AncestryDNA VS Living DNA

UPDATED Dec. 2024
Table Of Contents+
This website features affiliate links. For purchases made via these links, we earn commissions that allow us to keep producing helpful content. To find out more click here. Close

Contrary to popular belief, all ancestry DNA testing companies are not the same. Even the best of them put stronger accents on different areas of service. AncestryDNA and Living DNA are among the top-ranked ancestry DNA testing providers on the market, but one will always be a better choice, depending on your particular needs. You should primarily identify the most important thing you'd like to "take away" from the experience of ancestry exploration and our comparative outline will take care of the rest. Take a look at some key differences between AncestryDNA and Living DNA the best course of action will be more than clear.

AncestryDNA
Find your complete ethnic origins
VS
Living DNA
The most detailed DNA test available

Highlights

AncestryDNA
AncestryDNA is a genetic test developed by Ancestry, the largest genealogical enterprise in the world. The results are backed by various genealogical sources, forming a complete picture of your ancient/recent ancestry.
  • More than 700,000 DNA markers checked for optimal precision
  • Search for potential matches among 7 million DNA signatures
  • Download your raw DNA data file to use with other companies
  • Price: $99.00
  • Shipping:35 Countries
Living DNA
Living DNA provides the most precise ethnic estimates on the market. Its ancestry test covers the biggest number of genetic populations, which translates to the most accurate genetic percentages.
  • 80 world regions covered, including 21 in the British Isles
  • 15-fold analysis of 650,000 genetic markers in your genome
  • Free shipping and result updates; raw DNA data download
  • Price: $156.00
  • Shipping:Worldwide

Compare Features

AncestryDNA
Tests
AncestryDNA offers one ancestry DNA test - Ancestry DNA Test. Your final report will provide you with a detailed breakdown of your ancestry. You can also complement your results with billions of genealogical records in the company's database.
Sample Collection Type
Saliva
Genetic Markers Checked
700,000+
Geographic Regions Covered
350 Worldwide Regions
Ancestral Makeup Report
Paternal Lineage
Maternal Lineage
Neanderthal Percentage
Native American DNA Coverage
Jewish DNA Coverage
Cousin matching
Database Size
7,000,000
Family Tree Integration
Chromosome Browser
Health Report
Average Result Time
6-8 Weeks
Research Participation
Raw Data Upload
Raw Data Download
Technology
Illumina OmniExpress
Privacy and Security
With AncestryDNA, you are 100% in charge of your DNA testing kit, your samples, and your personal data from the moment you place your order until you receive your final results. You control who can access your data and the company will never try to interfere with your administration or sell your sensitive info to third parties. You can also transfer your administrator rights to another person if you so choose.
Living DNA
Tests
Living DNA offers one ancestry DNA test - Ancestry. The final report provides you with a thorough breakdown of your maternal and paternal ancestry, your haplogroup/subclade, and the migration map of your ancestors.
Sample Collection Type
Mouth Swab
Genetic Markers Checked
650,000
Geographic Regions Covered
80 Worldwide Regions
Ancestral Makeup Report
Paternal Lineage
Maternal Lineage
Neanderthal Percentage
Native American DNA Coverage
Jewish DNA Coverage
Cousin matching
Database Size
New, Still Growing
Family Tree Integration
Chromosome Browser
Health Report
Average Result Time
10-12 Weeks
Research Participation
Raw Data Upload
Raw Data Download
Technology
Custom Illumina OmniExpress
Privacy and Security
Living DNA is a holder of ISO:27001 certification, which signalizes optimal protection and security for your personal and genetic data. As your DNA sample is only connected to your unique ID number, not even its staff members will know your identity. Living DNA doesn't allow individuals under the age of 18 to get tested without the explicit consent of their parents or guardians.

Compare Ratings

AncestryDNA
FINAL RATING
9.8/10
Scope Of DNA Test(s)
Test Processing Times
Privacy & Security
Value For Money
Overall Experience
Living DNA
FINAL RATING
9.7/10
Scope Of DNA Test(s)
Test Processing Times
Privacy & Security
Value For Money
Overall Experience

Compare User Reviews

AncestryDNA
  • Submitted By Alan on 04/27/2019
    Interesting results that align closely with the likes of Gedcom/gedmatch. When you think about that many people constantly migrate from one region to another (or historic invations and conquests) everyone's bloodline gets pretty much mixed up so no test will be able to guess where our ancestors decided to locate. Despite this, I was shown to have 25% French. We always thought it was Germanic, but then, there was a lot of migration across the ages through this area. It accurately showed our dna from 3 continents, though there was much discussion in my family of the countries selected. Only downside is that Ancestry won't accept results from other testers (eg, Myheritage etc) but accuracy is probably about as good as it could get.
  • Submitted By STEVEN WOOTEN on 04/13/2019
    AncestryDNA is a complete rip off. Everything they told us, we knew from googling our last name (which I had done). They did not include anything outside of that information. They did not include anything from my Native American ancestry at all. A person can look at me and tell it's there. I certainly do not look like I am completely Irish and British considering my dark skin, hair, and eyes. What a total waste of time and money. I do not recommend ever using them. There has to be more reputable companies out there.
  • Submitted By Sofia on 19/02/2019
    I have been really disappointed with my results!!!! I am 100% sure I am half Russian and half Italian but the results showed that I am 0% Russian an 27% Italian. Even my Native American results (which were 1%) were higher than Russian! I can not believe it, because my mums side is fully Russian. I hope the company will improve in the future.
  • Submitted By Abigail Hunt on 10/15/2018
    After testing with Family Tree DNA, my husband and I decided to expand our list of relatives and explore the database offered by Ancestry. We found so many new relatives, some of which were located in Europe, out of all places. If you’re adamant about researching your genetic past in-depth, doing a single test is not enough, not by a long shot. Ancestry gave us much more information than FTDNA, but we still have to do the 23andMe test and check their database as well.
Living DNA
  • Submitted By Sandra on 08/15/2019
    I ordered two tests in December 2017. I did get results for the mitochondrial and Y DNA. To date only one match to my father which is me. My husband's test has no matches. He has a ton of matches on other sites. I have not had any other communications from this company. I uploaded a test from Ancestry in January 2018. It was my test and I did match my father. It is the only match out of three tests. I guess if I want more matches I will need to upload more tests from Ancestry? Does anyone have matches from this site? Am I doing something wrong or is this site a dead-end?
  • Submitted By Joseph Flores on 07/08/2019
    The best DNA company ever...accurate...on everything...my haplogroups ..im glad i tested with living DNA....23andme lousy always waiting for updates on what my ethnicity might turn out to be!same with all the other sites....not living DNA it gives me every thing on what i am ethnicity wise...thankyou living DNA
  • Submitted By Paul Dove on 05/24/2019
    I uploaded my DNA file, from Ancestry, and my wife's, from 23andme, and then waited and waited. A month later, after progressing through various stages of "testing", the status for both went back to Uploaded and hasn't changed since. No idea why but might be related to me deciding not to continue my membership of their partnering company Find my Past; without the DNA analysis I didn't see any point in continuing with Find my Past but I did expect to get DNA results eventually from Living DNA.
  • Submitted By RCCCCcweraer on 05/11/2019
    You do not want to use LivingDNA. They have operational and lab issues. They are disorganized, unable to respond even within a week to a question. They apparently outsource to two different labs in different countries and yet their business is in England. We started the process in January as as of today, no results. It doesn't matter if their testing is good, we can't get our results and how much confidence can we have when they are not operationally sound?

Winner

AncestryDNA offers one of the best and most precise ancestry DNA tests on the market, paired with an active online community and billions of historical records to complement your exploration. Learn more about its complete offer in our objective AncestryDNA review.

* All the prices on this website are subject to change without notice. While we put a great deal of effort into making sure that all the prices are accurate, one or more products may have outdated prices. Please visit the specific product’s official website for exact prices.
Join our mailing list to receive exclusive updates, giveaways and coupon codes directly to your inbox.