MyHeritage Review 2024: DNA Test Accuracy and User Reviews

MyHeritage Review: Our Experience With MyHeritage’s DNA Testing & Ancestry Analysis [Updated 2024]

Table of Contents

MyHeritage Rating Based On Our Review

⭐⭐⭐☆☆

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

MyHeritage scores 3 out of 5 stars in our comprehensive review. While MyHeritage’s DNA test provides autosomal genetic data and a wide range of genetic genealogy tools, their DNA test misses out on important ancestry and health data from the mitochondrial chromosome and Y chromosome.

MyHeritage Facts

Who, Where, and When: Gilad Japhet, Israel, 2003

Why: Provide a database of historical records users can browse for family history information. 

How: At first, MyHeritage was available only on PC in 6 languages, but is now available on their website. 

Website: myheritage.com

Databases: Over 13 million

Security: Data breach exposed 92 million people’s private information on June 4, 2018.

Pricing (USD):

Upload Data: Free
Ancestry Test: $79 ($49 during sales)
Ancestry + Health Test: $199

Alternatives: Sequencing.com offers lower-cost and more comprehensive DNA tests that include both Ancestry and Health as well as offering a whole-genome sequencing service. 

Overview

MyHeritage DNA is a consumer DNA testing service specializing in genealogy, family history, and family trees. A software engineer by the name of Gilad Japhet developed MyHeritage or My Heritage in 2003. This was his second attempt at developing family history software. The first software was a family tree builder that helped people trace their roots. 

The company is located in Or Yehuda, Israel and most of its users live in Europe. This means the MyHeritage database is primarily composed of people of European ancestry. People in the United States also use the site, especially those with a European background.

While MyHeritage is available globally, the number of people who use the site from Asia, South America, and Africa are small when compared to their European customers.

 The site includes genealogy documentation services that allow an individual to research ancestry and family history using their MyHeritage account. These documents are obtained from publicly accessible historical record databases and include:

• Newspaper Articles
• Family Photos
• Immigration Information
• Death Certificates

In addition to tools that enable traditional genealogical exploration, MyHeritage also provides an add-on genetic genealogy service based on their own DNA Test.

MyHeritage’s DNA testing is a new service, introduced in 2016. DNA data can be matched with other users in their database to find possible family connections based on genetics. Users who take a DNA test can review the results online or via the MyHeritage app. 

The MyHeritage website receives millions of visits a day, but reports are limited. For more about our MyHeritage review, keep reading. 

Sequencing.com also offers a DNA test kit and free raw DNA data upload for a wider range of comprehensive genetic genealogical information. Learn more about our DNA testing service and ancestry reports by ⁠clicking here. 

About the MyHeritage DNA Test Kit

Review of the Ancestry Kit from MyHeritage

The ⁠MyHeritageDNA testing kit can be ordered on their website. As you can see above, there is an option to receive a free month of the MyHeritage Complete plan. The MyHeritage Complete plan is a subscription plan that allows a person who takes the MyHeritage DNA test to find DNA matches and explore historical records.

If the plan is not canceled within the first month, MyHeritage WILL charge testers a ‘special introductory price’ of $149 for the first year. The regular price is $299 per year and will be charged for the second year if the subscription to MyHeritage is not canceled during the first year.

When a customer receives MyHeritage’s DNA collection kit, they activate it and use the enclosed cotton swab to collect a DNA sample. The DNA sample is mailed to the lab for analysis, which can take up to a month. DNA results can be viewed online or using the MyHeritage mobile app. 

MyHeritage DNA Test Technology

The type of genetic testing used by MyHeritage obtains data on less than 0.1% of a person’s genome.

MyHeritage uses DNA microarray technology for their DNA test. It is important to understand that this is a different type of genetic test from whole genome sequencing. DNA microarray’s do not sequence a person’s genome. Instead, this type of genetic test obtains data on around 700,000 genetic variants (such as SNPs) throughout a person’s genome. This may sound like a lot of data but is actually a relatively small amount compared to a person’s whole genome, which consists of 3 billion variants.

The type of DNA microarray used by MyHeritage is the ⁠OmniExpress-24 chip manufactured by Illumina. Other companies, such as AncestryDNA and 23andMe, also use DNA microarrays manufactured by Illumina but they do not use the OmniExpress-24 chip. For example, 23andMe, LivingDNA, and Sequencing all use the ⁠Global Screening Array-24, also known as the GSA chip.

The GSA chip used by 23andMe and Living DNA provides data on around 700,000 genetic variants but only some of those variants are the same as the variants tested for by MyHeritage’s OmniExpress-24 chip. While Sequencing.com also uses the GSA chip, advanced bioinformatics processing enables their test to provide data on around 30 million variants.

While both are excellent high-density DNA microarrays, when compared to the MyHeritage OmniExpress-24 chip, the GSA chip is usually regarded as being the more advanced microarray that provides more comprehensive data for health and wellness purposes.

MyHeritage’s Laboratory

MyHeritage’s DNA testing for US-based customers is contracted out to Gene By Gene, a genetic testing laboratory located in Houston, Texas. This is the same laboratory that provides testing for several other DNA testing companies including FamilyTreeDNA (also known as FTDNA).

FamilyTreeDNA is actually owned by Gene By Gene. This close connection between FamilyTreeDNA and Gene By Gene may be a privacy concern for some due to the news in 2019 that ⁠FamilyTreeDNA provides the FBI with access to its DNA databases.

The Gene By Gene laboratory used by MyHeritage is both CLIA-certified and CAP-accredited. These are two important certifications that mean the laboratory has been validated by regulators and that the testing performed is consistently high-quality.

It is unknown what laboratories MyHeritage uses for customers who live outside the United States. The certifications of those laboratories are also unknown.

What the MyHeritage DNA Test Analyzes

MyHeritage offers autosomal DNA testing, which means their test provides data on chromosomes 1-22 and the X chromosome. It is important to note that MyHeritage’s DNA test does not provide any data on the mitochondrial chromosome. Their test also provides very limited data on the Y chromosome.

Children receive autosomal DNA from their father and mother. Since it is a mixture, it can be difficult to identify relatives from past generations, especially those who are five or six generations back. Autosomal DNA testing is sufficient for basic genealogical research but lacks the ability to provide deep ancestry analysis that requires data from the mitochondrial chromosome and, for males, data from the Y chromosome.

MyHeritage doesn’t test mtDNA and YDNA.

Mitochondrial chromosome DNA, also known as mtDNA and chrMT DNA, gets passed down from mother to each child. This allows mtDNA to be used to trace the maternal lineage of a person. 

Chromosome Y DNA, also known as YDNA and chrY DNA, gets passed down from father to son. This allows YDNA to be used to trace the paternal lineage of males. Since females don’t have a Y chromosome, studying the paternal lineage using YDNA is only applicable to males.

It is unfortunate that the MyHeritage DNA test only provides autosomal data. There is a tremendous amount of useful information, both for genetic genealogy and health, located on the mitochondrial chromosome, which is not included in the MyHeritage test. Their DNA test also doesn’t obtain comprehensive data on the Y chromosome. The Y chromosome contains important genetic genealogy and health information for males.

DNA tests offered by other companies not only provide autosomal data but also provide comprehensive data on both the mitochondrial and Y chromosomes. Both of Sequencing.com’s tests, the ⁠Ultimate DNA test and Ultimate Genome Sequencing, provide comprehensive data on all chromosomes. The Ultimate DNA Test obtains comprehensive data on chromosomes 1-22, the X chromosome as well the MT and Y chromosomes while Ultimate Genome Sequencing, which includes clinical-grade whole genome sequencing, sequences the entire mitochondrial and Y chromosomes end-to-end. This means it obtains 100% of the mitochondrial chromosome and 100% of the Y chromosome in addition to all other chromosomes. 

Our Review of the MyHeritage Ancestry, Family Tree & DNA Matching Reports

Our MyHeritage review found the report contains:

• Ethnicity Estimates
• Family Tree Builder
• DNA Smart Matches

The information for ethnicity estimates contains ancestral roots for 42 ethnic regions worldwide. These ancestral roots are shown as percentages on a map. Unfortunately, the exact locations of those roots are not identified, which comes as a disappointment. An example is that it can be difficult to identify Scottish vs. Irish descent on the map. 

The information gained from the report can be used to build family trees when including general locations where events took place (births, deaths, etc.). 

Below you will find a sample MyHeritage report showing the Ethnicity Estimate. The report shows the sample person has Chinese heritage. The report includes users with DNA matches and information about users’ family trees. For the sample person, there were no close family or extended family matches but there were 59 distant relative matches. 

 

Can You Download MyHeritage DNA Data and Upload It Third-Party Sites?

One of the great things about a DNA test is that there’s always more to learn. Once you’ve taken a DNA test, most reputable test providers allow you to easily download the raw DNA data. While the A, C, G, and T’s of the raw data look like gobbledygook to most people, there’s actually a lot you can do with it.

Can You Download Your Raw DNA Data From MyHeritage?

Yes, MyHeritage allows you to download your raw DNA data. You can download your raw DNA data from your MyHeritage account. When you download the data, MyHeritage provides it within a zip file that’s around 7 MB in size. Inside the zip file is the file that contains your raw DNA data, which is in CSV format and around 24 MB in size.

Opening the csv file reveals all of your raw DNA data. There are four columns of data:

1. Variant ID
   • This is the ID for that specific genetic variant. It’s represented as a ⁠rsid (an acronym for Reference SNP cluster ID), which is the standard international identification system.
2. Chromosome
   • This is the chromosome that the variant is located on. Numbers range from 1-22 and letters are either X or Y. MyHeritage doesn’t test the mitochondrial chromosome so there’s no M or MT data.
3. Position
   • This is the chromosomal position of the genetic variant.
4. Genotype
   • This is your data. It’s represented as two letters. If you see two dashes, that’s a ‘no-call’, which means the test was unable to determine your results for that specific genetic variant. This doesn’t mean there is anything wrong with your DNA as it is normal for there to be a small number of no-calls in every DNA test. This is part of the quality-control process and helps ensure that data below a certain quality threshold is not reported (and instead will appear as two dashes).
   • Only SNPs are included in the results. MyHeritage does not test for insertions or deletions or any other type of genetic variant.

Can You Upload MyHeritage DNA Data To Third Party Sites?

Yes, most third-party sites accept MyHeritage DNA data. These sites perform analysis on the data and provide a wide range of insights that are usually not available from MyHeritage.

For example, Sequencing.com has more than 100 different DNA analysis apps and reports that are compatible with the DNA data from MyHeritage such as for rare disease screening, health, personalized nutrition, optimizing sleep, and improving cardiovascular health.

Popular sites to upload MyHeritage’s raw DNA data files are:

• ⁠Sequencing.com
• ⁠WikiTree
• ⁠GEDmatch
• Promethease

Can You Upload DNA Data From Other Tests Into Download MyHeritage?

Yes, MyHeritage allows you to upload data from other test providers such as ⁠23andMe, ⁠AncestryDNA, ⁠Dante Labs, and ⁠Sequencing.com. Users can upload raw DNA data from other DNA test providers to locate new relatives. This is a catch, however.

While MyHeritage makes it easy to upload  DNA data into their system, they do not allow you to download that data at any time in the future. So while you can upload data files from other DNA tests to MyHeritage, you will not be able to download that file. 

But wait, didn’t we just say that MyHeritage does allow DNA data to be downloaded? Here’s the catch: the only data that MyHeritage allows you to download is the raw DNA data obtained from MyHeritage’s DNA test. So if you purchase a test through MyHeritage, you can download that data. If you purchase a test from someone else and then upload that data to MyHeritage, you cannot download that file.

Because of this, MyHeritage is not a good option for storing DNA test data from other test providers.

Other Features 

• Users can search their surnames to locate family members. 
• For advanced users, the MyHeritage ancestry report also includes information about genetic sequences.
• Users can contact their DNA matches to start a discussion. Messaging also allows users to compare genetic testing results.
• MyHeritage’s ⁠chromosome browser can help users identify shared DNA segments.
• A new feature as of 2020 is ⁠Photo Enhancer. The tool removes blur and haziness from antique photos to make it look clear. There are also ⁠several other software tools available for Mac and Windows that can help restore antique photos.
• ⁠Instant Discoveries will apply family history to a family tree automatically. 
• The Record Detective tool helps family tree builders know where to place records correctly.

The MyHeritage DNA Health Kit Review

The MyHeritage DNA Kit can also provide health information by purchasing the health report. The regular price of the health report is $199 and the sale price is usually $99. 

It contains 42 personalized health reports, 18 reports on genetic conditions, and 18 carrier status reports. Each of the health reports provides information on a single disease, such as Type II Diabetes. Those thinking of having children or are parents already will be interested in the information on which genetic conditions can be passed on to offspring, such as Tay-Sachs, cystic fibrosis, and many others. 

The health report doesn’t take center stage but it’s an added feature that MyHeritage started to promote more heavily in 2020. MyHeritage continues to add conditions and reports to its lineup to boost its competitive edge on some other sites such as 23andMe and Sequencing.com.

An important consideration is that the type of DNA testing technology used by MyHeritage (discussed earlier in this review) does not sequence a person’s entire genome. Instead, of obtaining comprehensive data about every gene, the test only obtains several datapoints on some genes. The rest of the gene’s data remains unknown.

For example, MyHeritage’s DNA test provides data on 103 variants in the BRCA1 gene. These variants increase the risk of Breast Cancer. While this is significantly more than the two BRCA1 variants tested by 23andMe, MyHeritage only tests around 1% of the total number of variants in the BRCA1 gene known to increase the risk of Breast Cancer (there are ⁠more than 10,000 variants in the BRCA1 gene known to increase the risk of breast cancer).

Whole genome sequencing (WGS) will obtain data on all 10,000 variants in the BRCA1 gene since it sequences the entire gene end-to-end.  WGS also sequences all other genes end-to-end. MyHeritage, however, does not offer WGS testing. WGS is available from Sequencing.com as part of the Ultimate Genome Sequencing service.

Benefits of a MyHeritage Subscription

MyHeritage offers an annual subscription called the Complete plan. As a subscriber, customers can use their DNA matches to obtain expanded family tree information. It’s also possible to see full genealogical records, such as census records, death certificates, birth certificates, and marriage records. The comprehensive database provides rich data that can be easily placed on a family tree.

Our Review of MyHeritage Pricing

• MyHeritage pricing is $79 for an ancestry-only DNA test and $199 for an Ancestry + Health DNA test.
• Subscribers pay $299 per year. 
• Search access to historical records costs $189 per year. 
• The expanded family tree subscription costs $129 per year. 

MyHeritage Review on Privacy

MyHeritage collects private information from its users. The information is solely used to make connections between relatives, analyze DNA, and reporting. Credit card information is used for payable services. 

Informed consent is the only way DNA data can be shared for scientific research.

The only people who have access to the personal information of customers are people who work for MyHeritage. MyHeritage notes that these individuals have been through extensive background checks and training to ensure personal information is kept secure and private. 

DNA sharing can be turned off by disabling DNA matches and DNA results. 

[Download the MyHeritage's Privacy Policy](https://sequencing.com/sites/default/files/wysiwyg/283026/privacy_policy_-_myheritage.pdf)

For those concerned about privacy, you may also be interested in learning more about the laboratory that MyHeritage contacts to perform its testing.

Customer Support Review for MyHeritage

This is our review for MyHeritage’s customer support team. During our DNA review, we encountered technical difficulties. We reached out to the customer support team and received a solution to the problem within 30 hours.

We found their customer support to be professional and courteous. They were eager to help and successfully helped to resolve the technical issues that we had encountered. 

A toll-free number is available to call MyHeritage and can be used from many countries including:

• United States
• ​Canada
• Israel
• Most European countries

Review of MyHeritage’s Help Center

MyHeritage’s site also includes a ‘Help Center’. The Help Center has information for people wanting to know more about how to use MyHeritage as well as information about genetic testing, ancestry, and genetic genealogy. It also contains useful tips on how to build a robust family tree. 

MyHeritage Media Attention

While our review of MyHeritage media attention has been favorable, there was one important event that is negative. MyHeritage reported a significant ⁠data breach in 2018. Hackers managed to infiltrate MyHeritage’s databases and steal the usernames, email addresses, and passwords for 92 million customers.

Other than this hack, the media has an overall positive view of MyHeritage. News outlets even use MyHeritage to search past newspapers to compare to the present day, such as what life was like during the ⁠Spanish Flu compared to COVID in 2020. 

MyHeritage continues to partner with related organizations in the ancestry industry, such as ⁠FamilySearch.org. With their partnership, they have been able to add 2 million records to its SuperSearch. 

Disadvantages of MyHeritage

• MyHeritage’s DNA test only obtains autosomal data and does not provide data on the mitochondrial chromosome, which is important for both ancestry and health
• Their DNA test only obtains data on SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphisms). It does not obtain any data on INDELs (insertion-deletion variants), CNVs (copy number variations), SVs (structural variations) or MITO (mitochondrial heteroplasmy).
• Higher priced DNA testing kits for health + ancestry
• Testing technology provides limited genetic data for comprehensive health analysis
• Expensive yearly subscription costs
• Ethnicity matching seems to be inconsistent when compared to other ancestry DNA sites
• The database is primarily made up of European records, which isn’t helpful to people from other parts of the world

Advantages of MyHeritage

• The DNA test is easy to use as it’s a simple cheek swab (no blood and no spit)
• The DNA test turn-around-time is usually within four weeks
• The site is available in 42 languages
• Extensive database of family history records, newspapers, and DNA data
• Test results can be accessed online or using their mobile app that’s available for both iOS and Android
• Family tree builders find MyHeritage features easy to use

Customer Reviews of MyHeritage

Amazon Reviews for MyHeritage

5 Star Review

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Wasn’t sure what to expect with the MyHeritage DNA Test Kit but we were all pleasantly surprised. The test itself was simple and easy to use, and we received email updates from MyHeritage while they were processing our DNA. When we got the results we were really interested and surprised to see what came up. Little did we know we had relatives in countries around the world. To view the results, we logged in to MyHeritage with the password they provided and were able to view the results. We were able to see both in map and list form how many people and from what regions we were related to. It gave us specific details as to what percentage of our DNA came from what regions of the world, and how we were related to various other people. We have the option to message and connect to distant relatives via the MyHeritage website. (Only frustrating part was that you have to sign-up to MyHeritage Premium to really take advantage of reaching out to people. Something we’re really tempted to do now that we’ve seen what its capable of…) Overall, the process was much simpler than expected and we got really interesting results that we never expected! The world is definitely a smaller place than we imagined… Jonathan M. ⁠Amazon Review

4 Star Review

⭐⭐⭐⭐

I think the DNA test results were great. I just wish that the company didn’t want to charge more for reading their genealogy research, especially research that others have done on their own family trees, or that can be retrieved for free in other places on the internet. How many websites does one need to join and pay in order to get their own family history? Laura A. ⁠Amazon Review

3 Star Review

⭐⭐⭐

Before buying the MyHeritage DNA test please be aware that UNLESS YOU BUY A MYHERITAGE MEMBERSHIP FOR A YEAR OR MORE YOU WILL BE LIMITED ON WHAT YOU CAN DO WITH YOUR RESULTS.
I got my results and can see the percentage of each nationality that my DNA carries with a map showing the areas. It also shows I have 2036 DNA matches. I can see the person’s name, the country they are from, and what percentage of DNA we share and our possible relationship (Example: John Doe, 3rd-5th cousin, shared DNA .05%). When I click to view the person’s tree it brings me to the “upgrade your account” page. So to see the trees of the 2036 DNA matches I must purchase the Premium Plus membership, that has the tree searching included, for the price of $175 a year.
Had I known this I would have gone with a company that either gave you full access to DNA match information or allowed you to buy a (less costly) monthly membership. JeepLady ⁠Amazon Review

Trustpilot Reviews for MyHeritage

Trustpilot is a trusted and popular website for leaving reviews about businesses. MyHeritage is part of this site and has over 10,000 reviews for a cumulative star rating of 3.7. 

5 Star Review

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Joy came back to me very promptly and was extremely courteous and sympathetic of my situation when asking for a refund of the automatic renewal.
I will certainly be using My Heritage in the future once my financial system improves. Great overall communication and service :) - Alanah W. on ⁠Trustpilot

4 Star Review

⭐⭐⭐⭐

While I encountered some initial problems with activating a new “Complete” subscription — specifically getting customer support — I called back into the Sales Line and a wonderful agent was able to help me both get my account up and running … and provide exact guidance with solving some technical issues related to uploading and managing gedcom files. She was truly exceptional — compared to almost all types of technology support agents I’ve received help from! (Thank you, Rosie!) - Steve M. on ⁠Trustpilot

3 Star Review

⭐⭐⭐

I was trying to find out how to invite a DNA match to see my (private) tree.
The MyHeritage rep was very helpful, but there appears to be no way that you can invite someone not listed in your tree to see a private tree. Other genealogy sites give a simple way of inviting anyone you authorise to view your tree.
This is ‘clunky’ and needs improving. - Guest on ⁠Trustpilot

MyHeritage Reviews on Better Business Bureau 

MyHeritage has an ⁠A rating on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) despite more than 250 complaints. Most complaints are about billing issues. MyHeritage has been highly responsive when addressing complaints filed with the BBB. 

The most common complaint about MyHeritage is that people didn’t know they would have to pay for the membership to research information about their family history. While the test results are interesting, many people were under the impression they would have access to the site along with their report. 

MyHeritage FAQs

The following are some of the most frequently asked questions (FAQs) we found during our MyHeritage review. 

Is MyHeritage free? 

The only part of the site that is free is the DNA upload section. Those who already have raw DNA data from another DNA testing company such as 23andMe, AncestryDNA, Ancestry.com, etc. can upload their DNA instead of buying another DNA test kit from MyHeritage.

Can I download raw DNA data from MyHeritage? 

It depends. MyHeritage allows you to download your raw DNA data as long as the data was obtained from a MyHeritage DNA test.

While you can upload raw DNA data from other DNA tests, such as tests offered by 23andMe and Sequencing.com, you cannot download that data from MyHeritage. MyHeritage only allows raw DNA data from other test providers to be uploaded to MyHeritage but that data cannot ever be downloaded. Because of this, MyHeritage may not be a good place to store your DNA data.

How can I download my DNA data from MyHeritage’s DNA test?

MyHeritage allows the raw DNA data from their DNA test to be downloaded for free. Click here for instructions on how to download your MyHeritage DNA data.

How do I cancel my membership with MyHeritage?

For annual subscriptions, it’s only possible to cancel the next renewal of the subscription. There are no partial refunds for canceling a subscription once it has started.

To cancel a MyHeritage subscription:

1. Sign in to your MyHeritage account
2. Go to ‘My Purchases’ in the top right corner and click ‘Site Subscriptions’
3. Click on ‘View Details’
4. Click ‘Stop Annual Renewal’

How much does MyHeritage cost?

The DNA test that provides both ancestry and health reports costs $199 while the test that only provides ancestry information is $79. 

How accurate is MyHeritage ethnicity?

According to ⁠Dr. Brandon Colby, an American physician and writer on predictive medicine and genetic testing, “The accuracy of MyHeritage’s ancestry analysis is impressive and is similar to other top genetic genealogy services including 23andMe, AncestryDNA, and Sequencing.com.”

Which is better: Ancestry.com, 23andMe, FamilyTreeDNA, Sequencing.com or MyHeritage?

Similar to MyHeritage, Ancestry, 23andMe, FamilyTreeDNA and Sequencing.com all offer their own DNA test and provide genetic genealogy services. MyHeritage, 23andMe, and Ancestry also offer a higher-priced test that includes both health and ancestry information. Sequencing.com includes extensive health and ancestry reports as part of all of their tests. FamilyTreeDNA does not offer health information.

While there are many ways to compare direct-to-consumer genetic testing companies, we provided concise reviews below that identify the most important point of comparison. Of course, this is most important from our perspective. If you’d like us to expand this review to include additional information, please email us at [email protected] and let us know. We also have a comparison available in tabular form of the most popular test providers.

AncestryDNA vs MyHeritage

Ancestry, also known as Ancestry.com and AncestryDNA, provides more geographic regions than MyHeritage. MyHeritage, however, offers more comprehensive health information.

23andMe vs MyHeritage

23andMe’s DNA test provides data only autosomal DNA (chromosomes 1-22 and the X chromosome) as well as the mitochondrial chromosome and the Y chromosome. MyHeritage’s DNA test, however, only provides data on autosomal DNA. While 23andMe provides information on more health conditions, MyHeritage provides more comprehensive health analysis. For example, 23andMe tests for two variants in the BRCA1 gene associated with an increased risk of Breast Cancer while MyHeritage tests for more than 100.

FamilyTreeDNA vs MyHeritage

While FamilyTreeDNA’s test obtains data on all chromosomes, they may only release data on autosomal DNA (chromosomes 1-22 and the X chromosome). They then charge an additional fee to obtain the additional data from the mitochondrial and Y chromosomes (each chromosome is sold separately). While it’s good that FamilyTreeDNA does provide the ability to obtain data on the mitochondrial and y chromosomes, some people may not like having to pay an additional fee for this data. MyHeritage doesn’t offer this data while 23andMe and Sequencing.com include the data in all of their tests with no additional fees.

FamilyTreeDNA only focuses on genetic genealogy and does not provide health information. So if you’re interested in using your DNA data for more than just ancestry, consider test providers that offer health information such as MyHeritage, 23andMe, Ancestry, and Sequencing.com.

Sequencing vs MyHeritage

Sequencing.com offers a unique type of DNA test called Whole Genome Sequencing. This test includes clinical-grade 30x whole genome sequencing, which obtains data on 3 billion genetic variants (100% of the genome). It sequences all genes and all chromosomes from end-to-end including fully sequencing the mitochondrial and Y chromosomes.

Sequencing bundles this test with DNA reports on both health and ancestry as well as a comprehensive screen for more than 10,000 rare diseases as well as a report of medication reactions.

Summary of Our MyHeritage Review

MyHeritage is a DNA testing company specializing in ancestry. They have a comprehensive database with mostly European records, making it a great option for individuals whose ancestors are from Europe. DNA uploads of raw DNA data from other test providers are free and can be used for DNA matching to find new relatives and information for building a family tree. Family trees can be built on the site with features that will automatically place information on the family tree in the right places. 

MyHeritage sells DNA testing kits on their site, but they also sell them on Amazon. Pricing does not vary from the site and is consistent between their site and Amazon. MyHeritage does run sales on their DNA tests, primarily during holidays. 

The site has an easy to use interface and customer support is both responsive and helpful. This makes MyHeritage a great option for people who may not be tech-savvy, but want to research their ancestry using the site’s extensive database and innovative genealogy tools. 

Alternatives to MyHeritage

Alternatives to MyHeritage for DNA testing, ancestry, and health information include:

• 23andMe
• Ancestry
• Sequencing.com

If you’re considering MyHeritage, we hope our review helped you make a decision on whether MyHeritage is right for you. 

Did you know that Sequencing.com offers low-priced yet incredibly comprehensive DNA kits for DNA testing? Also available is a new clinical-grade 30x whole genome sequencing test. The raw DNA data from both tests can be used with a wide range of DNA analysis apps and reports at Sequencing.com and can also be uploaded to MyHeritage, GEDmatch, Promethease, WikiTree, and most other sites. In addition to ancestry and health information, the Sequencing.com tests allow you to learn a wealth of information about yourself that isn’t available from other testing services. 

⁠Sequence Your Genome

Have you already taken a DNA test from MyHeritage or another test provider? You can upload your DNA data for free. After uploading your data, start using DNA analysis apps and reports to unlock information about your genes that isn’t available from any other site. This includes the ability to use several free reports located in the ‘Free’ category of the ⁠DNA report marketplace.

Free DNA Data Upload