DNA Sales are in the Air at MyHeritageDNA, FamilyTreeDNA, 23andMe, LivingDNA

If you are regretting not buying a DNA test kit this past holiday season, don't worry. If there is a holiday, there is likely a DNA sale somewhere. And that is true for this Valentine's Day.

Please take note, wondering minds can always click the labels/tags in our blog's left-hand column to see the sales in past years to get an idea of the sales trends for prior years. Click on the desired topic or the Savings tag/label.

MyHeritageDNA
MyHeritageDNA (autosomal) tests regularly $79 each are on sale for $49 each (plus taxes and shipping) until February 14, 2022, at 11:59 p.m. Orders of two or more DNA kits receive free shipping.

MyHeritageDNA is one of the younger players in the DNA and genealogy testing niche but it is becoming a must be at for its DNA tools. Its customer base is more international. MyHeritage has chromosome browser feature and made its internal member messaging feature free. It also offers an ethnicity/admixture report and a list of DNA matches. No data subscription is needed to see/use all the DNA matching features including its AutoCluster feature. A few additional features were added earlier this year and last year -- like an update to its ethnicity estimates and genetic groups including viewing the genetic groups of your match and seeing what you have in common.

 

As a reminder, MyHeritageDNA also sells its test kits on Amazon.com and often at sale prices when it is having a sale. However, for this sale the MyHeritageDNA test is not on sale on Amazon. Remember when you do find a sale price, make sure the seller shown is MyHeritage fulfilled by Amazon and not sold by a third-party unauthorized seller. Non-Amazon Prime members get free shipping due to the total cost and because it is fulfilled by Amazon; prime members just get quicker 2-day shipping for free. 

Look for this before adding your item to your cart.

 

23andMe
Each of 23andMe's test offerings are on sale for Valentine's Day.  This sale runs through February 14, 2022. There is a limit of 2 kits for this sale. Remember taxes and shipping are extra. There are a few sale options available.

 

23andMe's Ancestry + Traits DNA test is regularly $99 but is on sale for $79.

23andMe's Health + Ancestry Service is regularly priced $199 but is on sale for $149.

Another sale option is a bundle: the 23andMe Health + Ancestry Service test kit (regularly $199, sale $149) plus one year of the 23andMe Membership for $29 (regular price) for a total price of $178.

23andMe Ancestry Service (autosomal DNA) provides an ethnicity (admixture) report, list of DNA matches, chromosome browser and an internal member messaging system. 23andMe also provides a general look at your Y-DNA haplogroup (if male) and a general look at your mtDNA haplogroup. Some DNA matching features/tools are now part of the subscription service. A newer feature is the Family Tree feature which is automatically built from your DNA relationships. See the 23andMe website to learn more about the Health service features which includes 10+ Health Pre-disposition reports, 5+ Wellness reports, and 40+ Carrier Status reports.

23andMe made some changes to its service in 2019 without any announcements to its customers before the changes happened. Be aware that with the recent ethnicity update it was learned that testers on the earlier testing chips would not receive any ethnicity updates at this time, only those on the V5 Chip. Also, a few months prior testers' DNA matches were reduced down to just 1,500 matches. (That leaves most testers with matches related at the furthest in the 4th to 5th cousin range.) The search capabilities also have been restricted from what it had been capable of before. 23andMe is now implementing a yearly subscription ($29/year) for customers on the V5 Chip who also have tested their Health too. Those that subscribe get access to three times the DNA matches, advanced search capabilities (like those that were there before and some other ways to filter matches), and a new series of health reports related to genetics and medicines as well as some predisposition reports. Unfortunately, that would mean existing customers not on the V5 chip would need to retest (yes, pay) so their DNA is on the V5 chip. But if an early tester is deceased there is no way to re-test that person on the V5 Chip.

With these changes, 23andMe reduces it usability for most genealogists to use DNA to aid their research. For adoptees, donor conceived and others searching for mis-attributed parentage (not parent expected) situations, you still never know where that someone tested and so at a good sale price the 23andMe Ancestry Only test or really good sale price for the 23andMe Ancestry+Health test it might be worthwhile. But there may be limitations if that someone they seek is tested on a V4 or earlier chip. 

As a reminder, 23andMe also sells its test kits on Amazon.com and often at sale prices when it is having a sale. So, at the time of this posting this time the sale price on the Amazon website is as good as the 23andMe website deal or a bit better because shipping is free. Non-Amazon Prime members get free shipping due to the total cost and because it is fulfilled by Amazon while Amazon Prime members just get quicker 2-day shipping for free. But be cautious and make sure the test kit you are buying is "sold by 23andMe, Inc and fulfilled by Amazon" to insure you are buying a genuine test kit. You will find this information just below the price. See the image below. 

Look for this before adding your item to your cart.

 

Family Tree DNA
The Family Tree DNA Valentine's Day also ends on February 14, 2022. Shipping and taxes are extra which vary depending on where the test is shipped. From a while back the shipping cost to Michigan was about $12.95 for one kit which covers the receiving and sending the test.

For this holiday, the autosomal DNA test is on sale.

FamilyFinder (autosomal for male or female) regular price $79 ... now $59

 

FamilyFinder (autosomal for male or female) + myDNA Wellness regular price $119 ... now $79
Learn more about the myDNA Wellness package and its health insights based on your DNA at the FamilyTreeDNA website.
 
Family Tree DNA provides an ethnicity (admixture) report, list of DNA matches, chromosome browser and allows DNA matches to contact a match directly if that match allows it. Once tested, DNA samples are stored so that additional test types (upgrades) can be added if desired. Family Tree DNA is the only genealogy DNA testing company that offers all three DNA test types: autosomal, Y-DNA and mtDNA. No subscription is needed to see/use all the DNA matching features. See our previous post containing some Reminders and Cautions regarding changes with Family Tree DNA.

warnings.

As a reminder, Family Tree DNA sometimes sells its autosomal DNAtest kits (called FamilyFinder) on Amazon.com and often at sale prices when it is having a sale. For this sale it is $59 at Amazon so buying from Amazon eliminates the shipping costs. (Make sure the seller shown is FamilyTreeDNA fulfilled by Amazon and not sold by a third-party unauthorized seller.) Non-Amazon Prime members get free shipping due to the total cost and because it is fulfilled by Amazon; prime members just get quicker 2-day shipping for free.

 

Look for this before adding your item to your cart.

 

 

Living DNA
The sale over at LivingDNA is a 20% sale in honor of Black History Month.  LivingDNA Full Ancestry Kit regularly priced at $99 is on sale for $79 plus shipping and taxes. (Free shipping when purchasing 3 or more kits at the same time) It is described as the full ancestry experience from your deep ancestry to DNA matching. It includes recent ancestry, sub-regional ancestry breakdown, your DNA today, extended ancestry, DNA matching and free ancestry updates.

The LivingDNA Full Ancestry Kit is the original LivingDNA test comparable to autosomal DNA tests at other genealogy/DNA testing companies.

LivingDNA is based in the United Kingdom so if you have a lot of English and Irish ancestry the more detailed regions for Britain and Ireland in the ethnicity may be of interest to you. (Part of the now LivingDNA Full Ancestry Kit.) The company is still building itself so at a sale price it may be worth a try. Perhaps you will find a clue to direct your search.

BUT we have become aware that LivingDNA is now requiring that your LivingDNA test be taken/used and sent in within one year of the date of purchase. They will not process tests older than that despite the swab test tube saying its expiration date is well after that. Based on a LivingDNA Support article this change may have been implemented in early 2019. However, we are not sure when its Terms of Services was changed to reflect this. So if you have a LivingDNA test sitting around you might want to check its purchase date. Hopefully you still have time, or you may need to pay for shipping on a replacement test kit.

As a reminder, LivingDNA sometimes sells its test kits on Amazon.com and often at sale prices when it is having a sale. However, for this sale LivingDNA is not selling its tests at all on Amazon at this time. (At the times when LivingDNA does, make sure the seller shown is LivingDNA fulfilled by Amazon and not sold by a third-party unauthorized seller.) Non-Amazon Prime members get free shipping due to the total cost if the kit is fulfilled by Amazon; prime members just get quicker 2-day shipping for free.

 

We will see if the other genealogy/DNA company joins the sales trend for this month's holiday. Maybe a flash sale or a game day sale?

 

See you soon someday at our favorite library!
LE