The vast world of DNA testing may reveal a variety of interesting facts about your life.
And did you know that there are a variety of possibilities to select from? If you’re looking to learn more about your family’s history and ethnicity you’ll be able to find all you can about it. MyHeritage keeps you in check of these aspects. But they’re certainly not the only ones working in this line of business.
Each individual has his or her own intentions that lead them to other choices. Namely: privacy, authentic information as well as the possibility of meeting prospective relatives or family. It’s true this may be the last thing on their list of priorities before they’re at peace. Some families even have no problem with relatives who do not have blood ties. Why? They are family too.
This article will discuss MyHeritage’s competitors and how they can serve people from all walks of life find their roots. Let’s go!
Before you continue, you may want to check out this video by Family History Fanatics on YouTube that gives a quick overview. Afterward, you’ll want to read the rest of our article for a more comprehensive review of MyHeritage.
MyHeritage vs. AncestryDNA
Our first competition is Ancestry DNA.
Both companies offer autosomal tests and tests kits, which is an essential part of DNA testing. Tests give an estimate of ethnicity, as well as a breakdown of various lines of descent around the globe. A difference in comparison to MyHeritage is that the database of AncestryDNA has 14,500,000 records. However, their results are slower than MyHeritage. They charge a monthly fee of $99 which allows for benefits from their reports.
Another catch is that you are unable to upload your own DNA data. Additionally, the option to make your personal data private is not possible too. This could be a warning, especially for people who are concerned about their privacy above everything else. Fortunately, MyHeritage lets you set the DNA given to confidential so that it won’t be divulged to undesirable third parties.
Like many other companies, they provide subscription plans. AncestryDNA offers three plans to choose from:
- U.S. Discovery – $24.99/month
- World Explorer – $39.99/month
- All Access – $49.99/month
Certain of them are self-explanatory, like the U.S Discovery tier. You get records from families in one of fifty states in the U.S. If you are not a resident in the United States, you can choose the World Explorer tier as it contains records from all countries across the globe. The third option is a premium plan in which you will get exclusive content such as accessibility to Newspaper.com Standard and Fold3.com.
While the number of records could appear impressive, AncestryDNA may not cover specific countries, specifically those located in Asia. MyHeritage’s database is smaller, which is an advantage because it’s broken down into 42 areas. These regions can be further studied to find specific communities not heard of too often. Think of any tribal society; there’s a possibility that the DNA test results may be related to these tribes.
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MyHeritage Vs. Family Tree DNA
The next platform that we’ll be discussing the next one is Family Tree DNA.
From the start, Family Tree DNA has mtDNA and Y-DNA tests that are not provided by MyHeritage. These tests are specifically designed to identify possible relatives on either the father’s or mother’s side exclusively. In case, they do offer the autosomal general test known as”FamilyFinder” “Family Finder” for any lineage.
Both platforms have active communities, and they place a high value on your personal privacy. It’s your choice to decide if you would like your DNA to be found by prospective families while searching for lost relatives. The problem is that Family Tree DNA does not have as many regions that are covered as MyHeritage. There are 24 regions on their website. This is an option when either cannot cater to your needs.
For their offerings, Family Tree DNA has three kits that are available. These are:
- Family Ancestry: $59
- Maternal test: $159
- Test for paternity: $119
After you’ve gotten the results, you cannot simply record them in the form of a family tree electronically despite their name. This can be bothersome to those who wish to see how far their lineage runs. It is also not possible to obtain details about your health status regarding your ethnicity. MyHeritage helps with this since you can examine common illnesses in the 18-carrier status reports. If you’re seeking precise details about the family’s history, search to MyHeritage.
> > Click Here to Try MyHeritage for Free < <
MyHeritage vs 23andMe
Our third one on the list is 23andMe.
The platform was the first to have received approval from the FDA as a risk screening tool for diseases. In addition, you can access it either through their website or mobile application. It contains information about your health and ancestry is available. You can create your family tree and study topics such as genetic risks, the science of genealogy, and genetics in general.
23andMe provides a range choices of consent and privacy options that you can choose from. Based on your preferences, you can retract any consent you have given to the business if you decide to change your mind. The samples are taken via saliva, and results come within 3 to 4 weeks.
What 23andMe focuses on are maternal and paternal, Neanderthal tests, and autosomal tests. The most significant advantage in this is that they cover more than 1500 areas across the world. This might not be appealing to all people, but if want to trace back to less well-known groups, they could accomplish the task. Precise results may be better than a more general outlook.
If you are interested in their services There are three types of tests to choose from. Each test comes with customer service and a customized report of your DNA test results. You can choose:
- Basic Ancestry and Traits – $79
- DNA Health Test – $129
- VIP Health and Ancestry – $429
If you are able to obtain enhanced DNA results using 23andMe’s pricing, it might not be sufficient for all. For MyHeritage customers, there is the option of taking advantage of the tests through the kits, or by subscriptions. The cost of a subscription is $79 per year and is the same cost for their base tests. For the kits, at an additional $90, you get the same assistance but with more capability. Do note that DNA tests aren’t low-cost; they undergo many processes to get that result and find potential relatives.
MyHeritage vs. FamilySearch
This genealogy service offers a different method of access to information.
First and foremost, FamilySearch offers its services at free of charge. It is because the company being a non-profit institution. They have a strong partnership with platforms like MyHeritage as well as AncestryDNA. Their online records include more than 300,000 digital books, even if they are not properly indexed.
FamilySearch’s database has family trees that are available for the public as well as for private use. For the shared tree, one are able to look up potential relatives and loved ones and how they are related. Private trees will not be visible through a simple search due to privacy reasons.
They do have physical documents such as genealogical reports, vital records and census records. The only difference is that when creating the tree of your families, you are unable to download it. Additionally, setting up the tree is a tedious process too. Another issue is that they do not offer any kind of DNA tests. However, if you don’t have the budget or resources to determine your family’s lineage, you can start from here and find out the direction it takes.
And if you plan to conduct a thorough testing for DNA you could always go to MyHeritage.
> > Click Here to Try MyHeritage for Free < <
MyHeritage vs. Xcode Life
The last platform we review is Xcode Life, a platform based in India.
Xcode Life has various reports that you can use. Many of them relate to health, including nutrition, fitness and, of course health. These reports are general and provide results 24 hours a day and in the format of PDF. Despite this they do not provide any kind of ancestry report. But don’t fret, they have more than what they lack.
They are able to accept raw DNA information which has been obtained from their partners. They can also accept:
- 23andMe
- Family Tree DNA (FTNDA)
- Ancestry DNA
- MyHeritage
The DNA files are used to create their huge health reports. The user is the sole judge to decide what type of report they wish to obtain. The company has its own privacy policy, but you have to remove the DNA information manually. If any personal data is to be removed, customers have to send an email to Xcode Life.
Pricing are available in Xcode Life also have bundles that you can pick from. Here’s what they offer:
- Best Seller Pack – $49: nutrition, fitness, health, allergy, skin reports
- Super Pack $89: nutrition fitness, health, allergies and skin care, precision medicine, and reports on methylation
- Mega Pack – $99: includes all 9 individual report packages
The main drawback of this system is that you cannot trace your own lineage. While you can utilize your DNA from the past for other uses, it only benefits you personally. It is still possible to go here to find out more about your own DNA, or at the very least.
The Final Verdict
Long story short, MyHeritage is the most suitable choice for all DNA needs.
You can find out where your family comes from, and it’s traceable into an entire family tree. The DNA test is also autosomal which is the industry most commonly used test for any genealogical research. After you’ve received your results, you are given the option to contact those who are in line with the test you took. This is crucial for those who want to see their loved ones an end-of-life visit.
They are also simple to use and anyone of any age can use the kits. The results will be available within 3-4 weeks, after which an email is sent out to you with the results.
In the case of privacy, MyHeritage never sells personal information to any third party. This is to safeguard the DNA samples given to the company as they also upload them into their database. It will provide them if it is specifically requested by the owner.
Although there is no information about any health-related issues in the DNA test results, you’ll have to charge for any additional details. Overall, it’s the go-to place for everything genealogical.
