23andMe Reviews 8,044

Received this as a gift for Christmas, sent off my sample on 28th December, my sample has been stuck in the queue for DNa extraction since 21st January, it says it’ll be done in 1-2 weeks but it’s now March and it hasn’t moved. I contact 23 and me but it’s not resolved. Very slow considering we get an annual plan included in this, I hope this starts from the day I get my results NOT the day I sent off the sample!?

I've been a customer for years. About one year ago, I upgraded my plan and have been impressed with the detailed reports and the behind-the-scenes work this company does on behalf of its customers. The information provided is useful and fascinating. You can learn about yourself and the history of the world in one sitting.

So they were careless with people's data and got hacked and went bankrupt, and now they make it impossible for legitimate customers to log into their accounts, and they make you pay for everything a la cart basically.

Worst decision ever. I submitted my DNA the same time as my husband's DNA and they have yet to give me any results. My husband has had his results for over a month. I chatted with them online. They refuse to refund me. SCAM!!!

After 23andMe told me to call their customer service line, it was still the same result. Still a total scam!

I’d like to reiterate that I called your customer service number and explained the issue and all that happened was that one of your customer service representatives read from a script saying that he cannot help me. When I asked to speak to a supervisor, he said that supervisors are not available by phone and that’s someone would email me. I have yet to hear from a supervisor. At this point I just want to refund and for you to throw out my dna sample.

Update -- since I posted my recently updated review, I have not heard from 23andMe. When I called the customer service number, i was told that a supervisor would email me. They havent emailed me yet. Terrible service. 23andMe-- if you are reading this, please destroy my DNA sample.

I sent my test kit 2 months ago and is still queuing for DNA extraction. It’s been queuing since 21st January. This process was supposed to have been completed in 1-2 weeks and to date (over 1 month on) is still queuing.
No contact from the company with any explanation or apology. Very poor service.

Company takes too long (over 2 months). You should use a competitor

I purchased a 23andMe DNA kit with Ancestry add-on as a Christmas gift in December 2025 (approximately £150). What followed was a masterclass in predatory business practices and utterly disappointing results.

PAYMENT CARD HOSTAGE SITUATION:

After paying £150 upfront for the kit, 23andMe refused to provide access to the results unless I added a payment card for their "premium subscription." The results were already paid for, but they held them hostage until card details were provided.

When I later requested removal of my payment card details in January 2026 (the account holder was no longer in contact), 23andMe REFUSED unless a replacement card was provided first. Think about that - they will not delete your payment information from their system unless you give them different payment information. This is a clear violation of GDPR right to erasure and a deliberate retention mechanism to ensure ongoing subscription revenue.

I was forced to cancel my credit card entirely in February 2026 to prevent unauthorized future charges.

USELESS ANCESTRY RESULTS:

After all this hassle and expense, the ancestry results were laughably vague and completely useless. Despite paying extra for the Ancestry add-on, the best they could offer was "possibly Moroccan" - hardly worth £150 for such non-specific information that provides zero actual insight into family heritage. The recipient was utterly disappointed and felt the entire experience was a waste of money.

REGULATORY COMPLAINTS FILED:

I have filed formal complaints with:
- Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) for GDPR violations
- Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) for improper payment data retention
- Trading Standards for unfair commercial practices

AVOID THIS COMPANY. They employ dark patterns to trap your payment details, provide worthless results even with paid add-ons, and refuse to delete your personal financial data when requested. There are better DNA testing services that don't hold your payment information hostage and actually provide meaningful ancestry information.

I sent my sample on 2nd January 2026. As the postal address was in the UK I expected a reasonable turnaround time. I hadn't known that from Bedford (UK) it would be shipped to the US.
Looking at the app on 9th February it said my sample was 'In queue for DNA extraction' with results expected 11- 25 February. On 16th Feb the app said 'results expected 18- 25 February'. On 18th Feb ' Due to a high volume at our lab processing is taking longer than usual'. But I was already in the queue, so what has happened to cause this apparently new delay?
I purchased an annual subscription which is rapidly evaporating. Not at all happy, in fact feeling a bit scammed...
23andMe - please don't give me a USA number to call - you sell in the UK and should be providing local support.

I am responding to the response provided by 23andme to my Trust Pilot review.

I am completely disappointed in how this has been dealt with. I did what was asked of me back in 2024/2025-

Get charged again- reach out an notify them and am told the same thing. To BAD.

I am reporting them to the BBB for unscrupulous renewal practices-

This is now an accounting nightmare. My financial accounts are locked down. The charges going through an inactive account, and now I have multiple over drafts. All over a subscription that I canceled over the phone.

Emails were going to spam- so I did not get the notification that It was coming up for renewal. (I canceled it, and removed the contacts from my email.. why would I be expecting a charge for something I cancelled.)

Telling me to call, and get stuck in the IVR loop- and when I do get someone, refused to transfer me to a supervisor is totally unacceptable.

My Paypal account is now locked, and since I am not in the states currently, I'm SOL.

VERY VERY dissatisfied. This is not an example of good customer service. DO NOT SUPPORT this business.

Very frustrating experience. I purchased 2 kits and mailed the samples at the same time. My husband received his in a reasonable time (~3.5 weeks), and I've been waiting for mine for 8 weeks now with no update or deadline provided. I emailed customer service multiple times, but only got a generic response saying they're still working on it. At this point, I just want a refund.

They received my sample December 22, 2025. It's now February 14th, 2026 and still have not received any results.ita been nearly 8 weeks since they received my kit. Honestly pretty disappointing turn around time considering they received it before Christmas. Can't recommend service since they have postponed my results twice now and have updated it with "results will be ready soon". That was a month ago. I figured since I got my kit in before the holiday it would mean I wouldn't get caught with a slow que with the people that got it as a gift and shipped theirs after Christmas.....I was very wrong. Hard to recommend service since I also did one with Ancestry.com and they received my kit on January 9th and I received my results back 3 weeks later. I'd just use Ancestry.com if your looking for an extensive detailed and timely returned result.

I ordered my kit on November 12 2025.
I received the kit the next week and sent it back the next day.
It's now mid February 2026 and despite being constantly given dates for the results ...nothing. They're now saying the results MAY be ready in mid march ( they said they'd be ready in Jan and then Feb). Obviously in March they'll change it to April then May etc etc.
I feel like I've been scammed ...mugged. Do not use this company. That's all I can say.
And 23 and me don't tell me to phone you ...I'm not spending more money on you.

The information is just right for us non-scientists to read and understand. I like the deeper questions about my lifestyle that may be a cause of increased inherited disease probabilities. The results are shown on a line or graph to indicate where you are in relation to the studied population and what you should talk to you doctor about. Very practical summaries of results.

I was looking at my ancestry on the 23andMe app when it asked me to verify. When I did it said you have no record of me!! I paid you TWICE, first in 2023 and then for advanced analysis (an additional $69), and now you say you have lost my information??? It is my DNA!!!!!

I’ve had a great experience with 23andMe, and their new algorithm is a noticeable upgrade. The ancestry breakdown feels more refined and accurate, with clearer regional distinctions and insights that actually make sense when compared to my family history. I really appreciate how the updated algorithm doesn’t just reshuffle percentages, but adds more context and confidence to the results.
The only downside is that results below 1% are still included. Percentages that small don’t feel meaningful and can actually be confusing rather than helpful. Removing anything under 1% would make the reports cleaner, easier to understand, and more focused on ancestry that truly matters.
That said, the interface is still easy to use, the explanations are clearer than ever, and the health and trait reports feel well supported by data. Overall, the new algorithm makes 23andMe feel more advanced and trustworthy, and it reinforces why it remains one of the best DNA testing services available.

Of all the DNA test services, I think 23andMe is the most accurate. It’s expensive, but it’s worth the money.

Results aligned well even without disclosing background information.

23andMe is fun. How much fun depends on how much you pay. There will always be a feature you want on the next highest level, which is frustrating, but I can't say it affects my trust level. If you just want to know your ancestry and, perhaps, find some distant relations, the basic plan works. I have +Premium, which let's you see Historical Matches. Any time my DNA matches DNA from an archaeological site, I get a notification. Prepare to find the Viking ancestry you didn't know you had! LOL