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23andMe's VIP service includes a one-on-one chat to explain your DNA

In case you're still not sure what your results mean.

Jon Fingas
·Reporter
·1-min read

How does a DNA testing service like 23andMe convince you to shell out more when the base results are the same? By rolling out the red carpet, it seems. The company has introduced a $499 VIP Health + Ancestry Service that includes two Health + Ancestry kits, faster lab processing, overnight shipping, a year of "premium" support and, crucially, a 30-minute one-on-one walkthrough of your Ancestry results. Effectively, 23andMe wants to offer a concierge for your genes.

That's a hefty premium over ordering two separate Health + Ancestry kits, and it's clearly not meant for most users. Do you really need to fast-track details about your predisposition to certain diseases? However, it's not surprising given 23andMe's current direction. The company has been toying with a premium service for roughly a year, but has also been hesitant to pursue advanced gene sequencing in the past. The VIP treatment gives 23andMe a compromise where it can offer a higher-priced tier without having to alter its focus and invest in far costlier testing methods.