Early on when this project formed, we suggested the National Geographic Genographic NGG test as the entry level or starter. This even after AncestryDNA entered the market in 2014 and started delivering on a segment match database for their test base. The NGG test had close to 13,000 yDNA SNPs for $150. A number that could only be exceeded by the later introduced BigY sequencing test. At the time the NGG test was created by a collaboration of FTDNA and NGG, this represented most of the key SNPs in the phylogenetic tree of the time. Given BigY was over $500 when introduced, it was no surprise that ((FTDNA) would hide and not deliver the yDNA SNP result data with the NGG test. So we suggested NGG for those wanting a better yDNA coverage than the first choice, entry test of 23andMe which tested all the DNA but only 3.000 yDNA SNPs. 23andMe was also half the cost and also delivering more mitochondrial SNPs than any other source than the dedicated full-sequence test from FTDNA. Jump forward 10+ years and FTDNA announces they will be going back through their database and reprocessing all the FamilyFinder results to now include the yDNA ((SNP)s. Still stripping the mitochondrial, but now yDNA is provided and shown in the public haplotree.

Anecdotally, we are finding the yDNA SNPs (especially under R1b which has 50% of European-descent testers, are providing a deeper haplogroup than the prediction with the y37 STR test. So as long as some others in the project have done a FamilyFinder or BigY test, this new FamilyFinder can get you a deeper (more recently created)) Haplogroup and thus more of an assurance your tester is matching the others with the surname and yDNA you expect. A further upside is the FamilyFinder is usually 1/2 and sometimes 1/3 the cost of the entry level y37 STR test. As an example, see the case developed when providing advice to a previous project tester that had done a y12 which matched exactly with two different groups. We show below how the two groups diverge in the phylogenetic tree and how the FamilyFinder gets a little deeper than a y37 STR predicted haplogroup with NevGen. Also that the FamilyFinder haplogroup will show in the yDNA Results Overview of the project whereas the yDNA STR predicted haplogroup will not.
Family Finder Vs Predicted Y37

The downside of FamilyFinder is you still likely want to test with AncestryDNA to get into their segment match database that is nearly 30 times larger than the FTDNA one. And you get now credit against money spent if and when you upgrade to a yDNA-only STR or BigY test. Although the credit in upgrade has been decreasing from an original 1:1; now usually only $0.50 on the dollar.

NOTE: ''The yDNA SNPs are not provided in the same file as the merged atxDNA of before. This mainly because (a) the yDNA SNPs are reported in Build38 whereas the atxDNA is in the more traditional Build37, and (b) the yDNA SNPs use SNP names instead of rsIDs. Most yDNA SNP names can be found in the yBrowse database.