Ann Turner compares 23andMe and deCODEme

On the off chance that you haven't already seen it, check out genetic genealogist Ann Turner's extremely useful summary and comparison of the services offered by 23andMe and deCODEme, kindly hosted by Eye on DNA. The take-home message:

In the meantime, I think the tests are most suitable for those willing to explore the next frontier, with all its unknowns and with the possibility of less expensive tests coming online within the next few years. The cost-benefit analysis will be tricky for everyone, not just for my own little niche. But if you decide to proceed, I don’t think you can go wrong with either company.

For what it's worth, I think you're better off waiting a few years for large-scale sequencing to become affordable. But if you're really keen to be an early adopter, both companies have their pros and cons: 23andMe is altogether slicker and easier to use, while deCODEme offers almost twice the number of markers in their test (and is thus slightly more likely to have coverage for new disease markers that emerge over the next few years).

I suspect 23andMe's more intuitive interface would make them a better purchase for the lay user, while those with a bit of bioinformatics expertise might prefer deCODEme's denser SNP set for carrying out targeted data-mining (as Ann Turner is considering for identifying a hereditary deafness gene in her own family).