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What to Order? – Geno 2.0 vs Family Tree DNA Products

Roberta Estes

Update: Please note that the Genographic kits are no longer available, but the Family Tree DNA products are. You can click here to order.

There have been a lot of questions lately about what to order from whom and why relative to the Geno 2.0 kit and the Family Tree DNA products.  I’ve but together the following table as a “cheat sheet” that includes the basic reasons that people order one versus the other, or both.

In a nutshell, if it’s genealogy you’re interested in, then you want to order the Family Tree DNA products because they provide you with specific mutation locations, the mutation values and a list of matches to other people based on those mutations.  The Geno 2.0 tests are more anthropological (deep ancestry) in nature.  In some cases, specifically the Y-line testing, these tests go hand in hand.

Product Desired Family Tree DNA Geno 2.0
Y-Line
Markers for genealogy, matches with other people in a genealogical timeframe 12, 25, 37, 67 and 111 markers and values, includes matches and other tools No
Haplogroup assignment Included with purchase of above markers at a general level.  Can then order additional SNP tests or Geno 2.0 to obtain deeper results. Extensive – deepest available within industry and inclusive of SNPs discovered through November 2011
Ethnicity of that specific line based on haplogroup assignment Yes Yes
Maps, haplogroup origins Yes Yes
Mitochondrial DNA
Mutations for genealogy, matches with other people in a genealogical timeframe mtDNA (HVR1), mtDNAPlus (HVR1+HVR2) and full sequence mutations, includes matches and other tools. No
Haplogroup assignment Included with purchase at general level.  Full assignment at deepest level with the full sequence. Yes, deepest level.
Ethnicity of that specific line based on haplogroup assignment Yes Yes
Maps, haplogroup origins Yes Yes
Autosomal Family Finder
Ethnicity percentages for all ancestral lines combined* Yes Yes
Cousin matches Yes, list of matches provided with common surnames if information provided by tester No
Download of data Yes Yes
Transfer to Family Tree DNA N/A Yes – must be manually initiated
Social Networking Tools No Yes – not at initial release

*Note that the ethnicity percentages will be calculated using different base populations and the results will likely be somewhat different.  The National Geographic product is using new SNP data gathered through their field work within the Genographic Project.  So while this information is provided in both tests, I would not presume it will be the same nor that it is duplicative.

This table isn’t meant to be a description or comparison of every feature in the various tests, but the decision criteria to purchase one type of test versus the other.

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