VCF vs Raw TXT DNA Files - What Is The Difference

A plain language comparison of VCF and text based raw DNA files. Learn when to use each and how to convert.

Raw DNA can arrive in several formats. Two common ones are VCF and text based exports similar to 23andMe. Here is what sets them apart.

Raw TXT (23andMe style)

  • Simple tab separated text with rsid, chromosome, position, genotype
  • Small size, easy to read in a spreadsheet
  • Great for quick trait exploration

VCF (Variant Call Format)

  • More detailed variant records and metadata
  • Often used in research and clinical pipelines
  • Larger files and more complex structure

Which should you use

For personal trait exploration, the simple text export is easier and usually enough. For research workflows or when you need richer annotations, VCF is the standard.

Conversion tips

  • Many tools can convert between VCF and simpler summaries
  • If you only need a subset of SNPs, filter to reduce size
  • Keep an original copy before converting

Either way, you can still keep analysis local. See on device DNA analysis and our browser based DNA analysis guide.

What the formats look like

Example TXT row:

rs123456	1	123456	AG

Example VCF header and row:

##fileformat=VCFv4.2
##source=example
#CHROM	POS	ID	REF	ALT	QUAL	FILTER	INFO
1	123456	rs123456	A	G	.	PASS	AF=0.20

VCF carries richer metadata and reference information. TXT files are compact and easy to handle for simple lookups.

Practical workflow suggestions

  • For quick trait checks, use the TXT export and filter by rsid locally
  • For advanced analysis, consider VCF and plan for more compute and storage
  • If you must upload, choose trusted tools, read policies, and delete uploads after use

This article is educational. It does not provide medical or legal advice.

Further reading