You can get DNA testing through at-home kits ordered online, at major retail stores and pharmacies, through your doctor’s office, or at clinical laboratories. The right option depends on what you’re trying to learn. Ancestry and trait testing starts around $79 for a mail-in kit, while medical-grade genetic testing ordered through a healthcare provider can cost significantly more but is often covered by insurance.
At-Home DNA Kits Online
The most popular way to get DNA tested is through a direct-to-consumer kit you order online. You receive a collection tube, provide a saliva sample at home, mail it back, and get results digitally in a few weeks. The major providers each have a slightly different focus:
- AncestryDNA has the largest genealogy database and is the go-to choice if you’re primarily interested in family history and ethnicity breakdowns. Results typically take six to eight weeks, though high-volume periods (like right after the holidays) can push that longer.
- 23andMe offers both ancestry and FDA-approved health reports. The basic ancestry kit costs $99, while a $199 upgrade adds carrier status reports, health predisposition information, and some pharmacogenomic data. It’s currently the only major company offering direct-to-consumer testing that includes medication-related genetic insights.
- MyHeritage is a strong option for people with international roots, with multilingual support and global reference databases. Kits start at $89.
- FamilyTreeDNA specializes in high-accuracy ancestry testing and also covers paternity and some health applications. Its Family Finder kit is the most affordable major option at $79.
- Living DNA provides especially detailed regional ancestry mapping for European and British Isles heritage. The ancestry kit runs $124, with a separate wellbeing add-on for $225 that covers nutrition and fitness-related genetic variants.
For people who want the deepest possible look at their genome, companies like Nebula Genomics and Dante Labs offer whole genome sequencing. Rather than reading select markers, these services decode your entire DNA. They cost more but produce a comprehensive dataset you can continue to analyze as science advances.
Retail Stores and Pharmacies
If you’d rather pick up a kit in person, Walgreens, Walmart, CVS, Target, and Rite Aid all sell DNA test kits on their shelves. These are typically the same ancestry and paternity kits you’d order online. You still collect your sample at home and mail it to the lab, so the retail purchase is really just a different way to get the collection kit in hand. This can be convenient if you want to start immediately or are buying one as a gift.
Keep in mind that the shelf price covers the kit itself, but some products require an additional lab processing fee when you register the kit online. Read the packaging carefully before assuming the sticker price is the total cost.
Through Your Doctor or a Clinical Lab
Medical-grade genetic testing is a different category entirely. These tests are ordered by a physician, processed in certified clinical laboratories, and designed to guide actual medical decisions. You’d go this route if you’re assessing your risk for hereditary cancers, screening for genetic conditions during pregnancy, diagnosing a rare disease, or figuring out why you react poorly to certain medications.
Labcorp is one of the largest providers of clinical genetic testing in the U.S., with a nationwide network of patient service centers where you can get samples collected. The company covers specialties from oncology and women’s health to neurology and rare disease, and offers genetic counseling to help interpret results. Quest Diagnostics provides similar services. In both cases, your doctor places the order and you visit a local collection site or have blood drawn at your provider’s office.
Academic medical centers and specialty genetics clinics also perform testing, particularly for complex cases. If your doctor suspects a hereditary condition, they’ll typically refer you to a genetic counselor who can recommend the most appropriate test and lab.
What Insurance Covers
Health insurance often covers clinical genetic testing when a doctor recommends it. The key phrase is “medical necessity.” If your physician orders a test because your family history, symptoms, or risk factors warrant it, your plan will likely pay for most or all of the cost. Each insurer has its own policies about which specific tests qualify, so it’s worth calling your plan before testing to confirm coverage.
At-home consumer kits from companies like AncestryDNA or 23andMe are not covered by insurance. These are considered elective, and you pay the full retail price out of pocket.
How Lab Quality Varies
Not all DNA labs operate under the same standards. Clinical laboratories that process medical genetic tests must hold a CLIA certificate, a federal requirement under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments. CLIA certification means the lab undergoes regular inspections, proficiency testing, and regulatory oversight through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. This is the baseline for any test result that will inform a medical decision.
Consumer DNA companies vary in their lab certifications. Some use CLIA-certified labs, while others don’t. If you’re using a consumer test to make health decisions (rather than just exploring your ancestry for fun), check whether the company processes samples in a CLIA-certified facility. Results from non-certified labs are not considered clinically valid, and a doctor won’t use them to guide your care.
Privacy Protections to Know About
A common concern with DNA testing is how your genetic information might be used against you. The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA), passed in 2008, provides two core protections. First, health insurers cannot use your genetic information to determine eligibility, set premiums, or make coverage decisions. This applies to private plans, Medicare, Medicaid, federal employee benefits, and the VA. Second, employers cannot use genetic information in hiring, firing, promotions, pay, or job assignments. They also can’t require or request genetic testing as a condition of employment.
GINA has a notable gap, though: it does not cover life insurance, disability insurance, or long-term care insurance. Companies in those markets can legally ask about genetic test results and use them in underwriting decisions. If you’re planning to apply for any of those policies, you may want to do so before getting tested.
Privacy policies also differ between consumer DNA companies. Some share anonymized data with research partners or pharmaceutical companies. Before spitting in a tube, read the company’s data sharing and storage policies, and check whether you can opt out of research participation or request that your data be deleted after testing.
Choosing the Right Type of Test
Your reason for testing determines where you should go. If you’re curious about your ethnic background or looking for relatives, a consumer ancestry kit from AncestryDNA, 23andMe, or MyHeritage will do the job for under $100. If you want a general overview of health predispositions alongside ancestry, 23andMe’s health upgrade or Living DNA’s wellbeing kit adds that layer for $199 to $225.
If you have a specific medical concern, such as a strong family history of breast cancer, a child with developmental delays, or unexpected side effects from medications, consumer kits are not the right tool. You need clinical-grade testing ordered through a healthcare provider, processed in a certified lab, and interpreted by a genetic counselor. The results carry more weight, the analysis is more targeted, and the findings can directly shape your treatment plan.