DNA Test Comparison
Which DNA test is right for your genealogy research?
Compare the major DNA testing services by DNA matching, genealogy tools, geographic coverage, DNA test types, and research options.
The best DNA test depends on what you want to discover. Start with your research goal rather than the ethnicity estimate.
What are you trying to discover?
Your research question should determine where you start. Use these as practical starting points rather than absolute rankings.
Find relatives
Looking for cousins, biological relatives, and family connections?
AncestryDNA →International genealogy
Researching family branches across national borders?
MyHeritage →Paternal or maternal line
Investigating a specific direct paternal or maternal lineage?
FamilyTreeDNA →Ancestry + insights
Interested in ancestry alongside additional genetic reports?
23andMe →Regional ancestry
Particularly interested in regional or geographic ancestry?
Living DNA →DNA Tests at a Glance
This comparison focuses on features that matter most for genealogy and family-history research.
| Provider | Best For | Autosomal | DNA Matching | Family Trees | Y-DNA | mtDNA | Raw DNA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MyHeritage DNA | International genealogy | Yes | Yes | Yes | — | — | Yes* |
| AncestryDNA | Relatives & family trees | Yes | Yes | Yes | — | — | Yes* |
| 23andMe | Ancestry + genetic insights | Yes | Yes | Limited | — | — | Yes* |
| FamilyTreeDNA | Advanced genetic genealogy | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes* |
| Living DNA | Regional ancestry | Yes | Yes | Limited | — | — | Yes* |
*Availability of raw DNA downloads, uploads, features, and products can change. Always check the provider’s current information before purchasing.
Which provider fits your research?
These recommendations are based on the research goals each service is particularly suited to.
MyHeritage DNA
MyHeritage is strongly focused on genealogy and combines DNA matching with family-tree research and historical resources.
- Genealogy-focused platform
- DNA matching
- Family-tree integration
- International genealogy resources
- Tools for investigating DNA matches
- Combining DNA evidence with traditional genealogy
AncestryDNA
AncestryDNA combines consumer DNA testing with Ancestry’s family-tree and historical-record ecosystem.
- DNA matching
- Family-tree integration
- Large genealogy ecosystem
- Historical records
- Tools for investigating potential relationships
FamilyTreeDNA
FamilyTreeDNA is particularly relevant to researchers interested in specialized genetic genealogy .
- Autosomal DNA testing
- Y-DNA testing
- mtDNA testing
- Genetic genealogy projects
- Advanced research opportunities
23andMe
23andMe has historically combined ancestry information with other genetic reports.
- Ancestry information
- DNA matching
- Additional genetic reports
- Consumer-focused genetic insights
Living DNA
Living DNA focuses on ancestry analysis with particular attention to regional ancestry in certain populations.
- Regional ancestry information
- Ancestry DNA testing
- DNA matching features
- Geographic ancestry research
Which type of DNA test do you actually need?
Autosomal DNA, Y-DNA, and mtDNA answer different genealogy questions. The right choice depends on the lineage you want to investigate.
Autosomal DNA
Autosomal DNA comes from both sides of your family and is the most common type of consumer genealogy DNA test.
It is useful for finding relatives across many branches of your family tree.
Y-DNA
Y-DNA follows a direct paternal line.
It can be particularly useful for surname studies and investigating a specific paternal lineage.
mtDNA
mtDNA follows a direct maternal line.
It can help investigate a specific maternal lineage across generations.
What should you compare?
Don’t choose a DNA test based on the ethnicity estimate alone. These are the features that can make a bigger difference to genealogy research.
DNA Matching
The people in a database can matter more than the ethnicity estimate itself. Geographic distribution matters too.
Family Trees
Matches become more useful when you can investigate family trees, surnames, locations, and records.
Geographic Coverage
Consider whether the database has useful representation from the countries and regions relevant to your family.
DNA Tools
Look at matching features, shared matches, relationship information, and other research tools.
Raw DNA Data
Some services allow DNA data to be downloaded or used with other genealogy tools.
Privacy
Review storage, research participation, deletion, account closure, and data-sharing policies.
Which DNA test is best for finding relatives?
If finding biological relatives is your main goal, focus on the quality and relevance of the company’s matching database .
Also consider how the service presents shared DNA , predicted relationships , shared matches , family trees, and other genealogy clues.
Once you have results, our guide to how DNA matching works can help you understand the basics.
Which DNA test is best for international genealogy?
There is no single provider that will be equally useful for every family. The usefulness of a DNA database depends partly on where your relatives and other testers are located.
If your ancestors came from Europe, Asia, Africa, North America, or another region, investigate which provider has useful representation from that particular population.
This is one reason why two people can have very different experiences with the same DNA testing company.
6 privacy questions to check before ordering
DNA is highly personal information. Review the provider’s current privacy and data-management policies before testing.
How much do DNA tests cost?
DNA test prices change frequently, especially during seasonal promotions. Some services also offer subscriptions or additional genealogy features after you purchase a kit.
Compare the total cost of the research experience, not simply the advertised kit price.
Which DNA test should you choose?
Start with the question you want your DNA results to answer. These are useful starting points:
- International genealogy: MyHeritage
- Finding relatives and family trees: AncestryDNA
- Ancestry + genetic reports: 23andMe
- Advanced genetic genealogy: FamilyTreeDNA
- Regional ancestry research: Living DNA
These are starting points rather than absolute rankings. Your family background and research goals should determine your choice.
For genealogy, the important question isn’t “Which company has the best ethnicity estimate?” It’s “Which service gives me the tools and database I need to answer my family-history question?”
What to do after choosing a DNA test
A DNA test is only the starting point. The real genealogy work begins when you start investigating your matches.
New to genetic genealogy? Start with our Getting Started With DNA Testing for Genealogy guide.
Free Genetic Voyage DNA Tools
Once you have DNA results, these free tools can help you investigate relationships, matches, and family history.
DNA Test Comparison: Frequently Asked Questions
Which DNA test is best for genealogy?
What is the difference between MyHeritage and AncestryDNA?
Is a larger DNA database always better?
Should I choose a DNA test based on ethnicity estimates?
Can I use DNA results from one company somewhere else?
Is Y-DNA better than autosomal DNA?
Choose the test that fits your research question
Don’t choose a DNA test simply because its ethnicity estimate looks impressive. Start with your research goal, compare the tools and database relevance, and then use your DNA results alongside traditional genealogy records.
Compare the Best DNA Tests →
How do AncestryDNA, 23andMe, and MyHeritage compare for genealogy?
AncestryDNA has the largest database (greatest chance of matches). 23andMe has the best ethnicity breakdown and health reports. MyHeritage is strongest in Europe and offers useful chromosome painting. We recommend testing with Ancestry, then uploading that data to MyHeritage to get the best of both worlds for free. Read full comparison.
Which test gives the most accurate centimorgan sharing?
All major companies use the same core SNP chips, so cM sharing is generally consistent across platforms. However, FamilyTreeDNA uses a different smoothing algorithm which can slightly alter segment lengths. Always use the cM number reported by your specific testing site in our propability Calculate.
Can I upload my DNA data from one company to another?
Yes!23andMe,FtDNA and MyHeritage all allow raw data downloads and uploads (though 23andMe limits uploads to MyHeritage only). We explain the exact upload process for each platform in our comparison guide, so you can maximize your matches without paying for multiple tests.
Can I delete my DNA data from testing companies after downloading it?
Yes! All major companies allow you to permanently delete your raw data and account. We recommend downloading your data first (for use in our tools), then deleting it from the testing site if you’re concerned about privacy. We explain the exact deletion process for Ancestry, 23andMe, MyHeritage, and FamilyTreeDNA in our comparison guide.