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Genomelink Review: All You Need to Know Before Buying
Updated on September 13, 2023
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Genomelink Review: All You Need to Know Before Buying
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Our verdict: We were impressed with the range of in-depth analyses Genomelink offers. It’s why we recommend it if you want more information about your raw genetic data.

Genomelink provided us with an extensive look into our ancestry, nutrition, and health-related characteristics, such as traits and intelligence. With that, the company made our list of top DNA analysis platforms.

In addition, they ensure that well-explained scientific studies and research back their reports.

The app offers many unique analyses, such as this particular assessment called Time To Sleep. Time To Sleep stood out to me because it assessed my risk of developing insomnia using my DNA. 

The report focused on the influence my genetics has on my typical late-night bedtime. As someone who considers themselves a "night owl," this report made perfect sense to me.

That’s just a glimpse, for in this review, I’ll discuss more of Genomelink’s features and my experience using them. Our goal is to give you an idea of what to expect from this state-of-the-art DNA app store.

Genomelink Logo

About The Company

Genomelink is a DNA data upload site with an office in Berkeley, California. The company analyzes your raw DNA from 23andMe, AncestryDNA, and MyHeritage.

The company doesn’t offer DNA test kits. But it offers heaps of DNA analysis reports, some of which you can get for free. 

We recommend this DNA app store because it has over 250 traits reports on wellness and identity insights.

Product Review Summary

We read hundreds of reviews online about Genomelink products and services. Here are a few common points we noticed. 

Pros

  • Some users thought the contents of their reports were unique and updated. They also thought the free weekly content was engaging.
  • The detailed trait assessments left a good impression on people who have tried them
  • Customers liked the beginner-friendly interface. They thought it was a great way to get into DNA research.
  • Prices are affordable.

Cons

  • Several customers feel uneasy about the cancellation policy. They felt that if they cancel, it’s as if they’re forfeiting the remainder of their pre-paid subscription.
  • Some users reported issues with billing, like being charged despite using a free feature.

Why Trust Us

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We only choose at-home kits that provide reliable testing methods and science-backed reports to improve your health.

Our in-house medical experts help to ensure the accuracy of our content. They review all the information we give to our readers before publication.

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What Tests Do They Offer?

To make things clear, Genomelink doesn’t offer DNA tests. But it does different raw DNA data analyses, which you can access through subscriptions

Genomelink offers both free and paid services.

Free Plan

Genomelink has a free plan that gives you instant access to 50 genetic trait reports. The free feature also includes cross-referencing your genetic data with another person of your choice.

Unlimited Plan

The Genomelink Unlimited Plan comes with readily-available reports for over 312 traits.

With this subscription, you’ll receive a weekly email— Genomelink’s latest “Discovery Trait” report.

It relays new and entertaining quirks based on up-to-date scientific research. Consider them interesting trivia about yourself. 

The free plan lets you access basic services. But an upgrade to the unlimited plan lets you explore additional features. 

An example of the extra features is the option to compare Genomelink traits with up to five other people. It only comes with an unlimited plan.

Quick Facts on Genomelink Unlimited Plan

Price$14 per month
Collection typeDNA data uploading
DNA analysis methodSingle-Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNP) 

What You Get With Your Report

When it comes to value for your money, Genomelink certainly delivers. You get reports with in-depth analyses and fascinating insights. 

Ancestry, health, personality, and trait analyses are all available through Genomelink

My main experience is with the Trait reports, so that’s where the spotlight will be in this review.

But I’ll definitely add some information about the other reports to provide an overall view of how extensive Genomelink reports are.

Traits 

Genomelink is constantly adding to the list of genetic traits it looks at. It assesses the traits based on one or various genetic variants

Genetic variants are permanent changes in the DNA sequence that compose a gene. They can have a large or small effect on a trait.

Genomelink rates each trait with a reliability score. The reliability score has three categories: suggestive, reliable, or highly reliable.

Genomelink can collect feedback data from you for each trait when you receive your reports. Genomelink will ask you to confirm a result from your report. This helps them continuously improve the accuracy of their analyses.

For example, a certain analysis found that I am highly likely to eat fried dishes less frequently.

Genomelink Review: All You Need to Know Before Buying 16

I was asked to confirm if this result describes me. I was amazed that the Traits report goes this far to confirm its own results.

The traits report is further divided into five (5) easy-to-understand subcategories. 

Food and Nutrition Traits

Here, you’ll find worthwhile insights into your body’s nutrition status and how it handles certain foods.

The Food and Nutrition report dives into these topics:

  • The ideal vitamins and minerals to add to your diet to optimize your health
  • Food sensitivities or food intolerances 

When you click on a trait report, it’ll show your:

  • Status
  • A summary and genetic basis of the trait
  • Research papers for reference

The depth of analysis provided by Genomelink is impressive. It has a total of 54 features listed under the Food and Nutrition traits alone.

You can also see in the results the nutrients you may be lacking or at risk for deficiency.

Here’s a peek at my Food and Nutrition page:

Genomelink Review: All You Need to Know Before Buying 17

My results consistently describe me about 70 percent of the time.

Intelligence Traits

It highlights the impact genetics has on your cognitive functions, such as:

  • Mathematics skills
  • Word reading ability
  • Overall intelligence

Genomelink looks into 22 different characteristics under the Intelligence category. Here’s what an individual report looks like:

Genomelink Review: All You Need to Know Before Buying 18

Most of my results looked remarkably on point. 

Genomelink Review: All You Need to Know Before Buying 19

For example, the report showed that I have a stronger facial recognition ability. I've observed this to be true.

Whenever I watch a movie or TV show, I can always place an actor's face in context. I also have no trouble recognizing people I know when I run into them.

Unfortunately, the report also revealed my struggle with multitasking.

Physical Traits

In the Physical Traits report, Genomelink looks at 94 traits linked to your physical appearance.

Some of the insights it covers are:

  • Waist size
  • Height
  • Freckles
  • Body mass index (BMI)
Genomelink Review: All You Need to Know Before Buying 20
Genomelink Review: All You Need to Know Before Buying 21

Personality Traits

In this section, Genomelink explores how your genes influence some aspects of your behavior, such as:

  • Likelihood of taking risks
  • Ability to recognize faces
  • Pain responses

My Personality Trait reports look like this: 

Genomelink Review: All You Need to Know Before Buying 22
Genomelink Review: All You Need to Know Before Buying 23

At the moment, I have received 63 reports, most of which look accurate to me. 

In the Personality report, I recommend asking your friends and family to confirm your results.

Sometimes, we aren’t aware of our temperaments and qualities, especially the not-so-pretty ones. I think it’s always best to get an outside perspective about it.

Sports

This is the last section under the Traits report. Genomelink examines the genetic markers influencing your ability to burn fat and build muscles. 

The analysis featured in this section includes information about your body, such as:

  • Post-exercise heart rate recovery time
  • Habitual exercise activities
  • Heart rate during exercise
Genomelink Review: All You Need to Know Before Buying 24

Sport traits section reports around 21 attributes related to physical activity and exercise

My results under the Sport attributes report slightly astonished me. 

For instance, the Sports section reported that I would likely show good sprint performance. Since I had never tried sprinting before, the analysis surprised me. It’s because I’ve never thought of myself as an athletic person.

Genomelink Review: All You Need to Know Before Buying 25

Ancestry

Genomelink curates a variety of genetic genealogy services, including:

  • Global Ancestry Report
  • European Breakdown
  • Indigenous American Report
  • Ancient Ancestry Report
  • Viking Index Report
  • Neanderthal/Denisovan Connection
  • Hunter vs. Farmer
Genomelink Review: All You Need to Know Before Buying 26

Under the Ancestry report are different kinds of DNA ancestry analyses. 

You can choose from 13 ancestry breakdown reports. Each of them covers unique geographical regions or ethnicities.

Wellness and Health

Genomelink has extensive health-related DNA analyses covering different areas of wellness, such as:

  • Nutrition Advice
  • Fitness Advice
  • Organ Wellness
  • Joint/Blood Wellness
  • Mental Wellbeing Report
  • Skincare Advice
Genomelink Review: All You Need to Know Before Buying 27
Genomelink Review: All You Need to Know Before Buying 28

I opted for the Nutrition Advice category. 

Combining genetics and nutrition analysis revealed which vitamins I need to focus more on. It also informed me of the signs of deficiencies in each respective vitamin. 

Genomelink Review: All You Need to Know Before Buying 29

For instance, the report told me I needed to increase my intake of vitamin A. It listed the symptoms of vitamin A deficiency, which include:

  • Dry skin, eczema, and other skin problems
  • Dandruff or dry scalp
  • Frequent colds and infections
  • Reduced night vision

I find this analysis extremely helpful as I suffer from dry skin and scalp and have eczema. Although I understand it's not a diagnosis, it gave me a headstart on dealing with my health conditions.

Fun

Genomelink has two “fun” analyses about your character. Genomelink may add more features in this category.  

Genomelink Review: All You Need to Know Before Buying 30

Personality Report

Genomelink formed the Personality report based on the Big Five or Five-Factor Model. The Big Five model is a prominent personality theory in Psychology.

It says that everyone has a unique mix of the five general traits:

  • Openness: Describes your eagerness to think of new ideas and experiences
  • Conscientiousness: Refers to your level of thoughtfulness, good impulse control, and organization skills
  • Extroversion: Marks your sociability and emotional expressiveness
  • Agreeableness: Includes prosocial behaviors, such as trust, kindness, and altruism
  • Neuroticism: Represents your tendency to experience mood swings, sadness, and emotional instability

These traits affect every facet of your life. This is why the Big Five or Five-Factor Model is a widely-used framework in the career counseling field.

Genomelink’s Personality Report assesses the careers that are likely suited to your personality. It utilizes the most recent genetic studies about the big five personalities to do so.

It’s what makes the Personality report a standout analysis.

As Genomelink mentioned, you may not need to look further than your DNA to decide which career path to take.

Political Report

Genomelink’s Political Report aims to understand your political views. It runs an in-depth analysis of these economic and political preferences:

  • Immigrant Policy
  • Economic Policy
  • Environmental Policy
  • Social inequality Policy

The analysis will compare your political beliefs' DNA-based and quiz-based results—or the nature vs. nurture comparison. It aims to assess how likely your DNA influences your political views.

According to the company, the Political Report could predict your political leanings. It uses political-related genetic markers.

The potential applications of this kind of DNA testing in our daily lives are yet to be discovered.

However, there’s no doubt that DNA testing for political affiliations is an exciting area of research.

Is Genomelink Accurate?

Genomelink claims their analyses presented the most likely outcome for each trait. The results are based on the digital DNA data you uploaded.

However, the accuracy of your Genomelink results depends on three factors:1 

Gene expression

Gene expression is a complex process.  It refers to when our cells translate the instructions in our DNA into functional products, like proteins.2

Gene variations can alter traits’ appearances. It's the reason why some traits that appear in other persons may not show in those who share the same genetic sequence.

Environmental factors

External aspects can also affect your traits which could change the accuracy of your results. They include:

  • Nutrition
  • Fitness
  • Education
  • Lifestyle
  • Upbringing

Reliability

The reliability of each trait is based on research and genetic studies. Genomelink classifies reliability into three:

  • Highly reliable — The study has a large sample population. Its findings have vital statistical significance and have been replicated in further studies.
  • Reliable — It has a medium-sized sample population. The findings are statistically significant. 
  • Suggestive — The study has a small sample population size. The results are not statistically significant or not yet validated.

The company admits there’s still much to learn and that not all studies are dependable. 

Genomelink will update its results to reflect these changes as genetic science grows.

The results are still pretty reliable, however. I found most of them to be accurate. While some were inaccurate, Genomelink gives you percentages, which are not necessarily invalid.

Just remember that your test results shouldn’t replace the advice of a doctor, nutritionist, or personal trainer.

How The Test Works

First, you must use your email address to sign up for a Genomelink account. Be sure to remember your login details or your email and password.

After creating an account, follow these steps to get your traits reports: 

  1. Download your raw DNA data from AncestryDNA, 23andMe, or MyHeritage. 
  2. Navigate to the Genomelink website. Sign in with your email and password.
  3. Upload your raw DNA results. You can also let the site directly import your data from AncestryDNA or 23andMe.
  4. You can access your trait reports immediately after uploading your data.

Genomelink currently only accepts raw data from AncestryDNA, MyHeritage, and 23andMe.

Where Can I Buy The Product? 

Genomelink services are available on their website. It should only take you a couple of minutes to purchase a subscription since their website is easy to navigate. 

How Much Does The Product Cost?

You can use Genomelink for free if you're curious about the 50 included free traits. 

However, a premium plan can give you access to more traits and other analyses and get weekly updates. It’ll cost you $14 a month.3

The cost for each report ranges from $24 to $69 whether or not you have a subscription. The annual cost of a subscription that includes all of the reports costs up to $300.

Genomelink vs. Competitors

Let’s look at how Genomelink fares with other DNA data uploading sites. 

GenomelinkSequencing
Cost$24 to $69 or $14 per month$9.99 to $49.99 per month
DNA dataCan upload raw DNA data from 23andMe, AncestryDNA, or MyHeritageCan upload raw DNA data from any DNA testing company
Offers genetic testingNoYes
Type of DNA sequencingSingle-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) Whole genome sequencing (WGS)
How many reports710
Regular reporting updatesYesYes

Genomelink vs. Sequencing.com

Genomelink and Sequencing.com are widely regarded DNA testing services offering comprehensive report options.

Despite the similarities, the two companies have main differences.

Sequencing.com accepts raw DNA data from more DNA testing companies. It can also provide testing services if you don’t have your raw data yet.

On the other hand, with Genomelink, you need to have your raw DNA data already— it doesn’t have DNA testing.

Plus, it only accepts raw DNA data from the big names: AncestryDNA, 23andMe, and MyHeritage.

Is The Test Worth It?

Yes.

Genomelink is a good deal. It’s an excellent platform for in-depth analyses of your raw DNA data

More than just a source of ancestry and health data, it can also shed light on some fascinating personal details.

Genomelink test is a good option for people who are curious about their: 

  • Ancestry
  • Personal quirks
  • Susceptibility to particular diseases
  • General health and well-being

How We Evaluated The Test

We spent hours of thorough research, reading reviews, and scouring the web. We also tried some features ourselves. After much effort, our team came up with the criteria for rating Genomelink. 

Accuracy

We looked at the company's research and development procedures. We wanted to ensure their reports were based on the most recent findings in the relevant fields of science.

Privacy

According to Genomelink, its servers are set up with HIPAA-grade security. This means all servers meet federal standards for protecting patient information. The HIPAA also regulates the use of these DNA data in employment or insurance claims.

The company promises not to use or sell your DNA data without your explicit consent. Additionally, it may share some of your info with third parties and medical research partners. However, they only do so with your consent.

If you feel unsafe, you can delete your data from their servers. They give you complete control and ownership over your information in this way.

Price

Genomelink’s services cost less than other DNA analysis platforms. And the company offers good value for money with its comprehensive analysis and in-depth reports. 

User experience

Our research revealed that most users were satisfied with the services offered by Genomelink. The website is easy to use, and the reports are easy to understand, adding up to their positive experience. 

Most of them also find customer support much to their delight for being accommodating and available 24/7.

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Updated on September 13, 2023
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3 sources cited
Updated on September 13, 2023
  1. Why is my Genomelink result inaccurate?” Genomelink.
  2. “​Gene Expression.” National Human Genome Research Institute.
  3. Frequently Asked Questions.” Genomelink.
Cristine Santander
Cristine Santander
Content Contributor
Cristine Santander is a content writer for KnowYourDNA. She has a B.S. in Psychology and enjoys writing about health and wellness.
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