AncestryDNA vs MyHeritage: Bigger Database or Free Uploads and European Depth?
AncestryDNA has the largest match database at 25 to 30 million users. MyHeritage costs less, accepts free uploads, and is stronger across continental Europe.
These two are both autosomal-only ancestry tests, but they aim at different buyers. Ancestry is the default for US-rooted family research. MyHeritage is the default for European roots and for anyone who wants matches in multiple databases without buying multiple kits.
At a glance
| Feature | AncestryDNA | MyHeritage DNA |
|---|---|---|
| Database size | approx 25 to 30 million | approx 5 to 8 million |
| Base price | $99 (sales near $39) | $89 (sales near $39) |
| Turnaround | 4 to 6 weeks | 3 to 4 weeks |
| Accepts free raw uploads | No | Yes (from AncestryDNA, 23andMe, others) |
| Chromosome browser | No | Yes |
| Health reports | No | No (a health product has existed; verify) |
| Regional strength | US records integration | Continental European reference panels |
The short answer
Buy AncestryDNA for the largest match pool and US records integration. Buy MyHeritage for stronger European coverage, a chromosome browser, and the ability to pull in matches uploaded from other services for free.
Database and matching
AncestryDNA’s roughly 25 to 30 million tested users dwarfs MyHeritage’s 5 to 8 million as of early 2026. For US-side genealogy specifically, the gap is even larger than the headline numbers suggest because Ancestry has been the dominant US test for over a decade. MyHeritage figures include uploaded kits from other services, which inflates the comparable matching pool but also reveals the company’s strategy: become the database where everyone’s data ends up.
If you have continental European ancestors, MyHeritage’s reference panels are more granular for many regions, and the user base skews more European than Ancestry’s does.
Price and value
AncestryDNA lists at $99 and discounts to $39 during major promotions. Shipping runs roughly $9.95 for the first kit. Records subscriptions (US Discovery near $24.99/mo, World Explorer near $39.99/mo, All Access near $49.99/mo) are optional and sold separately.
MyHeritage lists at $89 and also discounts to about $39 during sales. Return shipping may be charged separately; verify at checkout. Some MyHeritage features (Theory of Family Relativity, full ethnicity detail) require a Complete or Omni subscription, which is a real ongoing cost to factor in if you want the platform’s full tooling.
Both tests can be had for under $40 if you wait for a holiday sale.
Reports and features
AncestryDNA delivers an ethnicity estimate updated periodically, ThruLines, SideView parent-side assignment, and direct hooks into Ancestry’s historical records. There is no chromosome browser, which is a limitation for serious genetic genealogists who want to see exactly where two people share DNA.
MyHeritage gives you an ethnicity estimate, a chromosome browser, AutoClusters that group matches who likely share a common ancestor, the Theory of Family Relativity which proposes connections between matches and your tree, and a robust set of tree-building tools. Crucially, MyHeritage accepts free uploads of raw data exported from AncestryDNA, 23andMe, and others. That means a single Ancestry kit plus a free MyHeritage upload gives you matches in both databases.
Privacy and corporate stability
Both companies are stable as of early 2026. MyHeritage is based in Israel and is subject to the relevant data protection frameworks there and in the regions where it operates. Ancestry is US-headquartered and privately held by Blackstone. Neither has faced the bankruptcy or breach exposure that 23andMe has. Our privacy pillar covers data handling in more depth.
Who should pick AncestryDNA
Pick AncestryDNA if your tree leads back to the US, the UK, or other heavily-represented Ancestry regions. Pick it if you want the largest possible matching pool. Pick it if you intend to subscribe to Ancestry’s records anyway.
Who should pick MyHeritage
Pick MyHeritage if your family is continental European. Pick it if you already have raw data from another test and want a second matching database without paying for another kit (technically a free upload is enough; you do not need to buy the MyHeritage kit at all). Pick it if you want a chromosome browser out of the box.
Verdict
The smart play for many buyers is both: buy AncestryDNA for the database, then upload your raw data to MyHeritage for free to extend your matches. If forced to pick one, choose by where your tree leads and whether the chromosome browser matters to you. See the full dna-test-comparisons pillar, the AncestryDNA review, and the MyHeritage review, or check the three-way Big Three comparison.