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MyHeritage is an online genealogy platform that helps people worldwide discover and preserve their family history. Launched in 2003, the Israeli-based company has grown into one of the largest genealogy databases, with over 13 billion historical records and more than 5 billion profiles created by its 120 million registered users.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Large database of historical records and user-generated profiles
- Smart Matches technology that automatically finds matches in the database for your family tree
- DNA testing that provides detailed ethnicity estimates and matches with other users
- User-friendly and intuitive interface
- Mobile app available for iOS and Android devices
Cons:
- Limited access to some historical records without a paid subscription
- Some users have reported slow customer service response times
- DNA test results may not always be accurate or conclusive
User Experience
MyHeritage is easy to use for both novice and experienced genealogists. The site's intuitive interface makes it simple to navigate and create family trees, add new information, and search the extensive database of historical records. The Smart Matches feature is particularly useful, as it automatically finds matches within the database for your family tree, saving you time and effort.
Pricing and Value for Money
MyHeritage offers several subscription options, ranging from a free basic plan to a premium plus plan that includes DNA testing. The pricing is competitive with other genealogy platforms, and the site often has special promotions and discounts. The value for money is excellent, considering the extensive database of historical records, DNA testing, and user-friendly interface.
Alternatives
There are several alternative genealogy platforms available, including Ancestry, Findmypast, and FamilySearch. Each has its strengths and weaknesses, and it's worth comparing features and pricing before choosing a platform.
Customer Service
MyHeritage has several customer service options, including a comprehensive help center with articles and tutorials, a community forum, and an email support system. Some customers have reported slow response times, but overall, the customer service is satisfactory.
Product Quality and Selection
MyHeritage offers an extensive selection of historical records, including census records, military records, and immigration records. The accuracy and quality of the records can vary, but in general, they are reliable and provide valuable information for genealogists.
Website Usability
The MyHeritage website is well-designed and easy to use. The user interface is intuitive, and the site is optimized for both desktop and mobile devices. The search function is particularly useful, as it allows you to search for records by name, date, and location.
Returns and Exchanges
MyHeritage offers a 14-day money-back guarantee on DNA kits and a 30-day refund policy for subscriptions. If you're not satisfied with your purchase, you can return it for a full refund within the specified timeframe.
Promotions and Discounts
MyHeritage offers frequent promotions and discounts, particularly around holidays and special events. The site also offers a referral program that rewards users with free subscription time for referring new users.
Reputation
MyHeritage has a good reputation within the genealogy community and has been featured in several prominent publications, including Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, and The New York Times. The site is also accredited by the Better Business Bureau and has an A+ rating.
Payment Options
MyHeritage accepts several payment options, including credit cards, PayPal, and bank transfers. The site uses secure encryption to protect your personal and payment information.
Loyalty Programs
MyHeritage does not have a formal loyalty program, but it does offer rewards for referring new users and for purchasing DNA kits and subscriptions.
Customer Reviews
Customer reviews of MyHeritage are generally positive, with users praising the site's ease of use, extensive database, and DNA testing. Some users have reported issues with customer service response times and inaccuracies in DNA testing results.
Community Involvement
MyHeritage has a large community of genealogists who share their research and expertise on the site's forums and social media pages. The company also supports several charitable initiatives related to genealogy and family history.
Shipping and Costs
Shipping costs for DNA kits vary depending on the location and shipping method. The site offers several shipping options, including standard and expedited shipping. The cost for subscriptions varies depending on the level of access and the duration of the subscription, but it is generally competitive with other genealogy platforms.
Overall, MyHeritage is an excellent choice for anyone looking to research their family history. The site's extensive database, intuitive interface, and DNA testing make it a valuable resource for genealogists of all levels. While there are some limitations and issues with customer service, the site's overall value for money and excellent reputation make it a recommended genealogy platform.
Review Title: Scammy practise on automatic annual…
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Review Description: Scammy practise on automatic annual payment. I bought two DNA sets on sale, did not realise that this suddenly started a automatic purchase of annual subscription that costs 4.3 times the cost of the test. This is absolutely a trap to target people with a sale and then get a automatic subscription going to draw more money out of the users. Totally scammers style of practise!
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Reviewer Name: Jenns X
Review Submission Date: 2022-12-25
Review Title: Terrible company
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Review Description: Like many people who have left comments here I was just being charged a year's subscription fee of around 1800kr without my knowledge. Maybe they'll argue that they sent the notification via email, but that email sometimes gets automatically dropped into the spam inbox by outlook. Or maybe they took money from your account the same day they sent the notification email. So you can't actually stop them. I don't know if I'll ever get my money back.
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Reviewer Name: Yarik Gorkovenko
Review Submission Date: 2022-12-25
Review Title: Scam and false results
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Review Description: They gave me very false DNA results after paying £40 and when I asked for a refund and for them to delete my DNA from the website, they ignored my emails. Only after the 5th email, they said they cant do it and after I showed their T&C about 30 days period of refund, they just said We cant do it but we will give you 3 months free membership.Waste of money and horrible customer support. Scams basically.
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Reviewer Name: Giselle
Review Submission Date: 2022-12-24
Review Title: Good experience with costumer service
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Review Description: The support team was very keen to resolve an issue I have encountered and they explained what I needed to do with every detail. Very happy and content with my purchase and customer service.
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Reviewer Name: Nigel Grice-kerr
Review Submission Date: 2022-12-24
Review Title: Merry Christmas
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Review Description: Merry ChristmasI phone your support helpline & spoke to a lady by the name SofiaL who was very polite, patient & helpful.I would highly recommend her for a pay rise & promotion.Best Wishes Nigel Grice-Kerr
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Reviewer Name: Steven Gould
Review Submission Date: 2022-12-23
Review Title: Site is not generating a genealogy book…
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Review Description: Site is not generating a genealogy book properly. It is excluding ALL pictures. Customer rep told me to use a different browser, but I knew the problem was on the server side. She told me to try using Chrome to generate the book and if it didn't work to call back. As I suspected, that was not the issue. She was polite and helpful but obviously did not have much IT knowledge or why the issue would be occurring. The browser does not generate the book.
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Reviewer Name: Kerry Bright
Review Submission Date: 2022-12-23
Review Title: Young man very helpful considering I…
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Review Description: Young man very helpful considering I was angry at the beginning he settled me down and help me get right through it I just hope that what he tried to do for me does go through great job young man thank you
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Reviewer Name: Jim
Review Submission Date: 2022-12-23
Review Title: Chart printing problem
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Review Description: Apparently the problem I had was not an easy one to solve. However, the person helping me, Jose, was very patient and polite and kept looking for solutions. He finally came up with something that worked. I was very pleased with the result.
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Reviewer Name: Gena Qarchava
Review Submission Date: 2022-12-22
Review Title: Disgusting service
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Review Description: I have ordered bundle of 2 my heritage kits on November 15 with expected arrival in 2 weeks. So, one month has passed and my shipment is still somewhere in fulfillment center in another country. I tried calling DHL 5 times - endless waiting for operator, MyHeritage does not have customer support service except from expensive calls (so I tried that 3 times and was waiting for more than 20 min and line was suddenly broken), I was not able to reach them at all. So my new year present is ruined, thanks!
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Reviewer Name: Petronius
Review Submission Date: 2022-12-22
Review Title: Dårlig kundestøtte
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Review Description: Sorry, i did not answer your phonecall. My fault, but:The email advice was useless. I do know how to use «password forgotten» procedures. If it was that simple i would not have asked for help. I also think you have made a rather high barrier on your customer support system. I started this process many days ago and i am still unable to access my old account.