AncestryDNA vs 23andMe vs MyHeritage: The Big Three for Ancestry Compared
AncestryDNA leads on database size, 23andMe adds health reports under post-bankruptcy ownership, and MyHeritage is the cheapest and most upload-friendly of the three.
These three brands account for most consumer DNA testing in the US and Europe. The right choice depends on whether you weight database size, health reports, or upload flexibility most heavily. Skip to the decision tree at the bottom if you want a quick answer.
At a glance
| Feature | AncestryDNA | 23andMe | MyHeritage DNA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Database size | approx 25 to 30 million | approx 14 million | approx 5 to 8 million |
| Base price | $99 (sales near $39) | $99 ancestry, ~$199+ health | $89 (sales near $39) |
| Turnaround | 4 to 6 weeks | 3 to 5 weeks | 3 to 4 weeks |
| Health reports | No | Yes, FDA-authorized | No |
| Accepts free uploads | No | No | Yes |
| Chromosome browser | No | Yes | Yes |
| Y / mtDNA | No | Haplogroup label only | No |
| Corporate status | Stable | Chapter 11 in March 2025, assets at TTAM | Stable |
The short answer
For most US buyers: AncestryDNA for the database, then upload your raw data to MyHeritage for free to extend matches. Add 23andMe only if FDA-authorized health reports are a specific goal, and read our privacy pillar before doing so.
Database and matching
AncestryDNA’s roughly 25 to 30 million users is the largest pool in consumer DNA testing, roughly twice the size of 23andMe’s approximately 14 million and several times larger than MyHeritage’s approximately 5 to 8 million as of early 2026. None of the three accept uploaded data with one exception: MyHeritage accepts free uploads from the other two. That is why the smart Ancestry-plus-MyHeritage combination keeps coming up.
23andMe is closed and has been shrinking, with its database reportedly down from approximately 15 million following the 2023 breach and the 2025 bankruptcy. Ancestry is the only one of the three actively gaining matches at scale.
Price and value
At sale prices, AncestryDNA and MyHeritage both hit around $39. 23andMe historically lists at $99 for ancestry and $199 or more for the health bundle, with post-bankruptcy pricing best verified on the live site.
The cheapest ancestry-only path: buy MyHeritage at $39, optionally upload from a friend’s Ancestry kit. The cheapest big-database path: buy AncestryDNA at $39 and upload to MyHeritage for free. The cheapest health-plus-ancestry path is whichever 23andMe Health bundle is current.
Reports and features
AncestryDNA gives you ethnicity estimates, ThruLines, SideView, and integration with the records platform. No chromosome browser, no Y or mtDNA, no health.
23andMe gives you ethnicity, automatic matching, a chromosome browser, a Y or mtDNA haplogroup label, and the FDA-authorized health report catalog. The reports are real but their clinical scope is narrower than the marketing suggests, and we do not interpret individual results. Route real questions to the National Society of Genetic Counselors.
MyHeritage gives you ethnicity, a chromosome browser, AutoClusters, Theory of Family Relativity, tree-building tools, and the free-upload policy that makes it the natural second database for users who tested elsewhere.
Privacy and corporate stability
Ancestry and MyHeritage are stable. 23andMe filed Chapter 11 in March 2025 and assets sold to TTAM Research Institute in mid-2025; the consumer test still operates but the corporate steward of millions of genetic records changed under bankruptcy court supervision, and the 2023 breach affected approximately 6.9 million accounts. Read our privacy pillar before ordering 23andMe.
Decision tree
Walk through these in order.
- Do you need FDA-authorized health reports? If yes, 23andMe is the only mainstream consumer option. Read the privacy pillar first. If no, continue.
- Is your primary tree US-based or do you want the largest possible match database? Pick AncestryDNA, then upload to MyHeritage for free.
- Is your primary tree continental European, or is budget the main driver? Pick MyHeritage directly.
- Want both health reports and the largest match pool? Buy AncestryDNA for matches and route to clinical genetic testing through your physician for any real health question. Read the privacy pillar before adding 23andMe on top.
Verdict
Treat the Big Three as a portfolio decision, not a single purchase. AncestryDNA is the spine. MyHeritage extends it for free. 23andMe is a specialist add-on with corporate caveats. See the dna-test-comparisons pillar, the individual reviews for AncestryDNA, 23andMe, and MyHeritage, or the best DNA tests overall ranking.