7 Best DNA Test Kits for 2021

Living DNA is an affordable DNA testing kit that covers 150 regions of the world. It offers you a timeline of your genetic history, covering thousands of years thanks to population genetics. Although it’s not the oldest service of its kind, the company has unique partnerships with universities, scientists, and other experts. So, will provide detailed and accurate results about your ancestors and help you build your family tree. The only real downside is that it can take up to 12 weeks to get your results, which is much slower than other DNA ancestry testing kits we’ve reviewed.

A particular benefit of using Living DNA is that it takes some of the hard work out of building your family tree because it utilizes machine learning to point you in the right direction. As the service grows in popularity this becomes even more efficient. 

As with other kits, you can opt into the database and then see who in your family network is open to connecting.

Price-wise, it is the most affordable home DNA test for the features it provides. The full ancestry kit costs just $69. There’s a well-being kit for $79. You can combine them both for just $99. Well-being results include insights into what’s a more natural diet to follow based on where your ancestors came from, as well as the best approach to exercise. 

When you buy a test you will be prompted to sign up for an online account. You’ll be required to share your name, DOB, and sex, so mtDNA can be gathered for females and males can also get Y-DNA results. 

Taking the test is very straightforward – swab your cheeks a couple of times and place the samples in the provided packaging to return to the lab. Once your results are in, you’ll be notified by email and you can then access your ethnic history and see your kinship and descent. Those who have also signed up populate the visual family tree networks and can be easily contacted by clicking through to their profile. 

Overall, Living DNA does not have the same reach as Ancestry.com but their reports are detailed enough for most people and the extra wellbeing data is very useful and can be applied to your daily life.

The first of our DNA heritage test reviews is AncestryDNA. The company provides one of the most well-known consumer DNA testing services dating back to the 80s! It continues to provide one of the best DNA test kits on the market, outliving competitors such as GeneTree. The process is ideal if you want to build your family tree DNA history, benefit from a huge community, and easy to use software. However, it’s not the best choice if you’re interested in health and genetic diseases – the Ancestry DNA kit does not provide such data.

Their massive 15 million active DNA members are one of Ancestry’s key benefits. The more people provide their DNA, the bigger the database gets, and the more likely you are to find connections. Ancestry simply provides the most thorough information about your genetic ethnicity and is considered the best ancestry service.

However, the catch is that there’s no Ancestry DNA free access. If you want to use the family history and connection features, you’ll have to pay for a subscription. The test by itself has limited use and does not give you the opportunity to reach out to distant family members who have also taken it.

Currently, the core DNA test kit is $99 plus shipping, and processing is free. It contains a simple saliva collection tube and easy to follow instructions. While the kit itself can give you some basic results, you can return your sample via the prepaid packaging. Within 6 to 8 weeks you will be notified about your full genetic makeup and lineage with online links.

Furthermore, the Ancestry test gives free family tree charting. To get full access to records and the wider community you must choose one of the subscription plans, which is where the real interesting information emerges. 

For $24.99 a month you get access to all US Ancestry records. For the whole world, it’s $39.99. For extras like newspapers and military archives, it’s $49.99. This allows you to build a profile of your ancestry through published records, articles, etc, giving you a fascinating insight into your ancestors’ lives. Discounts are available if you pay for 6 months in advance. This also ensures you have enough time to really explore your family tree.

The website is very user-friendly, immediately showing you a heat map of where your ancestors likely came from. You can also browse the database of people who match your DNA, explore their family trees and records. if they’ve opted-in, you can even send them a message.

Overall, there’s no doubt that Ancestry provides one of the best DNA test kit services if you want to focus on your family tree. The majority of Ancestry DNA reviews also give a positive experience.

One of the best DNA testing kits if you want to learn about how your genetics may be impacting your health! 23andMe also provides thorough ancestry reports and lots of fun and interesting features through their website. If you’re wondering about the amount of information 23andMe vs Ancestry holds and the number of active users, it comes right after Ancestry. However, their ancestry records are more than adequate. They provide a trove of health-related data that the Ancestry brand does not. You can even find reports on potential Neanderthal genetics!

The Health screening services do make the price a bit more expensive, but it’s definitely worth the cost. Ancestry is just $99 while Health + Ancestry is $199. 

Once you’ve completed the test you will be informed about your potential for developing five major health problems, including Parkinson’s disease. You’ll also know whether you have the genetic potential to pass on 40 other diseases down your genetic line. I.e. whether you’re a carrier. This can often be confusing and overwhelming, but 23andMe does a good job of educating you exactly what all the risk factors mean.

On a lighter note, there are many other interesting things you can learn, such as whether you are predisposed to like salty or sugary foods, if you’re likely to experience hair loss, or if you have a harder time losing weight. 

One key benefit of 23 and Me vs Ancestry is that you do not need to pay a monthly subscription to access their full range of ancestry records or to make contact with people in your family tree (if they’ve opted for it).

The testing procedure is simple and comes with all the necessary guidelines. Essentially you pass your saliva into the tube and send it to their lab in the prepaid envelope. You’re prompted to set up an online account with some personal details. Once your results are back you can fully explore your Ancestry Composition, Maternal Line, Paternal Line, Neanderthal Ancestry, and Health.

Overall, this is the best genetic ancestry testing to include health screening.

MyHeritage has been around since the early 2000s and has built up a network of over 90 million users across the world. It’s a great option for tracking down long-lost family members or meeting other descendants of your ancestors. 

Where it stands out is with its added health kit. It will cost you $199 when bundled with the $79 ancestry kit. This covers all sorts of health risks, including cancer, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s disease, and many others. It should be noted that you are given a measure of risk, not a diagnose. You can also opt not to be told about any chronic condition that there is currently no cure for.

My Heritage DNA testing only takes a couple of minutes – a simple cheek swab, which you send to their lap in the prepaid packaging. Results are then delivered to you online, so be sure to set up the account using the enclosed instructions.

The online system is very easy to use. You get a visual representation of where your ancestors came from and where their descendants currently reside. The family tree tool also allows you to connect with others that share a close match to your DNA. To get even deeper into the data with additional visualizations you will need to pay for a monthly subscription.

If you’re looking for the best DNA test kit for access to public records, MyHeritage is up there. They have everything from school yearbooks, birth and death certificates, to immigration lists, allowing you to add extra context to your family tree.

The MyHeritage DNA test kit is an excellent choice. True, it can take several weeks to get your DNA test review and the service is more expensive compared to some DNA testing kits we’ve reviewed. But the detailed health screening and public records make it worth it. Just make sure you are well prepared for the information you might receive. Predisposition to genetic diseases is never easy news to get. If you just want to build your family tree, AncestryDNA is a better choice. 23andMe has a better range of ‘entertaining’ health information.

Backed strongly by professional genealogists, FamilyTreeDNA is an excellent service for comprehensive DNA testing. It does Y-DNA testing, mtDNA testing, and Autosomal DNA testing, giving you the full range of information that DNA can provide. It is also linked with National Geographic’s Genographic Project.

You’ll be able to trace ancestors back at least five generations and learn where they came from thousands of years ago. Family tree tools help you connect with living relatives or your haplogroup, i.e. those that share common ancestors. The only downside is that the service does not include any health-related information.

The testing process requires you to first activate your kit online when it arrives, with a code. Then all you need to do is send back your saliva and/or a cheek swab in the testing tubes. Your results then will be posted confidentially online within 6 weeks. You can then opt for any of the info to go public to other users.

Pricing is reasonable and you can choose from several packages depending on your requirements. The male-only Y-DNA test is $169, the more detailed mtDNA test is $199. There is also a cheaper ‘Family Finder’ option that costs $79 and only does Autosomal DNA testing. 

Packages can be a little confusing but if you want the absolute most detailed sequencing you should combine Family Finder, mtDNA, and the added Y-67 test. When you compare the exact testing types, the price is comparable with others. 

The exact reports you will receive will depend on which tests you took. The core Family Finder tool uses a map and percentages presentation to show your ethnic makeup, origins, and relative locations. We found the ethnic breakdown to be more detailed and easier to understand than some of the competition.

If you’re concerned about privacy, FamilyTreeDNA is one of the better DNA testing companies in terms of keeping your data anonymous while giving you control over how much of it is shared within the online community.

Ultimately, FamilyTreeDNA is one of the best DNA testing kits if you’re not interested in health screening. However, it has a slightly steeper learning curve and is aimed a bit more at professionals than AncestryDNA and some other providers.

Launching to the general public in 2017 HomeDNA is one of the newer DNA genealogy test kits to hit the market. Most ancestry test reviews give it a good rating. The company provides data on your ancestry, food sensitivities, weight loss predispositions, health risk factors regarding your skin, and much more. You can purchase their kits online or at some drug stores like CVS and Walgreens. Pricing varies depending on what type of test you desire. The kits range from $69 to $124, while health and beauty tests start at $139 and reach $159.

If you want a detailed ancestry test you will want to opt for the $124 option – it’s the typical cheek swab that you send back to one of their labs. They analyze 80,000 markers and return results that show your main three ancestral gene pools as percentages. You’ll also get to learn how both your maternal and paternal lines migrated across the planet.

HomeDNA’s health tests were particularly interesting. You can learn which foods you are prone to be sensitive to, such as dairy, nuts, gluten, and lactose. You can also find out if there is a possibility of any animal-related allergies. It should be noted that those test results don’t count as a diagnosis.

Furthermore, you can have a metabolism check that looks at genes related to nutrition, body weight, and diet. You’ll get a list of “good” foods and exercise regime. The skin test looks for traits including collagen quality, skin elasticity, wrinkles, sun resistance, pigmentation, antioxidants, and sensitivities. It advises on the best climate for your skin and what precautions and treatments you can take to lower the risk of skin conditions.

Compared to other ancestry reports, HomeDNA’s is quite basic and does not have a large online community or many resources to explore further. You cannot directly connect with relatives or build family trees online. The upside of this is that your data is much more secure – they also pledge to not sell or pass on the info to third parties. 

Where HomeDNA excels is with its health and beauty tests. For skin tests and other sensitives, it is currently the best choice. We’d recommend them for sure if you wish to build a better health and wellness regime.

A different entry into our DNA test kit reviews, STK uses DNA testing to determine paternity rather than your ancestry or health markers. We included this because it’s the best DNA test kit on the web for paternity.

The standard kit costs $99 and is for one alleged father and one child, so you will need to purchase more to test multiple potential fathers. The testing process simply involves taking a cheek swab and mailing it back in the prepaid packaging. The results will be completed within 5 days and can be accessed securely online or you can get a hardcopy mailed to you. There is also an option for a phone conversation with a professionalist.

Each pack contains: 

• instructions
• consent forms 
• 8 sterile swabs in case you need extras 
• 4 tamper seals 
• 4 swab envelopes 
• one prepaid envelope to post both swabs in

STK has not had any scandals about false positives. If pre-arranged with the court and STK their results can be used in official paternity cases. They analyze 16 genetic markers, resulting in a 99.9% accuracy. Although other companies may use markers, this is a bit of a gimmick – 16 is still essentially 100% accurate. Furthermore, their labs are AABB-accredited which is the professional standard. Due to regulations, however, such tests are not permitted in New York.

If you have any questions and want a professional interpretation of the results, you are encouraged to contact the company.

STK currently handles all of their online orders via Amazon, which means your payment and purchase details are secure. They also have their own protocols for protecting your data. The staff involved with the test are sworn to confidentiality. 

If you need a fast, accurate, and affordable paternity test, STK is the best. They save you the hassle of going to a doctor’s office and help you to keep the issue private. The only downside we see is that if there’s a legal case surrounding paternity and you need a witness, a home administered test might not be enough.