Ancestry vs. 23andMe: What's the Best DNA Testing Kit for You?

I tried the AncestryDNA kit, which comes with a saliva collection tube and cap, a return bag, and a pre-paid label box. To register the kit, I downloaded the Ancestry app and scanned the barcode on the side of the collection tube. You can also register your kit online, and just enter the number manually.

When you create an account, the app asks for your consent to several items, including consent to process your sample, to store the sample if you want future testing, and to participate in research. The research involves taking surveys and questionnaires that AncestryDNA says it will use to try to better understand human history and health.

I refused to agree to store my sample or participate in research. AncestryDNA asks a few questions about your health history. You can edit what information becomes public or private on the site and how you want to appear to other users if your DNA matches someone else's. You will have the opportunity to review all information before proceeding.

Read more: In the future, your DNA will not be sacred either

Ancestry doesn't use the standard Y-chromosome and/or mitochondrial DNA methodologies that most others use – so we know less about how it actually analyzes DNA.

After spitting in the tube, I mailed the kit and confirmed it was sent in the app. The app “tracked” the kit's journey from lab receipt to processing and beyond before telling me my results were ready.

Your results will include an AncestryHealth report and an Ethnicity Assessment report. AncestryDNA also tells you which other users your DNA closely matches. Marked my aunt, who also used the site, as Close Family. The app allowed me to compare our ethnicity estimates and gave me the option to send her a message.

Read more: What AncestryDNA has taught me about DNA, privacy, and the complex world of genetic testing

Pros:

• You can refuse to store your sample or participate in research.
• The AncestryHealth report was divided into Notable Health Scores, Health Scores, and Health Scores. The reports include information about cancer risks, carrier status for diseases such as cystic fibrosis, and the health of your blood.
• Wellness reports give you information about vitamin levels, among other things.
• AncestryHealth can flag potential health conditions based on the family history you've shared or on variants detected in a DNA sample.
• You get one Ethnicity Assessment Reportwhich indicates which regions of the world your ancestors were most likely associated with. This area of ​​the map was color coded, along with others that my DNA was associated with. AncestryDNA's region list has over 1,000 regions that your sample is tested against, so you'll see where your DNA failed to show results.

Cons:

• The family tree aspect and the DNA aspect required two separate applications. The desktop version keeps it all in one place if you're working on a browser.
• The health screening does not have Food and Drug Administration approval.

I tried the Health and Ancestry kit which comes with the saliva collection tube and cap, a return pouch and an advance return label box. Like AncestryDNA, 23andMe also required kit registration (in-app or online) prior to testing. I downloaded the app and scanned the barcode on the side of the collection tube. You can also enter the code manually.

The 23andMe kit asked for consent for a few items when I created an account, as did AncestryDNA. I was able to store my sample for future tests, participate in research, receive health reports, and had the ability to share my step data from a fitness app for a more comprehensive view of my activity. I declined all but the health reports.

Unlike Ancestry, 23andMe does have FDA approval as risk investigators for several genetic conditions and diseases. If you are primarily interested in DNA testing for this purpose, 23andMe is a better choice.

The app tracked my sample's journey to the lab and the DNA extraction process. The app tested 216 populations to generate the report.

23andMe can display the results in a timeline, so you can see approximately how many generations ago your most recent ancestor came from each region. For example, my results showed a small amount of Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry, but my timeline showed that the relative would have been alive five to eight generations ago. You can also view your results as a chromosomal painting, which shows where in your chromosomes a particular region matches and how widespread it is.

There were many aspects to explore in the results. For example, 23andMe gave me more information about each region that matched my DNA. If I tapped on the icon for each country, 23andMe told me about the history of the region and the migration patterns of people over time, and also provided resources to learn about the culture, ways to book an Airbnb for a visit, and other features. I was also able to search for possible relatives among 23andMe users and find my mother's cousin.

Pros:

• 23andMe is FDA approved as a risk screener.
• 23andMe health reports included predispositions, carrier status, well-being, traits and a health action plan. Predispositions tested for Parkinson's disease, type 2 diabetes, celiac disease and more. The lab will test for certain genetic variants.
• The wellness report included interesting items such as whether or not you sleep deeply, how likely you are to move around in your sleep, genetic weight and other factors.
• The reported traits are particularly interesting. It described how likely I could be to have a certain eye color, hate cilantro, have freckles, hate eating noises, get bitten by more mosquitoes, and other things.

Cons:

• As with AncestryDNA, 23andMe clarified that the test results are not a diagnosis or a guarantee that you will not be diagnosed with a disease later.