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$49 Personal Genome at 23andme (incognito windows until you get the best price)

Screenshot of www.23andme.com captured 2026-07-20
Page preview · captured 2026-07-20

Resurfaced independently across 5 calendar years, with breakout response in 2 of them.

submissions
5
submitters
5
observed span
2008–2015
peak thread · 74 comments
119 pts
latest 20+ return · 2012-11-27
45 pts

Submission timeline

2007–2026

One slot for every year since HN launched. Height is that year's peak points; orange marks a 100+ point or 50+ comment breakout. Select a bar to open its strongest thread.

First comments on top threads

HN comment order

"*Requires a recurring Personal Genome Service subscription at $5/month. 1 year contract required. Order for $499 with no subscription commitment." So it's really $159, with another $60 paid every subsequent year as long as you want access to the data (and any new things which they might provide). If you're expecting to subscribe for longer than the next 80 months (six years and eight months), then it might be better to get the normal $499 version. Although, on the page…

sorbus·119-point thread·

Run in your JavaScript console: document.cookie = 'optimizelyBuckets=' + escape('{"145285685":"145865258"}') + '; domain=.23andme.com'; document.location.reload(true); The other values I found: 69 -> escape('{"145285685":"145818631"}') 99 -> escape('{"145285685":"145866265"}') 149 -> escape('{"145285685":"145285686"}') 299 -> escape('{"145285685":"145891045"}') Edit: Actually, it looks like this no longer works. They may have noticed and stopped the A/B test. You can empty the cart and run…

*$108 actually. ($9 x 12 months)

I hate to be negative about a startup that way, but it's important to realize that "direct-to-consumer genomics" is a scam. I went to a presentation by a founder of one the competitors (there are 3-4 high-flying competitors in the business), and I had the highest expectations. But then throughout the presentation I couldn't quite figure out what the company actually does. So I asked. And the answer is marketing and litigation. * these companies don't do any research *…

gleb·15-point thread·

The first top-level comment from each of the four biggest threads, in HN’s own order. Excerpts are shortened; open a comment for full context.

Breakout years
2

100+ points or 50+ comments

Total points
213

reference only — not used in Hall rules or ranking

Total comments
159

reference only — not used in Hall rules or ranking

Every submission

DateTitle as submittedByPointsComments
2008-09-0923andMe makes personalized genetics more affordableruss1515
2010-11-2623andMe for $99First breakout · Best threadmichaelfairley11964
2011-04-1123andMe's new price: $0* checkoutmygenes186
2012-11-27$49 Personal Genome at 23andme (incognito windows until you get the best price)Latest 20+ point returnbsimpson4574
2015-10-2123andMe relaunches in the US with FDA-approved health reportsjoecackler160