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National Geographic Geno DNA Testing Review


ConsumersAdvocate.org Rating: 3.9 / 5 (Very good)
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National Geographic Geno 2.0 is a DNA ancestry kit provided by the National Geographic Society. Founded in 1888 and based in Washington D.C., the National Geographic Society has been promoting geography, social sciences, and anthropology worldwide for over 100 years. It is one of the most recognizable organizations on Earth.
 
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How is National Geographic Geno rated?

Breakdown

3.5/5
Products & Services
3.5/5
Privacy & Security
4.0/5
Online Resources
4.4/5
Cost & Availability

Overall Rating: 3.9 / 5 (Very good)

Geno 2.0 is the test kit provided by the Genographic Project and sponsored by the National Geographic Society. It allows members to track their maternal and paternal lines, as well as their more recent family history through autosomal DNA. With their cheek swab test, customers gain a wealth of information about their heritage, but also gain membership to the larger Genographic Project. This is an ongoing initiative that offers fascinating insights about our shared heritage and allows communication between scientists, as well as other members.

National Geographic Geno Testing Features

Testing Features - 4 / 5

The Genographic Project by the National Geographic Society provides a DNA testing kit that allows customers to discover their own deep ancestry. The project analyzes mitochondrial, Y-chromosome, and autosomal DNA for over 300,000 markers in total. Customers who use the Geno 2.0 kit will receive information on the migration patterns of both their ancient matrilineal and patrilineal ancestors. Also, the Genographic Project takes a look at 250,000 additional ancestry-informative markers to create a more recent picture of the subject's family regional background.
DNA Testing Features
Autosomal
Y-Chromosome
Mitochondrial
Time for Results
6-12 weeks
Collection Method
Cheek Swab
Company Does Own Testing
No

National Geographic Geno Results Analysis

Products & Services - 3.5 / 5

The Genographic Project really shines in terms of the interactive, well designed, and engaging results experience it provides. Customers, or members, are initially presented with a summary dashboard page which breaks up their results into three sections: Homonin Results, Deep Ancestry, and Regional Ancestry. The Homonin page details if you have any Neanderthal DNA. The Deep Ancestry information details migration patterns from 1,000 to 10,000 years ago (after the last ice age). Regional DNA shows your percentages of modern nationalities, i.e. Irish, African, Scandinavian, etc. A great feature is that all results have been custom designed and streamlined to interface seamlessly with social media, should you choose to share them.
Size of Database
More than 830,000 people
Number of Geographical Regions Identified
Not specified
Identification of Relatives
No
Number of Ethnicities Identified
Not specified

National Geographic Geno Other Services

Online Resources - 4 / 5

Customers who use the Geno 2.0 kit to sample their DNA don't just receive their results in a void; they become members of the vast Genographic Project itself. This is a multi-year initiative by the National Geographic Society, and other organizations such as Helix, to promote evidence-based understanding of our shared genetic roots as a race. Members can communicate with each other via social media or through the Project's portal, and also can elect to receive updates from Genographic scientists as their research into our shared history progresses. As DNA testing entities go, this is by far the most robust group of services and features on offer.
DNA for Medical Purposes
No
Mobile App
Yes
Family Tree Creator
Yes

Member Features

  • Online Forum
  • Contact with Other Members
  • Blog
  • Social Network Integration

Migration Information

Geno 2.0 offers users a customizable and shareable video that tracks possible ancestral migration patterns.

National Geographic Geno Pricing

Cost & Availability - 4.4 / 5

The Geno 2.0 kit will run you about the same price as most other high-profile DNA testing and Ancestry services. However, there is considerable value as you get quite a bit more in terms of ongoing use after your initial results. Customers become part of the larger Genographic Project community and can participate in ongoing genetic and anthropological research.
Basic Kit Price
$149.95

National Geographic Geno Reputation

Reputation - 4.5 / 5

Geno 2.0 does not have that much information itself online in terms of reputation and customer satisfaction. Prospective customers should also be aware that the Project's focus is more on ancient group history and migration, rather than personal history and genetics. That being said, Geno 2.0 carries the approval of the National Geographic Society, which, founded in 1888, is one of the largest non-profit science and educational institutions in the world.
Year Founded
1888

National Geographic Geno Privacy

Privacy & Security - 3.5 / 5

The Genographic Project will not share your DNA information with anyone without your permission. The initiative always maintains the highest standards when it comes to the security and privacy of your DNA information.
Disclosure to Third Parties
No

Company Profile

Full Name
National Geographic Geno DNA Testing
Company Website
https://genographic.nationalgeographic.com
Headquarters
1145 17th Street N.W., Washington, DC, 20036

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Customer Comments & Reviews

Loading Reviews ...
radjoo
11/20/2023
I paid for this service years ago & NEVER received notice that my information was being deleted with the programs end. I am still trying to find out how to retrieve my information. Absolutely disgusting the way participants have been treated.

A
Alice H
8/2/2020
I am considering having genetic testing done via National Geographic. Should I expect to receive differing results if I also have testing done by another company? Will my siblings receive genetic results which are very different from mine?

ainoko77
12/5/2019
The public participation in their project is ending soon. I don't recommend buying the kit even if they weren't, even if it is cheap. Helix is the company that does the sequencing, in the hope you buy one of their affiliated analysis products, some of which are expensive for what info they provide. Finally realizing that this and other DTC company purchases will be mildly entertaining at best for most people, I don't recommend paying money for the risk of having your sequenced or genotyped DNA analyzed and stored in some data bank. Sorry, but privacy is not a given, and not eternal, no matter what they say in the small print. Nat Geo was the worst in giving me info about my ancestry,... Read More

Top Rated
Our Partner
  • Tests for 650,000 genetic markers
  • Ancestry results go back 10 generations
  • Partnership with over 200 laboratories
  • Young, growing company
  • Invested in mapping out the world’s genetic roots
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