The best DNA test kits for everyone

Are you distantly related to Beyoncé? Only one way to find out.
By Leah Stodart , Joseph Green , and Matt Ford  on 
All products featured here are independently selected by our editors and writers. If you buy something through links on our site, Mashable may earn an affiliate commission.

Overview

Best For Tight Budgets

MyHeritage

Jump to Details
Best For Health Screenings

23andMe

Jump to Details
Best For Connecting With Relatives

AncestryDNA

Jump to Details
Best For Dogs

Wisdom Panel

Jump to Details
Best For Maternal And Paternal Tracing

Living DNA

Jump to Details

This content originally appeared on Mashable for a US audience and has been adapted for the UK audience.

Millions of people have already taken a DNA test. Success stories like finding a birth parent or discovering that you're related to a president would make anyone consider it.

Though DNA kits have become increasingly popular gift items year after year, direct-to-consumer DNA testing is still a pretty new concept — one that people may not fully understand. Is it accurate? Is it safe? Apprehension about DNA test kits is sure to make some people hesitate. Which is a shame. Because finding out the who, what, and where that makes you you is important.

If you're still not sure, here's some more useful information.

How does DNA testing work?

It's easy: Swipe the inside of your cheek with a cotton swab, send it back, and get your results in a few weeks. What type of results (or the level of detail in those results) depends on the type of testing your kit provides:

  • Autosomal testing — This is the most basic and most popular means of genetic testing, commonly known as the family finder. Autosomal DNA tests look at 22 pairs of chromosomes not involved in determining a person's sex. It is used for cousin and distant relative matching as well as mixture percentages, or your ethnic mix, plus common genetic traits, like heritable diseases and hair type.

  • mtDNA — This testing uses mitochondrial DNA to trace your mother's lineage. These are the DNA strands passed down from mother to child. There's very little chance that these could be altered, so your direct maternal line can be traced back quite far.

  • Y-DNA — This testing focuses on the Y chromosome and traces your father's lineage. These are the DNA strands passed down from father to son in the paternal line. It's important to note that only males can use a Y-DNA test directly — but women can usually connect their DNA profile with a father, brother, or other male relative to get these results.

  • Health screenings and trait analysis — These use your genetic markers to pinpoint potential illnesses or diseases you may be at risk of inheriting, as well as how your risks compare to other people of your age, race, and gender. Traits like hair and eye colour, earlobe type, cilantro aversion, or male hair loss may also be a part of the test, providing insight into the physical and sensory genes that make you unique or genes that you're likely to pass to your children.

Understanding these points in a good place to start when choosing the best DNA test kit for you.

Is it really worth taking a DNA test?

If you tried an at-home DNA kit a few years ago and weren't satisfied with the vague results, you may get better answers the second time around.

DNA companies are continuously expanding their pools so they have more data to compare: In 2019 alone, 23andMe added 1,000 new regions and 30 new Ancestry Detail reports. AncestryDNA updated its ethnicity estimates with new regions in Europe, the Americas, Oceania, and South Asia and a reference panel of over 40,000 samples.

These expansions lead to more granular reporting, like more precise differentiation between geographic neighbour areas that may have previously been lumped together.

Despite the growth, most at-home DNA tests are still widely euro-centric. The shortcomings when it comes to reference populations for people of colour, results of polygenic risk score tests for non-European people, and employment diversity are slowly being addressed by companies like 23andMe, but there's still no super reliable kit dedicated to typically non-white populations.

Which DNA test is the most accurate?

It's hard to say which DNA test is the most accurate. Different DNA companies have different strengths and weaknesses, and discrepancies between results don't automatically mean one test is skimping. One company may have a massive reference pool from hundreds of thousands of different regions — giving you a better chance of getting a well-rounded report of all possible ancestors — but that broadness could gloss over details.

A competing company may hone in on a specific region and be able to provide a wealth of detail about that region, but customers would need to have a previous inkling about their ancestry to choose such a specific test in the first place.

Do at-home DNA tests protect your privacy?

Some people get freaked out by the idea of a company having access to one of the most sensitive pieces of data that could exist about a person. It's a valid concern.

It's crucial to remember that genetics data gathered by mail-in testing kits isn't classified as official medical health data, which means it isn't protected by HIPAA regulations. A company's privacy protocol — what info it collects or keeps, how much control you have, and how to delete data — could be ambiguous, so fully inspect that privacy policy before moving forward with a test. Many permissions operate via opt-in consent, so your returned cotton swab will be taken as "Yes, this is fine."

Can you get a DNA test for your pet?

Buying a DNA test for your pet is not extra. As our loyal companions, they deserve a better answer than "IDK, just a mix" when someone asks what breed they are.

Just like humans use DNA tests to piece together their family tree, get an ethnicity breakdown, or learn about medical predispositions, pet DNA tests offer information about your pet's family history, breed mix, and risk of health issues. They're an especially handy tool for parents of rescued fur babies and super-mixed mutts. Like the human cheek swab process, an at-home pet DNA test is as easy as swabbing the inside of their cheek — if you can get them to cooperate, that is.

Which DNA test is best?

What — or who — are you looking for? The best DNA kit all depends on how you want to anatomise your lineage. Before making any sort of purchase decision, you should carefully consider what your priorities are. This should help you find the kit that works best for you.

To help with this process, we have shortlisted all the best DNA test kits from the brands. There should be something for everyone in this list, even you.

These are the best DNA test kits in 2024.

MyHeritage DNA kit

MyHeritage

Best For Tight Budgets

If your budget is a little tighter and you're only looking for the autosomal testing, MyHeritage could be the DNA test for you. First-timers may also find this kit the most appealing as it is the most user-friendly. Swab your cheek, send it for testing, and have your results in 3-4 weeks.

MyHeritage is said to be the fastest and cheapest test, usually sending results back to participants in 3-4 weeks and not requiring a monthly paid subscription to access results. MyHeritage also pulls from 42 graphic regions, the third highest number behind AncestryDNA and Living DNA. DNA can be linked online to create a family tree, and there is an option to upload raw data — so if you've had genealogy tests done before or have aditional genetics information, it can easily be included in results.

MyHeritage does have the smallest matching database size out of the kits compared here (aside from Living DNA, which doesn't have a database). It doesn't offer separate mtDNA or Y-DNA tests, so if you're looking to trace your direct maternal or paternal line or results more specific to your maternal or paternal side, MyHeritage may not have those details.

Buying Options

The Good

The Bad

Details

23andMe logo

23andMe

Best For Health Screenings

Called 23andMe as a nod to each person's unique set of 23 chromosomes, 23andMe is the only kit in this lineup to offer health screenings aside from autosomal testing. Fill the tube with your spit, send it back for testing, and get your results in approximately 2-4 weeks. As with other options in this round-up, the results are held indefinitely, so you can log on at any time to see or update your family tree.

One super unique thing about 23andMe is that it does health and wellness screenings. Though the basic version just traces ancestry, a more deluxe option includes the health screening. 23andMe's health tests can give valuable information about genetic illnesses, health risks, carrier status on health conditions, or traits that may run in your family — providing you with an important heads up about any checkups you may want to schedule. 23andMe continues to add more regions to its report.

When you throw in the health screening option, things can get pricey. Indeed, there are much cheaper DNA tests out there. But the basic version is the same price as the cheapest options, so it suits anyone who wants to give it a try — whether you're a beginner or want very specific information.

Buying Options

The Good

The Bad

Details

Ancestry DNA kit

AncestryDNA

Best For Connecting With Relatives

Possibly the best-known DNA service — and for good reason — AncestryDNA helps locate distant relatives. Simply pop your spit into the tube provided and you'll receive results in 6-8 weeks. Results are kept indefinitely, so you can log on at any time to see or update your family tree.

AncestryDNA pulls results from a very large genealogical pool and from some 700,000 locations in over 500 ethnic regions (thanks to migration data) around the world — said to be the largest database of all DNA test kits. DNA matches can be linked online to create your family tree, and if a family match is also signed up, you have the option to reach out and connect. Options to contact database matches are great, making this one of the best tests for adopted individuals to connect with biological relatives.

It doesn't offer separate mtDNA or Y-DNA tests, so if your priority is results more specific to your maternal or paternal side, AncestryDNA might not be quite so reliable. Also, people of East Asian descent may find AncestryDNA frustrating because they haven't yet sampled enough people to provide specific data for that part of the world.

Buying Options

The Good

The Bad

Details

If you're not satisfied with only searching out the genetic history of the human members of your family, Wisdom Panel for Dog DNA is a good option. 

This kit claims to have the largest breed database in the dog DNA market, testing for over 220 canine breeds. Just swab the inside of your dog's cheek with the provided tool, send it back, and get your results in two to three weeks.

If you're more of a cat person, there's also a version available for feline friends.

Buying Options

The Good

The Bad

Details

Living DNA box

Living DNA

Best For Maternal And Paternal Tracing

If you're looking for the best bang for your buck and definitely want all three tests done, Living DNA is your best bet. Another thing: If you know that most of your results will be in the UK or are most interested in the UK regions, Living DNA will be the kit for you as it goes very in-depth into the British Isles. Swab the inside of your cheek with the provided swab and have your results in 6-8 weeks.

Living DNA is the best deal if you definitely want all three tests. It offers mtDNA and Y-DNA tests in the basic kit with no extra charge, which is something none of the other kits do. It also pulls info from 150 geographical locations, meaning that Living DNA provides pretty detailed information when it comes to region.

Buying Options

The Good

The Bad

Details

Leah Stodart
Leah Stodart
Senior Shopping Reporter

Leah Stodart is a Philadelphia-based Senior Shopping Reporter at Mashable where she covers essential home tech like vacuums and TVs as well as sustainable swaps and travel. Her ever-growing experience in these categories comes in clutch when making recommendations on how to spend your money during shopping holidays like Black Friday, which Leah has been covering for Mashable since 2017.

Leah graduated from Penn State University in 2016 with dual degrees in Sociology and Media Studies. When she's not writing about shopping (or shopping online for herself), she's almost definitely watching a horror movie, "RuPaul's Drag Race," or "The Office." You can follow her on X at @notleah or email her at [email protected].

Photo of Joseph Green
Joseph Green
Shopping Editor

Joseph joined Mashable as the UK Shopping Editor in 2018. He worked for a number of print publications before making the switch to the glittery world of digital media, and now writes about everything from coffee machines to VPNs.

Mashable Image
Matt Ford

Matt Ford is a freelance contributor to Mashable.


Recommended For You
California paid millions to access a mental health app. It wasn't safe for users.
The California state capitol in Sacramento.


SpaceX Starship launch livestream: Watch the third launch live
The Starship atop its rocket booster at its launch pad in Boca Chica, Texas, in 2023.

Users get a taste of Google's AI search results, unprompted
A screenshot of the Google Search homepage.

Talking to someone online for emotional support may be riskier than you realize
Speech bubbles colored red and blue float next to each other.

Trending on Mashable
Wordle today: Here's the answer and hints for March 29
a phone displaying Wordle

NYT Connections today: See hints and answers for March 29
A phone displaying the New York Times game 'Connections.'

NYT Connections today: See hints and answers for March 28
A phone displaying the New York Times game 'Connections.'


'3 Body Problem' ending: What does Dr Ye Wenjie's 'joke' about God really mean?
An older woman sits in a room.
The biggest stories of the day delivered to your inbox.
This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. Subscribing to a newsletter indicates your consent to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe from the newsletters at any time.
Thanks for signing up. See you at your inbox!