5 things you should know before using DNA Painter
There are many sites out there that can analyze your raw DNA data, but only DNA Painter gives you a full range of tools to visualize your DNA segments, analyze your DNA matches, and learn the probability of how closely related you are to specific people. DNA Painter is free to use for individual users. You can view your chromosome map and upload a family tree with data all the way to your 4th-Great-Grandparents. If you want to compare multiple DNA samples or upload your full family tree, you can subscribe for $30 every six months or $55 for a year.
Check out our full review of DNA Painter below!
1. About the Company
2. Test Results and Sample Reports
3. Reviews
4. Cost
5. Other Places to Use Raw DNA Data
1. About the Company
DNAPainter.com was created by Jonny Perl, a web-designer and genealogy enthusiast based in London. Perl, in an effort to investigate his own family heritage, started with a simple spreadsheet to analyze and visualize his family history.
However, as he started adding more and more relatives, he found he needed a more powerful tool to analyze the results. So, he built DNA Painter. He now offers DNA Painter free for basic users and allows subscribers to access more powerful tools that can handle many generations of data. Users can now use the site to find possible relationships based on their DNA testing results from AncestryDNA, 23andMe, and other testing companies.
2. Test Results and Sample Reports
DNA Painter gives you a method of visualizing your DNA results, which can help you find relatives, construct and investigate a family tree, and even see which of your chromosomes came from which ancestors. With DNA Painter, you can complete a number of actions using their DNA visualization tools to create a relationship chart of all your relatives.
For example, with the shared cM project tool, you can input the length of DNA (in centimorgans) you share with matches found on other sites and DNA Painter will help you create a family tree. The results will also tell you the probability that each match is accurate. With this shared cM tool, you can start to refine your family tree and see any relationships that are not possible genetically. For instance, you will be able to decipher whether someone is a first cousin, a second cousin, a distant cousin, a great-aunt, or a full sibling based on the number of segments you share. You can also find common ancestors and likely relationships you share with your matches.
With the Family Tree Fan Chart, you can visualize your family tree based on manual entries or by uploading a GEDCOM file from another family tree service. The site allows you to customize the colors in your family tree so you can label and track different family relationships. Or, you can use the preset colorations, which will show you how different genes have been inherited through your family line.
Users can also access the chromosome mapping features, which allow you to view your chromosomes in a color-coded chart which tells you exactly where each small segment came from. With enough autosomal DNA data, you could potentially see where traits like eye color, hair color, and certain mental traits originated, based on the amount of DNA you share with each ancestor. This feature also works with Y and X-chromosome data, so you can do genealogy research on your paternal and maternal lineages.
You can view different sample results on this DNA Painter webpage.
3. Reviews
While there are not a ton of customer reviews for DNA Painter online, below are a few that we uncovered. In general, it seems that users really love the simplicity and interactivity that DNA Painter provides. Many people have used DNA Painter to better understand their genealogy and view their DNA results in a visually-appealing layout. Famous genetic genealogists and bloggers, such as Blaine Bettinger, have publicly endorsed DNA Painter.
The tools are simple, but contain very powerful analysis tools that any user can learn how to use! You can check out the reviews and discussions we found here:
- 5 of 5 Stars on Facebook (60+ reviewers)
- See what first-time DNA Painter users are saying on Reddit
- Review a Reddit discussion about new DNA Painter tools
4.Cost
The basic features of DNA Painter are free to use! With a free account, you can review 1 profile and 1 family tree, up to your 4th-Great-Grandparents. If you are really trying to dig deep into your family history and compare your results to other profiles, you should consider getting a subscription.
The subscription prices are $30 for six months or $55 for a whole year. This will allow you to create up to 50 profiles, a family tree containing unlimited generations, and the ability to create and test an unlimited number of family trees. You can also bulk upload information to save you a lot of time and energy. You can see all the benefits of a subscription on DNA Painter’s Subscription Page
5. Other Places to Use Raw DNA Data
DNA Painter is a great tool for analyzing your genetic genealogy, learning how closely you are related to your DNA matches, and for building a family tree. However, there are many other things you can do with your raw DNA data at other sites. The companies below can give you information on health and genetic predispositions, nutritional advice, how your genes affect certain mental and physical traits, and more! Many of them are free to get started with, so you better check them out!
To find out more DNA upload sites, check out our article "The Best DNA Upload Sites"
