The Truth About AncestryDNA Coupons

The popularity of DNA testing as a means of tracing family history and meeting living relatives has grown significantly, but there are plenty of potential users who are holding back from purchasing a test because of the high cost. Though these tests deliver a lot on results, they aren't cheap, as they include both the cost of your kit and lab processing fees.

If the price tag on Ancestry DNA kits has found you searching for a coupon code or promo code, you may be frustrated at the lack of useful results you're turning up. Don't despair -- it's still possible for you to get your test at a reduced cost! Wondering how to keep hard-earned money in your pocket without an Ancestry coupon? Read on to learn the facts and some money-saving tips.

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Ancestry DNA Coupons: FAQs

Let's separate the truth from the hearsay when it comes to bagging yourself a good deal on AncestryDNA test kits.

I'm ready to buy my first Ancestry DNA test! Where and how can I find an AncestryDNA coupon code?

Embarking on your DNA testing journey can be expensive if you're buying a test at retail price, so this is a question that many first-time testers have. Simply put, although you may see sites that claim to index coupon codes for Ancestry DNA and other DNA tests, you're not likely to find an actual promo code for Ancestry DNA. That doesn't mean that you're out of luck, however, as the company makes sure to pass discounts on to their users in other ways.

If I can't find a coupon code, how can I make sure I'm getting my test for the best possible price?

Although it can be frustrating to come up empty-handed in your search for an Ancestry DNA coupon code, you're far from out of luck. Rather than using ancestry coupon codes to offer discounts to buyers, Ancestry DNA uses a sales structure that fluctuates throughout the year.

Ancestry DNA tends to drop the price of their tests between $10 and $30 dollars around holidays. This can include Mother's and Father's Day, Christmas, and Valentine's Day, among others; even small holidays you might not expect can result in an Ancestry sale, so it's always worth doing a price check. The company also puts the test on sale on April 25th for DNA Day, a holiday devoted to informing the public about genetic testing and genome projects.

This sales structure is not unique to Ancestry DNA. In fact, it has been adopted by most major DNA testing services. This means that while you'll have a tough time finding a DNA testing coupon, you're likely to find a great deal if you're willing to wait til the right time of year.

Why does Ancestry use sales rather than coupon codes to pass discounts onto consumers?

The prevalence of coupon codes and promos on other websites may leave you wondering exactly why Ancestry would eschew this method of applying discounts in favor of a fluctuating sales structure. Although the company doesn't comment on this choice, one reason some companies prefer to avoid coupon codes is the confusion they can cause for consumers.

Savvy shoppers have no doubt run across bloated "coupon code databases" full of broken referral codes and promos that have been expired for months or years. Cycling through these codes only to find the price hasn't reduced by a penny can be frustrating, and may lead to a shopper simply purchasing the test kit that has the lowest regular retail price. By offering consistent, identifiable sales, Ancestry DNA can offer their superior features to consumers at a reduced cost and without frustration if they're willing to follow the sales structure, which is generous in frequency.

Can I get a better deal on my test by buying it somewhere other than Ancestry?

In the name of seeking out the best deal on your DNA results, you may be wondering if purchasing your test somewhere other than Ancestry could save you a few dollars. The answer is that it's possible, but not likely.

Unlike competitor 23andMe, Ancestry doesn't allow the Ancestry DNA test to be sold in stores. The only authorized retailers of the test are Ancestry and Amazon.com. That means there's no chance of scoring a store-based sale or discount when shopping for your test. Amazon has been known to put DNA testing kits on sale for Black Friday and Cyber Monday, but the discount you'll receive when buying your kit this way isn't likely to be superior to the discounts offered by Ancestry during sales periods.

Occasionally, you may see an offer for discounts on Ancestry or other testing services offered through Groupon. Again, the discount being offered by the site is rarely if ever superior to the sales offered by Ancestry, and sometimes these "deals" simply coincide with an Ancestry sale, acting only as a referral link.

If Ancestry tests go on sale, is it safe for me to buy extras to save for further use or gift-giving?

DNA tests make excellent gifts for a few reasons. They're a big-ticket item that's in demand, and the opportunity to learn more about your background and contact living relatives is enticing. If you're trying to tel your family story by creating your family tree online, giving Ancestry tests to family members is an ideal way to get a more full portrait of your genetic line and connect with the maximum possible number of living relatives.

Wondering if it's possible to stockpile Ancestry DNA tests and give them as gifts or use them in the future? The answer is an easy yes, as the components of these kits are simply intended to collect a saliva sample and will never expire. This means that when prices on Ancestry DNA kits drop during semiannual sales, it's a good time to shop if you intend to gift tests or test family members, as the kits you buy will keep in storage until they're ready to be used.

Do any of Ancestry's top competitors use promo codes to offer discounts?

In your quest to save money on a DNA test, you might be wondering if you can cash in more quickly with a promo code if you're willing to settle for a test from a different company. Alas, as we noted previously, the lack of coupon or promo codes available when shopping for a DNA test is true across the board.

Though some companies did use discount codes when starting out, the great majority have moved on to following a sales structure that's much like Ancestry's. This means that other companies tend to put their tests on sale at similar times of year, generally around holidays both big and small.

What's the best DNA test for someone who wants to save money?

There's a lot of exciting aspects to delving into your DNA, but shelling out big bucks isn't one of them. If saving money is a major consideration for you when shopping for your test, you're probably curious about how other companies stack up.

MyHeritage is one of the better DNA tests for saving money, as they have an every-day low price that beats out all the competitors and reduces even further when the test goes on sale. However, that reduced rate means more limited results, including an inability to communicate with living relatives without a paid subscription. See if MyHeritage DNA will meet your genealogy needs.

Family Tree DNA is a great place to save money if you're looking to perform not just basic autosomal DNA testing but mtDNA and Y-DNA (motherline and fatherline DNA) tests as well. There, you'll be able to bundle your choice of tests into a package that can save you serious dough on otherwise pricey lab work. FTDNA tests do go on sale as well, so if you shop carefully, you can stack your savings. See our FamilyTree DNA review.

23andMe has a regular retail price point that's comparable to Ancestry's, but waiting for a sale can lower the cost similarly, saving you between $10 and $30. It's not the cheapest offering out there, but like Ancestry, a sale can help you save money on undeniably thorough results. Explore whether 23andMe is the DNA test for you.

What are some tips for maximizing the potential of my results?

If you're looking to make the most out of the results of your DNA test, there are a few ways you can do so without spending additional money. Some DNA testing sites allow you to export the raw data containing the results of your test, allowing you to upload that data to other sites for further analysis and/or to compare the data against other participants in order to identify more living relatives.

There are a few things to note before proceeding. While the big four DNA testing companies all allow you to export your raw data in file form, not all companies accept it. Likewise, while most accept the data for free, some sites will put the majority of your results behind a small paywall, though the fee tends to be small, making it potentially the best discount you can receive on the cost of a secondary service.

If your main focus in testing your DNA is identifying and making contact with your living relatives, you'll be happy to know that you can upload your data to sites like GEDMatch DNAGedcom, and Genomelink for free access to their database of genetic relatives. These databases comprise users from many major testing services, so your chances of locating as many genetic relatives as possible are increased by making use of this free technology.

Want to experiment with other services using your existing raw genetic data? Family Tree DNA is a great place to start. The site will accept the upload of your raw data, and will allow you to access their database of genetic matches for free. No other major testing service allows this. In order to access their chromosome browser and see your ethnicity results through their system, you'll need to pay a reduced one-time fee of $19.

MyHeritage is another site that will accept the upload of your raw data, but it doesn't give you much in the way of results for free. You'll be able to view a list of your genetic matches as well as their profile data, but you won't be able to contact your matches or view your ethnicity breakdown without paying $29 -- it's cheaper than the cost of their full test, but more expensive than FTDNA's generous $19 rate. You should note that you'll also need to pay $29 to unlock these features for each kit you upload, unless you have a MyHeritage subscription.

I'm not sure if I actually want to subscribe to Ancestry's website for additional features. Can I try it for free?

One reason many people look to Ancestry DNA for their DNA testing is the company's feature-packed website. Ancestry's site is well known for providing a family tree building tool that's dynamic, easy to use, and fuels progress through the use of an intuitive hints system that uses names and dates to identify information with the potential to be relevant to your tree.

These hints rely on Ancestry's massive historical records database -- it's the world's largest online family history resource, and it's exceptional for locating American birth, death, marriage, census, and military records. Their database makes use of other pay sites like Fold3 and Newspapers.com, which helps to provide additional family history records at no additional cost to the subscriber.

These features can prove extremely helpful, but they're not free, and Ancestry's subscription costs can be a bit pricey -- a month subscription starts at $25. First-time users who are interested in auditioning the site's features can do so with a free 14 day trial, which allows two weeks of access to Ancestry's subscription features, including family tree building and genealogical records. You may wish to wait until you've received and assessed your test results before beginning this trial in order to devote the maximum amount of time possible to doing further research during your limited time access.

If you know you'd like the records accessible to Ancestry members but find the regular retail price prohibitive, you're in luck. Though it's less frequent, Ancestry does sometimes have special offers subscriptions at a reduced rate. This typically requires making a commitment in the form of a 6-month membership, but if you're interested in the ability to do more in-depth research, you may be satisfied with this as a sensible commitment to your project. This is also a good time to invest in a gift membership if you're considering sharing gift subscriptions with your loved ones.

The Bottom Line

The desire to save money on your DNA test is perfectly understandable; they're not cheap, after all, but their results can offer unique insights into your ethnic background and family tree. Though it's nearly impossible to find Ancestry coupon codes, patient shoppers can still save major money throughout the year by holding out for sales on both tests and subscriptions. It's also safe and financially smart to stock up on tests if you're planning on retesting yourself or gifting them to friends or family, as they don't expire! With a little bit of planning, you can get the results you desire while also protecting your wallet.

Neil Edwards

Neil Edwards

Genealogist and family-tree research specialist

Neil was born in Shropshire, England surrounded by centuries of living history. His interest in the past has been a lifelong passion leading to undergraduate degrees in both Economic History & Geography and History & Politics.

This interest in history quickly translated to family history when he moved to the U.S. in 2010. It was here that he began working on his own family tree as well as that of his American wife. That research allowed him to gain a wealth of experience working with both U.S. and European genealogical documents and studying their best uses in researching family history.

Following 9 years of honing his genealogical research skills, Neil was proud to have earned a certificate in Genealogical Research from Boston University in late 2019. Neil also took part in the research process for a Duke University study into the families of 19th Century UK Members of Parliament.

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