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 →How this comparison is made
This page is written for genealogy research, not for health testing or for finding the cheapest kit. Every provider is assessed against the same six criteria.
What this page is based on. Provider websites, help pages and press releases, plus established genetic-genealogy references such as the ISOGG Wiki. We have not run laboratory comparisons of the services, and we do not rank providers by price, ethnicity-estimate accuracy or commission.
How we keep it current. The table and provider sections are re-checked against provider documentation, and the date at the top of this page is updated when that happens. If you find something outdated, please let us know through the contact page.
Affiliate disclosure: Some links on this page (marked as sponsored) are affiliate links. If you buy through them, Genetic Voyage may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. The numbering of providers below is not a ranking, and the criteria above are applied to every provider in the same way.
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 Tests | Raw Data Download | Raw Data Upload |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MyHeritage DNA | International genealogy | Yes | Yes | Yes | — | Yes | Yes |
| AncestryDNA | Relatives & family trees | Yes | Yes | Yes | — | Yes | No |
| 23andMe | Ancestry + genetic insights | Yes | Yes | Limited | — | Yes | No |
| FamilyTreeDNA | Advanced genetic genealogy | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Living DNA | Regional ancestry | Yes | Yes | Limited | — | Yes | Limited |
Table last checked October 2026. "Y-DNA / mtDNA Tests" refers to dedicated Y-DNA or mtDNA test products; some providers report haplogroups as part of an autosomal test. "Raw Data Upload" means accepting files from other companies. Living DNA accepts uploads through partner and project routes rather than a general upload. Some features, such as advanced tools for uploaded data, may require payment. Features, prices and policies change, so check the provider's current information before purchasing.
Which provider fits your research?
These starting points reflect the research goals each service is particularly suited to. Numbering is for reference only and is not a ranking.
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
- Accepts raw DNA uploads from other companies
- Tools for investigating DNA matches
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
- Raw data can be downloaded
FamilyTreeDNA
FamilyTreeDNA is particularly relevant to researchers interested in specialized genetic genealogy.
- Autosomal DNA testing
- Y-DNA testing
- mtDNA testing
- Genetic genealogy projects
- Accepts raw DNA uploads and allows downloads
23andMe
23andMe combines ancestry information with other genetic reports. Following its 2025 bankruptcy, its consumer business is owned by TTAM Research Institute, a nonprofit led by co-founder Anne Wojcicki, and operates under the 23andMe Research Institute name.
- Ancestry information
- DNA Relatives matching
- Additional genetic reports
- Raw data can be downloaded
- Advanced ancestry tools for some subscription tiers, including a chromosome browser relaunched in 2026
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
- Raw data can be downloaded
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.
Best question: Who are my relatives?
Y-DNA
Y-DNA follows a direct paternal line.
It can be particularly useful for surname studies and investigating a specific paternal lineage.
Best question: Who were my paternal-line ancestors?
mtDNA
mtDNA follows a direct maternal line.
It can help investigate a specific maternal lineage across generations.
Best question: Who were my maternal-line ancestors?
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, chromosome browsers and other research tools.
Raw DNA Data
Some services allow DNA data to be downloaded, and some accept uploads from other companies. Check both before you buy.
Privacy
Review storage, research participation, deletion, account closure, ownership changes 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. Because raw data can be uploaded to several services, testing with one company and transferring to others can widen your pool of matches, with the exception of AncestryDNA and 23andMe, which do not accept uploads.
6 privacy questions to check before ordering
DNA is highly personal information. Review the provider's current privacy and data-management policies before testing, particularly if the company has changed ownership.
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. We do not list prices here because they change too often to keep accurate.
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.
Sources and further reading
Where to verify the details on this page. Provider documentation is the final authority on current features and policies.
- Provider websites and help centers: MyHeritage DNA, AncestryDNA, FamilyTreeDNA, 23andMe, Living DNA
- 23andMe ownership: TTAM Research Institute completes the acquisition of 23andMe assets (press release, July 14, 2025)
- 23andMe advanced tools: 23andMe press release, March 2026
- Genetic genealogy terminology: ISOGG Wiki
DNA Test Comparison: Frequently Asked Questions
Which DNA test is best for genealogy?
How was this comparison made?
Does Genetic Voyage earn money from this page?
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?
Is 23andMe still operating?
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.
Start with the beginner's guide →