My Gene Story Editorial
Where is it safe to upload your raw DNA file? A privacy comparison
By My Gene Story Editorial
Published · Updated
Policies differ most on how long your file is kept. Promethease deletes it minutes after your report. My Gene Story deletes it 30 days after delivery. Nebula and SelfDecode keep it while the account is open. MarkerView keeps a raw upload until you delete it, and a storage rule removes it at 1,095 days. Genomelink keeps personal information for as long as necessary for the purposes it was collected. Each service's own words are below, with links.
Promethease deletes the uploaded file faster than we do. Its policy says the file is deleted as soon as a report has been generated, typically 10 minutes. We delete the raw file 30 days after we deliver your DNA Story.
What each policy says
Each cell is a quote from the linked page, or “Not stated” where that page is silent. A sentence outside quotation marks is our summary of the same source. No cell is a ranking.
File retention, deletion, sharing, and in-browser processing. Checked 16 Oct 2026.
My Gene Story
- File retention
- “Raw DNA file: deleted 30 days after we deliver your DNA Story, including copies in email attachments we received.” The written report is kept for 2 years unless you ask sooner. Privacy policy. Checked 16 Oct 2026.
- Deletion
- “If you ask, we delete it sooner.” Email ask@mygenestory.com. Privacy policy. Checked 16 Oct 2026.
- Data sold or shared
- “We do not sell your genetic data or personal data.” “We never sell or share genetic data.” Note on ad pixels. Privacy policy. Checked 16 Oct 2026.
- In-browser processing
- Free check only. “Your file never leaves your browser.” “The file is read entirely in your browser. It is never uploaded to My Gene Story.” The paid file is sent after purchase. After you purchase, your order email includes a private link to upload your file. That link stops working 30 days after the email. Check your DNA file. Checked 16 Oct 2026.
DNA Complete (formerly Nebula)
- File retention
- “DNA Complete will store your Personal Information as long as your Account is open, unless you make a request for us to delete all or any of your Personal Information prior to the closing of your Account as described in this Policy.” The Nebula privacy policy, last updated 12 March 2023, uses the same sentence with Nebula in place of DNA Complete. DNA Complete privacy policy. Checked 16 Oct 2026.
- Deletion
- “If you decide to close your Account, then DNA Complete will automatically destroy all Personal Information related to your account, including User Data, Survey Data, and Genetic Data.” DNA Complete privacy policy. Checked 16 Oct 2026.
- Data sold or shared
- “we do not sell or share any Personal Information for a third party’s cross-context behavioral advertising.” On a corporate transaction: “we will share your Survey Data and Genetic Data with the acquiring or receiving entity as a part of the transaction or negotiation for such a transaction.” DNA Complete privacy policy. Checked 16 Oct 2026.
- In-browser processing
- Not stated. DNA Complete privacy policy. Checked 16 Oct 2026.
SelfDecode
- File retention
- “We will retain your Personally Identifiable Information for as long as your account is open or as required by law.” SelfDecode privacy policy. Checked 16 Oct 2026.
- Deletion
- “Once your request is confirmed, your account and associated PII will be deleted, and any stored Genetic, Laboratory, and Self-Reported Information will be discarded.” “Please note that some information may not be erased, such as data used in completed research studies or retained for legal or compliance purposes.” SelfDecode privacy policy. Checked 16 Oct 2026.
- Data sold or shared
- “We do not sell your Sensitive Information, and we do not share it for cross context behavioral advertising.” SelfDecode privacy policy. Checked 16 Oct 2026.
- In-browser processing
- Not stated. SelfDecode privacy policy. Checked 16 Oct 2026.
Genomelink
- File retention
- “We will keep your Personal Information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which we collected it, including any legal, professional, accounting or reporting requirements.” Genomelink privacy policy. Checked 16 Oct 2026.
- Deletion
- “You may request deletion of your DNA data at any time by submitting a request at https://privacy.genomelink.io/privacy-request. Upon deletion: (a) your genotype data will be deleted from our systems; (b) your ethnicity estimates will be removed; (c) you will be removed from all match lists; (d) your match history will be deleted. … Deletion will be completed within 30 days.” Genomelink terms of use §9.4.5. Checked 16 Oct 2026.
- Data sold or shared
- “Genomelink will not sell, lease, or rent your individual-level information to a third party for research purposes without your explicit consent.” “we will not share your Genetic Information with insurance companies, employers, or risk assessment businesses under any circumstances, regardless of consent” On the Othram opt-in: “your opt-in transfer may be considered a "sale" of Personal Information under certain state privacy laws.” Genomelink privacy policy. Checked 16 Oct 2026.
- In-browser processing
- Not stated. Genomelink privacy policy. Checked 16 Oct 2026.
MarkerView
- File retention
- “Until you delete it. A storage rule removes any raw upload at 1,095 days.” Unpaid uploads are removed 21 days after the order started, or 12 months after upload if linked to an account, after two warning emails. MarkerView genetic data. Checked 16 Oct 2026.
- Deletion
- “Delete everything. Settings, then Delete account. It happens immediately.” MarkerView genetic data. “Backups are replaced as new backups succeed, usually in about 14 days; delays can make this take longer.” MarkerView delete account. Checked 16 Oct 2026.
- Data sold or shared
- “We never sell data that identifies you.” MarkerView genetic data. “If we ever share or sell data for research purposes, it will be de-identified — stripped of anything that could identify you — and we will say so plainly on this page before it ever happens.” MarkerView trust. Checked 16 Oct 2026.
- In-browser processing
- “Your raw DNA file goes from your browser straight into one storage bucket in the United States, encrypted in transit and at rest.” Processed on their servers, not in the browser. MarkerView genetic data. Checked 16 Oct 2026.
Promethease
- File retention
- “As soon as a Report has been generated (typically 10 minutes) the uploaded DNA Data File is deleted.” Promethease privacy. Checked 16 Oct 2026.
- Deletion
- “Once your Report is generated and emailed to you as an attachment, your DNA Data File and the generated Report are immediately and permanently deleted from our servers.” “You are able to delete your accounts permanently from Promethease and/or MyHeritage, at any time.” Promethease privacy. Checked 16 Oct 2026.
- Data sold or shared
- “personal data (including the DNA Data Files and/or the Reports) will never be sold, licensed or otherwise shared by us with any other third parties without your explicit informed consent, except in the very specific scenarios described below.” Those scenarios include service providers and a business transfer. Promethease privacy. Checked 16 Oct 2026.
- In-browser processing
- Not stated. Promethease privacy. Checked 16 Oct 2026.
Note. Ad pixels and hashed-email matching with Google and Meta may count as “sharing” for cross-context behavioural advertising. Privacy policy. This is not a copy of your DNA file.
Five questions to ask before uploading
- How long is the raw file kept? Read the retention column. The clock is not the same everywhere. Promethease starts it when the report is generated. My Gene Story starts the 30 days when the DNA Story is delivered. Others tie storage to an open account, or to a stated number of days.
- How do I delete it, and what is left? Look for a self-serve control, an email request, or automatic deletion. A deleted raw file is not always the same as a deleted account, a deleted report, or a copy already emailed to you. The deletion column quotes the control each policy names.
- Is genetic data sold or shared? Quote the sale sentence, then read the exceptions in the same policy. Research, service providers, advertising, and a company sale are different acts. A line that names genetic data is not a line about every cookie on the marketing site.
- What happens if the company is sold? Some policies say genetic data moves with the business. DNA Complete and SelfDecode both say so, in the words in the FAQ below. If the policy is silent, the table says not stated. Silence is not a promise.
- Can I check the file without uploading it? Ask whether the file stays on your device. My Gene Story’s free check does. A format check that happens as the file is sent is a different step. The in-browser column quotes what each site actually says.
Check your file without uploading it
Your file never leaves your browser. The file is read entirely in your browser. It is never uploaded to My Gene Story. The button below opens the free check. The paid DNA Story is separate: you send the file only after you buy.
How My Gene Story handles your file
Raw DNA file: deleted 30 days after we deliver your DNA Story, including copies in email attachments we received. If you ask, we delete it sooner.
We do not sell your genetic data or personal data. We never sell or share genetic data. Ad pixels and hashed-email matching with Google and Meta may count as “sharing” for cross-context behavioural advertising. That is not your DNA file.
After you purchase, your order email includes a private link to upload your file. That link stops working 30 days after the email. The written report is kept for 2 years so you can download it again, unless you ask us to delete it earlier. Details are in the privacy policy. Everyday traits from a 23andMe file are described in what a 23andMe raw file can tell you.
FAQ
Can I delete my file early?
Yes. If you ask, we delete the raw DNA file sooner than 30 days after delivery. Email ask@mygenestory.com and say you want the file deleted. If you do not write, we still delete that file 30 days after we deliver your DNA Story, including copies in email attachments we received. The written report is kept for 2 years so you can download it again, unless you ask us to delete it earlier.
Is the free check uploaded?
No. Your file never leaves your browser. The file is read entirely in your browser. It is never uploaded to My Gene Story. The check does not send your genotypes anywhere. The paid DNA Story is different. After you purchase, your order email includes a private link, and that is when you send the file to us. You can run the free check and stop there. Nothing from that check is stored as a genotype.
Do you sell genetic data?
We do not sell your genetic data or personal data. We never sell or share genetic data. Ad pixels and hashed-email matching with Google and Meta may count as sharing for cross-context behavioural advertising. The privacy policy explains the opt-out. That matching uses a hashed email. It is not your DNA file, and we do not put the file into ads. You can reject ad cookies.
What happens to a company's data if it's acquired?
DNA Complete says “we will share your Survey Data and Genetic Data with the acquiring or receiving entity as a part of the transaction or negotiation for such a transaction.” SelfDecode says “In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your Personal Identifiable Information may be among the assets transferred.” Both say the existing privacy promises still apply. Read the linked policy before you upload.
Check the file before you send it
Your file never leaves your browser. The DNA Story, if you want it, is $24.99 once.
My Gene Story reports are for informational and educational purposes. They are not medical advice and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.