Discover your family tree with DNA tests for $99 from 23andMe or $59 from Ancestry – CNET [CNET]

My dad never knew much about his ancestry, so when I was 10 years old we went to North Carolina for summer vacation so he could visit the hall of records where his dad grew up. Unfortunately — true story — it had burned to the ground years earlier. We went home without learning a thing. Many years later, I took a DNA test and learned some truly eye-opening revelations about my real ancestry. Now’s your own chance: 23andMe is having a half-off sale. Right now, you can get the 23andMe Health and Ancestry Service for $99, which is $100 off the regular price.

I’ve taken this test myself and have had the chance to compare my results with Ancestry.com’s DNA test. In my experience, both delivered similar data — they generally agreed on my genetic makeup and health factors, but I preferred 23andMe’s presentation, especially when it came to the ancestry aspects of the report. 23andMe, for example, has a cool family tree that shows known relatives in the appropriate places in your tree, which is a great visual tool for understanding your family’s structure and organization. 

But speaking of Ancestry, the tests there are generally a little cheaper, and right now Ancestry is having its own sale. You can get the AncestryDNA test for $59, down from a regular price of $99.

As I mentioned, I’ve taken both of these tests and they offer similar depth of features, data about your genetic makeup, and convenience via mobile apps. If you’re curious about your family history, genetic health predispositions and inherited conditions, you won’t find better deals for many months, so I suggest you grab one of these now. You might even discover we’re related. Stranger things have happened. 

Read more: Best ancestry tests in 2020  

Originally published earlier this year. Updated with the latest deal. 

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