Ancestry DNA is the clear industry leader in the consumer DNA testing market. With more than 1.4 million people in the database, 23andme and Family Tree DNA just don't compare. I have tested at all three and I am able to confirm relationships with more people at Ancestry DNA than either of the other services.
Ancestry DNA is an autosomal DNA test and will provide an ethnicity breakdown, as well as relative matches to anyone in the database whom shares DNA with you. ALL of your family lines will be represented. Gender is of no relevance. An individual receives approximately 50% of their DNA from each parent; 25% from each grandparent; and so on and so forth. The further you move away from an ancestor, the lesser their genetic contribution to you. Autosomal DNA will provide matches reliably up to 5 generations. However, it is not necessarily unusual to have 6th, 7th and 8th cousin matches too, especially for those who are from endogamous populations. Autosomal DNA testing is, by far, the most popular test offering today.
A lot of reviews have complaints about the ethnicity breakdowns. It's an evolving science. The different companies use different algorithms and have different reference populations. While 23andme is considered the industry leader in this regard (and I totally agree with this assessment), Ancestry DNA is a very close second, while Family Tree DNA is a distant third. Having said that, don't take the ethnicity component too seriously. They are pretty accurate at the continental level but this aspect of the tests should be viewed, overall, as estimates.
The real value is in one's relative matches. These are the connections that will enable you to expand your genealogy. Or, connect you to your birth parents. Or, help you confirm that great-grandma immigrated from County Cork. Or, lead you to that lost branch of the family that was separated because Aunt Martha didn't show up at Cousin Mary's baby shower in 1974. Or, perhaps the break was due to the ravages of war or even slavery.
A few tips to get the most out of Ancestry DNA and your overall experience:
Do NOT forget to activate your kit before mailing! The code is on the tube and the pamphlet insert.
Purchase when it's on sale for $79 or less. If you do so through Amazon, there is no charge for shipping and it is expedited for Prime members. If you buy through Ancestry's site, try the code FREESHIPDNA.
If your parents are available and willing to test, test them BOTH! Even testing one parent will enable you to sort your maternal from paternal matches. If your parents aren't available, ask their siblings, aunts/uncles, test your grandparents. Testing multiple relatives goes a long way in isolating family lines. Also, always test the oldest generation first. Not only do you not want to miss out on the opportunity, but they are generationally closer to your ancestors and will have matches that you do not have.
Ask your siblings to test too. Even full siblings will have different matches beyond 2nd cousin. You will likely even see differences in their ethnicity breakdown.
Once results become available, transfer the raw data to Family Tree DNA for just $39. This will add you to their database for less than the $99 price tag and your results are available in days vs weeks.
Upload your raw data to GEDMATCH for FREE. Why? Unfortunately, Ancestry DNA does not provide a chromosome browser, which is a very important tool in genetic genealogy. Also, you will generate matches from 23andme and FTDNA, whom also uploaded.
Download the Jeff Snavely Chrome Extension. Your results will be far more manageable, especially if you are handling multiple tests. It takes seconds to download but the initial scan can take hours. Be patient. You won't regret it.
Don't overlook New Ancestor Discoveries (these are potential ancestors that aren't in your tree but Ancestry suggests them based on your DNA matches).
Ancestry hasn't yielded on the chromosome browser, but they did unveil the "Shared Matches" feature and now provide us with the amount of DNA shared (centimorgans). Don't overlook these tools to help you figure out your connection to your matches.
Build a public tree. This way you can benefit from DNA Circles and increase the likelihood of making valuable connections. Genealogy is about an exchange of information.
If the tester has difficulty spitting, have the person bite/chew on the inside of their cheeks gently. Then, place a bit of sugar on the tip of the tongue and/or offer a cut lemon to smell.
If you're an adoptee, or you're searching for a close relative and need help with how to get there using DNA, check out DNA Detectives on Facebook. It's a wonderfully supportive group with lots of knowledgable people and plenty of reunions to buoy your spirits and encourage you.
For more education on DNA testing and/or genetic genealogy, check out the International Society of Genetic Genealogy (ISOGG) on Facebook.
Those with colonial US roots tend to fare the best when it comes to matches, but the recent expansion of sales into the UK, Ireland and Canada have been a welcome addition to the database!
If you are interested in medical results like the ones 23andme formerly offered (the FDA offering is paired down considerably and not worth the $199 price tag), take your raw data and upload to Promethease for $5.
Ancestry DNA results can be accessed without a subscription. However, to maximize the experience, I recommend one. The Insight subscription is $49 for 6 months. You must call and request it since it isn't offered online.
Ancestry DNA's average turnaround time has been 2 weeks for more than a year. It has slowed down a bit in the last couple of weeks due to holiday sales but many people received results even on Christmas Day.
DNA testing for genealogical purposes is an incredible tool and the perfect compliment to traditional genealogy. I am so grateful to live in a day and age where this technology is available to us. Ancestry DNA has enabled me to make some incredible connections, that would not have been made possible otherwise. It is also wonderful to receive validation of years of research because the bottom line is DNA doesn't lie (but families sometimes do)!
The photos attached show ethnicity breakdowns for three different people that tested at my request. The first two collages show an individual's breakdown across The Big Three DNA testing companies from Left to Right: 23andme, Ancestry DNA and Family Tree DNA. I like the side-by-side for comparison's sake. As you can see, the differences between the three are negligible. The last test shows just Family Tree DNA, since unlike the first two people, this person tested at one company only.
I hope this helps you with your decision! Good luck and have fun with this!
Oh, I forgot one thing - there is NO DNA company that can tell you what Native American tribe you descend from. There is no such things as a Cherokee database. It's just a bogus claim designed to part you from your cash. Don't fall for it!
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Product Description
Location and Detail Feature
DNA Matches Feature
StoryScout Feature
Ethnicity Inheritance Feature
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Genetic Ethnicity | Genetic Ethnicity + Traits | Genetic Ethnicity + 3-Month Ancestry World Explorer | |
| Ethnicity Estimate and DNA Matches | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Historical Timeline and Ancestral Movements | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| StoryScout | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Over 35 Traits | ✓ | ||
| Traits Around the World | ✓ | ||
| Compare Traits | ✓ | ||
| Access to all records on Ancestry | ✓ | ||
| Access to all public family trees on Ancestry | ✓ | ||
| Access to Ancestry Hints | ✓ | ||
| Connect with millions of other Ancestry members | ✓ |
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Customer reviews
DO NOT PURCHASE THIS IF YOU ARE ASIAN
Reviewed in the United States on April 24, 2018
I'm Korean, but I wanted to further understand my ethic background. I was curious if I have South Asian genes or ancestors from other East Asian countries.But the test result only says I'm "100% Asian." One giant yellow pie chart just saying I'm just "Asian", nothing else. So, I paid 80 bucks to find out I'm Asian.AncestryDNA only 4 Asian regions (Asia, South Asia, Central Asia, and Guam/Philippines), whereas they have more than 100 European regions.Is this some sort of sick joke? I understand that the company may have way fewer Asian samples. But then, they should've notified customers that they can't track Asian people's ancestry at all.Don't waste your money on this, if you are Asian.
Reviewed in the United States on April 24, 2018
Images in this review
Top reviews from the United States
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Reviewed in the United States on January 31, 2016
Ancestry DNA is an autosomal DNA test and will provide an ethnicity breakdown, as well as relative matches to anyone in the database whom shares DNA with you. ALL of your family lines will be represented. Gender is of no relevance. An individual receives approximately 50% of their DNA from each parent; 25% from each grandparent; and so on and so forth. The further you move away from an ancestor, the lesser their genetic contribution to you. Autosomal DNA will provide matches reliably up to 5 generations. However, it is not necessarily unusual to have 6th, 7th and 8th cousin matches too, especially for those who are from endogamous populations. Autosomal DNA testing is, by far, the most popular test offering today.
A lot of reviews have complaints about the ethnicity breakdowns. It's an evolving science. The different companies use different algorithms and have different reference populations. While 23andme is considered the industry leader in this regard (and I totally agree with this assessment), Ancestry DNA is a very close second, while Family Tree DNA is a distant third. Having said that, don't take the ethnicity component too seriously. They are pretty accurate at the continental level but this aspect of the tests should be viewed, overall, as estimates.
The real value is in one's relative matches. These are the connections that will enable you to expand your genealogy. Or, connect you to your birth parents. Or, help you confirm that great-grandma immigrated from County Cork. Or, lead you to that lost branch of the family that was separated because Aunt Martha didn't show up at Cousin Mary's baby shower in 1974. Or, perhaps the break was due to the ravages of war or even slavery.
A few tips to get the most out of Ancestry DNA and your overall experience:
Do NOT forget to activate your kit before mailing! The code is on the tube and the pamphlet insert.
Purchase when it's on sale for $79 or less. If you do so through Amazon, there is no charge for shipping and it is expedited for Prime members. If you buy through Ancestry's site, try the code FREESHIPDNA.
If your parents are available and willing to test, test them BOTH! Even testing one parent will enable you to sort your maternal from paternal matches. If your parents aren't available, ask their siblings, aunts/uncles, test your grandparents. Testing multiple relatives goes a long way in isolating family lines. Also, always test the oldest generation first. Not only do you not want to miss out on the opportunity, but they are generationally closer to your ancestors and will have matches that you do not have.
Ask your siblings to test too. Even full siblings will have different matches beyond 2nd cousin. You will likely even see differences in their ethnicity breakdown.
Once results become available, transfer the raw data to Family Tree DNA for just $39. This will add you to their database for less than the $99 price tag and your results are available in days vs weeks.
Upload your raw data to GEDMATCH for FREE. Why? Unfortunately, Ancestry DNA does not provide a chromosome browser, which is a very important tool in genetic genealogy. Also, you will generate matches from 23andme and FTDNA, whom also uploaded.
Download the Jeff Snavely Chrome Extension. Your results will be far more manageable, especially if you are handling multiple tests. It takes seconds to download but the initial scan can take hours. Be patient. You won't regret it.
Don't overlook New Ancestor Discoveries (these are potential ancestors that aren't in your tree but Ancestry suggests them based on your DNA matches).
Ancestry hasn't yielded on the chromosome browser, but they did unveil the "Shared Matches" feature and now provide us with the amount of DNA shared (centimorgans). Don't overlook these tools to help you figure out your connection to your matches.
Build a public tree. This way you can benefit from DNA Circles and increase the likelihood of making valuable connections. Genealogy is about an exchange of information.
If the tester has difficulty spitting, have the person bite/chew on the inside of their cheeks gently. Then, place a bit of sugar on the tip of the tongue and/or offer a cut lemon to smell.
If you're an adoptee, or you're searching for a close relative and need help with how to get there using DNA, check out DNA Detectives on Facebook. It's a wonderfully supportive group with lots of knowledgable people and plenty of reunions to buoy your spirits and encourage you.
For more education on DNA testing and/or genetic genealogy, check out the International Society of Genetic Genealogy (ISOGG) on Facebook.
Those with colonial US roots tend to fare the best when it comes to matches, but the recent expansion of sales into the UK, Ireland and Canada have been a welcome addition to the database!
If you are interested in medical results like the ones 23andme formerly offered (the FDA offering is paired down considerably and not worth the $199 price tag), take your raw data and upload to Promethease for $5.
Ancestry DNA results can be accessed without a subscription. However, to maximize the experience, I recommend one. The Insight subscription is $49 for 6 months. You must call and request it since it isn't offered online.
Ancestry DNA's average turnaround time has been 2 weeks for more than a year. It has slowed down a bit in the last couple of weeks due to holiday sales but many people received results even on Christmas Day.
DNA testing for genealogical purposes is an incredible tool and the perfect compliment to traditional genealogy. I am so grateful to live in a day and age where this technology is available to us. Ancestry DNA has enabled me to make some incredible connections, that would not have been made possible otherwise. It is also wonderful to receive validation of years of research because the bottom line is DNA doesn't lie (but families sometimes do)!
The photos attached show ethnicity breakdowns for three different people that tested at my request. The first two collages show an individual's breakdown across The Big Three DNA testing companies from Left to Right: 23andme, Ancestry DNA and Family Tree DNA. I like the side-by-side for comparison's sake. As you can see, the differences between the three are negligible. The last test shows just Family Tree DNA, since unlike the first two people, this person tested at one company only.
I hope this helps you with your decision! Good luck and have fun with this!
Oh, I forgot one thing - there is NO DNA company that can tell you what Native American tribe you descend from. There is no such things as a Cherokee database. It's just a bogus claim designed to part you from your cash. Don't fall for it!
Ancestry DNA is the Only Test You Need!
By Barefoot In NC on January 30, 2016
Ancestry DNA is the clear industry leader in the consumer DNA testing market. With more than 1.4 million people in the database, 23andme and Family Tree DNA just don't compare. I have tested at all three and I am able to confirm relationships with more people at Ancestry DNA than either of the other services.By Barefoot In NC on January 30, 2016
Ancestry DNA is an autosomal DNA test and will provide an ethnicity breakdown, as well as relative matches to anyone in the database whom shares DNA with you. ALL of your family lines will be represented. Gender is of no relevance. An individual receives approximately 50% of their DNA from each parent; 25% from each grandparent; and so on and so forth. The further you move away from an ancestor, the lesser their genetic contribution to you. Autosomal DNA will provide matches reliably up to 5 generations. However, it is not necessarily unusual to have 6th, 7th and 8th cousin matches too, especially for those who are from endogamous populations. Autosomal DNA testing is, by far, the most popular test offering today.
A lot of reviews have complaints about the ethnicity breakdowns. It's an evolving science. The different companies use different algorithms and have different reference populations. While 23andme is considered the industry leader in this regard (and I totally agree with this assessment), Ancestry DNA is a very close second, while Family Tree DNA is a distant third. Having said that, don't take the ethnicity component too seriously. They are pretty accurate at the continental level but this aspect of the tests should be viewed, overall, as estimates.
The real value is in one's relative matches. These are the connections that will enable you to expand your genealogy. Or, connect you to your birth parents. Or, help you confirm that great-grandma immigrated from County Cork. Or, lead you to that lost branch of the family that was separated because Aunt Martha didn't show up at Cousin Mary's baby shower in 1974. Or, perhaps the break was due to the ravages of war or even slavery.
A few tips to get the most out of Ancestry DNA and your overall experience:
Do NOT forget to activate your kit before mailing! The code is on the tube and the pamphlet insert.
Purchase when it's on sale for $79 or less. If you do so through Amazon, there is no charge for shipping and it is expedited for Prime members. If you buy through Ancestry's site, try the code FREESHIPDNA.
If your parents are available and willing to test, test them BOTH! Even testing one parent will enable you to sort your maternal from paternal matches. If your parents aren't available, ask their siblings, aunts/uncles, test your grandparents. Testing multiple relatives goes a long way in isolating family lines. Also, always test the oldest generation first. Not only do you not want to miss out on the opportunity, but they are generationally closer to your ancestors and will have matches that you do not have.
Ask your siblings to test too. Even full siblings will have different matches beyond 2nd cousin. You will likely even see differences in their ethnicity breakdown.
Once results become available, transfer the raw data to Family Tree DNA for just $39. This will add you to their database for less than the $99 price tag and your results are available in days vs weeks.
Upload your raw data to GEDMATCH for FREE. Why? Unfortunately, Ancestry DNA does not provide a chromosome browser, which is a very important tool in genetic genealogy. Also, you will generate matches from 23andme and FTDNA, whom also uploaded.
Download the Jeff Snavely Chrome Extension. Your results will be far more manageable, especially if you are handling multiple tests. It takes seconds to download but the initial scan can take hours. Be patient. You won't regret it.
Don't overlook New Ancestor Discoveries (these are potential ancestors that aren't in your tree but Ancestry suggests them based on your DNA matches).
Ancestry hasn't yielded on the chromosome browser, but they did unveil the "Shared Matches" feature and now provide us with the amount of DNA shared (centimorgans). Don't overlook these tools to help you figure out your connection to your matches.
Build a public tree. This way you can benefit from DNA Circles and increase the likelihood of making valuable connections. Genealogy is about an exchange of information.
If the tester has difficulty spitting, have the person bite/chew on the inside of their cheeks gently. Then, place a bit of sugar on the tip of the tongue and/or offer a cut lemon to smell.
If you're an adoptee, or you're searching for a close relative and need help with how to get there using DNA, check out DNA Detectives on Facebook. It's a wonderfully supportive group with lots of knowledgable people and plenty of reunions to buoy your spirits and encourage you.
For more education on DNA testing and/or genetic genealogy, check out the International Society of Genetic Genealogy (ISOGG) on Facebook.
Those with colonial US roots tend to fare the best when it comes to matches, but the recent expansion of sales into the UK, Ireland and Canada have been a welcome addition to the database!
If you are interested in medical results like the ones 23andme formerly offered (the FDA offering is paired down considerably and not worth the $199 price tag), take your raw data and upload to Promethease for $5.
Ancestry DNA results can be accessed without a subscription. However, to maximize the experience, I recommend one. The Insight subscription is $49 for 6 months. You must call and request it since it isn't offered online.
Ancestry DNA's average turnaround time has been 2 weeks for more than a year. It has slowed down a bit in the last couple of weeks due to holiday sales but many people received results even on Christmas Day.
DNA testing for genealogical purposes is an incredible tool and the perfect compliment to traditional genealogy. I am so grateful to live in a day and age where this technology is available to us. Ancestry DNA has enabled me to make some incredible connections, that would not have been made possible otherwise. It is also wonderful to receive validation of years of research because the bottom line is DNA doesn't lie (but families sometimes do)!
The photos attached show ethnicity breakdowns for three different people that tested at my request. The first two collages show an individual's breakdown across The Big Three DNA testing companies from Left to Right: 23andme, Ancestry DNA and Family Tree DNA. I like the side-by-side for comparison's sake. As you can see, the differences between the three are negligible. The last test shows just Family Tree DNA, since unlike the first two people, this person tested at one company only.
I hope this helps you with your decision! Good luck and have fun with this!
Oh, I forgot one thing - there is NO DNA company that can tell you what Native American tribe you descend from. There is no such things as a Cherokee database. It's just a bogus claim designed to part you from your cash. Don't fall for it!
Images in this review
Reviewed in the United States on November 13, 2017
* I found the ethnicity estimate to be just about equal to everyone else. You can get more detail running your own models via gedmatch but for the curious or beginner, this is the easy result. If you just want to know whether you need a kilt or lederhosen or green beer for the next holiday seasons then this works as well, with many particular limitations, as any of the others.
* There's no medical interpretation - most don't anymore. You can get good medical results running your raw download through Promethease for a few bucks. If you want to know medical propensities then Ancestry won't help much on its own.
* The relationship calculations are pretty accurate and the database is huge. Compared to my other tests, this one returned far more and much closer connections. If you're looking for birth parents and such, this is the place to start. Just remember that the calculator is an estimate and other possibilities exist.
- The sampling process was simple "spit in a tube, mail it in" - I much prefer cheek swabs but this gets the job done.
- Time was super fast for me - 4 weeks from mail-in. I have a test out with one company that is nearing 3 months to process.
- The user interface is pretty simple for newbies but doesn't offer much in the way of analysis tools for those who have DNA experience. Gedmatch can makeup for the shortfall in analysis tools if you can get your matches to upload there.
- The ease of creating an attached tree makes for some particularly easy genealogical research to confirm/refute family connections.
- The ease of creating an attached tree makes for some particularly prevalent errors in family trees.
- yDNA and mtDNA predictive markers are hidden in these results if you want to make an effort to dig them out.
- The marketing of this tester has created a large database of folks who were only interested in ethnicity and admixture estimates who have no interest in and won't reply to genealogy queries. Many haven't logged back in since they got their results back.
There seem to be a lot of customers who forgot that molecular biology, human origins and migrations geography, and world history weren't their best subjects in school and were expecting this to return an easy result to "grasp it all" in a few minutes. The more you want to dig, the more complex the understanding will become. "DNA for Dummies" is a master's degree - "All You Ever Wanted to Know..." is a PhD. If you get hung up on needing to understand it all in a few short hours then you're going to get very frustrated. Take it in a little at a time.
Having spent many $1000's on this hobby over the years, I'm very pleased with this $70 investment into understanding who I am and where I came from. Your mileage may vary.
some advantages over other testing companies
By Mrs Betty Turner on November 13, 2017
I've done DNA testing with all of the major companies now. And I've been at this DNA stuff for almost 15 years now.By Mrs Betty Turner on November 13, 2017
* I found the ethnicity estimate to be just about equal to everyone else. You can get more detail running your own models via gedmatch but for the curious or beginner, this is the easy result. If you just want to know whether you need a kilt or lederhosen or green beer for the next holiday seasons then this works as well, with many particular limitations, as any of the others.
* There's no medical interpretation - most don't anymore. You can get good medical results running your raw download through Promethease for a few bucks. If you want to know medical propensities then Ancestry won't help much on its own.
* The relationship calculations are pretty accurate and the database is huge. Compared to my other tests, this one returned far more and much closer connections. If you're looking for birth parents and such, this is the place to start. Just remember that the calculator is an estimate and other possibilities exist.
- The sampling process was simple "spit in a tube, mail it in" - I much prefer cheek swabs but this gets the job done.
- Time was super fast for me - 4 weeks from mail-in. I have a test out with one company that is nearing 3 months to process.
- The user interface is pretty simple for newbies but doesn't offer much in the way of analysis tools for those who have DNA experience. Gedmatch can makeup for the shortfall in analysis tools if you can get your matches to upload there.
- The ease of creating an attached tree makes for some particularly easy genealogical research to confirm/refute family connections.
- The ease of creating an attached tree makes for some particularly prevalent errors in family trees.
- yDNA and mtDNA predictive markers are hidden in these results if you want to make an effort to dig them out.
- The marketing of this tester has created a large database of folks who were only interested in ethnicity and admixture estimates who have no interest in and won't reply to genealogy queries. Many haven't logged back in since they got their results back.
There seem to be a lot of customers who forgot that molecular biology, human origins and migrations geography, and world history weren't their best subjects in school and were expecting this to return an easy result to "grasp it all" in a few minutes. The more you want to dig, the more complex the understanding will become. "DNA for Dummies" is a master's degree - "All You Ever Wanted to Know..." is a PhD. If you get hung up on needing to understand it all in a few short hours then you're going to get very frustrated. Take it in a little at a time.
Having spent many $1000's on this hobby over the years, I'm very pleased with this $70 investment into understanding who I am and where I came from. Your mileage may vary.
Images in this review
Reviewed in the United States on September 4, 2022
Top reviews from other countries
Sajjid
Useless for people of South Asian descent, and poor customer service.
Reviewed in Canada on January 3, 2019Conchita
According to ANCESTRYDNA I only gave 31% DNA to my son & 26% to my daughter
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 20, 2018
