The wide range of DNA testing could lead you to a lot of interesting facts about your life.
And did you know there are many choices to pick from? If you’re interested in finding out more about your family’s history and ethnicity, there’s sure to discover everything you need to know about it. MyHeritage keeps you in check of these aspects. Despite this, they’re far from being the sole ones operating in this line of business.
Each person has their own intentions that lead them to other choices. Namely: privacy, authentic information, and the possibility of meeting potential relatives or friends. In reality it could be the last thing on their bucket lists before they can be at peace. Some families even have no problem with having relatives who aren’t blood related. Why? They are family too.
This article will review MyHeritage’s competitors and how they can serve people from all walks of life find their roots. Let’s get going!
Before you go on, you may want to watch this video by Family History Fanatics on YouTube that gives a quick review. After, you will want to read the rest of the article for a more comprehensive review.
MyHeritage and. AncestryDNA
Our first competition is Ancestry DNA.
Both companies offer autosomal tests and test kits, which are an essential part of DNA testing. Tests give an estimate of your ethnicity as well as an analysis of the various lineages around the world. One difference here compared to MyHeritage is that the AncestryDNA database includes 14 million records. The drawback is their reports take longer to produce than MyHeritage. The monthly cost is of $99 that allows the benefits of their reports.
Another issue is that you cannot upload your own DNA information. Plus you cannot make your own information private isn’t possible also. This can be a sign that you are concerned about their privacy above anything else. Luckily, MyHeritage lets you set the DNA given to confidential so that it won’t be divulged to undesirable third-party.
Like other businesses, they also offer an option to subscribe. AncestryDNA has three plans to select from:
- U.S. Discovery – $24.99/month
- World Explorer – $39.99/month
- All Access – $49.99/month
Some of them are easily explained, such as those of the U.S Discovery tier. You get records from families in any of the fifty states within the U.S. If you don’t live there, you can opt for the World Explorer tier as it includes records from every country around the globe. The last tier is more of an expensive plan where you get extra content like access to Newspaper.com Basic and Fold3.com.
While the number of records might seem amazing, AncestryDNA may not cover specific countries, specifically those in Asia. MyHeritage’s smaller database is an advantage as it is broken down into 42 areas. The regions can then be researched to locate certain communities that are not mentioned all the time. Think of any tribal society; there’s a possibility that a DNA test result might be related to one of the tribes.
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MyHeritage vs. Family Tree DNA
The next platform that we’ll talk about the next one is Family Tree DNA.
From the start, Family Tree DNA has the Y-DNA and mtDNA tests not offered by MyHeritage. These specific tests find potential relatives on either the mother’s or father’s side only. They do have the autosomal general test known as”Family Finder. “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 the information you provide to be matched by families who are looking for missing relatives. But, Family Tree DNA does not have the same number of regions covered compared to MyHeritage. There are 24 regions available on their site. Nonetheless, this can be an option if they are unable to meet your requirements.
For their offerings, Family Tree DNA has three kits available. They include:
- Family Ancestry: $59
- Maternal test Cost: $159
- Paternal test: $119
After you’ve gotten the results, you cannot simply record them in an online family tree despite the name. This can be bothersome to those who wish to see how far their lineage goes. Also, it is not possible to find health-related information about your ethnicity. MyHeritage can help with this, because you can also look up common diseases in the 18 carrier status reports. If you’re looking for specific information about your family’s history, go for MyHeritage.
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MyHeritage vs 23andMe
The third option on our list is 23andMe.
This platform is the first company to be granted approval by the FDA as a risk-screener for diseases. As a complement the platform, you can access it via their website or mobile application. It contains information about your health and ancestry are available. You can create an ancestral tree of your family and explore topics such as genetic risks and the science behind genetics, as well as genealogy as a whole.
23andMe offers a variety choices of consent and privacy preferences to select from. Depending on your needs you can revoke any consent you have given to the business at any time you change your mind. The samples are taken via saliva and the results are available within 3 to four weeks.
What 23andMe focuses on are paternal and maternal, Neanderthal as well as autosomal tests. One of the biggest advantages of this test is that it covers more than 1500 areas across the world. This factor may not please all, but if you want to trace back to smaller groups, they will do the trick. The results that are precise may be more effective than a general view.
If you are interested in their services There are three kinds of tests available. All tests come with the customer service and a personalized report of your DNA test results. You can select:
- Basic Ancestry and Traits – $79
- DNA Health Test – $129
- VIP Health and Ancestry – $429
Even if you can get added DNA results from 23andMe, the price may not be enough for everyone. For MyHeritage customers, there is the choice of availing of the tests through kit or through subscriptions. The cost of a subscription is $79 per year which is the same as the basic tests. As for the kits, for a slightly higher price of $90, you get the same assistance with a better efficiency. Do note that DNA tests aren’t affordable; they must go through 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 of all, FamilySearch offers its services at no cost. It is because the organization being a non-profit entity. They are partnered with powerful platforms like MyHeritage and AncestryDNA. Their online records contain more than 300,000 books in digital format, even if they are not properly indexed.
FamilySearch’s database includes family trees for both the public as well as for private use. In the case of shared trees, you will be able to see potential relatives and loved ones and the ways they’re related. Private trees won’t be seen on a simple search due to privacy reasons.
There are physical reports such as genealogical records, vital census records and records. The only difference is that when making the family tree, you cannot download the tree. In addition, setting up the tree is a tedious process as well. Another catch is that they do not provide any type of DNA testing. If you don’t have the money or resources to track your family tree it is possible to start here and find out what happens.
If you are planning to get a proper genetic test for your DNA, then you could always go to MyHeritage.
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MyHeritage Vs. Xcode Life
The last platform on our list will be Xcode Life, a platform based in India.
Xcode Life has various reports that you can use. The majority of them are related to health, including nutrition, fitness and, of course, health. The general reports provide results 24 hours a day in PDF format. Despite this they don’t offer any genealogy reporting services. However, they have more than what they don’t have.
They will accept DNA data in raw form that’s already been given from their partners. They can also accept:
- 23andMe
- Family Tree DNA (FTNDA)
- Ancestry DNA
- MyHeritage
The DNA files are used in their vast health reports. It’s up to the user on what kind of report they would like to receive. This company’s own privacy policy however, you must remove the DNA information manually. For any personal information that will be deleted, users must contact Xcode Life.
Prices are available in Xcode Life also have bundles to choose from. This is what they have:
- Best Seller Pack – $49: nutrition, fitness, health, allergy, skin reports
- Super Pack $89: nutrition fitness, health, allergy skin precision medicine, as well as methylation reports
- Mega Pack – $99: includes the individual report packages for all nine
The most significant drawback to this platform is the fact it is not possible to trace your family tree. While you can utilize your existing DNA for other uses, it only benefits the individual you are. You are still able to visit to find out more about your personal DNA, but at a minimum.
The Final Verdict
The short version is that MyHeritage is the best option for all DNA requirements.
You can find out the origins of your family and trace it back to one family tree. This test for DNA is also autosomal, which is the industry standard for every genealogical test. When you have the results, you have the option of contacting the ones who match your test. This is crucial for those who wish to visit their loved ones one last time.
The kits are also easy to use, and anyone of all ages can benefit from the kits. Results will come within 3-4 weeks, with an email sent to you with the results.
For privacy reasons, MyHeritage never sells personal information to any third party. This is to protect the DNA samples provided to the company, as it is uploaded to their database. It will release the DNA samples if they are specifically requested by the owner.
Although there is no information on health-related issues that are included in the DNA results, you need to charge a bit for any additional information. Overall it’s the place to go for all things genealogical.