Ancestry vs 23andMe vs MyHeritage

DNA testing is all the rage today. Modern science and medicine has enabled us to take just a few swabs or deposit some saliva into a container, ship it off, and sit back while we receive the official breakdown of our ancestry. It’s a fun and informative new development that is taking the globe by storm.

I decided to sit down and compare the three industry leaders, as well as their processes for collecting DNA today.

How Do I Get Started?

All companies send you a kit in which you follow their directions to submit your DNA. I noticed with 23andMe, the directions and completion steps were much more complicated than that of Ancestry. Situated as almost a research project, 23andMe is after more than DNA results – they want to look into your health history and other scientific facts that they can compile on a platform. Ancestry, on the other hand, seemed more heritage-focused, requiring less answers to submit the sample. I took the MyHeritage test right at Rootstech and they were super helpful and also used the cheek swab, which might be easier for some people.

For 23andMe: You have to sign up online to receive your results.

For Ancestry and MyHeritage: You can sign up online as well to get your results. However, there are just a fraction of the questions you need to answer when compared to 23andMe.

The Online Consent Form

When comparing the two, 23andMe definitely had a much more extensive online consent form than Ancestry. Although it was easy to do with a seamless mobile system, 23andMe required an extra step that Ancestry did not.

The Online Profiles

For 23andMe: The online profiles appear as a scientific lab project, with dozens of charts breaking down genomes and medical terms.

For Ancestry: The online profiles are more creatively oriented, geared towards building one’s own heritage and family history.

My Overall Impression:

Presently, I am waiting for my results to come back from all of the kits, which required saliva deposits that were sealed and mailed back to the companies. In my review, I would say that Ancestry is the preferable option for those wishing to have a simple and non-confusing process. If you want to connect with family members and just focus on your heritage, Ancestry is the way to go.

For a more millennial or health focused boomer consumer, one that is interested in exploring the likes of preferences, appearances, medical history, and more through the sample kit, then 23andMe is for you. Definitely more time consuming and demanding, 23andMe offers you more information at the end of the testing. However, it is not as family or creatively-oriented as the Ancestry option.

Also comparing MyHeritage as part of the study, I look forward to reviewing results from all three companies.

Stay tuned for a follow up blog in which I go over my DNA results and how each company chooses to present them.

Keywords
23andme
Ancestry
DNA kits
MyHeritage