February 1, 2025
23andMe vs. African Ancestry: A detailed comparison
Compare 23andMe vs. African Ancestry to discover which DNA testing service offers better ancestry insights and aligns more closely with your goals.
At-home genetic testing services are gaining popularity among individuals seeking to learn about their ancestry and get health insights.
Some platforms, like 23andMe, offer general ancestry analyses and health reports, while others, like African Ancestry, specialize in providing insights into African heritage only.
Our 23andMe vs. African Ancestry comparison will examine each platform's pros and cons, helping you choose the one that best suits your needs.
Bonus: We’ll also discuss Nucleus, an advanced DNA platform that provides an in-depth understanding of how your ancestry impacts your health and offers actionable recommendations to improve your well-being.
About 23andMe: Ancestry and health DNA reports
Source: 23andMe.com
23andMe is one of the best-known direct-to-consumer DNA testing services, popular because of its large database and diverse products. With over 12 million users worldwide, it provides various genetic reports related to ancestry, health, and personal traits, similar to CircleDNA.
23andMe uses autosomal DNA testing to present the ancestry composition of up to eight generations, with details such as haplogroups and ancient lineage connections. This makes it particularly popular among those looking for relatives or detailed ancestral insights.
Besides ancestry analysis, 23andMe also offers extensive health reports, including:
Genetic health predispositions: 10+ reports including prostate cancer, anxiety, asthma, ADHD, bipolar disorder, etc.
Carrier status: 45+ reports on genes you may pass on to your children, including cystic fibrosis, sickle cell anemia, Tay-Sachs disease, etc.
Trait reports: 30+ reports on personal traits and predispositions influenced by your genes, such as male balding, bunions, dandruff, fear of public speaking, etc.
Wellness reports: 5+ reports on traits like lactose intolerance, genetic weight, muscle composition, caffeine consumption, etc.
23andMe’s ancestry analysis takes a global approach, with reports from 3,500+ regions worldwide, making it perfect for those interested in broad genetic insights. Still, it may lack region-specific information offered by services like African Ancestry, which specializes in African heritage and ethnic group identification only.
Tip 💡
If you’re interested in more detailed health insights and want to understand how your genes predispose you for long-term health issues, it’s worth considering a whole-genome sequencing platform (WGS) like Nucleus.
Unlike 23andMe, which looks at only 0.1% of your DNA, Nucleus analyzes nearly 100% of your genome. It provides you with clear and actionable reports on genetic traits and more than 800 diseases with 99% accuracy.
Get Nucleus Premium now to start your health journey.
Bonus reads — other 23andMe guides you may like:
About African Ancestry: Learn about your African heritage
African Ancestry is a DNA testing service founded in 2003 with a mission to help people with African origins trace their paternal and maternal lineages and follow their origins up to 2,000 years in the past. With a simple cheek swab, they determine your present-day country of origin and ethnic tribe in Africa.
Source: AfricanAncestry.com
African Ancestry has the world’s largest database of African lineages, with 33,000+ lineages across 35 African countries. The company offers MatriClan and PatriClan test kits:
MatriClan: Analyzes mitochondrial DNA to uncover your mother’s maternal roots.
PatriClan: Analyzes the Y-chromosome in men to discover your father’s paternal roots.
African Ancestry uses the Sequence Similarity Score (SSS) measure to determine your matches, which allegedly results in 100% matches for 85% of the people they test and 95% matches for the remaining people.
What’s unique about African Ancestry is that once you complete one of the tests and learn more about your origin, you can join their African Ancestry Family Reunions (AAFR) programs. These are all-inclusive, birthright journeys to your African country of origin designed to help you reconnect with your roots.
23andMe vs. African Ancestry: 6 key differentiators
While 23andMe and African Ancestry offer similar services, their focus areas differ completely. To learn more about each company’s methods and features, take a look at our detailed comparison table below:
To help you learn more about each DNA testing service and decide which one is better for your goals, we’ll compare 23andMe vs. African Ancestry across six key aspects:
Database size and coverage
Depth and quality of ancestry results
Pricing comparison and value for money
Sample collection process
Privacy and security
User reviews
1. Database size and coverage
Source: 23andMe.com
One of the most significant differences between African Ancestry vs. 23andMe is the size of their databases and the geographical coverage they offer.
African Ancestry has helped more than 1 million people discover their roots, resulting in 33,000+ indigenous African DNA samples. This is one of the largest databases of African-specific DNA samples on the market.
African Ancestry claims that it can determine the specific countries and ethnic tribes of origin with unrivaled accuracy. The report will trace your lineage for up to 2,000 years and determine your present-day country of origin — it includes lineages from 35 countries and over 200 ethnic groups.
In contrast, 23andMe’s ancestry report consists of:
Ancestry composition: Compares your DNA to genetic samples from 3,500+ regions worldwide and, in some cases, tracks your origin to the country level.
Ancestry detail report: Population-specific reports that offer more information about your ancestry background, with tailored content on the history, food, and popular travel destinations.
Its database holds more than 12 million samples, so it’s much more extensive for people of global origin. Still, it may not be as specific as African Ancestry’s database for individuals of African origin.
2. Depth and quality of ancestry results
When it comes to geographic insights, African Ancestry provides more depth for those with African roots. You can learn about your origin to the level of your present-day country and even the specific tribe you’re connected to. 23andMe offers percentage-based region-specific insights and sometimes tells you the exact country of origin, so it’s not as comprehensive in that regard.
Source: AfricanAncestry.com
23andMe excels in helping you track down people who share your DNA, which is something African Ancestry does not offer. These services include:
DNA Relative Finder: Compares your data to other samples in the database and matches you to your genetic relatives. It also allows you to message your relatives directly through the app.
Family Tree: If the DNA Relative Finder report finds any matches, they will automatically be added to your family tree, allowing you to track and stay in touch with your connections.
Share and Compare: Lets you easily compare your DNA ancestry results with family and friends to discover similarities and differences.
Neanderthal DNA: Lets you discover how much of your ancestry can be traced back to Neanderthals.
It’s worth noting that African Ancestry and 23andMe claim different levels of certainty regarding their results. African Ancestry claims its results are 100% correct for 85% of people it tests and 95% correct for the remainder. In contrast, 23andMe simply shares predictions based on the information it has and cannot be 100% confident in its results.
3. Pricing comparison and value for money
African Ancestry and 23andMe offer different products and have different price points. While the former offers ancestry insights only, the latter also provides health reports with an optional subscription. Take a look at their pricing structure in the table below:
On the surface, 23andMe seems to offer more for less money — you get both ancestry and health results. Still, African Ancestry is specialized for individuals of African origin, so it might be a better choice if you fall into that group and are not interested in health insights.
4. Sample collection process
Collecting your sample for both services is straightforward, but the sample type differs. While 23andMe requires a spit sample, African Ancestry requires a cheek swab.
Here’s how collecting a sample for 23andMe works:
Avoid eating, drinking, smoking, chewing gum, brushing your teeth, or using mouthwash for at least 30 minutes before collecting the sample.
Collect the recommended volume of saliva and add the provided stabilization buffer.
Cap securely and ship using the supplied specimen bag.
To collect your sample for African Ancestry’s test, you should follow these steps:
Activate your test kit.
Swab your inner cheek to collect your DNA sample.
Send it back for analysis using the postage-paid return envelope.
5. Privacy and security
23andMe was in the middle of a data breach incident in October 2023 that seriously affected its reputation among users. Hackers gained access to personal information from around 6.9 million users (more than half of its customers), including names, family trees, birth years, and geographic locations. Today, 23andMe claims its users’ data is safe as the company complies with three safety standards:
ISO/IEC 27001:2013
ISO/IEC 27018
ISO/IEC 27701
African Ancestry has had no known data breaches, but the company doesn’t disclose the safety and privacy standards it follows. It only states that it doesn’t share any of your data with third parties and that your DNA sample is safely destroyed after delivering your results.
6. User reviews
Both platforms have mixed reviews online. While neither is BBB accredited, African Ancestry has an A+ rating, whereas 23andMe has a B+ rating with 287 complaints.
On Trustpilot, 23andMe holds a 3.7-star rating from 4,880 reviews, while African Ancestry has only 218 reviews with a 2.2-star rating.
In 23andMe’s case, users praise how easy it is to use the test and like the possibility of being reconnected with lost relatives. Still, most poor reviews are related to the Family Tree service not working as promised, mixed or lost samples, upsell attempts from the company, and limited and vague reports. Here’s what one Reddit user shared:
With African Ancestry, many users are happy to have learned about their African roots, while most poor reviews are related to the high price, lengthy process, and vague results in cases when European origin is discovered.
Takeaways: Are 23andMe and African Ancestry worth it?
Both 23andMe and African Ancestry cater to different needs, making their services useful for different individuals. African Ancestry specializes in tracking African heritage, providing unmatched details for those with African roots. 23andMe boasts a much larger ancestry database and additional health insights, making it attractive for those seeking broader ancestry reports combined with health data.
Still, both of these platforms use genotyping technology that looks at only a small portion of your DNA — less than 0.1%. If you want to get an in-depth understanding of your genetic health potential and risks, you should sign up for Nucleus Premium — a DNA platform that performs whole-genome sequencing and looks at nearly all 6 billion of your DNA bases.
Nucleus delivers detailed, actionable health reports and is one of the most affordable WGS services on the market at just $399.
Nucleus: A deeper look into your health through DNA
Nucleus is a physician-approved, clinical-grade, at-home DNA test designed to give you a comprehensive understanding of how genes interact with your lifestyle to determine your health.
Unlike 23andMe and African Ancestry, which focus on ancestry insights with partial genetic data, Nucleus analyzes almost 100% of your DNA with WGS. This makes it one of the most advanced options for health optimization.
Key health insights Nucleus provides include:
800+ health risk assessments covering conditions such as cancers, anxiety, depression, ADHD, autoimmune conditions, heart diseases, neurological disorders, etc.
9+ genetic trait reports, including predispositions for male pattern baldness, height, BMI, risk-taking, etc.
Rare genetic variants that could cause serious illnesses and that most other tests overlook
Nucleus also considers your lifestyle and daily habits to provide tailored recommendations and insights on how to take your health to the next level. By partnering with SteadyMD, Nucleus enables you access to a personal genetic counselor who can help interpret your DNA report and propose meaningful steps to take toward long-term, real-life results.
Nucleus also has a monthly subscription plan that offers lifetime report updates as new genetic research emerges, without having to retake the test.
How to order Nucleus
To order your Nucleus at-home DNA test, all you need to do is follow these three steps:
Fill out your personal information
Place your order
When your test kit arrives, you should follow the instructions to take cheek swabs and send it back to Nucleus using the provided return envelope. Your results will be ready within 6–8 weeks.
Nucleus is HIPAA-compliant and takes care of your privacy. All your data is processed in U.S. labs that are CLIA-certified and CAP-accredited.
At $399, Nucleus offers unprecedented value for the money and is HSA/FSA eligible, so you can further save through your health savings plan.
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Read our other reviews of health-related services and platforms:
Featured image source: Jason Hafso
