Alternative
A 23andMe alternative for hormone genetics, made in the UK
Quick answer
23andMe is built for ancestry and broad health screening and has no testosterone, SHBG or androgen receptor report. GeneticEdge is a targeted alternative: five genetic markers studied in connection with hormones, analysed by a UK laboratory and explained with the limits of the evidence.
- 23andMe: Premium Ancestry + Health £159 (then £79 a year), saliva, 100+ health reports, now owned by the nonprofit 23andMe Research Institute.
- GeneticEdge: Starter Panel £249, or Core Panel £449 with a consultation, saliva, analysed in Durham.
- Already have 23andMe data? Check it for hormone-gene variants free with our raw DNA checker.
23andMe and GeneticEdge, side by side
23andMe sells ancestry and health DNA tests in the UK. After its 2025 bankruptcy, its assets were bought by the TTAM Research Institute, led by co-founder Anne Wojcicki, in a deal completed on 14 July 2025. In June 2025 the UK Information Commissioner fined it £2.31 million over a 2023 data breach. It reads several hundred thousand single-letter variants on a genotyping chip.
| 23andMe | GeneticEdge | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Ancestry and broad health DNA test from a genotyping chip. | An at-home saliva DNA test that reports five genetic markers studied in connection with testosterone and other hormones, explained in plain English. |
| Price | Basic Ancestry £89. Premium Ancestry £129, renewing at £59 a year. Premium Ancestry + Health £159, renewing at £79 a year. | Starter Panel £249. Core Panel £449, with a 30-minute consultation. Waitlist open; not yet on sale. |
| Sample | Saliva, at home. | Saliva, collected at home. No blood, no needles. |
| Hormone reports | None we could find for testosterone, SHBG or the androgen receptor. | Five genetic markers studied in connection with hormones: which variants you carry, what researchers have found about them and where the evidence is uncertain. |
| Repeat lengths and deletions | A genotyping chip reads single-letter variants (SNPs), not repeat lengths like the AR gene's CAG repeat. | Markers are genotyped by a specialist laboratory for this test. |
| Raw data | Downloadable at any time. | Your report and results are yours; ask us for a copy of what we hold. |
| Privacy | Account deletion and sample destruction in settings. Fined £2.31m by the ICO in 2025 over the 2023 breach. | Doesn't sell personal information or genetic data. You can ask for your data to be deleted and your sample destroyed. |
| Made for | Ancestry, relatives and general health screening. | People who take anabolic steroids, or are thinking about it, and want to understand their hormone genetics without being told what to take. |
Where 23andMe is stronger
- Ancestry, relative matching and 100+ health reports in one kit.
- A large, established product with a raw data download you can take elsewhere.
- Cheaper, if ancestry is what you want.
Where GeneticEdge is stronger
- Focused on hormone genetics, which 23andMe doesn't report.
- A UK laboratory, named on the site: Complement Genomics in Durham.
- A report that says where the evidence is uncertain, and a consultation option.
- No subscription.
Which should you choose?
Choose 23andMe for ancestry and general health screening. Choose GeneticEdge if your question is about testosterone and hormones. If you already have 23andMe data, start with our free raw DNA checker to see what your file already holds.
Whether anabolic steroids are safe for you. Genetic tests read variants; blood tests read levels. Neither predicts what a substance will do to you. Why not.
Questions
What is the best 23andMe alternative in the UK?
It depends on your question. For ancestry, AncestryDNA, MyHeritage and Living DNA are the usual alternatives. For hormone genetics, which 23andMe doesn't cover, GeneticEdge is a UK test focused on five markers studied in connection with testosterone and other hormones.
Does 23andMe test testosterone genes?
Its chip includes some variants in hormone-related genes, but we found no 23andMe report on testosterone, SHBG or the androgen receptor. Its raw data can be checked for some studied variants with our free raw DNA checker.
Can 23andMe read the androgen receptor CAG repeat?
No. 23andMe uses a genotyping chip, which reads single-letter variants (SNPs). The CAG repeat is a run of repeated letters whose length matters, and chips don't measure repeat lengths.
Is my 23andMe data safe after the bankruptcy?
23andMe's assets were bought by the nonprofit TTAM Research Institute in July 2025, and it says customers can still delete their data and have their sample destroyed in account settings. If you're unsure, download your raw data and then delete your account.
Who owns 23andMe now?
The TTAM Research Institute, a nonprofit led by co-founder Anne Wojcicki, which completed its purchase of 23andMe's assets on 14 July 2025. The site now names it the 23andMe Research Institute.
Sources
Keep reading
- Tools
Raw DNA hormone gene checker
See your genotypes at studied hormone-gene variants from a 23andMe or AncestryDNA file, read in your browser.
- Guides
Best DNA tests for hormones UK
The UK's at-home DNA tests that cover hormones and fitness, compared on price, genes and privacy.
- Guides
Androgen receptor CAG repeats
The AR gene's CAG repeat: what it is, what studies link it to, and how it is tested in the UK.
For information only, not medical advice. GeneticEdge does not recommend or endorse anabolic steroid use, and no genetic test can tell you whether steroids are safe for you. Talk to a GP or pharmacist about your health. Last reviewed 30 October 2026.