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Answer the following question and you’ll know which is better, Ancestry DNA or Family Tree DNA? “What is the scope of your research?” You see, each site offers a slightly different menu of choices and both DNA establishments have their own proprietary recipes to he consumed.

No pun intended. Well, I take that back because if you have a hankering for a good steak then you want to go to a trusted steakhouse specializing in steak with an amazing litany of 5-star reviews about their steaks. If you want Italian, then you do the same. It all begins with the question: “what is the scope of your research?”

Here’s my breakdown of both Ancestry DNA and Family Tree DNA (FTDNA) in terms of how they can best serve you based on your research interests. I’ve tested at both sites, hence my review is based on first-hand experience.

=> ANCESTRY DNA

• PROS: Real Matches; Real-Time Research; Ancestry’s Database; Ethnicity Estimates are now very accurate

• CONS: DNA Inaccessible for analysis on site

=> FAMILY TREE DNA

• PROS: Ethnicity Estimates fairly accurate; Ancient Origins; Genome Mapping

• CONS: Matches function very limited; Ethnicity Estimates still contain low-confidence regions

If your aim is to dig into genealogical databases and build a family tree from yourself outward as far as you can go, then Ancestry DNA is the best place, hand’s down. What makes Ancestry DNA so powerful is that your DNA Matches are instantly connected via family trees! If you and another match have the same person in your family tree, Ancestry DNA will show you exactly how you are related, using an interactive pedigree layout already hot-linked into their billions of records. It’s pretty impressive, I have to say.

With each match you have instant access to Ancestry’s genealogical database and can conduct real-time research on any other person you match. Not only that, if a match’s tree is published then you can browse it right through your match list. The accessibility to genealogical records in this way is simply unparalleled.

Ancestry DNA also gives you a list of common surnames for each match you have, I have 242 pages of them!

Family Tree DNA (FTDNA) is more about comparing genomes than conducting research and the site seems to be geared more towards ancient DNA than practical, everyday genealogical research. I first tested at FTDNA in 2011 and it was very basic, and still is in many respects. To be honest, it hasn’t really kept up with the times.

Just this year, in 2017, it finally rewrote its “My Origins” algorithms because now it actually shows me a more accurate depiction of my ethnicity than Ancestry! The total % is the same, however the %s per region are different on each site. Per its recent update, I’m now 100% as it should be!

ftdna-ancestry-dna-ethnicity-origins — source: ftdna (screenshot)

Then, in late 2018, Ancestry updated its ethnicity algorithms and they are even more accurate than FTDNA in terms of the total and the percentages of where your ancestry comes from. In general Family Tree DNA tracks your deep ancestry while Ancestry traces your ethnicity in terms of researchable time.

Remember, genetics is there only to enhance the paper trail that is methodical genealogy research – not the other way around. I know what I am ethnically because I’ve done actual research on my ancestors going back over 10 generations. DNA testing makes a bunch of suppositions about who you are ethnically based on a fairly imprecise science; a science, nevertheless, which is making leaps and bounds every day!

The other cool feature about FTDNA is that it shows you your ancient origins in terms of paleolithic and neolithic dna that you might carry from some of the original settlers of Europe millennia ago. Trivial but cool.

family tree dna, ftdna, ancestry, ethnicity — source: ftdna (screenshot)

If you are looking to examine your chromosomes and those of others you match then FTDNA is your best option. It allows you to filter matches and then have those regions where your genes overlap displayed on a chromosome browser, it’s pretty neat stuff if you’re into that.

Which is better? Anestry DNA or Family Tree DNA? Well, that really depends on what your research interests are. While FTDNA allows you to access and evaluate all 22 of your chromosomes and make comparisons with others, so does a site like GEDMatch. You can just as well download your RAW DNA from Ancestry or any other testing site and upload it to GEDMatch, which you would probably want to do anyway.

Ancestry DNA offers the most comprehensive package available, in my opinion. Being able to compare yourself and your family tree to those of others you match genetically is the golden egg of research. As a genealogist or enthusiast we’ve all hit that dreaded brick wall, think of the possibilities of using matches to break through those brick walls and being able to share in other people’s research while at the same time assisting them with their own.