Summary of the Y-DNA Test Types
| Y-DNA STR test | Y-DNA SNP Backbone test | Y-DNA SNP Subclade test | Y-DNA SNP Stand alone SNP test | |
| What | Testing 20 to 91 Y-DNA STR markers | Testing haplogroup specific Y-DNA SNP markers | Testing subclade specific SNP markers unique to your haplogroup | Testing newly discovered SNP markers as they become available |
| Why | To predict your Y-NDA haplogroup and participate in search features, including DNA Reunion, Indigenous DNA, DNA Archaeology | To confirm your Y-DNA haplogroup | To confirm you Y-DNA Subclade | To refine your subclade as research progresses |
| What will you find out? | You will receive a predicted Y-DNA haplogroup | You will confirm your Y-DNA haplogroup | You will confirm your Y-DNA subclade | You will gain further refinements to your Y-DNA subclade |
| When to test? | First. Widest range of applications. In addition to predicting your haplogroup, it can also be used in other genealogical applications. | Only if prediction not strong. | Only after you confirm your haplogroup, otherwise you do not know which subclade to test as each subclade test is designed specifically for one haplogroup. | Only after subclade testing, when new SNPs are discovered downstream of your subclade. |
| Prerequisites | none | Y-DNA STR test | Y-DNA SNP Backbone test | Y-DNA SNP Subclade test |
If you have not tested yet, order your test at Genetrack.
Next: What is the difference between Y-DNA STRs and Y-DNA SNPs? »