From nutrition and fitness to health and sleep, a world of information is waiting to be explored within your existing DNA data. One such company that offers genetic testing services is Genomelink. Here, we discuss and review the company’s services and reports. This article is a must-read before you choose to avail yourself of their services!
About Genomelink
Genomelink, headquartered in Berkeley, California, is a DNA data upload and analysis site.
It was co-founded by Yuta Matsuda and Kensuke Numakura in 2017.
The company provides a personalized discovery platform for people to explore their DNA, catering to amateurs and genealogists.
It tests 200+ traits under categories like Personality, Intelligence, Fitness, etc.
Genomelink’s mission is to build a DNA App store where users can access genetic information “from fun personal discoveries to impactful health insights.”
Review Of Genomelink Services And Reports
Ancestry Reports Review
Genomelink offers an impressive range of ancestry reports.
Their 12 ancestry offerings range from global ancestry to native American reports.
Let’s have a brief look at them below:
- Global Ancestry: Chromosome level breakdown of global ancestry using XGMix algorithm.
- Ancient Bloodlines: Comparison of your DNA against ancient archeological samples to discover connections with ancestors like Vikings, ancient Greeks, etc.
- Ancient Ancestry: Discover your ancient admixture comparison of:
- Hunter-gatherers
- First Farmers
- Steppe pastoralists
- Indigenous Americans
- West African
- East Asian
- South Asian
- Asian Breakdown: Detailed Asian ancestry report which includes 19 Asia-specific regions
- African Breakdown: Includes 72 African ethnicities divided into ten groups based on language, history, and geography
- Ancient European Ancestry: Includes six ancient European populations that can trace your ancestors from 8,000 years ago
- UK Breakdown: Covers 21 geographical sub-regions such as South East England, North West Scotland, and Cornwall
- European Breakdown: Detailed analysis of European ancestry, which includes 17 European ethnicities
- Native American: Explores the DNA of indigenous people of the Americas in your genome. Includes 10 American ethnicities
- Neanderthal: Connects you with your ancestors from 50,000 years ago; analysis of Neanderthal and Denisovan DNA
- Hunter vs. Farmer: Identifies the societal roles your ancestors played 5,000+ years ago
Is Genomelink’s Ancestry Report Accurate?
Genomelink has mixed reviews on the accuracy of ancestry reports.
A few Reddit threads report inaccuracies in their Genomelink reports compared to AncestryDNA’s reports.
Other reviews report that ancestry estimation was closer and more accurate than MyHeritage.
Ultimately, the reports’ accuracy depends on the markers analyzed for a particular ethnicity and the number of people in the database.
Wellness And Health Reports Review
Genomelink offers six health and wellness reports:
- Nutrition advice: Reports on 6 vitamins (A, B9, B12, C, D, and E)
- Fitness advice: Covers three key aspects of fitness, namely endurance, speed, and strength
- Skincare: Fifteen traits on various skin parameters, including texture and elasticity, hydration level, pigmentation, and sun sensitivity
- Mental well-being: Includes ten traits of mental well-being targetted at combating stress, maintaining healthy relationships, and working productively
- Organ wellness: Covers heart health, gut health, mental health, and kidney health
- Joint/blood: Reports on pain, inflammation, blood sugar, and blood pressure
Are Genomelink’s Wellness And Health Reports Accurate?
According to a feedback survey by Genomelink, 74% of its 300 traits were reported as “accurate” by its users.
However, it’s important to remember that the results reflect the data uploaded.
If the data doesn’t include critical markers for a particular trait, the result may be inaccurate.
Uploading Your DNA Raw Data
You can either upload your raw DNA data yourself or directly import it from 23andMe or MyHeritage.
Raw data files from 23andMe, AncestryDNA, and MyHeritage are compatible with Genomelink.
How To Download Your Raw Data:
Once the upload is complete, you will be required to answer the following questions:
- Your Birthday
- Your ethnicity
- Your gender
- Interested report categories
- How you discovered Genomelink
You will then be taken to your account dashboard to view your results for the 30 free traits.
How To Login To Your Genomelink Account?
Follow these three simple steps to log in to your Genomelink account:
- Head to the homepage and click the “Sign In” button in the top right corner.
- You’ll be prompted to enter your email ID and password.
- Once that is done, you can click “LOG IN,” and you should be able to access your account.
You can also log in via Google, Facebook, and Apple, provided they are connected to your account.
If you cannot remember your password, you can reset it using the “Forgot Password” option on the top right corner of the login page.
Is Genomelink Safe To Use? About Privacy.
Genomelink is generally considered safe to use. It claims to uphold strong privacy standards and allows users to control their data.
According to Genomelink’s website, they:
- Are HIPAA compliant
- Do not use or sell data for secondary usage
- Let users delete data from their servers at any time
However, there are concerns about data security, potential inaccuracies in the insights provided, and mixed user reviews regarding reliability.
Privacy
After signing up, Genomelink displays a page with links to its Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Users must accept these terms and conditions of the service.
If you consent, the company shares your data with third-party research partners like Luna DNA, DNA Solves, etc., to aid scientific research.
Which Is More Accurate, AncestryDNA Or Genomelink?
Both AncestryDNA and Genomelink are reputed ancestry testing services.
However, AncestryDNA has been in operation for a lot longer than Genomelink.
Each service has its strengths.
Genomelink is known for the variety of services it offers, such as whole-genome sequencing, a technology that provides ancestry information based on your chromosome (XGmix), DNA match, interactive dashboard, etc.
AncestryDNA is known for its extremely high accuracy (over 99%) for each marker tested.
Further, AncestryDNA boasts an extensive database of 22 million people, enhancing the accuracy of ethnicity estimates.
Genomelink Pricing
Genomelink’s sign-up process is free. You can access only 30 out of 200 traits with the free plan.
To access the remaining traits, you need to subscribe to the Unlimited Monthly Plan, which costs $ 14 per month.
What Do People Say? – Genomelink Reviews & News
Reviews
Genomelink Review on Trustpilot (3.8/5)
News
What Your DNA Can’t Tell You What Your DNA Can’t Tell You
Summary: Pros and Cons of Genomelink & Verdict
Pros
- Instant free access to 30 traits
- Detailed trait reports backed by scientific research
- Various tools to explore DNA and ancestry
Cons
- Unavailability of DNA testing services
- Unlimited access to traits requires a paid subscription
- Upload of raw data only from 23andMe, MyHeritage, or AncestryDNA
- The report bundles cover very few traits and are priced much higher than other third-party DNA analysis services
- For many, the results seem more like “fun facts” rather than a genetic analysis
- There are questions and concerns about the accuracy of the reports
Verdict
Genomelink can be a good, cost-free place to start if you are new to DTC genetic tests.
The results are mainly user-friendly to read.
They seem to have in-depth information on privacy and the use of users’ data.
The free version of Genomelink is definitely worth a try.
You might want to think twice before going ahead with the subscription, though.
Genomelink emails your results even for the locked traits, which are one each week.
The report bundles are overpriced for the number of traits they cover.
The reports look visually appealing; however, the sample reports seem to only be for illustrative purposes.
The actual web-based reports need not be as attractive.
It’s better to check out other cheaper alternatives for these reports.
Expert Recommended Read
2024 Update: Free Tools For 23andMe, AncestryDNA Raw Data Analysis
| Genomelink | Xcode Life | |
| Type of genetic testing | DNA raw data analysis | DNA raw data analysis |
| Ancestry reports | Offered | Offered in select countries |
| Health reports | Not offered | Offered |
| Pharmacogenomic reports | Not offered | Offered |
| Raw data upload | Only from 23andMe, AncestryDNA, and MyHeritage | DNA raw data from ALL major providers accepted. Comprehensive list |
| Number of reports | 9 | 10 |
| Price | Single Reports: $39-$99Trait plans: $14/month; Yearly payment: $96/year | Reports: $30-$50Bundles: $160-$199one-time payment Price details |
| Sample reports | Available as PDF | Available as detailed report walkthrough videos |
| Trustpilot Rating | 3.8/5 | 4.7/5 |
