MyHeritage is a genetic testing company that focuses on family history and relative matching. Its base price is competitive but some of its major features require a yearly subscription. It was founded in 2003 by CEO Gilad Japhet. It has since grown into a global company with around 100 million users across 196 countries, with over 600 employees and offices in Israel, North America, and Europe
With MyHeritage, you can use the 2 most powerful tools in genetic and genealogical research—cutting-edge DNA testing and the best family tree services in the industry.
Pros
Get access to more than 15.7 billion historical records
Available in 42 languages
DNA database with 96 million users
Cons
Only autosomal DNA testing
The kits are affordable and easy to use and can provide surprising, enlightening, even humorous insights to users, especially when combined with the company’s genealogy resources.
Ancestry kit:
My Heritage Review
Ideal For
Learning more about your ethnicity, and where your ancestors lived
Finding long-lost relatives
Building a family tree
Checking for paternity
The beautifully-packaged DNA collection kit includes:
Instruction manual
Activation code (for registering on the website)
2 sealed swabs
2 vials for the swabs
Clear plastic bag for the vials
Envelope
Pricing
DNA Testing Kit
Price
Shipping & Handling
$59
(Regular price $79)
FREE SHIPPING on 2+ kits
How Do I Take the Test?
One of the reasons home DNA kits have become so popular is that they’re just so easy to use. First things first, you place your order online, and then in a few days, a box will arrive at your home with the test inside.
Go online to register for the test, so that you can get the results when they’re ready. Make sure you haven’t eaten for 30 minutes, and then get started.
Take the cheek swabs and scrape one on the inside of each cheek for 30-60 seconds
Seal the swabs inside the plastic vials
Seal the vials in the clear plastic bag, place them in an envelope, and ship them off.
It’s that easy.
Within a matter of weeks, you should receive an email notifying you that your test results are ready. Log in with your MyHeritage details and enter the unique number that was on the back of the kit package and on the bottom side of the vials. Then just kick back and get ready to take in the results. You might want to clear the next hour or so from your schedule.
What You’ll Find Out
With MyHeritage, you can use the two most powerful tools in genetic and genealogical research—cutting-edge DNA testing and the best family tree services in the industry. The DNA test is affordable and gets you your results in as little as 3-4 weeks—which is better than just about any company out there. In addition, these results show your ethnicity broken down by percentage point across 2,114 regions — offering a more detailed ethnicity report than that of any other DNA testing service. Better yet, the way that the information is presented is beautiful and quite unique. MyHeritage provides its “Ethnicity Estimate” with a captivating “reveal” experience; featuring fun animations and music specific to your ethnic and geographical background, all of which keeps you in suspense as information about you is revealed.
And while your personal DNA results can be very illuminating, without the historical records, long-forgotten news articles, and the like, you can miss out on the big picture about what it means for you. MyHeritage combines lab work with archival legwork, bringing you all types of documents, names, faces, photos, and certificates that you never even knew could help you put together the pieces of your puzzle.
Another important feature of MyHeritage DNA is “DNA matching.” MyHeritage is home to one of the world’s largest DNA databases, with 5.2 million customers, and compares your DNA to its entire database, identifying people whose DNA matches yours. These matches can imply a family connection, be it a 3rd or 4th cousin. You can then read further details about the match, so you can determine how the two of you are linked.
On MyHeritage DNA this information is compiled and presented on the “Review match” section, with details including “estimated relationships” (such as “1st cousin once removed”), as well as how much DNA you share. You then have the option of contacting this person directly through MyHeritage (for free) and you can also view the other user’s family tree, which can give you some answers before you reach out.
You can even use the service without having performed a DNA test with MyHeritage DNA. You simply upload any previous DNA data from other major brands and MyHeritage will find potential matches within the database. Your report will have:
Improved accuracy
10x as many matches
More specific relationship estimates
DNA Match confidence levels, to help focus your research
Paternity Testing
MyHeritage DNA was not designed specifically for paternity testing, but by purchasing 2 kits—1 for the alleged father and 1 for the child—or by uploading test results from another company, users can establish a direct genetic connection, thus providing evidence of paternity.
Even after purchasing two MyHeritage DNA kits you will have most likely spent less than with a typical paternity test.
Report Features
Ethnic makeup estimate, regional detail (i.e., specific areas of Ireland or the UK, regions in Germany)
DNA relative matching
Downloadable DNA data that can be used on other websites such as gedmatch.com
Family Tree Builder
With billions of historical records in its collection, MyHeritage is the leader in online genealogy research. These records help shore up the company’s family tree builder, which is one of the most comprehensive in the industry. There are already millions of users who have taken advantage of the tree-building resource, meaning that you have a good chance of finding a relative on the site.
With the family tree builder, you get powerful tree-building software that supports more than 42 languages, as well as the use of “smart matches” technology which works to match your tree with others online. The downloadable tool will also automatically discover historical records dealing with your ancestors as well as maps. The system is fun, enlightening, and very easy to use. You can even set up your own secure private site to view your results.
The Family Tree Builder has several reasonably priced options, including Free, Premium ($89), PremiumPlus ($139), and Complete ($199). The Premium option, however, is fairly limited in functionality in comparison to the other two plans. The site does offer a 30-day money-back guarantee. Plus, when you purchase a DNA kit, you can add a 30-day free trial of the Complete subscription at no additional cost.
Customer Support
MyHeritage has earned a reputation for quick, reliable customer service. The website has a very extensive knowledge base, complete with simple-to-follow answers and screenshots. You can find toll-free customer service numbers that are specific to your location, and the company maintains an active social media presence that includes Facebook and YouTube, where you can see new features, and demonstrations of how the product works.
Summary
The MyHeritage DNA kit can give you a detailed breakdown of your ethnicity, showing you facts about your genetic makeup that you never knew, with all of it displayed beautifully across a map of the world.
The company goes much further than that though, helping you use DNA matching to find relatives you never knew about, and giving you access to the world’s biggest database of family trees as well as billions of historic documents for the genealogy sleuth in all of us. All of these features are part of a well-designed product that’s easy to use, offers value for money, and provides a great informative experience.
MyHeritage DNA is on top of the DNA home testing game, and it got through by combining the best in science and research pulled straight from the archives.
