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Family Tree DNA Review 2020

Item: Family Tree DNA
Rating: 8.9
Author: Jonathan Kerns

Are you curious about your family's history, where they came from, and what places they have been? Stories from your parents and grandparents can only go so far as their memory serves them, and their anecdotes may not always paint the whole story. Thanks to technology, all these information - and more - can be obtained just by a swab of your saliva. Family Tree DNA offers a variety of testing kits which lets you learn about your ancestry, their migration history, and more. They also let you contact the closest DNA matches you have with the community, and even offer cross-brand result transfers. Family Tree DNA can be pricey though, but it is worth the cost.

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Jonathan KernsApril 3, 2019

Pros

Accepts Results From Other DNA Testing Kits: Family Tree DNA accepts results from their competitors, specifically from Ancestry.com, 23andMe, and National Geographic's Geno 2.0. This gives you more information about your ancestral origins, like a doctor's second opinion on a case.
Connecting With Your Roots: How awesome would it be if you are able to reach out to proven distant relatives just by taking a DNA test? Well, Family Tree DNA has the means to give you contacts to people who have the closest genetic build as yours, so you can learn more about your roots and family.
Options, Options, Options: Other DNA testing brands only offer a single kit with a fixed set of result details. Family Tree DNA offers several testing kits, each producing varying degrees of information, so you can have a choice on what you can learn.
Highly Detailed Information: Aside from an ethnic and geographic breakdown of your ancestry, you can learn more about the places where your paternal and maternal ancestors migrated, so you can have more insight where your ancestors stayed, what kind of lifestyle they possibly experienced, and any culture or traditions that they may have passed down through the generations.

Cons

Can Be Expensive: Since Family Tree DNA offers a whole boatload of information not usually found in other kits, some of their products are more expensive, which are more than double the prices of their competitors. They do have a kit with a price tag that is on par with the usual offer in the market, so you can still have yours tested without spending more than necessary.

Pricing and Features

Family Tree DNA offers a variety of DNA testing kits with increasing degrees of information: first comes Family Finder at $79. This is their basic testing kit that uncovers your autosomal DNA information, which contains information extending to your great-grandparents from both sides. It has myOrigins, a mapping tool that provides details on both ethnic and geographic trail; Family Matching, which enables individuals to sort matches for a clearer picture of your family tree; and the Chromosome Browser, where you can place segments of your DNA with matches and compare them side by side.

Paternal Side

Next comes the Father’s Line yDNA Family Finder, which gives more insight on the paternal side of things. This test is specific for males, and the Y-chromosome test uses 37 markers to be able to give out more details regarding your paternal ancestors. It sports a price tag of $248. If you want an even more detailed analysis of your DNA in connection with your father’s side of the family, they offer 67 markers, autosomal plus 67 markers, and 111 markers each at $268, $347, and $359, respectively.

Maternal Side

For the maternal side, Family Tree DNA offers three tests, mtDNA+ and mtFull Sequence. The former costs $79, focusing solely on mitochondrial DNA, while the latter costs $199 and analyzes the full DNA sequence. If you want results showing your maternal ancestry and matches with more precision, they offer a Family Finder and mtFull Sequence package at $278, that looks into the full sequence using both autosomal DNA. With these kits, you can discover up to the previous 180,000 years of your maternal ancestry. You also get access to experts for your specific lineage, automatic updates regarding your results, and even webinars with a professional genealogist for further understanding of the results.

Simply Uncomplicated

Taking a DNA test may sound like a complicated procedure, but it won’t take a minute to accomplish the task. Inside the package, you will find two cotton tipped swab kits which you will use to scrape the inside of your cheek. It also has an anti-bacterial fluid which will stop bacterial growth in the swab, keeping the specimen fresh and ready for testing even after being exposed to varying temperatures. If you are not confident on how to proceed, the testing kit contains full instructions for obtaining your DNA sample, so you won’t question yourself if you did it properly.

You will also receive a Release Form, which is basically your written consent that allows them to share your name and email address to your close DNA matches, so you can contact and start connecting the dots of your family tree.

Results

Results depend on the test that will be done to your specimen. For instance, Family Finder usually takes four to six weeks, while yDNA tests take eight to ten weeks. Once they have received your specimen, you can sign-in to your Family Tree DNA account to check on the estimated date of result release. All results will be available through your account as well, and you can print certificates for mtDNA, standard Y-DNA STR, and Y-DNA SNP right from there.

Shipping and Payment

Do take note that Family Tree DNA’s prices does not cover shipping charges, so you would have to shoulder the cost for both receiving and sending back the package to their facility. They also offer expedited shipping via FedEx, with next day shipping starting at $2 and three day shipping at $15 for domestic orders. They accept international orders from anywhere around the globe, but there are certain countries that they will not be able to ship to due to local customs restrictions.

Family Tree DNA accepts payment via major credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express), PayPal, US check and money order, and via bank transfer. These last three can be done by contacting their customer support team.

Transfer Your Results!

If you have already taken a test from other brands but would like to know more details aside from the information included in their results, you can transfer them to Family Tree DNA, and they will analyze the results to include the top DNA matches from the community. This feature accepts results from National Geographic’s Geno 2.0, Ancestry.com, and 23andMe, and comes at no extra cost. Take note that this does not include myOrigins, but you can unlock it together with the full results for only $39, or, by inviting 4 people to upload their data into the system.

Customer Service

Family Tree DNA houses a learning center that is packed with information regarding different topics under their service – from ordering a kit, to shipping and handling, to details on the testing process, and to result interpretation. You can also find webinars in their website about the different testing types and their results, so you can understand them a little better. If you want to speak with their customer service team, you can submit a ticket request, or call their hotline. Their office is open from Monday to Thursday, 9 AM to 4:30 PM, and Friday, from 9 AM to 12 noon CST. They also have social media accounts in Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube, Pinterest, Tumblr, Google+, and Reddit that you can follow for instant updates.

What's the Verdict on Family Tree DNA?

A Definite Buy!