Dear Reader,

This article is about information that most DNA test companies arent expecting you to readDid you know that the market for DNA tests has become fiercely competitive in the last year?In fact, the market has more than doubled in size. More people took a DNA test in 2017 than in ALL previous years combined! 2018 is expected to be another record-shattering year.

Its no surprise that DNA tests are in high demand. The things you learn from them are irresistible:

Ancestry Everything weve ever known about our heritage has come from our parents and grandparents. A DNA test can tell you so much more about who you are and where youre from. Most companies offer this basic service, but some are far better than others.

Family History This kind of goes hand-in-hand with Ancestry. If youre trying to sort out family mysteries, a DNA test can help you solve them. If your parents also have their DNA tested, you can sometimes sort out which genes you received from each side of the family.

Community Finding out your genetic heritage gets you a deeper connection to the places that youre from. On top of this, some of the best DNA test companies will connect you with people who share pieces of DNA with you. Many people use this feature to discover long-lost relatives.

Health Risks Some DNA tests can reveal unique traits embedded in your genetic code that may put you at risk for certain health conditions. This can help you alter your lifestyle to try and prevent them.

Family Planning A DNA test can help you find out what genes you may pass onto your children, for better or worse.

With so many people clamoring to get their hands on the benefits listed above, more and more DNA test companies have been rising to meet them. Unfortunately, theyre not all created equal.

Now its harder than ever to find a good DNA test

Luckily, youre in the right place. Our team of scientists, researchers, and writers at Genetics Digest know the field better than most. Weve examined nearly every DNA test in the booming market. Well help you sort out the great ones from the cheap knockoffs.

With that said, lets get started on Common Mistakes People Make When Shopping for a DNA Test

Mistake #1: Dont buy a brand by how popular it appears to be.

Some brands have a great marketing team with a massive advertising budget. You might see/hear their ads everywhere. Thats because theyre spending millions to make sure youve heard of them.

Despite the great marketing, some of those companies have subpar services at best. Theyre more worried about making a sale than they are with actually delivering a quality product.

To be clear, a popular company with great marketing does NOT necessarily mean that they have a bad service. A couple of them have really great services! But you shouldnt assume that they have a great service just because they appear to be popular, and you also shouldnt write off lesser-known companiessome of these are new up-and-coming services who will eventually rise to the top of the market. They give you a unique opportunity to be along for the ride.

Mistake #2: Dont buy the cheapest OR the most expensive genetic test you can find.

The old mantra You get what you pay for applies here. However, price is a tricky quality to navigate.

On the one hand, you dont want something too cheap. A cheap Ancestry DNA test is most likely not the best dna test and will likely give you very little information. These tests will tell you things you already know about yourself, like which continent your genes came from. Sometimes cheap tests are simply trying to undercut the marketThey may be selling at a loss up front with the hopes that customers will buy more from them later.

On the other hand, you dont want to get ripped off by an over-priced DNA test. Expensive DNA tests may have a great product, but you can often find a product of similar (or even better) quality at a cheaper price.

You have to strike a comfortable middle ground. In our experience, roughly $100 is a fair price for a quality DNA test (give or take a few dollars). Aiming for a test around this amount will help ensure that you get a good product without over-paying.

Mistake #3: Dont confuse Accuracy with Precision.

Almost every DNA test company on the market claims to be the most accurate. Theyre not lying. DNA tests are typically 99.9% accurate. However, theyre often not precise.

Whats the difference between Accuracy and Precision?

For something to be accurate, it just needs to be true. If you have European heritage and your Ancestry DNA test comes back with results that simply say European, then its an accurate test. Its giving you results that are true, even if theyre not detailed.

For something to be precise, it has to be an exact expression of details. The most precise DNA tests currently on the market have at least 20 unique regions they use in their Ancestry reports. The best companies will have multiple regions on each continent in their reports (rather than having most of their tested regions all on the same continent).

However, you have to be wary of companies overselling how precise their tests are. Some companies claim to have hundreds of regions in their reports. In our experience, this is bending the truth a bit. Most of them really test for 20-30 regions, but then list the names of countries that are contained within those regions without actually testing DNA for them.

For example, if a DNA test determines that someone has Iberian Ancestry, one of these companies might list Spain and Portugal underneath and count those as 2 regions for marketing purposes even though they dont give a percentage breakdown for how much Iberian Ancestry is Spanish or Portugese.

In other words, some companies can be a little misleading with their marketing.

Our Top 3 Recommended DNA Tests

Now that weve shown you what to look out for, we want to share with you some of the best Ancestry DNA tests weve seen for discovering your heritage. .

We ranked the services by these 10 factors: 1) Company Reputation 2) Services Offered 3) Testing Method 4) Software Grade 5) Research & Scientific Evidence 6) CLIA Compliance 7) Customer Reviews 8) Price 9) Customer Service 10) Return Policy

Our Top Choice

CRI Genetics stands out as the best DNA Test for Ancestry for a few specific reasons. First, theyre headed by renowned genetic scientist with a reputation for leading exceptional studies in genetic science. While most genetic testing services rely on other peoples past research to produce their ancestry reports, CRI Genetics relies on someone who is currently doing Genome research.

Company Reputation:

CRI Genetics is led by Alexei Fedorov, Ph.D., who was mentored by Nobel Prize winning scientists at Harvard University and has gone on to spearhead many genetic studies of his own. As a company, CRI Genetics has established themselves as one of the top players in quality of service. They are the only DNA testing company we have come across that has any sort of money-back guarantee.

Details/Accuracy of Reports:

CRI Genetics currently offers 5 unique ancestry reports that are generated using a patented DNA analysis algorithm created by Alexei Fedorov. From a basic geographical breakdown of your Ancestry to a detailed history of your maternal or paternal line to an interactive Ancestry Timeline that pinpoints the year that certain heritages entered your family, the overall level of detail across all CRI Genetics reports is unmatched.See Full Report Here

#2 Choice

Company Reputation:Family Tree DNA was founded in the year 2000 by Bennett Greenspan, a businessman who was trying to solve mysteries within his own family history. The first tests offered to customers were very simple compared to todays DNA tests, but were considered advanced at the time.

Details/Accuracy of Reports:Today, Family Tree DNA offers a small range of reports with an above average level of detail. Their biggest strength is a very large database of customers, which helps with accuracy. View Full Report

#3 Choice

Company Reputation:Living DNA is a fairly young company, but have quickly risen in the ranks of DNA Testing companies with a vast network of connections with DNA experts. One thing is clear to us here at Genetics Digest: Living DNA is loved by their customers.

Details/Accuracy of Reports:Living DNAs Ancestry Reports have details for 80+ regions worldwide, but 21 of those regions are in Ireland and the United Kingdom. If you have a lot of British or Irish DNA, then this is definitely an interesting service for you to try. However, if your Ancestry is anything else, Living DNA is on par with most other services. View Full Report

Link:
Free Review of Ancestry Dna Tests | Genetics Digest

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