Ancestry vs. 23andMe: How to Pick the Best DNA Testing Kit for You

I tried the AncestryDNA kit, which comes with a saliva collection tube and cap, a return bag and a prepaid return label box. To register the kit, I downloaded the Ancestry app and scanned the barcode on the side of the collection tube. You can register your kit online too, and just manually enter the number. 

When you make an account, the app asks for your consent on several items, including consent to process your sample, to store the sample if you want future testing, and to participate in research. The research includes taking surveys and questionnaires that AncestryDNA says it will use to attempt to better understand human history and health.

I declined to consent to store my sample or participate in research. AncestryDNA asks a few questions about your health history. You can edit what information becomes public or private on the site, and how you want to appear to other users if your DNA matches with someone else. You’ll have an opportunity to review all information before proceeding.

Read more: In the Future, Not Even Your DNA Will Be Sacred

Ancestry does not use the standard Y-chromosome and/or mitochondrial DNA methodologies most others use — so we know less about how it actually analyzes DNA. 

After spitting in the tube, I mailed off the kit and confirmed that it was sent off in the app. The app “tracked” the kit’s journey from being received at the lab to processing and more before it told me my results were ready. 

Your results will include an AncestryHealth report and an Ethnicity Estimate report. AncestryDNA also tells you which other users your DNA closely matches. It flagged my aunt, who also used the site, as Close Family. The app let me compare our Ethnicity Estimates and gave me the option to send her a message.  

Read more: What AncestryDNA Taught Me About DNA, Privacy and the Complex World of Genetic Testing

Pros:

• You can decline to have your sample stored or participate in research.
• The AncestryHealth report was broken down into Notable Health Results, Health Results and Wellness Results. The reports include information about cancer risks, carrier status for diseases like cystic fibrosis and your blood health. 
• The wellness reports give you information on your vitamin levels, among other things. 
• AncestryHealth can flag potential health conditions based on the family history you shared or by variants detected in your DNA sample. 
• You get an Ethnicity Estimate report, which shows which regions in the world your ancestors were most likely linked to. This area on the map was color-coded, along with the others that my DNA was linked to. The AncestryDNA Regions list has over 1,000 regions that your sample is tested against, so you’ll see where your DNA didn’t turn up results, too. 

Cons:

• The family tree aspect and the DNA aspect required two separate apps. The desktop version keeps it all in one place if you work on a browser. 
• The health screening does not have Food and Drug Administration approval. 

I tried the Health and Ancestry kit which came with the saliva collection tube and cap, a return bag and a prepaid return label box. Like AncestryDNA, 23andMe also required kit registration (in-app or online) prior to testing. I downloaded the app and scanned the barcode on the side of the collection tube. You can also manually enter the code.

The 23andMe kit asked for consent on several items when I made an account, as AncestryDNA did. I could store my sample for future tests, participate in research, get health reports and had the ability to share my step data from a fitness app for a more comprehensive look at my activity. I declined all except the health reports. 

Unlike Ancestry, 23andMe does have FDA approval as a risk screener for a handful of genetic conditions and diseases. If you’re primarily interested in DNA testing for this purpose, 23andMe is the better choice. 

The app tracked my sample’s journey to the lab and the DNA extraction process. The app tested 216 populations to generate the report.

23andMe can display the results in a timeline, so you can see approximately how many generations ago your most recent ancestor came from each region. For example, my results turned up a tiny bit of Ashkenazi Jewish background, but my timeline indicated that the relative would’ve been alive five to eight generations ago. You can also view your results as a Chromosome Painting, which shows where in your chromosomes a specific region matched and how prevalent it is.  

There were a lot of facets to explore in the results. For example, 23andMe gave me more information on each region my DNA matched. If I tapped on the icon for each country, 23andMe told me about the history of the region and the people’s migration patterns over time and also provided resources to learn about the culture, ways to book an Airbnb to visit and other features. I could also seek out possible relatives among 23andMe users and found my mother’s cousin. 

Pros:

• 23andMe is FDA-approved as a risk screening.
• 23andMe’s health reports included predispositions, carrier status, wellness, traits and a health action plan. Predispositions tested for Parkinson’s disease, Type 2 diabetes, celiac disease and more. The lab would test for certain genetic variants.
• The wellness report included interesting items like whether or not you’re a deep sleeper, how much you likely move in your sleep, genetic weight and other factors.
• The traits reported are particularly interesting. These detailed how likely I was to be able to have a certain eye color, hate cilantro, have freckles, hate eating sounds, get bitten more by mosquitos and other things. 

Cons:

• Like with AncestryDNA, 23andMe specified that the test results weren’t a diagnosis or a guarantee that you wouldn’t be diagnosed with a disease later.