It is safe to say that there is a DNA testing company for everyone looking to discover their ancestors.
Whether you’re searching for distant relatives or other members of your clan, the DNA testing market has been flooded with numerous options.
But which one should you trust? This article will detail some of the best DNA testing companies.
For a simple meaning of DNA and how it is inherited, please read “Deciphering the Codes: How to Read DNA Test Results.”
Also, I encourage you to read my article, “Ancestors’ Research | Free Beginner’s Guide,” for helpful tips on organizing a memorable family gathering. [Click Here]
Top DNA Testing Companies
There are various DNA testing companies. The top-rated ones include:
MyDNA
MyDNA is a genetic testing company that offers ancestry and genealogy testing. Their tests include Y-DNA, mtDNA, and X-DNA tests.
They also provide family finder kits and DNA kits, and MyDNA has over 5 million people in its database.
The company does not have any minimum requirements for testing, so the cost will vary based on your order size.
Their Family Finder test costs $149 per person, while their Health + Ancestry test costs $99 per person.
The turnaround time for results is 2-3 weeks from when you send your sample. They offer one of the fastest turnaround times in the industry!
MyDNA has an excellent customer service history, and they have been around since 2007.
You can order your test either online or by phone. MyDNA provides many benefits for its customers, like:
- Free shipping both ways!
- Free 23andMe raw data download with the purchase of any test!
- Free Ancestry results download with the purchase of any test!
- 100% guarantee on all products purchased from MyDNA!
MyHeritage
MyHeritage is a top company for DNA testing. Gilad Japhet founded the direct-to-consumer genetic testing business in Israel in 2003.
MyHeritage offers DNA testing services for genealogy, health and wellness, and ethnicity. And it has since expanded internationally.
MyHeritage’s ancestry test analyzes your autosomal DNA (the 23 chromosomes that are not sex chromosomes) to determine your ancestral makeup.
This test can determine where your ancestors came from and how close you are to them.
It also provides information about your haplogroup, which identifies the ancient group of people who shared a common ancestor on the male or female side of your family tree (for example, R1b1a2a1a2f).
MyHeritage’s health and wellness services also test and analyze specific regions of your genome>
To determine if you may be at risk for developing certain conditions, such as Alzheimer’s, breast, or colon cancer.
Here is a breakdown of its charges:
Basic: Free
- 250 people
Premium: $79/year
- 1st year: $49
- 2,500 people
PremiumPlus: $129/year
- 1st year: $89
- Unlimited
Data: $129/year
- 1st year: $89
- 250 people
Complete: $189/year
- 1st year: $119
MyHeritage promises results within 3–4 weeks after receiving the sample kit with a paid return envelope.
Family Tree DNA
Family Tree DNA has been testing individuals’ DNA since 2000, and they have the largest database of any company offering this service.
They test for more than 400 regions in the genome and provide various tests.
They are best known for their ancestry composition test, which provides information about your ethnic mixture from hundreds of thousands of markers.
But they also offer Y-DNA and mtDNA tests that can help you trace your paternal and maternal lines back to a specific region or country.
Family Tree DNA uses a dynamic pricing model based on the number of markers tested.
This means that the more markers you want to be tested, the higher the price will be. They also offer discounts if you order two or more tests at once.
Here are the costs:
- Paternal Ancestry: $99
- Family Ancestry: $49USD
- myDNA Wellness + Family Ancestry: $69
- Maternal Ancestry: $139
The turnaround time varies depending on what kind of test you choose.
- Family Finder: 2 to 4 weeks
- mtFull Sequence: 6 to 8 weeks
- Y-DNA (excluding Big Y): 3 to 6 weeks
Ancestry
If you’re looking for a comprehensive test, then Ancestry is the way to go.
The company has been around since 1997 and has a massive database of genetic information worldwide.
Ancestry is a DNA test from Ancestry.com that can help you find new family members and learn about your ethnic mix.
It contains over 700,000 DNA locations and the complete global reference data available for any consumer genetic testing service.
The Ancestry DNA test analyzes your autosomal DNA to identify your ethnic mix.
Autosomal DNA comes from both parents and covers roughly 99 percent of the human genome.
The Ancestry DNA test uses microarray-based autosomal technology to generate genotypes.
Which are tested against one of the largest collections of populations in the world.
To identify matches between your DNA and those in its database.
Here are the costs:
- It cost a total of $99
- Turnaround: a maximum of 8 weeks
Igenea
Igenea is a genetic testing company that offers a variety of tests, including ancestry and carrier screening.
The company was founded in 2003, and its headquarters are in Zurich, Switzerland.
Igenea offers a wide range of genetic testing services to meet the needs of all customers. These include:
- Ancestry tests: These genetic tests can determine your ancestry, including where your ancestors came from, how they migrated, and when they migrated.
- Carrier screening: These tests are designed to detect whether you carry certain diseases or conditions, also known as carrier status. Carriers do not have symptoms of these conditions and may never develop them, but they can pass them on to their children if both parents are carriers of the same condition or disease.
- Paternity tests: These paternity tests are used to determine who fathered an offspring based on DNA samples from both parents and the child.
Igenea’s full panel test costs:
- Igenea Basic: 179 EUR
- Igenea Premium: 499 EUR
- Expert: 1299 EUR
Turnaround Time:
- Results are available within 6–10 weeks after receiving a sample.
Find My Past
Find My Past is one of the most popular DNA testing companies, and it offers a variety of tests.
The company was founded in 1965 and has been providing genealogy research services.
Find My Past is a genealogy database that lets you trace your family history and discover where your ancestors came from.
The company has more than 12 billion records in its database and constantly adds new ones. It’s one of the most trusted names in genealogy.
So if you’re serious about finding your roots, this is the site for you. This is one of the largest genealogy companies that offers DNA tests.
They offer a wide range of DNA tests for different purposes. Find My Past provides a 14-day turnaround time but does not allow you to change your test after ordering it.
The cost of the test depends on what type of test you want to take and how much information you want in the report.
You can choose between Y-DNA (for male descendants) or mtDNA (for female descendants).
You also have the option to do both at once if you wish.
The price is:
- The test kit costs $89
- Essential plan: $15/mo
Turnaround time: 6 to 8 weeks.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the above-mentioned DNA testing companies offer many benefits, but you will get the most for your money with Ancestry DNA.
You can view your results online and learn about family history and ethnicity. It costs a bit more than the other options, but it is well worth the cost!
Please comment below and let me know if you will take a DNA test. If so, which one?
