DNA Explore vs Promethease

Not all DNA analysis tools handle your data the same way. Here are three distinct models, from most private to least:

1. Local-only processing (DNA Explore default). Your raw genome file is parsed and analyzed entirely in your browser using JavaScript. There is no upload endpoint, no server-side database, nothing to breach or subpoena. Your file never leaves your device.

2. Upload, generate, delete (Promethease). Promethease requires you to upload your raw DNA file to their servers for report generation. To their credit, Promethease's privacy policy (updated April 2025) states that uploaded DNA files and generated reports are deleted immediately after the report is emailed to you — they no longer store raw DNA files long-term. However, your file does leave your device during the process, and the service is now operated under MyHeritage's infrastructure.

3. AI-assisted interpretation (DNA Explore opt-in). When you opt into DNA Explore's AI features, variant summaries — not your raw genome file — are sent to Anthropic's Claude for plain-English explanations. Your raw file still never leaves your browser; only the specific variant context needed for the question is transmitted. This is fully optional and disabled by default.

The broader context matters too. The 2018 MyHeritage breach exposed the email addresses and hashed passwords of 92 million users. MyHeritage stated that genetic data was stored on separate, segregated systems and was not accessed in the incident. Still, after the 23andMe bankruptcy put 15 million people's genetic data at risk, architectural privacy — where there's simply no data to breach — matters more than ever.

Promethease is fundamentally a SNP lookup tool — it matches your genotype data against SNPedia entries and presents them in a searchable report. It's thorough for what it does, but it doesn't compute anything. You get a list of variants and links to research papers.

DNA Explore goes further: it calculates polygenic risk scores across multiple conditions (combining many variants into a single risk estimate), analyzes drug metabolism genes (pharmacogenomics) so you know how you process common medications, checks gene-gene interactions that affect your health beyond individual variants, provides nutrigenomics recommendations based on your genetic profile, and includes an AI chat that can explain any finding in plain English.

Polygenic risk scores aggregate the small, cumulative effects of hundreds or thousands of variants identified in genome-wide association studies (GWAS), each weighted by its statistically established effect size. This is fundamentally different from what Promethease does — Promethease reports what individual variants mean in isolation; DNA Explore computes how they add up. It's the difference between a dictionary and a tutor.

Promethease typically takes under 10 minutes to generate a report after uploading your file. DNA Explore produces results in seconds because there's no upload step — your browser does all the work locally. The interface is also designed for 2026: a clean, modern dashboard with sentiment filtering, interactive genome visualizations, a unique genome signature visualization, and a focus on making genetics accessible to non-experts. Promethease's interface, while functional, shows its age — the report format was designed over a decade ago and can feel overwhelming for first-time users.

If you're a genetics enthusiast who wants raw SNPedia data and enjoys diving into research papers yourself, Promethease at $15 is still solid value. It covers a massive number of SNPs through its SNPedia integration — far more than any single analysis tool. For genetic genealogy research specifically, the raw variant data can be valuable. But if you want computed risk scores, drug interaction insights, nutrition recommendations, AI explanations, and the peace of mind that your genome file never touches someone else's server — DNA Explore is the better choice for health-focused analysis.

When MyHeritage acquired Promethease in 2019, the genetics community was divided. Some appreciated the increased funding and stability. Others worried that a tool specifically chosen for its independence was now part of a major consumer genetics company.

The most controversial consequence was the automatic data migration. As of November 1, 2019, all non-European Promethease users had their raw DNA files automatically copied to newly created MyHeritage accounts — without needing to opt in. European users (protected by GDPR) had to actively consent, but everyone else had to opt out by deleting their data before the deadline. Some users on Reddit reported that their data was transferred even after they had deleted it from Promethease before the cutoff date. For users who had specifically chosen Promethease because it was independent of major consumer platforms, this was a significant breach of trust.

The 2018 MyHeritage breach — which exposed the email addresses and hashed passwords of 92 million users (MyHeritage stated genetic data was on segregated systems and was not accessed) — added to the unease. To Promethease's credit, their current privacy policy (April 2025) states that uploaded DNA files and reports are deleted immediately after report delivery, which is a meaningful improvement. But the 2019 auto-migration episode remains a cautionary example of what can happen when your genetic data sits on someone else's server: even if you trust the company today, acquisitions and policy changes can move your data in ways you never agreed to.

If data sovereignty is important to you, the architecture of your analysis tool matters more than the brand behind it.