Combining DNA Tests for Better Results: The Upload Strategy

Most people who test their DNA once and stop are leaving matches on the table. The major consumer databases are siloed: a tester at AncestryDNA does not see testers at 23andMe, and vice versa. The fix is usually not a second paid kit. It is uploading the raw data from your first kit to the platforms that accept free transfers.

Done correctly, a single $40 to $99 test ends up listed in four or five matching databases plus GEDmatch, at no extra cost.

Start with AncestryDNA

AncestryDNA is the largest database at around 25 to 30 million profiles as of early 2026, and is the kit we suggest most testers start with. Largest pool, deepest U.S. records, and the cleanest ethnicity-and-Communities experience for most testers.

Sale prices around $39 to $59 appear frequently. Subscription records are sold separately and are not required to view DNA results. Our AncestryDNA review covers the kit in detail.

Download the raw data

Once your kit is processed, download the raw DNA file from your AncestryDNA account settings. It is a compressed text file. Save it somewhere safe; you will reuse it.

Our raw DNA data explainer covers what the file actually contains.

Upload to MyHeritage (free)

MyHeritage accepts free uploads of raw data from AncestryDNA, 23andMe, FamilyTreeDNA, and Living DNA. The match list and ethnicity estimate become available at no cost; some advanced tools (chromosome browser, AutoClusters, Theory of Family Relativity) cost extra, either as a one-time unlock or with a Complete subscription.

MyHeritage’s strength is European matches and integrated records. Our MyHeritage review has more.

Upload to FamilyTreeDNA (free)

FamilyTreeDNA accepts free autosomal uploads. Once uploaded, you appear in their Family Finder matching database and can participate in surname projects. Some advanced features unlock with a small one-time fee.

FamilyTreeDNA is the only major brand that also offers dedicated Y-DNA and mtDNA testing under one roof. If the paternal or maternal line specifically is the research question, this is where to spend the extra money. Our FamilyTreeDNA review covers the kit details.

Upload to Living DNA (free)

Living DNA accepts free uploads and is the best free secondary view for British Isles ancestry. The matching database is small, so it is a poor first kit, but a useful free upload destination.

Upload to GEDmatch (free)

GEDmatch is the free cross-company matching site where uploads from every major brand pool together. The free tier covers the tools most users actually need, and Tier 1 adds triangulation and advanced clustering for an optional subscription.

Read our law enforcement DNA guide on the GEDmatch opt-in before uploading.

When to add a second paid kit

A second paid kit makes sense when one of the following applies:

• You want to be in 23andMe’s database specifically. Some matches only test there, particularly in certain demographic and regional clusters. Read our 23andMe review and the privacy guide given the post-bankruptcy situation.
• You want a Y-DNA test. FamilyTreeDNA is the only consumer source. Big Y-700 is the most detailed option, often several hundred dollars.
• You want an mtFull Sequence test. Also at FamilyTreeDNA.
• You want whole-genome sequencing. Sequencing.com is the active consumer WGS option as of early 2026, though pricing and depth need to be verified at order time. Our pillar product guide covers the wider market.

For most casual genealogists, the second paid kit is not worth it. The free uploads cover what they need.

What ethnicity estimates do across companies

Different companies use different reference panels and will return different ethnicity numbers from the same raw data. None of the numbers is “the right one.” Our ethnicity estimate accuracy and why estimates change guides cover why this happens and how to read it.

Comparing the same DNA across two or three companies’ estimates is actually a useful sanity check. Regions where multiple companies agree are typically more reliable than regions where one company is an outlier.

A summary sequence

1. Test at AncestryDNA.
2. Download the raw file.
3. Upload free to MyHeritage, FamilyTreeDNA, Living DNA, and GEDmatch.
4. Add a second paid kit only for a specific reason.

This sequence costs the same as one kit and puts your data in front of roughly every consumer genealogy matching database that exists.

Back to the ancestry and genealogy pillar.