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Caution: You might want to steer clear of a DNA test unless you want to give your spouse proof that you are indeed a Neanderthal. But seriously, you can discover Neanderthal genes and much more with an at-home DNA test. Check out our MyHeritage DNA reviews to see if this is the test for you.
MyHeritage DNA Overall Rating
4.15 / 5.00
To arrive at this score, we took into account the variety of tests offered by MyHeritage DNA, the ease of use of conducting the DNA test and submitting the sample, the speed at which results can be obtained, pricing, and customer service. We also tested the product, spoke with customers, read online feedback, and communicate one-on-one with companies to obtain a well-rounded, unbiased analysis of a provider’s standings.
How Do At Home DNA Tests Work?
Using a MyHeritage’s DNA test to find out ancestry is similar to using other at home DNA tests. They’re unbelievably quick and easy, and at home DNA test accuracy is 99.9%. This means you can precisely identify your living relatives and ancestors. Here’s how it works:
- Order the test online.
- Simply swab your cheek and place the swab in the provided tube.
- Use the pre-labeled envelope included in the kit to mail your sample to the MyHeritage DNA lab for analysis.
- View your results online in 4 weeks.
Key Features
- Test DNA for heritage with a simple cheek swab
- Health DNA testing is available
- Testing lab holds CLIA certification and CAP accreditation and adheres to strict privacy policies
- DNA matching for cousins
- Ethnicity percentile-based results from 42 regions around the world
- Can upload raw DNA testing results from AncestryDNA, 23andMe and other companies
- Website supports 40 languages
- Access to MyHeritage Family Tree Builder
- MyHeritage.com is one of the most popular genealogical sites
Pros And Cons Comparison Table
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Competitive pricing for Autosomal DNA test | Expensive premium membership cost if you want to research their database of family trees and records |
| Your DNA test samples and results are under secure storage | No separate Y-DNA or mtDNA testing |
| DNA database of more than 5.6 million people | Doesn’t offer targeted genealogical DNA projects |
| Provides ancestry ethnicity estimates for 42 global regions | |
| Supports import and export of raw DNA data | |
| CLIA and CAP certified laboratory (they use FTDNA’s lab) | |
| You can opt to have your DNA sample stored or destroyed | |
| Good online community forums and customer service | |
Price
- $89
- Results in 3-4 weeks
How Do Consumers Weigh In On MyHeritage DNA?
Here’s some customer feedback on MyHeritage DNA.
Positive Reviews
The gentleman I spoke with was unbelievably helpful. I had 3 issues and he solved every one of them walking me through the steps I needed to follow. In addition we had uploaded my wife’s DNA from a competitor and we feel My Heritage’s translation of her ethnicity was more accurate than the provider who had initially done it. – Don E., BBB 4/4/2019
I appreciate the MyHeritage support. While on hold, you’re regularly informed of your place in the call line. Once my call was taken, Marc took care to understand my problem and was very kind in explaining the solutions. I never felt as if he was trying to rush to get on to the next call. He took his time with me to make sure that all my issues were satisfactorily taken care of. – Rita H., Trustpilot 3/27/2019
Complaints
I purchased a kit and precisely followed the instructions to get the two samples. The kit was sent off and I tracked its arrival. I was told that my DNA was in the lab and being processed. Then I got an email to say that there is a delay in the lab due to chip upgrade. My results would not be in until 17 April. Now I have received an email to say that they could not test my sample because it must have been taken incorrectly. Rubbish!!! Everything was done correctly. Now they say they are going to process the second sample but there will be another delay. – Judith T., Trustpilot 4/14/2019
I didn’t buy a kit through My Heritage DNA. I had already sent in a sample through a different facility. I had hoped to gather more information through this site by looping my information from the other site; which you can do. Now I am getting non-stop emails about people I am allegedly related to. I can pay certain fees to unlock more information about my “ancestry.” I am not wanting to buy anything from MY Heritage DNA. The only thing I would like to do is delete my account… of which… they are not doing. They have access to my DNA results/information from the previous site, and they will not delete this information from their site. I am furious. I have sent several emails. I have called. No one will do a simple thing such as deleting my information. – CZ, BBB 3/9/2019
Our Personal Experience
One of our staff ordered a copy of MyHeritage DNA so we could share our personal experience with you. The box arrived in two days since we have Amazon Prime and looks quite snazzy! Check out our unboxing video below for the scoop.
MyHeritage Test Unboxing Video
How Does It Work?
After opening the box, the rest of the DNA gathering process was fairly smooth. You basically take a long cotton swab, swab the inside of your cheek with it, and then place it into a vial. The only thing I hesitated with is they ask you to insert the swab into the container and break the swab at a line drawn on the swab – I was worried the swab would break at the wrong place or the container wouldn’t close. Fortunately that worked seamlessly as well and in hindsight seemed fairly foolproof.
Shipping
The only thing that really irritated me about the whole process was the shipping. The postage was not included, and although it says “place stamp here,” I weighed and calculated my envelope with the sample once it was ready to ship on the USPS website, and it said it would take $0.71 cents to mail, which is two stamps – I can see people only adding one and the sample getting returned. Wouldn’t take much for them to prepay the postage in my opinion.
Privacy And Data Retention
Lastly, regarding the companies privacy and data retention policy – this is interesting – they’re based in Israel. At first I thought that was a concern, but after thinking about it that’s probably safer than having it in the U.S., given the track record of some companies mining and cross-referencing consumer data. But if this is a concern for you, you can review the MyHeritage DNA terms and conditions, as well as their consent agreement. After all, this is your DNA we’re talking about here, and you may have noticed that DNA cases have been in the news lately.
A Peek Into The Lab Of MyHeritage DNA
One thing I found really nice is that MyHeritage DNA keeps you in the loop. You’ll get consistent emails informing you that they received your sample, and where it currently is in their sampling process. I’ve attached a sample of the email so you can see:
Shortly after this email arrived they gave me a closer look into how my DNA sample was progressing, along with an ETA for my results. If you’re interested, you can learn about DNA extraction, microarray processing, how the raw data is produced from your sample, and then of course details on your results. Here’s an example of what I saw when I logged in to the site to check the progress of my sample during the DNA extraction phase:
MyHeritage DNA Results
My results arrived on April 21, which is 4 days before their ETA. When you first launch the link in the email, you’ll see an impressive video with bells and whistles and a spinning globe that will reveal your ethnicity estimate as it zooms in and colors sections of the globe corresponding to your DNA. Here’s a screenshot of my results.
Ethnicity Estimate Details
From this screen you can zoom in and view more ethnicity details:
You also have the option of viewing all available ethnicities (a long list, in other words all the ethnicities for which your DNA came up 0%).
MyHeritage DNA Versus Top 3 Competitors
See the key differences between MyHeritage DNA and other DNA test providers.
MyHeritage DNA vs 23andMe
- The MyHeritageDNA test kit is significantly less expensive than 23andMe’s tests.
- MyHeritage has a highly active online community; 23andMe does not.
MyHeritage DNA vs AncestryDNA
- You can upload your raw DNA results from AncestryDNA, 23andMe and FamilyTree DNA to MyHeritage’s database. AncestryDNA doesn’t allow you to upload other companies’ results.
- Ancestry.com’s DNA database is much larger than MyHeritage.
MyHeritage DNA vs FamilyTree DNA
- FamilyTree DNA (FTNDA) offers three separate types of DNA ancestry tests (autosomal, mtDNA and Y-DNA), but MyHeritageDNA only sells an autosomal DNA ancestry test.
- MyHeritage’s database of genealogical records, family trees and other research tools is much larger than that of FTNDA.
What’s Your Ethnic Makeup?
MyHeritage DNA will give you a percentage breakdown of your ethnicity from 40+ regions around the world. Check out this video to see how you’ll view your results online.
What’s The Best DNA Test For Ancestry?
Want to learn more about DNA testing? Not sure after reading our MyHeritage DNA test review? Check out our DNA ancestry test reviews, which give you all the info you need to know about how DNA tests work, what the results mean, how to interpret them, and more. We compare the top 6 companies in the DNA testing space, so head on over and see how MyHeritage DNA stacks up against the competition.
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