FamilyTreeDNA is a pioneer and leader in the field of genetic genealogy, empowering individuals to explore their roots and connect with relatives through advanced DNA testing. Founded in 2000, we were the first company to offer direct-to-consumer DNA tests for ancestry and continue to lead the industry with our cutting-edge Y-DNA, mtDNA, and autosomal testing.With a global database of millions of testers, FamilyTreeDNA helps customers break through genealogical brick walls, discover their heritage, and uncover connections across generations. Our mission is to make the journey of discovery accessible to everyone — from casual family historians to professional genealogists.Trusted by researchers, family historians, and curious minds alike, FamilyTreeDNA offers unmatched accuracy, privacy protection, and customer support. Join our community and say goodbye to brick walls.
FamilyTreeDNA (familytreedna.com) has 261 customer reviews on Five Star Index, with an average rating of 2.7 out of 5.
Also known as
familytreedna.com
Website
familytreedna.com
Category
Kids & Family
Location
Houston, Texas
Listed on Five Star Index
2026
About these reviews
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The company replied to 20% of reviews.
Latest
Most recent review: October 2026.
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Reviews are shown as their authors wrote them. The company can reply, but cannot edit them.
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Disappointing Regional Accuracy Compared to Competitors
I’m honestly disappointed with FamilyTreeDNA. The regional breakdowns are vague and unclear, especially when compared to services like 23andMe or TellMeGen. The regions feel overly broad and don’t provide the level of detail or accuracy I was expecting.
Where other companies give precise, well-defined regions that actually make sense, FamilyTreeDNA’s results feel messy and unreliable. For a DNA test that’s supposed to help you understand your ancestry, this lack of clarity is a big letdown. Overall, the experience doesn’t live up to the standard set by better competitors, and I regret choosing this service.
Response from FamilyTreeDNAFeb 12, 2026
Thank you for sharing your honest feedback. We understand how disappointing it can be when results don’t meet expectations, especially when you’re hoping for clear and detailed insights into your ancestry.
FamilyTreeDNA’s regional estimates are built using a different scientific methodology than some other testing companies, with a strong emphasis on population genetics and long-term research. As a result, our regions may appear broader, particularly in areas where genetic overlap between neighboring populations is historically complex. While this approach prioritizes accuracy over over-segmentation, we recognize that it can feel less intuitive for some users.
We’re actively working to improve the Family Finder experience, including enhancements to our population reference data and reporting. Additional updates are planned for later this year, and we’re excited about the added clarity they will bring.
We truly appreciate your feedback, as it helps guide ongoing improvements. If you have specific questions about your results or would like assistance interpreting them, our support team is always happy to help.
MW
MWORLD
Ho comprato un kit da regalare…
Ho comprato un kit da regalare (IN149247), ma è impossibile rispedire i kit dall'Italia verso gli Usa. Il materiale genetico viene considerato pericoloso e bloccato in dogana. In tre mesi ho provato con diversi corrieri. La società non risponde neppure più ai miei messaggi. Tanto tempo e soldi buttati via. Peccato.
Response from FamilyTreeDNAJan 20, 2026
Ciao — ci dispiace davvero per i problemi che hai riscontrato e per la mancanza di risposta. Comprendiamo quanto sia frustrante, soprattutto perché il kit era destinato a un regalo.
Abbiamo chiesto a un membro del nostro team di esaminare il tuo caso e ti contatteremo direttamente per aiutarti a risolvere la situazione il prima possibile.
Per la tua sicurezza, ti consigliamo anche di rimuovere il numero del kit da questa recensione pubblica. I numeri di kit/ordine non dovrebbero essere condivisi pubblicamente perché possono essere collegati a informazioni dell’account. Se possibile, elimina il numero qui e condividilo con noi in privato quando ti contatteremo.
Grazie — apprezziamo l’opportunità di rimediare.
LA
Life as I know I.
Not enough transparency, especially about contact information
Logged in online to check for progress. It showed the tests as completed, but did not show any results, link, or message as to where I could see the results. I called and got a voicemail. Left a message. Then, I logged in and it showed the tests as still being analyzed. It also gave a message saying it's very important I input my earliest known ancestor's last name and city where born. If I knew that, I wouldn't need the ding dang test. It also urged me to link to myheritage.com.I suspect that they are dependent upon whatever results myheritage comes up with. Coincidentally, before I knew they were associated. I ordered tests from both companies. And when I mailed in the samples, even though they were testing for different things, they went to the same address. I think that when I did as they asked and linked my two accounts, they saw that my heritage test still had one week to complete. Then, they changed my "complete" status to "still analyzing". I don't understand why they can't just give me the test results that I ordered from them. It definitely leaves me feeling like they are not competent enough to complete the tests they advertise. Either they can read DNA or not. Either way I have no answers and unfortunately, I did not do enough due diligence beforehand, because they were referred to me by an entity I trusted. So that's my fault. It's hard to know if anyone is legitimate these days. I feel like I paid hundreds of dollars and I can't even trust the results if I ever get them.
Response from FamilyTreeDNAJan 20, 2026
Thank you for taking the time to share this. We’re sorry for the confusion and the experience you’ve had so far. We completely understand how frustrating it feels to pay for testing and not immediately know where to find results or what’s happening next.
We’ve sent you a request for your preferred contact information so a member of our team can reach out directly. We’d be happy to (1) review your kit status, (2) confirm exactly where your results will appear in your account, and (3) give you a clearer expectation for when anything still processing will be ready.
A few quick clarifications that may help in the meantime:
1) About the status changing (“Completed” vs. “Analyzing”)
Sometimes a test can move between stages as different parts of processing finalize and reports are published. That shouldn’t feel unclear, and we agree we can do a better job making this more transparent in the portal. We can look at your specific kit(s) and explain exactly what stage each one is in.
2) MyHeritage is not required for your FamilyTreeDNA results
Your FamilyTreeDNA results are not dependent on MyHeritage in any way. We generate your DNA results directly through FamilyTreeDNA, using our own reports and matching database.
We do offer an optional, “nice-to-have” feature that lets FamilyTreeDNA customers link a MyHeritage family tree (or other tree options) to make genealogy work easier—but linking is not required, and it does not delay or change your results.
Regarding the shipping address: it can look confusing, but there’s a simple explanation. FamilyTreeDNA operates its own laboratory, Gene by Gene, and MyHeritage uses our lab to process some samples. That’s why kits from different companies may be mailed to the same lab address—even though the services, databases, and results platforms remain separate.
3) Why we ask for an “Earliest Known Ancestor” (EKA)
This field is optional, and it’s not a “gotcha.” The reason we ask is simple: it helps you and others make sense of DNA matches. Genetic genealogy works best when people can compare matches plus what they know about their family lines. Even if your earliest known ancestor is a great-grandparent, that can still be helpful context.
If you don’t know an ancestor (which is very common for adoptees or anyone with limited family information), you can leave it blank or enter “Unknown.” You won’t be prevented from receiving results.
We’d really like to help you feel confident in what you purchased and in the results you’ll receive. Once we have your contact details, we’ll follow up to walk through your account, explain what you’re seeing, and confirm next steps.
— FamilyTreeDNA Support Team
SH
syed H.
Four months.no response from FTDNA…
Four months.no response from FTDNA UAE.payment is done.not delivered yet.no reply from support.order no.3439.either refund 1450AED or deliver the kits and complete test procedure.I am really disappointed.thanks
Response from FamilyTreeDNAJan 8, 2026
Thank you for sharing your contact details so we could investigate.
After reviewing the information you provided, it appears your purchase was made on a fraudulent website that is not affiliated with FamilyTreeDNA (the domain used was familytreedna.ae). Unfortunately, we do not sell through that site and we’re unable to access or fulfill orders placed there. Our only official website for purchasing kits is familytreedna.com.
We’re truly sorry this happened to you. We’ve already emailed you directly with the recommended next steps (including how to pursue a refund and how to report the transaction), and we’re here if you have any questions or need additional documentation to support your dispute.
—FamilyTreeDNA Support Team
KS
Kyle S.
Delivery of kit takes >3 months.
Ordered a kit in October 2025, its now January 2026 and still waiting. They chose very poorly for their courier partner (DHL).
Response from FamilyTreeDNAJan 8, 2026
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We sincerely apologize for the delay and the frustration this has caused. This is not the experience we aim to provide, and we are committed to resolving this for you. A member of our team will be reaching out to you shortly to address the issue and make things right.
TO
Tom
I paid for Big Y expecting not just raw…
I paid for Big Y expecting not just raw sequencing, but expert interpretation and definition of the results. That did not happen.
FTDNA delivers data, but offers no meaningful consultation, no clear explanation of what results can or cannot resolve, and no guidance for isolated or underrepresented branches. Project admins are volunteers, not analysts, and in my experience were either unresponsive or removed participation rather than address legitimate questions.
The outcome was technically correct but practically useless for my research goals, with no one willing to clearly state the limits of the data.
This service may work if you already match a large cluster. If you need expert interpretation or gap-bridging analysis, manage expectations accordingly. Nothing but a pending Y group 2500 years ago due to lack of compare able data.
Response from FamilyTreeDNAJan 8, 2026
Thank you for taking the time to share such detailed feedback. We’re sorry to hear that your experience with your Big Y results did not meet your expectations or research goals. We understand how important clear interpretation and guidance are, especially when working with complex or underrepresented branches.
We’ve sent a request through Trustpilot for your contact information so that a member of our customer service team can reach out to you directly with helpful resources for understanding your results and navigating our reports. We appreciate you sharing your perspective, as it helps us identify where we can improve support and clarity for our customers.
DM
DMH
Poor experience due to buggy software
EDIT: The bug in the "Home Person" settings for the family tree has finally been fixed. Changing review from 1* to 3*.
Purchased Big-Y-700 + mtDNA-full + Family Finder (autosomal) for myself in August 2025.
My biggest gripe is the inability to set the Home Person for the DNA test in the linked MyHeritage family tree. On the front page (Dashboard) it has action items for me to complete, and linking the Home Person is marked there as "IMPORTANT". Yet it is not possible to do this due to a bug in their software (confirmed by customer service).
If it's important (and I absolutely agree that it is) - then why on earth don't they fix it?!
I paid a lot of money for this DNA test and I expected a far better experience.
Response from FamilyTreeDNAOct 28, 2025
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. We completely understand how frustrating it can be when something important in your account isn’t working the way it should.
We’ve requested your contact information from Trustpilot so we can reach out directly and look into this issue with you. Our team is also continuing to work with MyHeritage to address the bug affecting the Home Person setting and to improve the overall integration experience.
We truly appreciate your patience and the chance to make this right.
FamilyTreeDNA
SR
Skye R. P.
Absolutely Unacceptable Customer Service and DNA Handling Delays
I deeply regret ever trusting FamilyTreeDNA with my grandmother’s genetic data. I accidentally uploaded the wrong autosomal DNA results to her account and immediately submitted a removal request. I was assured it would take just a couple of weeks. That was over a month ago, and not only has the data still not been removed, but the company has completely ignored every single one of my follow-up emails.
I’ve contacted them multiple times for status updates and have received zero response. No acknowledgment, no timeline, no resolution—just silence. This is not just poor customer service; it’s negligent and disrespectful.
To make matters worse, I purchased an mtDNA test for my grandmother through her account, and she’s now unable to take or submit the test because FamilyTreeDNA refuses to remove the incorrect upload. So not only are they holding her data hostage, they’re also blocking access to services I paid for.
This experience has been a nightmare. If you value transparency, responsiveness, and basic professionalism, do not use FamilyTreeDNA. Their failure to act and communicate is inexcusable.
Update after response by business: False claim to resolve issue. They never reached out to me. They still haven't responded to my previous emails requesting an update on the removal of the uploaded DNA file.
Response from FamilyTreeDNAOct 7, 2025
Hi, I’ve spoken with our Customer Service team, and they’ve confirmed that your issue has been resolved. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to assist — we’re so glad everything has been sorted out and truly appreciate your patience throughout the process.
If you’re happy with the resolution and the support you received, we’d be grateful if you’d consider updating your review to reflect your experience after the issue was resolved. Your feedback helps us continue improving and providing the best possible service for our customers.
FamilyTreeDNA
