National Geographic Ancestry Test VS GPS Origins

UPDATED Nov. 2024
Table Of Contents+
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Ancestry DNA testing companies brought genetic genealogy to the general public. Although commercially available ancestry tests are all similar, the differences between them can make or break the entire experience for you. Our comparison between National Geographic Ancestry Test and GPS Origins will show you the right way to approach your ancestry examination, as well as crucial aspects to keep in mind. The best way to go about things here is defining, in layman's terms, what you're most interested about; what you want to discover about your genetic ancestry and potential historic relatives. With that information, the choice between National Geographic Ancestry Test and GPS Origins will be pretty evident.

National Geographic Ancestry Test
Next Gen Of Genographic DNA Testing
VS
GPS Origins
The most precise ancestry DNA test

Highlights

National Geographic Ancestry Test
Genographic has introduced the next generation of its DNA test. The National Geographic Ancestry Test is vastly superior to its predecessor, offering a much more detailed insight into your DNA ancestry.
  • More than 800,000 participants in over 140 countries
  • 60 reference populations for a complete ancestral layout
  • Neanderthal DNA check and full autosomal, Y, and mt testing
  • Price: $149.95
  • Shipping:Worldwide
GPS Origins
GPS Origins is an ancestry DNA test developed by DDC to accurately pinpoint the exact originator of your genetic strain. Every DNA sample is processed twice using top-tier robotics technology.
  • One of the most accurate tests with 800,000+ SNP checked
  • 31 world regions covered with 1,000+ reference populations
  • Family Tree DNA, AncestryDNA, Nat Geo, and 23andMe transfers
  • Price: $69.00
  • Shipping:

Compare Features

National Geographic Ancestry Test
Tests
National Geographic offers one ancestry DNA test - Geno 2.0 Next Generation. The results will provide you with a comprehensive overview of your genetic ancestry, including maternal and paternal haplogroups, Neanderthal DNA percentages, and the migration routes of your ancient genetic relatives.
Sample Collection Type
Cheek Swab
Genetic Markers Checked
750,000
Geographic Regions Covered
60 Worldwide Regions
Ancestral Makeup Report
Paternal Lineage
Maternal Lineage
Neanderthal Percentage
Native American DNA Coverage
Jewish DNA Coverage
Cousin matching
Database Size
More Than 900,000
Family Tree Integration
Chromosome Browser
Health Report
Average Result Time
6-12 Weeks
Research Participation
Raw Data Upload
Raw Data Download
Technology
Illumina Exome
Privacy and Security
National Geographic is a world-famous brand with a reputation to uphold. It features a rather strict privacy & security policy, which means your personal data is perfectly safe 100% of the time. National Geographic will never share, sell or lease your information to third parties.
GPS Origins
Tests
Sample Collection Type
Genetic Markers Checked
Geographic Regions Covered
Ancestral Makeup Report
Paternal Lineage
Maternal Lineage
Neanderthal Percentage
Native American DNA Coverage
Jewish DNA Coverage
Cousin matching
Database Size
Family Tree Integration
Chromosome Browser
Health Report
Average Result Time
Research Participation
Raw Data Upload
Raw Data Download
Technology
Privacy and Security

Compare Ratings

National Geographic Ancestry Test
FINAL RATING
7.0/10
Scope Of DNA Test(s)
Test Processing Times
Privacy & Security
Value For Money
Overall Experience
GPS Origins
FINAL RATING
8.3/10
Scope Of DNA Test(s)
Test Processing Times
Privacy & Security
Value For Money
Overall Experience

Compare User Reviews

National Geographic Ancestry Test
  • Submitted By Arthur Starr on 04/27/2019
    This company needs major improvement. I have been waiting since February 2019 after I paid and send a saliva sample. I have not received results nor have i been able to access the site. I have spoken to numerous individuals who supposedly represent Helix and each time was promised that the problems would be taken care of. None of this has helped. I am not recognized on the site after resending my information many times. I would avoid this program and warn others to do the same. At this point I am wondering if this is a scam. I subscribe toNational Geographic and trusted that they were involved with this company. I would give them a zero for a rating if it were allowed.
  • Submitted By SZ on 09/03/2018
    I read some negative reviews online, and almost decided against buying the test. Fortunately, I changed my mind and did the test. I waited 10 weeks for my report to be ready and I learned a lot of things about my maternal and paternal ancestry. I was not disappointed and I recommend going with National Geographic if you want to find out more about your ancestors. The test is worth every penny, if you understand what you are getting out of it.
  • Submitted By Tanya on 08/13/2018
    I waited a long time to receive my results. While I was not disappointed with my report, I did expect a bit more from National Geographic.
  • Submitted By Cynthia on 07/30/2018
    I am utterly flabbergasted by this product. It has been a year since I submitted by samples and until now I have yet to receive my results. I wrote several emails and in the beginning the first reason was ‘some delays due to change of labs’ then when I asked again ‘delays due to IT issues of uploading results’ and then when I asked again recently it was met with silence and just simply no reply. I have now asked them for a refund but again no reply. I really recommend that you do not purchase this at all. It is really a very annoying situation and I regret getting this - they basically took the money and gave me nothing. Reading some of the reviews here make it sound like some people actually received results - how? Why did I not receive mine? It makes me so disappointed. Is there a board I can complain to formally? It really is a scam with the Nat Geo name ! If I could give zero I would but this system’s minimum is 1 star
GPS Origins
  • Submitted By Roy Barns on 08/20/2019
    GPS Origins is a unique test that offers to show you the migration route of your ancestors, plural. It's really cool because it connects the genetics with history and tries to explain why your ancestors moved in a certain way, based on whatever happened in the world during that time. For me, I learned that one side of my family moved from Croatia to Ukraine to Germany (the last part is true for sure!) because the Kingdom of Hungary was expanding and people moved out, some to participate in the crusades and others were looking for business opportunities. The other side of my family, Russian, was also spot on and also had a cool historical tale. The point of this test is that it allows you to go beyond your personal record and tell the story of both sides of your family. My criticism is that it doesn't involve ancient DNA, which is out there so it's sort of limited to modern day, but no one so far came up with a test that uses ancient DNA. Also, it helps if you know your mitochondria and Y haplogroups in advance, but these are not part of the test, which is autosomal. It's only $39 per upload, which is a good price for money.
  • Submitted By Corinne Hollingsead on 11/19/2018
    I have used a few DNA testing kits and I have done my family tree. This site gave me inaccurate information. Without a doubt it is off. My father is 100 percent Italian and it did not read any Italian in my DNA. The other tests did. I do not recommend this test.
  • Submitted By Justin Bryant on 10/15/2018
    I got my report much faster than with other similar services and the report pretty much matches what I already found out. I was hoping to see a site that could indicate the locations of my living and deceased relatives, but that’s not a thing apparently.
  • Submitted By Nancy Roberts on 09/17/2018
    I was pleasantly surprised when my results showed separate percentages for my English and Scottish ancestry. It also pinpointed to an exact village where my ancestors with different backgrounds met for the first time, as well as their migration paths. Excellent service and a very informative report.

Winner

GPS Origins is an ancestry DNA test created by Dr. Eran Elhaik and distributed by Home DNA. Its main asset is the most specific pinpointing of the location of your genetic origins, sometimes even indicating the exact town or village where your DNA signature stems from. Read all about the specifics of GPS Origins in our in-depth 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.
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