The world of genetic testing is boundless, with several insights and traits available at your fingertips. AncestryDNA and 23andMe are two of the top players in this field, offering quality services to their consumers. Comprehensive DNA testing helps customers learn about their ancestry, health, and wellness. Both companies do a good job, but which one is better? This article will serve as a detailed review and comparison of AncestryDNA vs 23andme.
23andMe: An Overview
23andMe is a personal genomics company headquartered in California.
It was founded in 2006.
Since then, the company has sold more than 12.5 million DNA kits.
23andMe's mission is to help people access, understand, and benefit from the information present in the human genome.
What Can You Discover with 23andMe?
23andMe offers four kinds of personal genetic services.
- Ancestry
- Health + Ancestry
- 23andMe+ Premium
- 23andMe+ Total Health
Health + Ancestry—Opting for this service will allow you to access more than 150 reports in the following categories.
| Service | Description | Price |
| Ancestry | Ancestry breakdown and 30+ trait reports– 80+ personalized reports– Ancestry percentages (to the 0.1%)– 2750+ geographic regions | $99 |
| Health + Ancestry | Everything in Ancestry service +– 150+ personalized reports– FDA-authorized reports– FSA/HSA eligibility | $199 |
| 23andMe+ Premium | Everything in Health + Ancestry service +– Heart health and personalized medicine reports– Health tracker– Health action plan– Historical Matches (new feature) | $199 for the first year, $69/yr after |
| 23andMe+ Total Health | Everything in 23andMe+ Premium +– Next-generation exome sequencing– Biannual blood testing– Access to clinicians | $999 for the first year, $499/yr after |
Pros Of 23andMe
- Reports extend beyond ancestry to categories like health predisposition, carrier status, and personalized medicine.
- Officially approved by the FDA.
- The interface is user-user-friendly, displaying your results in a comparative format.
Cons Of 23andMe
- A smaller customer pool than AncestryDNA reduces the chances of connecting with DNA matches.
- Even though the company boasts advanced security measures, a recent massive hack has put millions of people's data at risk.
Did You Know? You can use your AncestryDNA test data to get up to 11 additional health and wellness reports from as low as $30. No new DNA test required. Reports within 24 hours.
AncestryDNA: An Overview
AncestryDNA is a part of Ancestry LLC, founded in 1996.
Its parent company is based out of Utah.
The company has sold over 26 million testing kits to date.
What Can You Discover with AncestryDNA?
AncestryDNA focuses exclusively on a person's ancestral traits and origin. The Ancestry website offers two kinds of testing services.
- AncestryDNA
- AncestryDNA+ World Explorer Membership
- AncestryDNA+ All Access Membership
| Service | Description | Price |
| AncestryDNA | – Origins and ethnicity, including geographical regions– DNA matches to connect with your DNA relatives | $99$99 |
| AncestryDNA+ World Explorer Membership | Everything in AncestryDNA +– Access to over 40 billion records– 75+ traits on nutrition, fitness, and appearance – DNA Inheritance | $100, followed by $99.95 every 3 months $100, followed by $99.95 every 3 months |
| AncestryDNA+ All Access Membership | Everything in AncestryDNA + World Explorer Membership +– News articles and photos– Military records on Fold3– Up to 4 additional accounts | $199, followed by $149 every 3 months$199, followed by $149 every 3 months |
Pros Of AncestryDNA
- The best ancestry analysis in the market
- Interactive and color-coded ethnicity estimate report
- Newly launched Ancestry health and wellness traits
- AA free 14-day membership for AncestryDNA kit holders
Cons Of AncestryDNA
- Health and wellness reports aren't as detailed as 23andMe's
- Yet to receive FDA approval
Ancestry vs 23andMe: The Similarities And Differences
| Category | AncestryDNA | 23andMe |
| Ancestry services | More detailed and accurate – 25 million people in the database, more advanced tools | 50+ reports over 3000 regions, yet less detailed and accurate |
| Health services | Limited number of traits, no FDA approval | Many traits across 5 different health categories, FDA-approved |
| Cost | $99-$199 | $99-$999 |
| Timeline | 6-8 weeks after your sample is received; 12 weeks overall | 4-6 weeks from the time a sample is received at the lab; 10 weeks overall |
| DNA raw data download | Allowed | Allowed (was temporarily suspended due to a hack) |
Ancestry vs 23andMe: Which Company Protects Your Privacy Better?
Privacy is always a concern when you let any company access your personal information.
Users should be aware of what information these companies collect, store, and share with third parties.
Both companies have similar terms and conditions in their privacy policies.
AncestryDNA stores DNA details and samples without using your name or other personal information.
Both companies allow you to:
- Download or delete your reports at any time.
- Decide whether you want to share your data with third parties.
- Destroy or save your samples after the analysis
- Delete your account permanently at your convenience.
Note: Recently, 23andMe faced a massive hack that put the data of millions of people in jeopardy. Please review their policy in detail and talk to the customer care representatives for more clarity.
To get your 23andMe raw data, follow the instructions in this video:
To access your AncestryDNA account, follow the instructions on this page:
How To Login To Your Ancestry DNA Account + Get Health Reports At 70% Off!
Ancestry vs. 23andMe FAQs
Which Is More Accurate, AncestryDNA Or 23andMe?
Due to its more extensive database, AncestryDNA's ancestry results are more accurate.
For health information, 23andMe is better. The latter also has a better layout.
Do AncestryDNA And 23andMe Give The Same Results?
Ancestry results can vary between the two companies.
This happens because each company uses its own reference database and algorithm for report generation.
Further, the populations included in each service can also affect your results.
Why Was Ancestry Health Discontinued?
Ancestry briefly discontinued it to focus more on its ancestry services.
However, they soon reintroduced it as AncestryDNA Traits.
The Bottom Line: Ancestry vs 23andMe – Which Is Better?
- Both AncestryDNA and 23andMe are competent DNA testing services.
- If you want to learn more about your ancestry, lineage, and possible family connections, Ancestry's larger data pool can find more accurate matches.
- If you want to understand health risks or carrier status data, 23andMe's detailed reports may help.
- Both companies may charge you similarly depending on your chosen service.
- Explore the available packages and see which fits your requirements better before choosing.
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