I Took 5 of the Most Popular DNA Tests. Not All Deserve Your Money

Best for: People who care more about preventing health issues than tracing their 5% Viking ancestry

Worst for: Genealogy-only hobbyists looking for detailed family trees

Cost: $505 for the Premium Test (but often discounted!)

Let’s not sugarcoat it—CircleDNA is the most expensive kit Matt reviewed, but if you’re leaning toward health as your priority, this is the gold standard.

Matt used the Premium version, which came packed with insights:

• A flagged risk for Type-2 diabetes (which he already knew ran in his family—but it was a wake-up call nonetheless)
• A drug response report covering 100+ medications (a big deal if you’ve ever had weird reactions to standard meds)
• A carrier screening for 163 inherited conditions—including smoking-related gene variants that could affect you or your kids
• Traits most of us don’t think twice about—like sensitivity to pesticides, Vitamin D absorption, and how easily your skin wrinkles

Some of it was playful (like finding out whether you're gifted at music or your stress tolerance). But some parts were deeply functional—the kind of data that you could literally bring to your next doctor’s visit.

Matt didn’t oversell it, but reading between the lines: this test quietly solves some of the most overlooked issues in modern medicine. It doesn’t diagnose—but it does offer early warning lights.

But here’s where it gets real...

CircleDNA is especially powerful if you’re thinking about:

• Family planning (do you carry something you could pass on?)
• Medication interactions (especially if you’ve had side effects no one could explain)
• Or just getting ahead of your health risks, without waiting for something to go wrong

For example, the test flagged something related to Matt’s VRSN gene (tied to smoking risk)—he’s not a smoker, but that’s the kind of info that could influence generational decisions.

So yes, it’s pricey. But when you look at what you’re actually learning, it’s not hard to argue that CircleDNA offers the best value per insight—especially compared to ancestry kits that mostly leave you with a vague map and a list of 3rd cousins you’ll never contact.

👉 Bottom Line: If your priority is health, prevention, and genetic clarity, this is by far the strongest test out there. It’s less about where your great-great-grandmother came from—and more about what you can do with your body, your life, and your future.

💡 Pro tip: Use code VG30 for 30% off. That puts even the Premium tier within reach if you time it right (they often run sales).

Best for: People who want a mix of ancestry + health

Worst for: Deep genealogists

Cost: $199

This kit offers:

• Ancestry reports and haplogroups
• Health traits like mosquito attraction and earwax type
• Carrier reports for select conditions

Matt had already done a deep dive on 23andMe back in 2019, so this time he focused on updates. He liked that the company keeps improving its database and delivers ongoing insights.

👉 Key takeaway: A good all-rounder. Not the deepest, but reliable on both health and ancestry fronts.

Best for: North Americans building family trees

Worst for: People wanting health insights

Cost: $99 (+ optional monthly subscription)

Matt said this one nailed his family background. The ethnicity report was spot-on, even identifying the settler communities his ancestors were part of in Nova Scotia.

With the largest DNA database (especially in the U.S. and Canada), it’s also great for finding relatives and building out your family tree.

👉 Key takeaway: If you’re North American and want to find or map relatives, start here.

Best for: European and Jewish ancestry

Worst for: Those focused on North America

Cost: $89

This one’s very similar to Ancestry but with a European tilt. Matt noted that if you live outside the U.S., or are Jewish, this is likely the better pick.

You’ll need a monthly subscription to access all historical records, which can inflate the actual price over time. They do run sales from time to time, so keep an eye out!

👉 Key takeaway: Best low-cost option for non-North American users.

Best for: Genetic genealogy enthusiasts

Worst for: Beginners

Cost: $79 (base) → $445 for full test suite

This kit is Matt’s pick for the serious hobbyists. It splits DNA into:

• Autosomal DNA (your entire ancestry mix)
• Mitochondrial DNA (your maternal line)
• Y-DNA (your paternal line, for males only)

Matt appreciated the haplogroup maps and detailed mutation history, but admitted: this is where it started to go over his head.

👉 Key takeaway: Best for folks who want to go way back in their lineage—like, tens of thousands of years back.