Promethease Alternatives in 2026: 8 Tools Compared (Free, Private, Paid)

Promethease still works, but in 2026 it costs $25 per report, needs your raw DNA file uploaded, and no longer stores anything. The alternatives split three ways: tools that read your file in your browser (Full Human Health, GenomeInsight, snp-browser, Allelix), a free upload service (Genetic Genie), and larger upload platforms (SelfDecode, Xcode Life, Sequencing.com). The right one depends on your budget and where you will send your DNA.

Why people are leaving Promethease in 2026#

Promethease has not broken; it has become a worse deal, and several things changed at once.

• The price roughly doubled. promethease.com states that "Most reports cost $25", plus $4 for each extra data file in the same report (promethease.com, checked 14 October 2026). It was $12 when MyHeritage bought the service in September 2019 (MyHeritage blog, checked 14 October 2026). Older reviews quoting $12 or $15 describe earlier prices.
• Stored files were deleted. The privacy page says all previously stored DNA data files were permanently deleted on 8 April 2025 and that Promethease "no longer offers storage of DNA Data Files" (promethease.com/privacy, checked 14 October 2026). Buyers of the older "Promethease Complete" option, which let them regenerate reports, reported on Reddit (r/SNPedia) in April 2025 that their kits had disappeared and re-uploading meant paying again (r/SNPedia; Reddit blocked our re-check on 14 October 2026, so we quote the thread as we last read it).
• Fresh 23andMe downloads failed to import. The same month, users reported that new 23andMe v5 files were rejected as an unrecognized format; the thread blamed extra header lines in the export, and the fix was deleting everything above the column header (r/SNPedia; same caveat on the re-check). We could not confirm whether this has since been fixed.
• The database is aging. A report is a list of SNPedia entries, and Genetic Lifehacks' 2026 guide calls SNPedia "Not as actively updated since ~2019" (geneticlifehacks.com, checked 14 October 2026).
• The report is dense. Each entry carries a magnitude and a repute, and you do the interpreting; our Promethease review explains how.
• Upload is still required. The file is deleted once the report is produced, but it has to reach Promethease's servers first, and the privacy page lists DNA data files among the assets that would transfer in a sale of the business.

It still returns the broadest SNPedia list for $25; each point above is where an alternative wins.

Eight Promethease alternatives compared#

Prices checked 14 October 2026; sources are in each section. For Codegen, Genetic Lifehacks, Genomelink and others, see our roundup of the best raw DNA data analysis tools.

Full Human Health#

This is our product; read accordingly. Full Human turns a 23andMe, AncestryDNA, MyHeritage, FamilyTreeDNA, Living DNA or WeGene file into a PDF health report for $5 (€5, £5, CHF 5), with no subscription. The generator is Rust compiled to WebAssembly and runs in your browser tab: the file is parsed in memory and the PDF is written on your device. Nothing is uploaded, and you can check that yourself with the network tab open. The data is the NHGRI-EBI GWAS Catalog, filtered to genome-wide significance: 23,220 associations across 1,114 conditions and traits, with the release date printed in the report. Every row shows the rsID, risk allele, your genotype, the effect size and a PubMed link; each condition gets a plain-language verdict, explained on the methodology page. It does not cover pharmacogenomics, carrier status, ancestry, or candidate-gene SNPs such as MTHFR that never reached genome-wide significance. The sample report shows a real extract.

GenomeInsight#

GenomeInsight is the browser-local tool with the widest free tier in this list. The free tier needs no account and covers 30 traits, basic ancestry and a raw-data browser; the premium tier is a one-time $49 (shown as launch pricing instead of $100) and adds 52 health conditions, 481 traits, carrier screening and pharmacogenomics across 14 genes with a medication scanner (genomeinsight.org/pricing, checked 14 October 2026). The site states that "All analysis runs in your browser. Your DNA file is never uploaded." Two third-party caveats: Genetic Lifehacks' 2026 guide reports that a Blacklight scan found Facebook and Google trackers on the site despite its stated no-tracker policy, and criticizes the reports for lacking study links (geneticlifehacks.com). If you want pharmacogenomics without an upload, GenomeInsight does something we do not.

Genetic Genie#

Genetic Genie is still the free answer: "Everything is anonymous and free!", with donations requested (geneticgenie.org, checked 14 October 2026). It accepts 23andMe, AncestryDNA, MyHeritage, FTDNA and Living DNA files, needs no account, and offers three things: a methylation panel (MTHFR, COMT and related genes), a detox panel, and GenVue Discovery, a ClinVar-based scan for rare and common health variants. The file is uploaded. The privacy policy says genetic data is kept for up to 24 hours and in most cases deleted immediately after processing; it was last modified on 27 November 2019 (geneticgenie.org/privacy-policy, checked 14 October 2026). It is narrow by design: if your question is "what is my MTHFR status", Genetic Genie answers in a minute for nothing; Promethease charges $25 for a list that includes it, and we do not cover it at all.

Allelix#

Allelix is the open-source option: a Python command-line toolkit under the AGPL-3.0 license, version 2.4.2 released on 13 October 2026 (pypi.org, checked 14 October 2026). Installed locally, it annotates a 23andMe, AncestryDNA, MyHeritage, FTDNA, Living DNA or VCF file against ClinVar, the GWAS Catalog, SNPedia and ClinPGx (with CPIC data) and writes an HTML report; the README states "No data leaves your machine. No telemetry. No uploads." One distinction: the hosted demo at analyze.allelix.io is not local; its own page says the file "is processed on a shared server and transmitted over the internet" and deleted within minutes (analyze.allelix.io, checked 14 October 2026). Use pip install allelix if the point is to avoid uploading. For a technical user it is the broadest free alternative, and you can read the code.

snp-browser#

snp-browser rebuilds the Promethease experience from a copy of SNPedia, inside your browser. The code is on GitHub and the app is hosted at snpbrowser.com. The README says "Personal genetic data stays on your device": parsing runs in the tab with sql.js and Web Workers, while the SNPedia-derived database (111,726 SNP pages as of the 24 September 2026 refresh) is downloaded as a public reference file (github.com/jonluca/snp-browser, checked 14 October 2026). It accepts 23andMe, AncestryDNA, MyHeritage, FamilyTreeDNA, VCF and even old Promethease HTML reports. It is free, small (24 stars at the time of writing), one developer's project, and only as current as SNPedia, the same limitation Promethease has. If what you miss is the SNPedia list itself, this is the direct replacement.

SelfDecode#

SelfDecode is the opposite trade-off: the most breadth, at the highest price, with your data stored. The home page lists bundles at $499, $799 and $899, each with a DNA kit and "1500+ Comprehensive DNA Health Reports", plus risk scores and lifestyle recommendations (selfdecode.com, checked 14 October 2026). You can also upload a file from 23andMe, Ancestry, MyHeritage, FTDNA and others (help center, 24 July 2026). New accounts run on an annual subscription that renews automatically, and lifetime access is no longer sold (help center, 24 September 2026); bundle prices rose on 28 August 2026 (help center). Trustpilot shows 4.3 from 821 reviews, including a September 2026 complaint about charges continuing after cancellation (trustpilot.com, checked 14 October 2026). Promethease vs SelfDecode comes down to a $25 list you interpret yourself against a $499+ subscription that interprets it for you and keeps your data. If you want recommendations rather than a list, SelfDecode does far more than Promethease ever did.

Xcode Life#

Xcode Life sells single-topic PDF reports from an uploaded raw file: nutrition, fitness, sleep, methylation, BRCA, personalized medicine and more. Individual reports are listed between $30 and $69, with a Health Pack at $139 and a Genome Pack at $199 on the home page, which also shows conflicting bundle figures elsewhere (xcode.life, checked 14 October 2026). The site claims 718 traits and delivery within 24 hours, and states "Raw data analysis only — No kits shipped". Your file is uploaded and the report comes back as a PDF. Treat the "60,000+ reviews" badge with care: Trustpilot listed 422 reviews when we looked (trustpilot.com, checked 14 October 2026). Compared with Promethease you get a readable report on one topic instead of a list on everything; compared with a browser-local tool, you hand over the file.

Sequencing.com#

Sequencing.com is an app store for DNA. Uploading, downloading and storing a raw file is free even without a membership, according to DNAWeekly's review (dnaweekly.com, checked 14 October 2026). Analysis is sold per app: KnowYourDNA's August 2026 review puts paid apps at "typically $5 to $99 each", estimates $450 to $700 over a year for someone running three to five of them, and lists 23andMe, AncestryDNA, MyHeritage and FamilyTreeDNA among the accepted upload sources (knowyourdna.com, checked 14 October 2026). KnowYourDNA's review also lists a $69 DNA test kit and a $399 whole-genome kit, priced as of May 2026. Nebula's 2022 review quoted an app range from free to $399 (nebula.org). Sequencing.com's own pricing page would not load for us. Your data stays on its servers by default, which is convenient and is also the point to weigh.

Free Promethease alternatives#

For "promethease alternative free" there are four honest answers, and none of them is us.

• snp-browser: the SNPedia list itself, in your browser, for nothing.
• Allelix: ClinVar, GWAS Catalog, SNPedia and pharmacogenomics in one HTML report, if you are comfortable with a terminal.
• Genetic Genie: methylation, detox and ClinVar answers in a minute; the file is uploaded, then deleted within 24 hours.
• GenomeInsight's free tier: 30 traits and a raw-data browser, no account.

None of them is a report written for a reader: each is a table of variants and links, and the interpreting is your job, as with Promethease. Full Human costs $5 and belongs in the paid column; you pay for the per-condition verdict, the effect size on every row, and a printable PDF.

How to get the same breadth without uploading#

You can get comparable breadth to Promethease without the upload by combining two browser-local tools.

1. Download your raw file once and keep it encrypted. Our download guide covers 23andMe, AncestryDNA and MyHeritage.
2. Run the SNPedia side locally. snp-browser reads the same wiki Promethease reads, in your tab.
3. Run the GWAS side locally. A Full Human report uses the GWAS Catalog instead: 23,220 associations across 1,114 conditions and traits, each with its effect size and study. The lists overlap but differ: SNPedia carries candidate-gene findings that never reached genome-wide significance; the GWAS Catalog carries thousands of newer associations with no wiki page (our deep dive explains).
4. Verify the "nothing uploaded" claim. Watch the Network tab in your browser's developer tools while the report generates; the four steps are on our security page and the same check works on any tool that makes the claim.

Neither list tells you whether you have or will get a condition. A doctor or genetic counselor can put a row into the context of your family history; no report, ours included, can.

FAQ#

Is Promethease worth it in 2026?

At $25 it is worth it if you want the longest possible list of SNPedia entries and will interpret study links yourself. It is not if you want a readable report, if your 23andMe download fails to import, or if you would rather not upload your file. Alternatives now cover each case.

Is Promethease free?

No. promethease.com states that most reports cost $25, plus $4 for each additional data file in the same report, with no free tier (promethease.com, checked 14 October 2026). SNPedia, the wiki behind it, is free to browse by rsID; snp-browser and Allelix automate the same lookup for free.

Is Promethease safe?

Its privacy page says your file and report are deleted once the report is produced, unused uploads after 24 hours, and that it no longer stores files (promethease.com/privacy, checked 14 October 2026). The file has to be uploaded, Promethease is owned by MyHeritage, and the same page lists DNA data files among the assets that would transfer in a sale of the business.

What happened to Promethease Complete and my stored files?

All previously stored DNA data files were permanently deleted on 8 April 2025, and storage is discontinued (promethease.com/privacy, checked 14 October 2026). Users who had paid for the older "Complete" option reported in April 2025 that their kits were gone and that re-uploading meant paying again (r/SNPedia; Reddit blocked our re-check on 14 October 2026). Keep local copies of any report you still have.

Does Promethease work with AncestryDNA?

Yes. promethease.com names Ancestry.com customers among its users and links a sample report built from an Ancestry file (promethease.com, checked 14 October 2026). One note: Genetic Lifehacks states that "Ancestry changed its data files in March 2026 and now covers fewer variants" (geneticlifehacks.com, checked 14 October 2026), which would reduce any tool's coverage of an AncestryDNA file, ours included.