Search for the DNA test or DNA testing provider that you’re interested in and read the reviews to help you decide which test you want
Visit the provider’s website to buy the DNA test you want and you’ll receive a DNA sample collection kit in the mail a few days later
Collect your DNA sample and mail it back to the provider - a short time later you’ll be sent your results or given access to them online
DNA Testing Choice is a website that lists the DNA tests you can buy online and take at home. We’ve independently reviewed hundreds of DNA tests so that you can compare prices and choose the right one for you.
We understand that DNA testing can offer interesting, exciting and even life-changing information, but it sometimes can be difficult to know where to start the process. At DNA Testing Choice, we aim to demystify the market, providing you with all the information you need about the tests you want. In addition to the wide range of tests we list on the website, we assess the latest research and debate a range of issues facing the industry, to provide you with an up to date and comprehensive overview of the DNA testing market.
We list information about each DNA testing provider and rank them according to the reviews they receive. This is where our visitors come in. Anyone who’s had DNA testing done with a provider listed on our site can leave a review which, once approved, contributes to the overall score each company receives. The one exception to this is when providers pay us a fee for boosting their ranking – we put ‘Ad’ next to their rank to show that this is the case.
Many of our listings also include Editor’s Reviews which describe the experience we had when we’ve tried out a provider’s test ourselves. These reviews include descriptions of each stage of the DNA testing process as well as screenshots, to give you an in-depth idea of what to expect from the service.
DNA Testing Choice provides a range of information about the tests listed on our site, including:
For many of our DNA testing categories, we’ve also provided information about each test that a provider sells – this can be found in our ‘Compare Tests’ section. We write bespoke descriptions for the tests we list, designed to give you a better idea of what’s included and to help you compare the features and prices of each DNA test quickly and easily.
If you want to know more about DNA Testing Choice and the people that contribute to the site, head over to our About Us page to meet the team!
Most people think of paternity tests when you say ‘DNA testing’, but DNA tests can also be used to trace your ancestry, identify the diseases that you’re predisposed to, and even produce workout plans to help you get fit! In fact, there are more than 25 types of DNA test that you can buy online and we’ve listed them all for you on our site.
Several categories of DNA test can be used to prove or disprove types of biological relationship. We list DNA tests for the following types of biological relationship on our site:
As well as offering versions of these DNA tests to provide answers for ‘peace of mind’, many companies also offer these tests for legal reasons or for immigration cases. Whilst the science used for all three types of test is the same, tests for legal reasons or for immigration cases require a stricter sampling process.
Some of the most popular types of DNA test we list can tell you more about your health. Here are a few of the discoveries you can make with the DNA tests listed in our Health Testing category:
DNA tests for tracing ancestry are also very popular and more varied than you might think! Here are a few of the discoveries you can make with the DNA tests listed in our Ancestry Testing category:
Other types of DNA test include those that can be used to improve your skincare routine, find out about the physical or psychological traits that you’ve inherited, produce your dog’s family tree, and find your perfect romantic partner!
Visit our A-Z Tests page to explore all the DNA testing categories that we list on our site.
If you’re wondering ‘How do I get a DNA test?’ then you’ve come to the right place! For each DNA test that’s available online we’ve provided a link to their site so that you can click-through and buy it.
We recommend you start by checking out our A-Z Tests page to choose the type of DNA analysis that you’re interested in. Once you’ve chosen the type of test that you want, click on the link for that category and we’ll show you a list of the providers that produce that test, ranked according to the reviews they’ve received. Where a member of our editorial team has taken a test, we’ve written an ‘Editor’s Review’ to help you get an independent opinion. Both customer’s and editor’s reviews are taken into account for provider rankings.
If you’ve read the reviews and you still can’t make up your mind, or if you simply want to know more about the specific tests produced by a provider; you can click the ‘Compare Tests’ button to read in-depth DNA test descriptions. The descriptions list the key features of each test and provide an overview of what you’ll receive with your results. You can also compare DNA tests by clicking the ‘Click to see similar tests’ button beneath the descriptions.
Once you’ve chosen the DNA test that you’d like to buy, click the ‘Visit Website’ button and head over to the provider’s site to purchase it. Most of the providers we list will then send you a DNA testing kit in the post, so all you need to do is wait for it to arrive, use the materials inside the kit to collect the sample, and then send it back to the provider’s lab for analysis!
For those who have already taken a DNA test and have access to their digitised genetic data (e.g. 23andMe, Family Tree DNA or AncestryDNA customers); we list many providers that can reanalyse this data without requiring you to submit another sample. On each DNA testing category page, look for the icons beneath each listing to see if that provider offers this service.
If you’re wondering ‘How do you do a DNA test?’ then you should know that there are several different ways in which a DNA sample can be collected. After you’ve ordered your test online you’ll receive a sample collection kit in the post a few days later. The kit will normally contain ‘easy to follow’ instructions with the necessary collection equipment so that you can collect your sample.
Sometimes there are additional instructions to follow, such as the requirement not to eat or drink for a certain period of time before collecting the sample, so make sure you read all the instructions carefully. In the case of baby gender testing, an additional instruction is to ensure there are no males in the room where the sample is collected, otherwise the sample could become contaminated which could lead to an inaccurate result!
Most providers will either request a cheek swab or a saliva sample for the DNA test. For a cheek swab, you’ll either receive a swab (a bit like a cotton bud) or a cheek scraper in the kit. Both are painless to use and will collect a small number of cells from the inside of your cheek. Alternatively, for a saliva sample, you’ll receive a collection tube in the kit and a mark on the tube will indicate how much saliva is required.
A few providers will send a lancet device in their kit in order to collect a drop of blood. This is a simple and relatively painless process which requires you to prick your finger and place a drop of blood onto a collection card.
In all cases, the kit will contain equipment to help you store the sample and send it back to the provider’s lab.
Some kits contain instructions for creating an online account. This will allow you to access your results online when the provider has analysed your sample. If this is the case, make sure you do this before dispatching your sample back to the provider – sometimes there are unique codes on the collection materials that you’ll need for account creation.
Please note that if you’re taking a DNA test for legal reasons or for an immigration case, the process will be different to the one outlined above. This is because you’ll have to follow a strict ‘chain of custody’ process for the test, normally involving an independent third party who can observe the participant providing their sample. You can read more about legal DNA testing in our article: What is legal DNA testing?
The short answer to this is ‘no’. We aim to provide a comprehensive guide to all the DNA tests that you can buy online, but we don’t list any tests that can diagnose a medical condition. If you believe you may be suffering with a genetic condition, please contact a health professional who can give you advice about the appropriate test to take.
For tests that screen for your genetic predisposition to diseases, we do list these sorts of DNA tests in our Health Testing section. For your predisposition to a specific condition, please enter the condition into the search bar at the top of this page and you’ll be able to see if we list a test for it. The results are intended to help you manage your risks and may suggest preventative measures.
For tests that assess your genetic predisposition to medications (aka pharmacogenetic tests), these types of DNA tests can also be found in our Health Testing section. For your predisposition to a specific medication, please enter the condition into the search bar at the top of this page and you’ll be able to see if we list a test for it. The results are intended to assist a health professional when discussing any treatment options – you should not make any decisions about your health based on these results alone.
Craig has always been interested in genetics, he founded the site in 2014.
Rebecca is a graduate of Royal Holloway and Bath Spa, where she studied Classics and Creative Writing respectively. As Features Editor, she researches and writes about the latest developments in consumer DNA...
Tim Bell began his career in publishing at Oxford University Press in 1996, latterly working for the educational publishers Kingfisher, the Barbara Levy literary agency, and the Bertelsmann group.
Tim subsequently joined Warner...
