Comparing DNA testing companies

Maciamo

Maciamo

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Here is a quick comparison of the number of SNP's tested by the main genomics companies offering ancestry DNA tests.

[TABLE="width: 100%"]
[TR]
[TH="bgcolor: #177298, align: left"]Company[/TH]
[TH="bgcolor: #177298"]Autosomal SNP's[/TH]
[TH="bgcolor: #177298"]Y-DNA SNP's[/TH]
[TH="bgcolor: #177298"]mtDNA SNP's[/TH]
[TH="bgcolor: #177298"]Price (USA/EU/UK)[/TH]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]23andMe[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]577,382[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]2,329[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]3,154[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]99~199$/169€/149£[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Geno 2.0[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]700,000[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]~20,000[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]~4,000[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]180$[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Chrono 2.0[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]290,169[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]14,497[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]3,142[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]345$/285€/240£[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]LivingDNA[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]650,000[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]20,000[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]4,500[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]159$/159€/120£[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]FamilyFinder[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]690,000[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]none[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]none[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]79$[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]AncestryDNA[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]682,549[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]885[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]none[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]99$/99€/79£[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]


Note that FamilyFinder and Geno 2.0 have taken special care to remove health-related SNP's and are therefore useless for anyone who wants to learn about potential medical conditions.

IMO, the best test at the moment is LivingDNA (based in Denmark), which has the highest number of SNP's for determining Y-chromosomal and mitochondrial haplogroups and has more autosomal SNP's than 23andMe. It also keeps medically relevant raw data, which can be interpreted by one of the numerous other medical genomic services. And to top it all it is the cheapest of the fout tests that include Y-DNA and mtDNA.


EDIT : a comprehensive DNA testing FAQis now available to learn how to retrace ancestry with DNA, which test to choose and how to interpret your results.
 
Last edited:
I did a test on ancestry dna and natgeo 2.o
Ancestry showed 20 something % of Greco-Italian admixture and basically nothing Iberian. Natgeo shows nothing from Italy and south Europe and 23% southwest Europe or Iberia.
That's confusing... could one of them have made a mistake?
 
Apsurdistan said:
I did a test on ancestry dna and natgeo 2.o
Ancestry showed 20 something % of Greco-Italian admixture and basically nothing Iberian. Natgeo shows nothing from Italy and south Europe and 23% southwest Europe or Iberia.
That's confusing... could one of them have made a mistake?
Click to expand...

Ancestry DNA and Geno 2.0 (and FTDNA for that matter) have pretty poor autosomal reports. I have made a detailed comparison here. The best autosomal reports are Living DNA, BritainsDNA and 23andMe.
 
Unfortunatelly I haven't read DNA testing FAQ before I ordered my Test at FTDNA.
I ordered the Y37DNA and the mtDNA+. I was a little disapointed from the result, because I've just got Y:I-M170 and mtDNA:W as result. With help from the administrators of the projects i am predicted to be I2-L38 and W1 predicted.
I have the posibility to upgrade and refine the results, but this would cause extra costs. If I like I may order an upgrade for mtFull, a L38 SNP-Pakage or even the Y-Big test.

In addition to that I am thinking about testing my fathers mtDNA and brother of my mothers Y-DNA to get the results from missing grandma and grandpa, also.
Therefore I have two questions according Living DNA:
Is there any benifit to test my fathers mtDNA (now 129€) instead the seperate mtDNA Test of ftDNA (89$)? Do I get a more refined result from Living DNA, or do I ave any benifit according the autosomal DNA from my father and the Y-DNA of him if it is more refined than the one I have?
 
The brother of my mother lives in greece and I would like to ask him, if he would like to make the DNA-Test, because I am interested in the Y-DNA of his father.
If I do the test with Living DNA or GENO2. Am I able to refine the test by upgrade or do I have to redo the test?
 
If you want detailed Y information then it will take either one really expensive test or two cheaper tests. Once you figure out a basic haplogroup like J2a, you can order SNP packs from www.yseq.com to get further information.
 
Maciamo said:
Ancestry DNA and Geno 2.0 (and FTDNA for that matter) have pretty poor autosomal reports. I have made a detailed comparison here. The best autosomal reports are Living DNA, BritainsDNA and 23andMe.
Click to expand...

I don't think you are comparing the most recent Ancestry.com chip....the newer version has a lot more health and YDNA SNPs.

For example, it gets down to I1a3a whereas the old one stopped at I1. The new version can get 3-4 major branches down U106 and L21.
 
I1a3_Young said:
I don't think you are comparing the most recent Ancestry.com chip....the newer version has a lot more health and YDNA SNPs.

For example, it gets down to I1a3a whereas the old one stopped at I1. The new version can get 3-4 major branches down U106 and L21.
Click to expand...
So now they are using a new chip, and us old members who tested years ago?
 
srdceleva said:
So now they are using a new chip, and us old members who tested years ago?
Click to expand...
The old tests seem to make autosomal matches just as well as the new one. The vast majority of Ancestry.com customers will remain unaware of the outside processes to get the Y and health data.
 
I1a3_Young said:
The old tests seem to make autosomal matches just as well as the new one. The vast majority of Ancestry.com customers will remain unaware of the outside processes to get the Y and health data.
Click to expand...
Yes but they gipped us basically as with the new chip, ancestry customers can upload their raw data to wegene and get their ydna and Mt-dna and I can't yet I paid the same price. Really annoying and not fair.
 
srdceleva said:
and I can't yet I paid the same price. Really annoying and not fair.
Click to expand...

I imagine that within 5 years we will cross a threshold where it will be so cheap and so much better quality and depth that you will laugh fondly at this so called new chip :D
 
Johane Derite said:
I imagine that within 5 years we will cross a threshold where it will be so cheap and so much better quality and depth that you will laugh fondly at this so called new chip :D
Click to expand...
I tested with living DNA and am just waiting on my results. Screw ancestry
 
srdceleva said:
I tested with living DNA and am just waiting on my results. Screw ancestry
Click to expand...

Really, awesome. I am also gonna be getting livingdna very soon so please post your experience when you get them
 
Johane Derite said:
Really, awesome. I am also gonna be getting livingdna very soon so please post your experience when you get them
Click to expand...
Yea but it's taking ages. I ordered the test and have been waiting for results for over two months now and it's says an estimated completion date in september. It's kind of ridiculous.

Sent from my KIW-L21 using Tapatalk
 
srdceleva said:
Yea but it's taking ages. I ordered the test and have been waiting for results for over two months now and it's says an estimated completion date in september. It's kind of ridiculous.
Click to expand...

Damn that does not sound nice :/
 
srdceleva said:
Yea but it's taking ages. I ordered the test and have been waiting for results for over two months now and it's says an estimated completion date in september. It's kind of ridiculous.

Sent from my KIW-L21 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

I think that they are giving very conservative completion dates on purpose, as people prefer to be pleasantly surprised by receiving their results early than the other way round. I ordered kits for relatives of mine and got the results after about 2 and a half months, although the original completion date was 4 months.
 
Maciamo said:
I think that they are giving very conservative completion dates on purpose, as people prefer to be pleasantly surprised by receiving their results early than the other way round. I ordered kits for relatives of mine and got the results after about 2 and a half months, although the original completion date was 4 months.
Click to expand...
Well that gives me some hope. All in all I like them the best so far, just because they respond quickly and are very cordial.

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