MyHeritage - your views please

[Karamazov]

I've just made contact with a newly discovered cousin (big thrill!) who has given me the link to his tree on MyHeritage.

I can't say I'm over-enamoured - MH seems very clunky/limited/less user friendly than say, a tree on ancestry. BUT - the contact only came about because both newly discovered cousin and another contact of mine both have trees on MH so it has that in its favour.

At the moment, I don't feel inclined to put anything on MyHeritage but I'd be interested in other people's views/advice re usefulness, advantages, limitations, privacy settings and ownership of data for MH bog standard version. (I see there are also various upgrade versions, not sure of cost and whether worthwhile.)

Thanks,
Christine

[Caroline]

It works out very expensive as you have to pay for a tree and then again to see any records. Their initial offers are good but be aware of how much it will cost afterwards.

An upside is that you can currently upload your DNA from elsewhere, use their tools and contact matches for free. I would have cancelled my tree only sub this year, but accidentally pressed the wrong button - I have now had it changed so that it will not renew automatically (you have to ring them) or renew with one click. :(

My big reservation is that they send you matches which will consist of a family group. Their idea is that you accept them and they will add them to your tree - all of them! .... trouble is, there is no way of checking these matches since they will link to other sites where you need a further subscription. Everything seems to involve one click and it's done - no checks en route and difficult to remove them. I can also see mistakes in what they send - but as they've come from elsewhere I can't contact the other people to point out the mistakes so obviously they will be continued.

[GallowayLass]

Like Caroline I get rather annoyed with all the record matches that I keep getting emails about. What's the point of asking me to review them when clicking on any of them merely tells me I need a subscription to view the material?
Also, if any of the matches are a person in a tree, I cannot view said tree or contact the person without a sub. All I can see is a very brief summary.
If the match is a DNA one however, I can contact the match and also view the tree in question - MyHeritage calls them "family sites".
I uploaded my raw DNA file from ancestry for free and a gedcom of my pedigree lines only. Navigating the trees is rather clunky compared to ancestry. I haven't been on it much to be honest.
I find the Ipad/IPhone app isn't as fully functional as the full website.
Where they do score over ancestry is that MyHeritage has a chromosome browser - something ancestry is sadly lacking.

[GallowayLass]

Got caught out by the ten minute rule (am watching Who wants to be a millionaire). I wanted to also add this comment.

I also really do not like the SmartMatches which also come by email. As Caroline says, you have to accept the whole lot and they are added into your tree, like it or not. I definitely do not. My pedigree tree is for a reason and I want it to stay that way. I also don't like how you can either accept or ignore the many matches they send but seemingly there's no option to say they are incorrect. I haven't found one yet but that's not to say it is there.

[GallowayLass]

Another annoying thing about confirming SmartMatches;
I have just logged on and spotted I have three new ones shared with a family site owner that I know personally. We were in touch via ancestry before either of us did a DNA test.
The SmartMatches are my greatgrandfather and his parents. I decided to confirm them to see what happens and clicked the confirm button for Gt Gt Granny. BUT when I went back a stage to confirm her husband, I could not do it. Why?? Coz I need a flipping subscription. No idea if that is a permanent state of affairs or if I try another day, I can do another confirm.