The 5 best DNA tests of 2022

Features: 3-step test | Results in 5-6 weeks | Eligible for FSA/HSA reimbursement 

23andMe’s test kits can help you discover how the sequences in your DNA might impact the future of your health. The Health and Ancestry kit looks at how your DNA might affect your chances of certain health conditions, including diabetes, atrial fibrillation, high blood pressure, migraine, Alzheimer’s disease, and more.

The kit can also look at your lifestyle factors to determine the future of your health with things like lactose intolerance, muscle composition, caffeine consumption, and alcohol flush reaction. In addition, the company was the first DNA test kit approved by the Federal Drug Administration as a screener for potential diseases.

Pros:

• Also provides ancestry reports and DNA relative finder
• Easy to understand results

Cons:

• Your DNA information goes into a database with over five million other people
• Expensive compared to other tests
• No guidance on how to alleviate risks if you’re prone to them

Features: Results in 6-8 weeks | Connect with DNA matches | Locations and origins from over 1,500 regions

Ancestry.com is known for helping people find out where they came from, but it also offers a complete DNA test kit that can aid in your family’s historical research. This DNA test kit includes information about your geographic origins across more than 1,500 regions.

Suppose you’re looking into your family’s history and hit a roadblock. In that case, your DNA results may give you a clue where else you can look further to find more information, making AncestryDNA an excellent option for those digging deep into their family’s history and origin. While the company does offer health testing, it is not as robust as competitors but will do the basic job.

Pros:

• Help with your family tree research
• Can download your raw DNA data to use with other sites

Cons:

• Health testing is not as complete
• Access to Ancestry’s historical records costs extra 

Features: Connect with relatives within the past 5 generations | Results in 4-8 weeks | Prepaid return shipping label included

While AncestryDNA is great if you’ve already delved into the world of your family research, FamilyTreeDNA is a better place to start if you’re just building out your family tree. Some features of this test include providing you with a percentage breakdown of your origin, such as ancient European groups, and the ability to connect with relatives from within the last five generations.

Another great feature about FamilyTreeDNA is that it offers paternal and maternal ancestry kits if you have gaps in either of those areas that you want to finally discover. Aside from family matters, FamilyTreeDNA looks at your health insights like fitness, nutrition, bone and heart health, and sleep routine, giving you access to meal and workout plans based on your DNA.

Pros:

• Four different plans to choose from
• Access to Group Projects so you can further your family tree research
• Does DNA testing in house

Cons:

• Privacy terms allow law enforcement agencies to use their DNA data 

Features: 3 different kits | Results in 6-8 weeks | Free 7-day email course about DNA

Those who are hesitant about purchasing a DNA test kit due to privacy should consider Living DNA. The company has an extensive privacy statement that goes in-depth about what personal information it holds, why it saves it, what it does with it, and how it protects it. Because Living DNA is based in the UK, it is subject to the strict policies and regulations of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), making its privacy by far the best on this list.

As far as what Living DNA’s test kits will tell you, it gives you 21 subregional DNA breakdowns from over 150 worldwide regions to precisely tell your heritage. The company also offers DNA health insights, such as how your body responds to vitamins, food, and exercise, all based on your genetic makeup.

Pros:

• Add-on services keep costs low, but options open
• Does an excellent job at protecting all elements of your data

Cons:

• Less complete of analysis compared to competitors
• Customers say the results take longer than the company says 

Features: Results in 12-14 weeks | Decodes 100% of your DNA | Genome exploration tools

The most comprehensive DNA testing kit on this list is the Nebula Genomics Whole Genome Sequencing DNA test. This test kit uses sequencing technology to decode 100% of your DNA, compared to others that interpret only the most essential parts of your DNA, thus providing you with more specified information that only experts or knowledgeable customers might be seeking.

The company says it decodes more than 20,000 genes in the human genome, which can help spot very rare genetic variants that might cause genetic diseases. In addition, Nebula Genomics identifies mutations in your genes and allows you to find out more about your oral microbiome, which is a crucial indicator of disease and maintains the balance of your overall health.

Pros:

• Incredibly accurate DNA results
• Offers three choices with three different prices
• Data is available to download

Cons:

• The more accurate DNA test kits are super expensive
• Must pay for a subscription on top of the test kit, which increases the overall price
• Longest result time at 12-14 weeks