Yes, I know it’s not Friday yet, but the DNA Black Friday sales have started, and sale dates are limited, so here we go.
These are the best prices I’ve ever seen at both FamilyTreeDNA and MyHeritage. If you’ve been waiting to purchase a DNA test for that special someone, there’s never been a better time.
Remember, to jump-start your genetic genealogy, test close or targeted relatives in addition to yourself:
- Parents, or if both parents are not available, full and half-siblings
- If neither parents nor siblings are available, your siblings’ descendants
- Grandparents or descendants of your grandparents – aunts, uncles, or their descendants
- Cousins descended from great-grandparents or other known ancestors
- Y and mitochondrial DNA descendants of specific, targeted ancestors
For yourself, you’ll want to fish in all the ponds by taking an autosomal test or uploading a DNA file to each of the four vendors. Upload/download instructions are available here.
Everyone can test their own mitochondrial DNA to learn about your mother’s direct matrilineal line, and males can test their Y-DNA to unveil information about their patrilineal or surname line. Women, you can test your father’s, brother’s, or paternal uncle’s Y-DNA.
I’ve written a DNA explainer article, 4 Kinds of DNA for Genetic Genealogy, which you might find helpful. Please feel free to pass it on.
Vendor Offerings
FamilyTreeDNA
- Family Finder autosomal test – $39 (best price ever!) and you can upload to MyHeritage and GEDmatch for free
- Family Finder autosomal unlock for uploads – $10 (if you need upload instructions, click here)
- Y-DNA 37-marker test – $79
- Y-DNA 111-marker test – $199
- Big Y-700 – $379
- Full Mitochondrial Sequence (FMS) – $159
Free shipping within the US for orders of $79 or more
FamilyTreeDNA is the only major testing company that offers multiple types of tests, meaning Y-DNA, mitochondrial and autosomal. You can also get your toes wet with introductory level tests for Y DNA (37 and 111 marker tests), or you can go for the big gun right away with the Big Y-700.
This means that if you’ve purchased tests in the past, you can upgrade now. Upgrade pricing is shown below. Click here to sign on to your account to purchase an upgrade or additional product.
At FamilyTreeDNA, by taking advantage of autosomal plus Y-DNA and mitochondrial DNA, you will get to know your ancestors in ways not possible elsewhere. You can even identify or track them using your myOrigins painted ethnicity segments.
FamilyTreeDNA divides your Family Finder matches maternal and paternally for you if you create or upload a tree and link known testers. How cool is this?!!!
MyHeritage
The MyHeritage DNA test is on sale for $36, the best autosomal test price I’ve ever seen anyplace.
MyHeritage has a significant European presence and I find European matches at MyHeritage that aren’t anyplace else. MyHeritage utilizes user trees and DNA matches to construct Theories of Family Relativity that shows how you and your matches may be related.
Remember, you can upload the raw data file from the MyHeritage DNA test to both FamilyTreeDNA and GEDmatch for free.
Free shipping on 2 kits or more.
This sale ends at the end-of-day on Black Friday.
You can combine your DNA test with a MyHeritage records subscription with a free trial, here.
Ancestry
The AncestryDNA test is $59, here. With Ancestry’s super-size DNA database, you’re sure to get lots of matches and hints via ThruLines.
You can get free shipping if you’re an Amazon Prime member.
If you order an AncestryDNA test, you can upload the raw DNA file to FamilyTreeDNA, MyHeritage and GEDmatch for free. Unfortunately, Ancestry does not accept uploads from other vendors.
23andMe
The 23andMe Ancestry + Traits DNA test is $79, here. 23andMe is well known for its Ancestry Composition (ethnicity) results and one-of-a-kind genetic tree.
The 23andMe Ancestry + Traits + Health test is now $99, here.
You can get free shipping if you’re an Amazon Prime member.
If you order either of the 23andMe tests, you can upload the raw data file to FamilyTreeDNA, MyHeritage, and GEDmatch for free. Unfortunately, 23andMe does not accept uploads from other vendors.
Can’t Wait!!
This is always my favorite time of the year because I know that beginning soon, we will all be receiving lots of new matches from people who purchased or received DNA tests during the holiday season.
- What can you do to enhance your genealogy?
- Have you ordered Y and mitochondrial DNA tests for yourself and people who carry the Y and mitochondrial DNA of your ancestors?
- Are you in all of the autosomal databases?
- Who are you ordering tests for?
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I receive a small contribution when you click on some of the links to vendors in my articles. This does NOT increase the price you pay but helps me to keep the lights on and this informational blog free for everyone. Please click on the links in the articles or to the vendors below if you are purchasing products or DNA testing.
Thank you so much.
DNA Purchases and Free Uploads
- FamilyTreeDNA – Y, mitochondrial and autosomal DNA testing
- MyHeritage DNA – Autosomal DNA test
- MyHeritage FREE DNA file upload – Upload your DNA file from other vendors free
- AncestryDNA – Autosomal DNA test
- 23andMe Ancestry – Autosomal DNA only, no Health
- 23andMe Ancestry Plus Health
Genealogy Products and Services
- MyHeritage FREE Tree Builder – Genealogy software for your computer
- MyHeritage Subscription with Free Trial
- Legacy Family Tree Webinars – Genealogy and DNA classes, subscription-based, some free
- Legacy Family Tree Software – Genealogy software for your computer
- Newspapers.com – Search newspapers for your ancestors
- NewspaperArchive – Search different newspapers for your ancestors
My Book
- DNA for Native American Genealogy – by Roberta Estes, for those ordering the e-book from anyplace, or paperback within the United States
- DNA for Native American Genealogy – for those ordering the paperback outside the US
Genealogy Books
- Genealogical.com – Lots of wonderful genealogy research books
Genealogy Research
- Legacy Tree Genealogists – Professional genealogy research
For us in Australia, shipping costs are important. In my experience, FTDNA and Ancestry have reasonable shipping costs, but 23andme (the one vendor I am missing) wanted to charge just under $US100 = $A150, which more than doubles the cost. It seems excessive, and needs to be considered when taking advantage of a sale.
Good point.
Thanks for the list, I’m sharing this one. ^_^
Some comments on Y-DNA upgrades
It’s not clear how to access these upgrade prices on the FTDNA web site. (The link in your post doesn’t actually link to this table either.)
Oddly, the table shows several upgrades to Y-67 markers. This test is no longer offered by FTDNA so I suspect that these upgrades are not available.
Most of the STR to Big Y upgrade discounts are pretty modest (4-10%). I doubt that these discounts will be enough to entice very many people to upgrade.
The table was provided to project administrators, and I thought this was the easiest way to convey the information. When someone clicks to upgrade a test, they then select from the various upgrade options.