The vast universe of DNA testing could provide you with a wealth of things about life.
Did you know that there are a variety of possibilities to select from? If you’re interested in finding out more about your lineage and ethnicity there’s a good chance to learn everything you need to know about it. MyHeritage keeps you in check of these things. Despite this, they’re not the only ones in this field of business.
Every one of us has our own personal reasons to choose different alternatives. This includes privacy, authenticity of information, and the possibility of meeting potential family members or relatives. Believe it or not it could be the final item on their list of priorities before they can be at peace. Some families even have no problem with having relatives who aren’t blood related. Why? They’re family too.
This article will review MyHeritage’s peers and the ways they assist people from all walks of life discover their roots. Let’s go!
Before you continue, you may want to watch this video by Family History Fanatics on YouTube that gives a quick review. Afterward, you will want to read the rest of our article for a more comprehensive review.
MyHeritage and. AncestryDNA
Our first rival is Ancestry DNA.
Both companies offer autosomal tests as well as test kits, which are a must in DNA testing. The tests give you an ethnicity estimate along with the breakdown of different lineages around the world. One difference here compared to MyHeritage is that the AncestryDNA database has fourteen million entries. Their reports take longer to produce than MyHeritage. They charge a monthly fee of $99, which provides for benefits from their reports.
Another problem is that you cannot upload your personal DNA data. In addition, the option to make your personal data private isn’t possible also. This can be a red flag, especially for people who prefer their privacy over anything else. Luckily, MyHeritage lets you set the DNA given to remain private, so that it will not be sold to unwelcome third parties.
Like many other companies, they show a subscription plan. AncestryDNA offers three plans for customers that you can choose from:
- U.S. Discovery – $24.99/month
- World Explorer – $39.99/month
- All Access – $49.99/month
Some are easy to understand, such as for instance, the U.S Discovery tier. The records are provided by families from all fifty states of the U.S. If you are not a resident there, you may go with the World Explorer tier as it contains records from all countries across the globe. The third option is premium plans in which you can access additional content, such as the access of Newspaper.com basic and Fold3.com.
While the number of records could seem impressive, AncestryDNA may not cover specific countries, especially those around Asia. MyHeritage’s smaller database has an advantage because it’s broken down into 42 areas. These regions can be further researched to locate specific communities not heard of too often. Think of any tribal society and there’s a chance 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 discuss the next one is Family Tree DNA.
From the get-go, Family Tree DNA has 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. There is also the autosomal general test known as”Family Finder. “Family Finder” for any lineage.
Both platforms have active communities, and they are committed to your privacy. Therefore, it is up to you if you want that your genetic information be used by prospective families while searching for lost relatives. The problem is that Family Tree DNA does not have as many regions covered compared to MyHeritage. They offer 24 areas available on their site. This is an option when either cannot satisfy your needs.
In terms of their offerings, Family Tree DNA has three kits that are available. They include:
- Family Ancestry: $59
- Maternal test Cost: $159
- Paternal test Test for paternity: $119
After you’ve gotten the results, you can’t actually record it in a family tree digitally regardless of their name. This could be a problem for those who wish to find out how long their family tree goes. Additionally, it’s not possible to find any health information regarding your ethnicity. MyHeritage helps with this as you can even look up common diseases in the 18-carrier status reports. If you’re seeking precise details about your family’s history, go to MyHeritage.
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MyHeritage vs 23andMe
Our third one on the list is 23andMe.
This is the first to have received approval by the FDA as a risk screening tool for diseases. To complement it, you can access it via their website or mobile app. There, you will find information on your health and your ancestry is accessible. It is possible to build an ancestral tree of your family and explore topics such as genetic risks and the science behind genetics, and genealogy as a whole.
23andMe has a wide range of privacy and consent choices that you can choose from. Depending on your needs, you can retract or withdraw your agreement to 23andMe if you change your mind. Samples are collected through saliva and results are reported within 3 to 4 weeks.
What 23andMe focuses on are paternal and maternal Neanderthal, and autosomal tests. The biggest benefit of this test is that it covers more than 1500 areas across the globe. This might not be appealing to all people, but if want to trace back to smaller groups, they will help. Precise results may be better than an overall view.
If you are interested in their services There are three types of tests available. All tests include 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
Although you may receive improved DNA results through 23andMe’s pricing, it might not be enough for everyone. For MyHeritage, you have the option of taking advantage of the tests via kits or subscriptions. The subscription starts at $79/year, the same price for their base tests. As for the kits, at an additional $90, you receive the same tests at a more efficient approach. It is important to note that DNA tests are not low-cost; they undergo many processes to get the result and also identify possible relatives.
MyHeritage and. FamilySearch
This genealogy service offers a different approach to accessing information.
First and foremost, FamilySearch offers its services for absolutely no cost. It is because the fact that it’s being a non-profit entity. They are partnered with powerful platforms such as MyHeritage as well as AncestryDNA. Their online databases include more than 300,000 digital books even if they’re not properly indexed.
FamilySearch’s database contains family trees that are available for public and private use. For shared trees, you can look up potential relatives and family members and the way they’re connected. Private trees aren’t visible on a simple search due to privacy reasons.
They do have physical records such as genealogical records, vital records and census records. However, when you are creating your family tree you cannot download the tree. Plus, the setup of the tree is a long process as well. Another problem is that they don’t offer any kind of DNA testing. 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.
If you’re planning to conduct a thorough testing for DNA you could always go to MyHeritage.
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MyHeritage Vs. Xcode Life
The last platform on our review is Xcode Life, a platform based in India.
Xcode Life has various reports that you can use. The majority of them are related to health that include fitness, nutrition and, of course health. These reports are general and provide results in 24 hours with PDF formats. But they don’t offer any genealogy reporting services. But don’t fret, they have more services than they do not have.
They accept raw DNA information which has been obtained from their partners. This includes:
- 23andMe
- Family Tree DNA (FTNDA)
- Ancestry DNA
- MyHeritage
These DNA files are then utilized in their extensive health reports. The user is the sole judge on the kind of report they wish to get. The company has its own privacy policies, but you have to remove the DNA information manually. For any personal information that is to be removed, customers must contact Xcode Life.
Pricing for Xcode Life also have bundles to choose from. What they offer is:
- Best Seller Pack – $49: nutrition, fitness, health, allergy, skin reports
- Super Pack – $89: nutrition, fitness, health, allergies, skin, precision medicine, and methylation reports
- Mega Pack – $99: Includes the individual report packages for all nine
The main drawback of this system is that it is not possible to trace your family tree. Although you are able to use your existing DNA for different applications, it’s for the individual you are. You can still go here to find out more about your DNA, at least.
The Final Verdict
Short story, MyHeritage is the best choice for all DNA needs.
You can find out the origins of your family and can be traced back into the family tree. It is also autosomal, which is the industry norm for all genealogical tests. Once you get your results, you are given the option of calling those who match your test. This is crucial for people who want to meet their loved ones for one last time.
The kits are also easy to use, and people who are of any age can utilize these kits. Results will come within 3-4 weeks, after which an email is sent out to you with the results.
For privacy reasons, MyHeritage never sells personal information to any third party. This is to safeguard the DNA samples given to the company since it is also uploaded in their database. It will supply them when specifically requested by the owner.
Although there is no information on health-related issues that are included in the DNA results, you’ll need to charge a bit for supplemental details. Overall it’s the place to go for all things genealogical.