Family Tree DNA – Sales and 1,000,000 DNA Tests

Blaine Bettinger 9 Comments

Yesterday, Family Tree DNA , the genetic genealogy arm of Gene by Gene, announced that it has processed over 1,000,000 DNA test kits for genealogy and anthropology purposes. Congratulations!

There are several sales available at Family Tree DNA that you might want to take advantage of, including the following:

Family Finder

Family Finder is an autosomal DNA test that compares your DNA to the DNA of other users in the ever-growing Family Tree DNA database. You can also use your Family Finder raw data at an incredible array of third-party tools, including GEDmatch and DNAGedcom, among others.

Although the test is normally $99, each Family Finder test is now $79 until June 17, 2014. The more family members you’ve tested and can compare your DNA to, the more information you’ll be able to glean from autosomal DNA. For example, I just had an aunt return her kit, and I’ll soon be able to compare her DNA to myself, my father, and her first cousin in order to answer even more of my family’s questions.

BIG Y

Big Y is the name given to the incredible Y-DNA test that sequences 11-12 million base pairs of the Y Chromosome in order to characterize known SNPs and to identify novel SNPs. The Big Y test is normally $695, but is on sale for $595 until June 17, 2014.

Update 06/14/2014: Here are three $100 coupon codes for Big Y available on a first-come first-serve basis: FDS141509, FDS141510, and FDS141511. Please leave a note in the comments if you use a coupon so that others know whether or not it is available.  Best of luck!

While this test has a high price point, it is already being used to find so-called “family specific” Y-DNA SNPs and will help genealogists further refine the Y-DNA Haplogroup Tree. Additionally, Family Tree DNA just launched cousin matching using Big Y results! This is a huge development, being able to find genetic cousins based on SNP testing, and shows just how rich in information the Big Y test is.

Any male Family Tree DNA customer may order the BIG Y product through their myFTDNA account. To do so:

  1. Login to your myFTDNA account.
  2. On the top, right of the homepage, look for the orange Order an Upgrade button.
  3. Click the button to access the Upgrade page.
  4. Look for the Standard Orders section, and click the Order a Standard Test button.
  5. On the Select A Product page, look for the product dropdown menu. Use it to select Big Y.
  6. Click the Next button at the bottom of the page to continue to the checkout wizard and complete your order.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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9 Responses

  1. George Jones 13 June 2014 / 11:57 pm

    Full Geneomes Corp. “is also” offering a Fathers Day sale promotion with $100 and is far better Value versus the FTDNA BIG Y test. Use coupon code: FGCFATHERSDAY2014

    Below is some backup from another person and myself concerning the recommendation of trying to obtain 2 FGC – Full Genomes Corp. testees per surname cluster & same subclade to take Comprehensive NGS – Next Generation Sequencing YDNA Tests.

    See Comparison of NGS tests here: http://www.isogg.org/wiki/Y-DNA_SNP_testing_chart

    In the R-L371 Subclade for the Wales Discovery Group there have been 2 NGS tests so far. 1. George Jones (Griffith > Jones Surname) took the FGC test and discovered about 60 YSNPs. 2. Andrew Turner (Tuner Surname derived because of adoption or a NPE scenario .. he’s hunting for true Welsh surname origins) took the FTDNA BIGY test and discovered only about 30 YSNPs (50% success rate vs FGC). Jones and Turner have a GD-Genetic Distance of 13 at Y111 YSTR Markers. ISOGG Public YSNPs require a GD of 8 or higher at Y111.

    We also have multiple R-L371 testees take the 16 Marker Sanger Tests at YSEQ. However, such Sanger Testing cannot “discover” new YSNPs … they only “confirm = +” OR “not confirmed = -” them in comparisons to others. So, for that reason another member of our group is also taking a FGC test since he already has real decent YDNA Genealogical Records & Family History in Wales back to circa 1200.

    So for the above reasons and those below, I do not recommend persons take the FTDNA BIGY test but instead take the FGC one. Sharing the $999 cost among members is also recommended to help defray DNA testing costs and build interest.

    With the NGS testing, YSEQ Sanger testing, and R-L371 Wales Discovery Group analysis we have already been successful in identifying (A.) Common R-L371 Group YSNPs (About 23 Confirmed Public YSNP Candidates per ISOGG definition and could be up to 40) about 20 (B.) Unique Family YSNPs & (C.) Family Branch and Individual YSNPs.

    A – B- C can correlate to existing Y111 YSTR information as well as the extensive Genealogical and Historical Records that are 10 group members have helped assemble.
    ***********************
    Blog Post 1 From Mike in R-L21 Group:
    Dueling NGS sales. This is good. We have both FTDNA and FGC ($999) with their Next Generation Sequencing tests on sale. Competition is good for us, and the consumer genetic genealogy L21 community. I’ll just say that Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) types of tests are outstanding YSNP discovery tools. I highly recommend them. I recommend two NGS tests per surname cluster which are in the subclade of R-L21. If you check Alex Williamson’s “big tree” for L21 and scroll across the bottom looking for pairs of surnames/variants, you can see why. You end up with YSNPs that just mark the surname and show how surnames in a cluster branch with each other. The depth of blocks of equivalent YSNPs also gives us some time value in when branching took place. After we get the two surnames per cluster it makes it easier to utilize the long haplotype Genetic Distances and YSTR signatures so people can smartly test SNPs one at a time or many on a larger YSEQ Custom Panel. I call the one at a time wave of testers “settlers.” The “explorers” have to go first with an NGS test, though, so I’m all in on two NGS tests per surname per cluster – at a minimum. This cuts to the chase.
    ************************************
    Blog Post 2 By George Jones:
    The FGC test ON SALE at $999 is the better VALUE versus a FTDNA BIG-Y test at $695 (regular price).

    From a Value Perspective, the $300 in additional expense at FGC is well worth it to receive about $1059 in Added Value Items and service from FGC.

    Here’s 3 items which should be considered by anyone deciding between FGC and BIGY:

    1. 444 plus YSTRs (the FTDNA Y111 YSTR test is $359 …. and for a hypothetical FTDNA Y444 YSTR test they could likely charge over $999). But, to be conservative, let’s put this as a $359 added value in FGC’s column. There would be no reason anymore for a FTDNA Y111 YSTR test if the person was also doing comprehensive YSNP discovery via FGC.

    2. In my case I did the FGC test and got info on about 60 YSNPs … but another in our group took the FTDNA BIGY test and got info on only about 30 YSNPs (about 50% of FGC). The math on this equals $695 (FTDNA price) X 2 = $1390 Value of FTDNA BIGY versus $999 Value and Price at FGC. To test for those missing / ? or No Call – No Read YSNPs from BIGY at YSEQ equals (30 Non Called YSNPS on BIGY X $25/YSNP cost at YSEQ = $750) So True Value of the FTDNA BIGY test in this case equals $695 (original BIGY price) + $750 (YSEQ Sanger price) = $1445. So, IMHO, any way you economically value the FTDNA BIGY test it comes out as a poorer value than FGC. Let’s continue to be conservative and say this a $400 added value in FGC’s column.

    3. The VCF and Comparative files offered by FGC far outclass FTDNA BIGY … because BIGY does not provide that information in the detail and range as FGC. If you are trying to get your PUBLIC YSNPs on ISOGG … you need that NGS info or you will have to pay costs to Sanger Sequence Brother Subclades to prove they don’t carry (or are not +) for the PUBLIC YSNP Candidates being presented to ISOGG. In my estimation, this extra service from FGC could be valued conservatively at $300.
    **************************

    I would like to see Blaine and other comments in this area since Blaine mentioned the FTDNA BIGY test and not other alternatives. We are moving out of a YSTR world into a YSNP discovery world and the FGC spaceship is the one that can help us explore the YWorld in our DNA.

  2. Blaine Bettinger 14 June 2014 / 12:35 am

    George – thank you for sharing the information about Full Genomes and their sale, as I didn’t know it was currently being offered.

  3. Kathleen 14 June 2014 / 8:07 am

    Used the first coupon. Thanks!

  4. Blaine Bettinger 14 June 2014 / 9:11 am

    A reader reports that FDS141511 has been used.

  5. Tommy 29 August 2014 / 4:30 pm

    Any 100$ coupons for this Y-DNA sale? 🙂 (not for myself, I have already tested Big-Y)

  6. Tommy 29 August 2014 / 4:33 pm

    Regarding the FGC “commercial” above: Big-Y is now $595 and on sale $495. For an extra $49 to YFull you will get the data analyzed and around 100 STR:s. According to the calculations above with the 60 STR:s given from the FGC test this ought to be around a $1200 value… 😉

  7. Jim 3 September 2014 / 10:08 am

    tried to use the code: FDS141510
    Appears to have been used already, it came back as invalid

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  9. Mohamed Chadili 26 September 2014 / 11:58 am

    I do the Big Y test and now I like to do FGC4309 test I cannot find it in the list of the proposed service, the full FGC is to expensive for me.
    All the best,

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