FamilyTreeDNA Reviews 

I uploaded my raw data "for free", realised that absolutely nothing happened as a result, no results, nothing, then paid to 'unlock' the results, great marketing there by the way, however, having finally got my results, they are completely incorrect. I am not '100% European ", I am mixed race, and I know some of my family tree details, so I'm confident these results are not at all representative. I know I am not 100% European, and all the other tests I've done have confirmed this. I feel I was conned into paying $19, and given useless and inaccurate information, along with constant website issues, I would not recommend this site to anyone

Purchased a Y111 kit for my son for $258.95 with results due 3-6 weeks. That time is long past, and I filed a BBB report as they cannot tell me when I can expect results after originally telling my son that his sample was reportedly insufficient but they were still waiting on the lab manager to confirm which she hasn't since supposedly 06/30/2021. No results, no refund, no new kit but lots and lots of canned answers that don't add up. Save your money and go to another service.

What a con job. Utter vague non-sensible rubbish... However, after paying out for the test and waiting forever for the results, you will be certainly invited to pay much more for the results you might of expected to get in the first place.
At least Living DNA have a clue how to represent your ancestry.
You will get far greater value using your cash as toilet paper.

Waste of money and time. The results are very vague and all over the place. The other DNA tests I've taken are very similar and intermingle with the ethnicity just a bit off in percentages but this one way VERY VAGE AND OFF and half a**. I wanted to learn more about my ancestors but it just confused me at the end of the day . Don't give your money to them they arnt worth it. I understand that they need more DNA to compare but seriously it was way off .

I paid Family Tree DNA $159.00 for an mtFull Sequence DNA test. Their advertising on their site said that I would have the results in 6 to 8 weeks. After 8 weeks I still did not see my results so I emailed customer service and asked when my results would be in. My respond from Christina C an Information Specialist at FamilyTreeDNA was, "Although we do provide you with a time frame in which you could expect to see results, it is meant to provide you with an estimation rather than a guarantee. I understand you are eager for the results of your testing, and we do not like to postpone tests for our customers. However, there are instances when samples can require additional testing."

After almost nine weeks I requested a refund and was told, "Per our refund policy, we do not issue refunds due to delayed results:
[o]nce a sample has begun processing in our lab, the new or existing kit order is no longer eligible for modifications or any type of refund...Testing times vary between products depending on lab volume and the quality of the biological sample. Expected result dates are predictions and not a guarantee of delivery; therefore, delays in lab processing do not entitle customers to a refund."

It seems to me if there were a problem with the processing of my results this company should have notified me of a possible delay. Or maybe, if there was a problem with the sample the company could have requested a new sample, however, neither was done.

I would not recommend Family Tree DNA to anyone. Their site is confusing and not well laid out, and in my opinion their customer service is far below par for a supposed reputable company.

I thought when I uploaded my Raw DNA that I might find more DNA matches. What I ended up with is a headache. The site is VERY difficult to maneuver around, their "tree" is by far the worst let alone trying to link up a relative from the DNA match to the tree. Other site will allow you the option to delete your DNA upload with a click of a button. NOT THIS SITE! you have to send in a help ticket, then you get a long winded email explaining how deleting your dna is permanent and can't be undone if you change your mind. And that you have to email them the request from the email you used to set your account. Even after you replied to the help ticket that you want your DNA removed it doesn't happen right away! I had to use the help chat to ask WHY they still haven't deleted my DNA or responded to email to delete my DNA and was told that they send the request to the lab for the lab to delete the RAW DNA that I uploaded to their system!
This site is sketchy, sketchy, sketchy! DO NOT UPLOAD ANYTHING to this site

***Update*** received an email stating that it will take up to 30 DAYS! to removed the RawDNA that I uploaded to their system! 30 BLEEPING days! this site IS a joke and very sketchy! And on top of that I can no longer use their customer support live chat.

***Update*** August 1. They still haven't removed my RAW DNA upload or my account from their system. no matter how many emails I have sent them they still give me the run around that it takes time to remove my data from their system. 60+ days is well over the 30 days promised! Don't bother calling either because they are just as scripted as the emails!
DO NOT UPLOAD A N Y T H I N G to this company!!! NOTHING!! I would avoid this company... just run!

The end results and reporting is nothing more than a "hot mess". If you join a project.....another "hot mess". Everyone come across like they are DNA Geru's. I personally don't believe anyone knows what they are reading or seeing or interpreting. I certainly didn't. Guess I am dumber than dirt. 23andme outshines Family Tree DNA in every aspect from test results to reporting.

I received my "results" only recently. I found them very hard to understand. There is very little helpful information or training on the website on how to use and interpret results. There are audio tutorials on youtube but there don't seem to be any that are more recent that 2015 (at least re the Y-DNA test) and they are often well north of 60 minutes - a long time to sit through sessions that are a "surprise package" in terms of content. I am guessing that there is good information there but they need to work a lot harder to help customers see the value in what they deliver (if it is there). I wish I had read these reviews before I parted with my money.

The first report I received said I had no Irish Ancestry. My family is from Ireland. My ancestry was predominately Southern European. There was no Middle Eastern or Jewish Ancestry. It also said I had 2% Native American ancestry. The second report still showed no Irish Ancestry, no Middle Eastern or Jewish ancestry, and the Native American ancestry was less than 1%. The third report now showed that my ancestry was predominantly Southern European, but now it also showed my ancestry was 23% Middle Eastern and Sephardic Jew. Now I finally show a small percentage of Irish ancestry but the Middle Eastern and Sephardic ancestry has reduced to less than 1 percent. The same with Native American. Now I am 99% European. I don't know which report to believe -- if any of them. I find their site difficult to maneuver, and I stopped using their family finder when I discovered they were allowing law enforcement agencies to use their database. I am not a criminal, but I still don't want my results shared with law enforcement. I strongly discourage anyone from using Family Tree DNA.

Without going into massive detail.I received the kit in early January and returned it before the end of the month.Then waited and waited.
Eventually checked the site which told me testing was delayed but expected by the 10th March.Waited until after then and contacted the company.Reply was not 72 hours but more like a week and a half to two weeks.
I was told my kit was sent(I already know this) and they appeared to have not received it.This wasn’t really stated however.I responded straight away asking for advice as to what to do next and got no reply and waited and waited.Today I have mailed again and don’t really expect a response soon.I spent the money got the kit and returned it but that is it.
So far I think there should be a minus rating for this company.I would be very cautious about using them.If you want a couple of plastic tubes and swabs to send in the post, it might be a lot cheaper to go to a hardware store, then put them in an envelope,don’t address or put a stamp on(costs money) drop it in the post and forget about it all together.SAME result only a lot cheaper.

This site needs a negative stars option for FTDNA. If you want to throw your money away, go to a casino or buy a lottery ticket... at least then you’ll have a statistical possibility of getting something for your money. If you want to pay for the privilege of waiting months for your test to be processed, being ignored when you make inquiries, and frustrated by a website that was apparently designed by a sociopath... then FTDNA is the company for you. Their official slogan should be, “We got your money, now go **** yourself.”

Over three years ago I ordered nine “Family Finder” DNA tests from familytreedna.com. Every time that the ethic origins report has been updated, the results are increasing bizarre and obviously inaccurate. The current “Version 3” indicates that I am 11% “English, Wales or Scottish” and my wife is 0% of that same ethnicity. But our son’s Version 3 report indicates he is 79% “English, Welsh or Scottish!”

Despite of all the poor comments here I have to give you four stars. I would like to give you five stars, but I will explain why I don't and where I find that some improvement is needed.
First of all to all those people who think this is a perfect world, let me tell you that it isn't Every company will tell you that ethnicity is an ESTIMATE. Basing your DNA findings on that is a waste of money. Don't even take it and spend your money if you are taking it too serious. Have some fun with it and learn about history. You will enjoy that part if you do that.
But if you are in for serious genealogical work FTDNA is a good start. Although a bit expensive, your company is the longest one to do DNA starting off almost impossible with your prices. (pricing has really improved)
Here is why I gave you the four stars.
1. You are letting other DNAs on into your data bank to use the match system. Although you charge a small amount of money to open up the chromosome browser to compare, you still still have the functions for the haplogroups to show.
2. You are offering YDNA tests and MTDNA tests and keep the DNA in case someone likes to update further.
3. You are still expensive, but in general no more than other companies that offer less, such as Ancestry.
4. You have family trees available. You could improve on the browser with more generations.
5. Your ethnicity part is probably the closest I have to my documented tree, although it is off just like most of them.
Here is where you can improve. Your company is indeed to be used by more advanced DNA users. But you could make it easier for less advanced users. Change your numbers to an understandable amount of cm. Your chromosome browser is great, but I even have problems working with the numbers. If I find a 100 cm I know that I may be working with a normal 50 cm and lower segments as well.
I don't think it should be that hard to adjust the numbers within your system?
Match system is hard to understand if someone doesn't know how to match. I have not problems, but I can see that a lesser advanced user has problem finding the proper setting.
Overall, your website could be using an improvement. Here I am talking for all the new people who are trying to work with DNA not really for myself.
Your data bank is limited and that makes it not so desirable for someone who likes to work with DNA on a big scale. Unfortunately, that person will have to spend money to do their DNA more than with one company.
Based on all the facts that could be changed I am withholding my one star.

Theirs is an extremely poorly designed website. As a total amateur when it comes to genealogy the site was almost entirely meaningless to me, like it would be to many, if not most, people. It really needs to be redesigned and made a lot easier to understand. Hence, I cannot recommend using FTDNA unless you are a committed genealogist, or aim to be, and even then I have no idea if their service is any good.

One month after ordering my kit I still haven’t received anything. On my first complaint, I have received an email suggesting in wait another week more. After I still didn’t get anything and asked for a refund and my email was completely ignored. I don’t know where to turn to get my money back. Very unreliable company. I advice anyone who wants to take dna test to look for more serious company. There are plenty. I wish I did my research.

They are a totally FAKE, we did a DNA test, with a surprise. My wafe was to 35% from Belgium , no english, 55% Scandinavian etc..and 100% europee, when we a year later logged in, she had NO belgium 0% she was 99% Europee. 83% scandinavian. When we wrote to them and asked how is this possible, we got a nonsence answer.

For my self it was also different. I was at first ))% Europee, this time 100% I was to 69% Scandinavian, now I am 58%, I had 1% in Estarn Euope, now 0% Etc.

AVOID and keep you money!!!

Excellent service , update accurate .The best DNA test I've taken so far.

I have been a project admin at FTDNA for 13 years now and can't imagine being anywhere else. They are the only company that has reputable security and any real form of public spiritedness or commitment to genetic genealogy, There's no other place to run one-name studies, serious surname studies and geographical projects, the only place you will get serious help from committed highly experienced volunteers, and the only company that really supports Y and mtDNA testing with public databases that are major research tools. Sure, we've had our differences as they have turned more to gimmicks like other companies and silly "ethnicity estimates". Sure they are not so good at autosomal - almost everyone does a free transfer from other companies that pump far more money into advertising - but atDNA has never interested me much, you can't do much with it except dig out odd cousins. Even on atDNA, however, I get people to transfer from elsewhere so we can use the chromosome browser.

Really the only company for serious researchers.

I should of trusted my instincts before using this dodgy site. Very un-user friendly site, compared to three other major genealogy sites that I also use. I did notice a relative that matched another sites results but the results were distant (not worth the hassle of managing another dna site) It keeps logging me out, and i use the same login info on my phone, yet it says cannot log in (so much frustration with login issues) They are eager to up-sell yet make the site so horrible to use. goodbye

myFTDNA has & still is A nightmare to Use constant frustrating Software problems that have gone on for Years. Try puting infomation on their (your tree) Tree!
LivingDNA is also very Bad but not as frustrating mostly because they have not made it capable of doing anything.. I've been waiting for years.. a complete waste of money, but not Frustrating like myFTDNA.
I use 23andMe and Ancestry Ancestry being the most useful. myFTDNA they need a complete Change of Corporate Leadership and management should be forced to use their Product for 3 months at the end of which they will probably take Early Retirment