HomeDNA’s services are divided into three different categories:

• Ancestry testing – the Starter Ancestry Test is a great introductory kit for basic ancestry information.
• Health and beauty testing, including tests for paternity, healthy weight, skincare, and pet & food sensitivities.
• Pets testing, including tests for mix-breed dogs’ identification, and cat and dog DNA health screening.

According to HomeDNA’s website, the brand’s paternity test is the #1 selling one America. The kit includes a test for one child, one possible father, and the biological mother (optional). Like HomeDNA’s ancestry tests, the paternity test requires a cheek-swab sample – the easiest DNA sample to collect.

HomeDNA’s ancestry tests, including the Starter and Advanced Ancestry assessments, use autosomal DNA testing exclusively. Autosomal DNA testing is useful for ancestral tracking, but the results don’t stretch far back in history. To get more in-depth information, you’ll need to take a Y-DNA or mtDNA test for patrilineal and matrilineal lineage details, respectively.

HomeDNA’s DNA Origins tests, Maternal Lineage and Paternal Lineage, offer detailed analysis through mtDNA and Y-DNA testing, respectively. However, you have to pay separately for these tests, while some competitors offer comprehensive packages with autosomal, Y-DNA, and mtDNA testing included.

Founded in 2017, HomeDNA is a genetic testing brand owned by DNA Diagnostics Center (DDC), a renowned national company that specializes in DNA and paternity testing. Although HomeDNA is a relatively new brand, DDC was established back in 1995. HomeDNA provides at-home testing kits for DNA, paternity, health and wellness, and pet health, testing. The brand’s kits are stocked locally in the U.S. in pharmacies like Walgreens, and you can order them online with free shipping.

HomeDNA’s testing process is similar to that of most DNA testing brands. You need to:

• Buy the kit, either online or from a store that stocks it.
• Register your kit’s barcode on the HomeDNA website. This step is crucial to ensure you have access to the results.
• Use the cheek swabs to collect your DNA sample.
• Place the sample inside the envelopes and mail it back to HomeDNA.

HomeDNA will notify you via email when your sample arrives at their lab. Afterward, you’ll receive an email in around six weeks confirming that your results are available online. You can then access the reports via your secure account on HomeDNA’s website.

How do you view the results?

You can view the results by logging into your account on HomeDNA’s website. After logging in, a link will lead you to your account and results page. You’ll have the option to download your raw data or to view the results online.

HomeDNA’s results look for ‘gene pool regions,’ giving you insights into DNA migration patterns and your ancestral line.

Unlike many of its competitors, HomeDNA does not offer family matching services. So, you can’t locate relatives within the database via DNA matching. While this can be a drawback, it’s also reassuring because it adds an extra layer of privacy to HomeDNA’s database.

HomeDNA uses different algorithms and data points for its various tests; you can view the specifics under the ‘The Science’ section at the end of each product’s page. For example, the DNA origins algorithm is an advanced, specific autosomal test that has analyzed over 41 gene pools and 1000+ reference populations.

HomeDNA takes numerous precautions to keep your data secure. They don’t share (or sell) your private information, including your DNA profile, with any third parties. Your collected information is only used to provide you with the requested service and manage your orders. The genetic testing brand does not sell your results to third parties, either.

After your testing is complete, your raw DNA data is stored securely in your account, and you can request for it to be destroyed at any time. Your DNA sample is also destroyed after testing.