DNA tests used to be performed in labs with strict guidelines and regulations overseeing every step of the process. These days though, a DNA test can be easily purchased through pharmacies or online and performed in the comfort of your home without sacrificing accurate results.
For whatever reason you might want to use a DNA test, you should always read into the specifics to make sure you’re not throwing your money away on a product that won’t give you results you can rely on. In your search for the best DNA test, let this comprehensive guide show you how to choose one and which options really are worth trusting.
Top 10 DNA Tests Ultimate Chart
Picture | Name | Type | Price | Rating (1-5) |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. Rapid DNA Paternity Test Kit - DNA Testing Lab Fee & Shipping To The Lab Included - At Home Testing - Confidential Results | Paternity | $ | 4.4 | |
2. STK Paternity Test Kit - Includes All Lab Fees | Paternity | $$ | 4.3 | |
3. IDENTIGENE DNA Paternity Test Collection Kit | Paternity | $ | 4.2 | |
4. SneakPeek - Early Gender Prediction DNA Test - $20 OFF - DNA DAY SALE | Gender prediction | $$ | 4.1 | |
5. AncestryDNA: Genetic Testing - DNA Ancestry Test Kit | Ancestry | $ | 4.1 | |
6. AGS Health & Wellness Genetic Test - Most Comprehensive DNA Test | Health | $$$$ | 4.0 | |
7. 23andMe DNA Test - Health + Ancestry Service - 65+ Online Reports for Ancestry, Traits, Health including Wellness | Ancestry and Health | $$$ | 4.0 | |
8. 23andMe DNA Test - Ancestry Service - Ethnic Composition, DNA Relatives, Neanderthal Ancestry, Maternal + Paternal Haplogroup Reports | Ancestry | $$ | 3.9 | |
9. AncestryDNA - 1 DNA TEST KIT | Ancestry | $$ | 3.8 | |
10. DNA Paternity Test from LPT | Paternity | $ | 3.2 |
Tips on Selecting the Right DNA Test
From their packaging to procedures, to understanding results, DNA tests from different brands and manufacturers can be completely different in more ways than you might initially think. That is why it’s such a chore to sift through options, pinpoint differences, and identify which product is truly best suited for your needs.
Choosing the best DNA test doesn’t have to be that confusing, however. Just keep these tips and mind to help ease the process of making a choice.
- Purpose. DNA tests can serve one of three purposes. The first is determining your relationship with another individual such as paternity or maternity DNA tests. The second is determining your DNA history, including your lineage and family tree. The third works more as a pregnancy gender detection kit, using a DNA test to determine an unborn baby’s sex.
The first thing you should consider is which of these three you are hoping to uncover. For those seeking to learn whether they are related to a specific individual, familial DNA tests are the only real option.
If however, you want to perform a DNA test simply to learn more about your lineage, your history, and the roots of your bloodline, the best DNA ancestry test kit should suit your purpose much better.
Finally, expecting parents who want to determine the gender of their baby can easily do so with a DNA gender detection kit.
- Result Delivery. Because certain steps of the DNA test process cannot be performed at home for the lack of the necessary machines and equipment, manufacturers require buyers to send back their samples for the completion of the test and collection of results.
Because the answers to a DNA test are often eagerly anticipated, it would be in your best interest to choose a test that comes from a reliable manufacturer; this will help guarantee that your results will return to you in a timely fashion.
For added convenience, some DNA test companies can also send your results via SMS, email, and through their online portal which is often exclusively accessible to people who have purchased tests.
Read more on how a company intends to inform you of the results, so you don’t end up waiting too long to learn the outcomes of the DNA test you’ve chosen.
- Other Functions. Some DNA tests include other information along with your DNA results to give you a fuller experience. For instance, certain DNA tests also provide you an in-depth explanation of your health and your family health history to give you a better idea of what illnesses and diseases are common in your blood line.
With this information, you get a better understanding of what conditions you might suffer from in the future, and thus adjust your current lifestyle to prevent them from occurring.
Top 5 Best DNA Test Reviews
1. Rapid DNA Paternity Test Kit
Requiring nothing more than a cheek swab sample from the alleged father and one child, the Rapid DNA Paternity Test Kit 21 Marker is non-invasive, simple, and easy to use. When you buy the kit, you also pay for all associated lab fees and charges, so there won’t be any unexpected payments that will surprise you during the process.
Samples for the test can be easily sent back overnight for free, so you can receive your results sooner. Each sample is run through the testing process twice for guaranteed accurate results.
Testing 21 different genetic DNA markers, this test is one of the most accurate compared to its competitors, which is also why it has been recognized as the best DNA test to date.
2. STK Paternity Test Kit
STK Paternity Test Kit much like the previous option, is a paternity test kit that determines the relationship between an alleged father and a child. The DNA samples are also collected with the use of a cheek swab and are then sent back to the STK Paternity Test Kit dedicated lab for further analysis.
Results for this test can be expected between 3 to 5 days after the samples have been returned. For more in-depth understanding of outcomes, buyers are entitled to access an online platform where results are discussed in greater detail. A hardcopy of the results will also be sent through the mail, and users can contact the STK office to get an expert discussion of the results by phone.
3. IDENTIGENE DNA Paternity Test Collection Kit
Having been around for several decades, the company behind IDENTIGENE DNA Paternity Test Collection Kit is one of the most trusted in the market.
This particular DNA test promises to reveal results in as little as 2 days after the samples are received in the lab. The easy three step process for completing the test include collecting a cotton swab cheek sample, sending the samples back to the lab, and then waiting for results through either the online website or through phone call.
While the kit itself is affordable, the buyer is required to pay an extra fee for lab fees which many seem to find quite expensive.
4. SneakPeek – Early Gender Prediction DNA Test
Knowing whether a baby is going to be a boy or a girl is potentially one of the most exciting parts of being an expecting parent.
However, because ultrasounds and other imaging techniques that are used for pregnancies can often provide inconclusive results, parents who want more accurate and reliable results turn to alternative methods for gender prediction.
The SneakPeel Early Gender Prediction DNA Test is considered one of the most reliable gender prediction test kits, giving parents accurate detection results with an error margin of just 1%.
To use the kit, the mother is required to collect a small blood sample with the use of a finger stick included in the package. The sample is then sent back to the lab, with results sent to the customer in as little as 24 hours after the sample is received.
5. AncestryDNA DNA Ancestry Test Kit
If you’re more interested in learning about your family history and lineage, the AncestryDNA – Genetic Testing DNA Ancestry Kit is the best option for you.
This kit helps people uncover their ethnic bloodline which they can learn more about through the in-depth result charts and information made available to clients online.
What’s more, this ancestry DNA test goes the extra mile by giving you the option to connect with distant relatives based on the information collected from millions of DNA tests across the globe.