Can I Use Ancestry DNA on Other Sites?

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If you did a DNA test with Ancestry, you might be surprised to know that you can use your Ancestry DNA on other sites.  In fact, this is a really great way to get maximum value for your investment, and for you to learn as much as you possibly can from your DNA. 

There are several websites that accept AncestryDNA autosomal transfers.  This is a great way to find more DNA matches and learn more about your ancestry.

In this post, you’ll learn about the top sites for uploading DNA from Ancestry.  There are several sites that did not make the cut for my list, since I only want to recommend reputable websites where I have also personally uploaded my own DNA. 

I’ll update this list as it becomes appropriate.

Before you get started, you’ll need to download your DNA file from Ancestry.  None of the companies on this list are affiliated with Ancestry DNA in any way, and they all allow free uploads – you can’t beat that!

Some sites, like 23 and Me and Ancestry DNA, don’t allow you to transfer your DNA from anywhere else to their website, but you can always download your DNA and upload it to other sites who do allow transfers.  In other words, you can’t upload to Ancestry or 23 and Me, but you can upload your Ancestry DNA and 23 and Me data to other sites.

Family Tree DNA

Family Tree DNA (FTDNA) has the second largest database of DNA test takers in the United States, and so is a great website to use if you are looking for DNA matches.  Additionally, their database of international test takers is larger than that of Ancestry DNA at this point, so if you are looking for overseas relatives, FTDNA is a great choice. 

It’s free to do your initial transfer, and you can get access to your DNA matches and their family trees for free.  If you are interested in contacting your DNA matches, using the chromosome browser, or getting a “my Origins” ethnicity estimate from FTDNA, you will have to pay $19. 

If you can afford it, it’s worth paying the $19 to get a “second opinion” about your ethnicity estimate, and of course, to be able to contact your matches.

Uploading your DNA to FTDNA is best for:  Trying to find more DNA matches and being able to compare your DNA to that of your matches at the chromosome level.  You also get an additional ethnicity estimate, which is great for comparing with the one that you got from your original testing company.

My Heritage DNA

My Heritage DNA is an exciting “up and coming” major player in the genetic genealogy world.  They have a growing autosomal DNA database, and many of their testers are international. 

I highly recommend uploading to this site if you have ancestors who immigrated to the United States within the past 4-6 generations.  I enjoy the layout of the My Heritage website, since it’s really easy to look through matches. 

You can also see much more information about your DNA matches right from the “View match” screen, which I find very convenient.  The My Heritage ethnicity estimate is going to be different than the one that you got from Ancestry, but it doesn’t mean that either one is necessarily “wrong”.  Most of the differences are due to the fact that each company defines their regions slightly differently. 

It also seems like more people have family trees on this site than on some of the other places you can upload, which definitely makes it easier when you are trying to figure out how you are connected to your matches.

Uploading your DNA to My Heritage DNA is best for:  Getting access to more DNA matches, especially if your family has a recent international twist, and analyzing your DNA for Jewish ancestry, since My Heritage DNA tests for more Jewish regions than the rest of the companies currently do.

Gedmatch

Gedmatch is a website offering many free DNA analysis tools which accepts uploads from several DNA testing companies.  They do not do DNA testing themselves. 

Instead, they allow users to use a vast variety of tools to analyze their DNA and compare their DNA with that of other users.  Gedmatch is a great place to find new DNA matches, since people from other companies will upload their DNA there and you will likely find matches from those companies.

This means that (almost) no matter where some tested their DNA, they can upload it to Gedmatch for comparison with others – including you, as an Ancestry DNA user (but only if you choose to upload your DNA to Gedmatch, of course). 

Some of the tools that they offer are quite technical, so it’s a great site for those who are really interested in getting as detailed as possible with their DNA.  I’m a huge fan of Gedmatch, and I really encourage you to check it out.

Uploading your DNA to Gedmatch is best for:  Finding DNA matches who have tested with other companies, comparing your DNA at a detailed level (being able to see exact location on which chromosomes that you match) with other users, and intermediate and advanced DNA analysis tools.

Living DNA

Living DNA is a company based in the United Kingdom that does DNA testing, but also allows for DNA uploads. After you upload your DNA, you will be able to see DNA matches, but not a complete ethnicity estimate.

Uploading your DNA to Living DNA is best for:  Those test takers with primarily European ancestry who are interested in finding DNA matches based in the UK.

Conclusion

I hope that this post gave you some ideas about what you might be able to do with your Ancestry DNA outside of Ancestry.  If you know of something really neat that you can do with it, let me know and I’ll add it to my list here.

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