4 Common DNA Testing Mistakes You Must Avoid

The DNA market has more than doubled last year alone. More people had their DNA tested in 2017 than in all previous years before that, combined, and even more people are having theirs done this year. DNA tests are in high demand, because they can tell you ancestry, family history, health risks, your community, and can also aid in family planning.

If you’re considering having your DNA tested, you need to understand that not all DNA test companies are created equal, so you need to be able to separate out the really good companies from the ones who are just out to get your money. Keep reading to learn some mistakes to avoid when you’re shopping around for a DNA test.

1. Don’t Buy the Cheapest or the Most Expensive DNA Test

Yes, the old saying, “You get what you pay for” does still apply, but when you get into the upper ranges of pricing for DNA tests, navigating the quality of those ones can be tricky. You don’t want to go with a test that is too inexpensive, because it might not gibe you very much information, or info that you already know, like where your family came from.

On the other end of the spectrum, you don’t want to be tricked out of your money by an overpriced test. Expensive tests may offer a good product, but it’s quite common to find a similar, or better, DNA test for less money.

You will probably get a satisfying test experience with a middle-of-the-road priced test. Tests in the $100-$175 range is usually a fair price for a good DNA test. Choose one in this area of price to help make sure you get a good test without over-paying for what you get.

2. Don’t Go With a Brand Just Because it’s Popular

Some DNA test brands have a huge advertising budget and a fantastic marketing team. This makes sure that you see and hear their advertising everywhere, because they’re spending literally millions of dollars to make sure you’ve heard of the company and what they offer.

Even though some companies may have great marketing, some of them have very poor quality services. They care more about making money than giving you a quality result.

So there’s no mistake, a well-known company with good marketing doesn’t necessarily mean they have sub-par service. A few of them are really great, and worth the money; however, you shouldn’t assume that just because they’re so popular, they must offer a great service. Also, this means you shouldn’t necessarily ignore the less popular companies.

3. Don’t Confuse the Terms “Precision” with Accuracy”

Almost all DNA test companies out there claim to be the “most accurate.” While they’re not lying, because DNA tests are usually 99.9% accurate, that doesn’t mean they’re precise.

So, what’s the difference between being accurate and being precise?

When something is accurate, it means it’s true. For example, if you know you have European ancestry and your DNA results come back with “European,” you’ve received an accurate result. The results you got are true, but not very detailed.

When something is precise, it has to offer the exact expression of details. The most precise DNA testing companies available today use at least 20 unique regions in their Ancestry reports. So rather than getting a result back that says “European,” you will get a specific country or countries within that continent.

4. Don’t Just Pick Any Random DNA Company

Don’t just pick any ordinary DNA company you can find. Do your research, compare between the different companies, and choose the DNA test provider based on the following ten factors:

• Reputation
• Services Offered
• Software Grade
• Testing Method
• Price
• Research and Scientific Evidence
• Customer Reviews
• CLIA Compliance
• Customer Service
• Return Policy