As of early September 2018, the MyHeritage DNA database had 1.75 million users.1 Since the launch of their DNA service in November 2016, they have averaged nearly 80,000 new DNA users per month. Growth has continued at a steady pace in recent months. Not bad!
MyHeritage’s rapid growth can be attributed to three factors. One is the price. They are aggressively marketing their test and discount the price often. As of this writing, it’s the least expensive of the genealogical DNA tests.
Second, unlike the larger companies, their test is available in most countries. This not only increases their customer base but also allows users no matter where they live to find cousins foreign and domestic who have not tested elsewhere.
Finally, they accept DNA data files generated by their competitors. Thus far, so-called transfer kits have received all of the features that native testers have, for free! However, that will be changing on December 1. After that date, data transfers will still be matched to their DNA relatives at no charge, but other features, like the chromosome browser and ethnicity estimates, will require a fee. The new policy will bring them in line with current practice at Family Tree DNA and help to ensure the long-term viability of MyHeritage.
All of which is to say, MyHeritage is definitely worth a look. If you want an inexpensive way to break into DNA testing, their price is appealing. And if you’ve already tested at another company, you can still get all of the features of the MyHeritage database for free for the next 10 weeks. DNA kits transferred before then will be grandfathered into the free features. Don’t wait!
Notes
1 Personal communication via email from Dr Yaniv Erlich, 16 Sept 2018.
I like their DNA match page better than any other. I wish they would list women by their maiden name rather than married name. It’s too time consuming to figure out if Susie Smith is really Susie Cook before she married 3 times.
I agree about women’s names.
You can alter how your own surnames show to maiden name only at myheritage. Most of my matches with trees seem to have changed their settings to maiden names only.
Wikitree is another place that insists on married names only, but includes previous names as well.
At both places they turn up under all names when searching, but this in itself is very confusing.
E.g.
At Wikitree only one entry
Ure Jane Vandersteen formerly Tuthill aka Stephens, Brigden
At myheritage, she appears in different trees as
Ure Tuthill Stephens
Ure Jane Brigden (born Tuthill)
Ure Jane Vandersteen (born Tuthill)
Regards Margaret
So very confusing! I’d prefer that all sites standardized to a single policy of using maiden names first. I’m ambivalent about adding married names after the maiden name, e.g. Ure Tuthill or Ure Tuthill Stephens Bridgen Vandersteen.
The new pedigree view of the family tree, launched in April 2018, shows women with their maiden names, rather than their married surnames or any implied surnames.
That’s a huge improvement. Thanks!
It’s up to each tree manager how they choose to show maiden/married names.
I uploaded my raw data to MH because I had already tested at the other Three. Was surprised that I got some good close matches at MH that I did not have elsewhere.
Not fully understanding their announcement, I also uploaded my 23 results; and now realize that was probably not necessary. So, I will probably delete Ancestry and keep 23 there.
There tools rock! And they actually do TGs for you.
I wish them the greatest success!
Thank you for keeping us up-to-date.
Compared to 10 Million Plus in Ancestry ! Whoop
I’m on all DNA websites. I have European matches on MyHeritage that aren’t on any of the others. They also have a good library of records which I haven’t found elsewhere.
Do you know if the new fee for use of the chromosome browser will apply to new users only, or will those who uploaded already also be charged? On one hand, it is a useful tool and a small fee is reasonable. On the other hand, the people who provided DNA through free uploads were part of the reason for the large database they can now offer to other customers. Having a very limited budget, it is unlikely I would be paying in the near future to use the browser whether or not I found it a valuable addition, so I had better do an updated download of my matches before that date.
It will only apply to people who upload on or after December 1st. If you uploaded before then, you will continue to have free access to all of the tools. It’s a very fair change in policy.
Thank you. That is indeed a fair change in policy. If the price is reasonable after December 1, it is certainly I tool I would recommend to others. The layout is nice and easy to use. I have found a couple of close connections there that were not on other sites. I actually found a wonderful, rather elderly 3C 1R over in England who has shared family pictures with me. We have Skyped and he has taken me on a tour of his lovely english country garden (via computer) and introduced me to his cat. I feel very fortunate that DNA testing has brought me in contact with several special people that I would never have known otherwise. The only reason I would not have paid to opt-in, if it had been a paid service for those who have already uploaded, was a very tight budget at the moment.
I do like My heritage and have found some good matches there. I uploaded my results from ancestry to their site a while ago- guess that was a good move on my part. I don’t mind paying a fee but my issue with My Heritage is that they don’t have a monthly payment plan so you have to pay the entire yearly fee at once, which is difficult for a lot of people on limited budgets. While I find Ancestry a bit expensive, I like the fact that with them I can pay a month at a time and cancel when I know I am going to have tight budget the next month. If Ancestry would just offer a chromosome browser, I would happily be willing to pay them an additional fee!
MyHeritage will be offering different payment plans later this year. An employee told me so.
This summer I visited my U.S. company’s Germany office. Two of my co-workers there (German residents) said that they took DNA test. So I immediately asked, “Which ones?!” They said MyHeritage.
Not all of the testing companies sell their testing kits to international customers. Does anyone know which ones, either way?
All of the companies sell internationally, but they don’t all sell in all countries.
https://thednageek.com/genealogical-dna-testing-around-the-globe/
Thank you for refreshing our memory on that point.
I’m curious why Living DNA doesn’t make the cut. Not enough testing? BTW, know the demographics of who is the core tester? Or is all over the place?
Living DNA has not revealed how large its database is.
MyHeritage announced in their 2018 year end review today, that their DNA database size is now 2.4 million. https://blog.myheritage.com/2018/12/goodbye-2018-welcome-2019/
Thank you for the heads up!