Ancestry Review

flag Huge database of old photos and documents
  • Analyze your DNA to learn about your health

  • Trace the journey of your ancestors

  • Easy signup process

  • Build your own family tree & discover new relatives

Pros & Cons

  • Wide database
  • Great interface
  • Tons of cool features
  • Different available packages
  • Privacy is a key concern for the website
  • Relatively expensive
  • Most features are blocked by a paywall

Plans & Pricing

Ancestry offers a technologically advanced DNA test with a highly extensive database making it a popular option for those looking into their ancestry. Right out of the bat, Ancestry is one of the more expensive DNA testing services available however since they have such an intuitive interface that you can use to make and share your family tree with others, you can rest assured that they’re worth the money.

Ancestry.com offers customers various subscription packages. The least expensive is the US Discovery package at $24.99, while the most expensive is the All Access plan which costs $49.99 a month.

If you want to save, you can opt for longer subscription periods. Instead of paying per month, you can make a one-time payment for a six-month subscription. Doing this saves you $50 for the US Discovery, $90 for the World Discovery, and $100 for all access.

For your DNA test, you need to pay a one-off price of $99. If you opt for the DNA testing kit, you get a free 14-day trial on the Ancestry website.

Ancestry DNA Testing Kit
$99
AncestryDNA + World Explorer Membership
$100
AncestryDNA Traits + All Access Membership
$199
US Discovery
$24.99/mo
World Explorer
$39.99/mo
All Access
$59.99/mo

Overview

If you’ve gone online to search for a DNA testing service, there’s a high chance you’ve already heard of Ancenstry.com. In fact, their ads on the internet may have been the reason you’re searching for DNA testing services in the first place.

Ancestry.com is one of the most popular DNA testing services on the internet. And for the most part, the company can live up to the hype.

They have one of the widest databases for DNA testing and DNA matching available today. This is how they can scour the world and scores of information to find potential DNA matches who could be your long-lost or distant relatives.

On top of that, they trace your lineage as far back as possible and even give you an ethnicity percentage. So, you can find out just how much Native American, Jewish, or other ethnicities are in your DNA.

They even have an intuitive interface that allows you to make an interactive and shareable family tree.

Rating

  • "Price"
    7 /10
  • "Features"
    9 /10
  • "Ease of Use"
    9 /10
  • "Help and Support"
    8 /10

How Does it Work

Ancestry’s process starts with an at-home DNA test. Once you order the test kit, you will receive the package within a couple of days. From there, you will have to spit into a tube before sending the samples back to Ancestry for processing.

After sending the sample back to Ancestry, the next step is the wait. It can take a while for Ancestry to conduct the tests and generate results. In most cases, it takes up to 4 weeks for the team to send you results, but in some instances, it takes longer.

Once they process the results, the company sends them to your email. When you open the email, you get to view a detailed analysis of your own ancestry, lineage, and potential relatives.

But this isn’t the best part about Ancestry.

We loved seeing the results of the DNA test where you get to view close relatives, people you didn’t know you were related to, and view your ethnicity broken down into percentages. However, the real fun comes in using the Ancestry.com interface to build a family tree.

If you just got the DNA testing kit, then you can still use the basic features of Ancestry to build your family tree. However, to use the advanced features, you have to get past the paywall by signing up for their different packages.

What Technology Does Ancenstry.com Use?

Ancestry.com uses autosomal DNA tests. While these can give comprehensive and interesting results, it does have their drawbacks. These tests consider both your mother’s and father’s DNA and can go pretty far back. However, keep in mind that it only stays accurate between 5-6 generations. So, anything older than that, we recommend that you take it with a grain of salt.

How Do You View the Results?

The results are available via email. This makes it easy for you to check and interpret the data since you can view it on your laptop, computer, or phone. Most DNA testing services provide results via email, so this isn’t exactly unique to Ancestry.com.

 

Genetic Database Information

One of the best parts about Ancestry.com is its genetic database. The reason this is one of the most popular DNA testing services online is that they have a database with over 10,000,000 entries. This gives them a lot of comparison points for your DNA, allowing them to accurately map lineage and ethnicity, and find long-lost relatives.

On top of comparing your DNA data with the entries in their database, they compare it with everyone else who took their test. That way, you cover as many bases as possible when finding potential relatives in the USA and around the world.

Privacy and confidentiality

Security is a big deal when it comes to DNA testing. Ancestry offers great privacy when it comes to its services. They use a 3rd party testing service to conduct the actual tests where they are performed anonymously. This means the scientists and testers don’t get to view your name and any other private information. Instead, they use an Identification Number system to keep everything private.

On top of that, you’re the only one who gets to view the full data report of your DNA test. Ancestry understands that DNA tests can sometimes bring up sensitive information. So, while you can share your results on the platform and with friends, you have full control over your data, which is a huge plus.

Customer support

Ancestry’s support isn’t exactly the best option available. Some sites arguably have better and more responsive customer support, but that doesn’t mean Ancestry does a bad job. You can contact the Ancestry number if you’re in the US to give them a call and let them know about your concerns.

Additionally, you can head to their YouTube page or FAQ section on their website to find answers to common concerns. And if you have an account, you can sign in to access more hands-on help from their support team.

With that said, the biggest support comes from the Ancestry community. The community is very friendly and welcoming, so posting a concern on their message board will usually bring useful and substantial replies

  • Phone Support
    00 1 801-494-8595
  • Email
    ancestrysupport@ancestry.com
  • Blog
    Yes

Final Word

Overall, we highly recommend Ancestry.com. Since they have the widest database available and have a bunch of cool features, they can arguably give the best DNA testing experience. In fact, many satisfied customers keep talking about how addictive Ancestry’s platform can be.

With that said, this is a fairly expensive website. The features and subscription bills can quickly rack up the costs, so this isn’t the most budget-friendly option available.

But if you want a modern way of viewing your DNA results and sharing them with others, you can’t go wrong with Ancestry.com.

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FamilyTreeDNA
Manilla Buch Johnsson
author

Manilla is a freelance copywriter that specializes in writing friendly and informative content for the health and wellness niche. In her free time, when she isn't busy writing content for you to read, she spends most of her time sleeping (jokes aside). Her interest in the health and wellness niche is the key motivator behind her passion for researching and writing about the best technology that teaches us about ourselves.

We make the best effort to present up-to-date information; however, the terms of each offer can be revised according to the service provider’s discretion. The above shall not be considered as an expert or professional advice for any matter.

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