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Sunday, February 5th
Family Tree DNA is owned by parent company Gene by Gene and is based in Texas. Created in 2000, this service was one of the first to offer direct-to-consumer DNA testing kits.
New partnership with myDNA
There was a huge sale going on when we visited the Family Tree DNA site most recently. The biggest "score" was the Family Ancestry + myDNA Wellness kit for just $59. You may already have seen that myDNA is one of our favorite picks for getting gene-customized diet and fitness recommendations, and their service alone is regularly priced at $99. Why not get everything they have to offer PLUS your ancestry results - for $40 less? You can read more in our myDNA review to see how that part of the service works (and pay close attention to the monthly membership component).
Several tests focused on ancestry alone
Not looking for health and wellness info? No problem. Family Tree DNA also has several ancestry-only options:
You can also transfer your data from AncestryDNA, 23andMe or MyHeritage to Family Tree DNA and get your matches at no cost.
Smaller DNA database, no family tree tool
How many matches might you find here? This is one of the smaller testing databases among the ancestry-based DNA services we evaluated, with just two million people included so far. Also, despite the name, Family Tree DNA doesn't have a tree-building function and you'd need to use a different platform if you're trying to create and research your family tree.
Costs
Customer reviews aren't always positive
The Better Business Bureau gives Family Tree DNA their highest rating and accreditation, so we're not overly concerned about how the company handles problems or operates in general. Customer reviews are a little less consistent: in some places, they average less than 2 out of 5 stars, while in others the average skyrockets to 4.2 out of 5. In all of those places, though, the recent feedback is almost entirely negative. Clients report that tests take months to return results, that information is vague or inaccurate, and that customer service is hard to work with.
Some room for improvement
We give Family Tree DNA a slight bump in our ratings over their last evaluation here, almost entirely because it may give you a way to access the health and wellness features of a higher-rated service for less money. But, if you're primarily interested in DNA test kits for exploring your ancestry, you'll almost certainly get more accurate and detailed reports from a different provider.
Direct-to-consumer DNA testing has exploded over the last decade. From popular TV shows that document the ancestry of celebrities to clickbait articles describing the latest "she almost married her long-lost brother!" scandal prevented by a DNA test, it seems like everyone is pretty familiar with the appeal and power of these kits.
There are three main reasons why people buy a DNA test these days. The most common is to explore their heritage. Am I really related to royalty? Did my great-great-grandparents actually come from a small town in Italy? DNA tests can often reveal the answers to such questions. These tests also help people connect with living relatives, from distant cousins overseas to half-siblings and even previously-unknown parents.
Most DNA testing services allow you to keep that information private, though, if you just want to see your ethnicity breakdown without disclosing yourself to any relatives who might be in their database.
The second reason many individuals choose to buy a DNA testing kit is to get information on health and wellness. Depending on the provider you choose, your results may include basic traits like cleft chin or sensitivity to caffeine, or they may go so far as to tell you if you're a carrier for certain hereditary diseases. These tests can help you be proactive with your health, give your physician more details to guide your treatment, and maybe even prolong your life.
If you've ever watched The Jerry Springer Show, you already know the third reason people buy DNA tests: to prove paternity. That's easier to do when the alleged father is a willing participant in the test, but some companies also offer sibling, half-sibling, grandparent and avuncular (such as aunt/uncle) options that can give you a percentage of likelihood that the individual is related.
You've got lots of options for DNA testing kids. Which one should you buy? These are the factors you should keep in mind as you decide:
To help you choose the right service to learn more about your health and heritage, Top Consumer Reviews has evaluated and ranked the most popular providers of DNA testing kits on the market today. We're confident that through these tests, you can discover everything you've wanted to know about your genetics!
Select any 2 DNA Testing Kits to compare them head to head