MyHeritage VS African Ancestry

UPDATED Dec. 2024
Table Of Contents+
This website features affiliate links. For purchases made via these links, we earn commissions that allow us to keep producing helpful content. To find out more click here. Close

After making the initial decision to explore your ancestry and genetic origins, you are faced with a multitude of nuances, separating one ancestry DNA testing company from the next. African Ancestry and MyHeritage are both excellent choices for the task at hand, but one will certainly come out on top once you identify your specific needs and expectations. Their services, although high-quality and professional, differ in small but important aspects, even though they seemingly do the same thing. Our comparison will help you spot those differences between African Ancestry and MyHeritage, allowing you to make an optimal and fully personalized choice.

African Ancestry
Learn All About Your African Heritage
VS
MyHeritage
Interdisciplinary ancestry exploration

Highlights

African Ancestry
African Ancestry was founded in 2003 in order to help individuals with African origins explore their paternal and maternal lineages and follow their ancestry up to 2,000 years in the past.
  • Experienced team with solid background in genetics/genealogy
  • Company focused on African paternal and maternal heritage
  • The largest database of African lineages on the market
  • Price: $299.00
  • Shipping:Unknown
MyHeritage
MyHeritage offers ancestry DNA testing complemented by billions of genealogical records, allowing its users to get a complete picture of their genetic heritage and get in touch with unknown relatives.
  • Top-of-the-line sample processing facility/accurate results
  • Numerous features and subscription plans available to users
  • 45 million family trees, 3.9 billion profiles, 12.4 billion records
  • Price: $79.00
  • Shipping:Worldwide

Compare Features

African Ancestry
Tests
African Ancestry offers the following ancestry DNA testing solutions: - MatriClan - PatriClan The results explore your potential African heritage through your direct maternal or paternal lineage.
Sample Collection Type
Cheek Swab
Genetic Markers Checked
Unknown
Geographic Regions Covered
40
Ancestral Makeup Report
Paternal Lineage
Maternal Lineage
Neanderthal Percentage
Native American DNA Coverage
Jewish DNA Coverage
Cousin matching
Database Size
33,000
Family Tree Integration
Chromosome Browser
Health Report
Average Result Time
6-8 Weeks
Research Participation
Raw Data Upload
Raw Data Download
Technology
Unknown
Privacy and Security
African Ancestry collects quite a bit of data throughout its testing process and it also logs your IP address, browser type, ISP, and other information.
MyHeritage
Tests
MyHeritage offers one ancestry DNA test - MyHeritage DNA Test; The test explores your autosomal and gender genes for a full overview of your ethnic percentages. If you subscribe to the company's services, you can complement your final results with billions of genealogical records in its database.
Sample Collection Type
Cheek Swab
Genetic Markers Checked
690,000
Geographic Regions Covered
Unknown
Ancestral Makeup Report
Paternal Lineage
Maternal Lineage
Neanderthal Percentage
Native American DNA Coverage
Jewish DNA Coverage
Cousin matching
Database Size
New, Still Growing
Family Tree Integration
Chromosome Browser
Health Report
Average Result Time
3-4 Weeks
Research Participation
Raw Data Upload
Raw Data Download
Technology
Illumina
Privacy and Security
MyHeritage collects only the information necessary to provide its services, process payments, and give you the optimal ancestry DNA testing experience. You can delete or modify your personal info as many times as you choose and MyHeritage will never share, sell or lease it unless required to do so by law.

Compare Ratings

African Ancestry
FINAL RATING
8.9/10
Scope Of DNA Test(s)
Test Processing Times
Privacy & Security
Value For Money
Overall Experience
MyHeritage
FINAL RATING
9.9/10
Scope Of DNA Test(s)
Test Processing Times
Privacy & Security
Value For Money
Overall Experience

Compare User Reviews

African Ancestry
  • Submitted By Claudester Stephens on 07/14/2019
    Both I and my brother took the test at the same time. I took the MartiClan and my brother took the PatriClan. My mother's maternal genetic ancestry is from Guinea-Bissau. My brother's paternal genetic ancestry said he is from Korea. How can that be. I wish that had explained that more. How does Korean and African ancestry combine.? Were some Koreans brought to Africa?
  • Submitted By Michael Henderson on 05/11/2019
    I think African Ancestry is still a work in progress. First of all I wanted to use this co. Because I’m a person of African decent. I found the process initially to be pretty routine. But because of the cost of the test I had very high expectation. I received the kit within a week or so of ordering the test. I returned the test kit around a day or so after receiving the kit. To my surprise it took around two months or more for me to get the results. I received my kit. In the mail on 2/13/19 and sent it in again in about two to three day turn around. I didn’t receive my results in the mail until 5/11/19. To say the least I was extremely disappointed in the turn around time! When I got the result I did learn I received Maternal lineage and I was looking for paternal lineage info.? i didn’t seem to have a choice on this.! Overall I didn’t see the value in this investment of almost $300. In my opinion although I gain some knowledge it was not what I expected!!! Thank You! MLH
  • Submitted By Natasha on 03/08/2019
    Negative Five stars for African Ancestry. (I have also used two other Ancestry/dna testing companies.) I began the process with the company in September 2018. I was told they needed to do a recollection in December 2018. It is March 2019 and I still have NOTHING from this company... NOTHING. Upon making a call for the status of my results, I was met with rude, condescending laughter and sarcasm. African Ancestry needs to do better. The company wants the business, but opts to treat it’s African descended clientele like garbage. This is not the way to advance and claim distinction as an African focused business.
  • Submitted By Tequilla Brown on 11/07/2018
    This has be an overwhelming experience for me and my family. My husband had his DNA tested before me. We found out that we share the same results for our Matriclan which is 100% Native American. I look forward to finding out more information on my Native side of the family. I really wish that there was more information as to which tribe I belong to. Big thanks to African Ancestry for making this site available.
MyHeritage
  • Submitted By Peter on 11/09/2019
    Unable to stop a subscription Be very careful with this company. The website is not that bad but once you want to stop your subscription it is very hard. They respond with an email but next year they just take money from your credit-card and keep your subscription. I have a bunch of emails where I confirmed that I really want to stop my subscription but again they took 189.01 euro. Be warned, do NEVER take a subscription at MyHeritage, they are scammers.
  • Submitted By E on 11/05/2019
    The worst! Our family took DNA tests as a group. After spending $$$, matches appeared on some of the family accounts and not on others. In other words, the match display were incomplete. (Obviously if you have a cousin who appears as a match on this site and every other DNA site, then you should appear as a match for them as well). MyHeritage support was a complete joke. Totally unhelpful, slow to respond, and moronic. Save your money and take literally any other DNA test!
  • Submitted By Antonina Starsinszky on 06/07/2019
    MyHeritage is great for family matches and such, but overly simplified in ethnicity. Mine showed I was 100% Eastern European only. That is very unlikely as I have never seen anyone else get 100%. Kinda cool, but not true. If you have more unique ancestry like tatar, udmurt, ossettian, or something like that it will brush over it and place it in a broad region. Good thing is you can upload your raw data to many other sites for free. !!!!! I uploaded to 5 others(get the most out of your money people) and they all showed diffirent variations of North Eastern slavic, Albanian, North European (disagreed if Im Scandinavian or British(from 12 to 24% so weird MyHeritage didnt catch it). GenePlaza were more spesific to put me as Norwegian, Scottish Argyll and Orkney for Northern Europe) and 4/5 of the others showed small percentage of Indian & South Asia! GenePlaza again traced it back to Gurjati indian which makes total sense knowing I have a great grand-parent of Romani(gypsy) decent. That site also placed me as Mordovian which is highly likely due to my geographical location. Generally yes its not wrong Im 100% ish eastern european. Since I am west Russian that could be similar to North Europe because of Viking influences in the past, and if Romani got lost in translation, but its such a boring result compared to what others give you. So I recommend MyHeritage only as a means to upload to other sites or for finding DNA matches only. They have great feutures for filtering relevant matches as well. + acsess to family tree if you pay.
  • Submitted By Marie Utley on 07/06/2019
    This is Marie, I love the time frame on our DNA test. To me they did a wonderful job, I was totally shocked by the results of where we was from. My daughter and I could not believe it. We really looked at each other and laughed, and it shocked us completely. But I believe it, and my son, we was "Totally" shocked about his DNA. They did a great job, and the price was justified as well. I will recommend them to the rest of my family members. Thank You! MyHeritage.com for doing a great job.

Winner

MyHeritage is a DNA testing provider founded in 2003 in Israel. It combines genetic research with genealogy, allowing its users to create family profiles, print family trees, share photos, perform DNA testing, perform MyHeritage DNA Health test, stay in touch with relatives, research family history, and much more. Read all about its services in our MyHeritage review.

* All the prices on this website are subject to change without notice. While we put a great deal of effort into making sure that all the prices are accurate, one or more products may have outdated prices. Please visit the specific product’s official website for exact prices.
Join our mailing list to receive exclusive updates, giveaways and coupon codes directly to your inbox.