Reports, as well as in-depth health reports. They also have an ancestry timeline, but it features far less depth and detail than CRI Genetics, only going back 8 generations at most.4
Company Reputation:
23andMe was founded in 2006 by Anne Wojcicki, Linda Avey, and Paul Cusenza. Their goal is to “help people access, understand, and benefit from the human genome.”5 To date, they have published more than 100 peer-reviewed studies in scientific journals.6
One of 23andMe's main corporate connections is with GlaxoSmithKline, a pharmaceutical company. Not only that, but 23andMe also recently opted to go public through a SPAC backed by Virgin Mobile founder Richard Branson.7 Privacy watchdogs have raised concerns about these partnerships.8
Details/Accuracy of Reports:
Today, 23andMe is one of the top players in the DNA testing market. Their Ancestry reports come with above average detail and accuracy. View Full Report
Citations and Resources:
1. https://www.thedrum.com/news/2021/03/09/test-markets-can-dna-testing-companies-be-trusted-with-our-most-personal-data 2. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Alexei-Fedorov-4 3. https://medcitynews.com/2020/08/blackstones-4-7b-acquisition-of-ancestry-raises-privacy-questions/ 4. https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-and-you/23andmes-new-ancestry-timeline/ 5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/23andMe/ 6. https://research.23andme.com/publications/ 7. https://techcrunch.com/2021/02/04/23andme-set-to-go-public-via-a-virgin-group-spac-merger/ 8. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/feb/09/23andme-dna-privacy-richard-branson-geneticsAbout
Genetics Digest aims to educate consumers about the benefits of DNA testing. We believe it is the future of family research, nutrition, health, wellness and deeper self-knowledge. We are affiliated with CRI Genetics.
