Wednesday, December 4th
2024 Genealogy Service Reviews
Archives
- $9.99/month
- Over 11.8 billion photos, newspapers, and vital records
- 7-day free trial
- Cancel anytime
Since July 2009, Archives has been helping people discover their family roots. They aim to make research quick, easy, and affordable for everyone. Archives has forged partnerships with FamilySearch and the National Archives Administration. In August of 2012, Archives officially became part of Ancestry, one of the world's top genealogy websites. Through them they've been able to continually add to their photos, records, and newspapers for users to discover.
Non-transparent pricing
To get instant access to all of Archives' 11.8 billion photos, vital records, and newspapers, you can make an account on their website. The first 7 days of your membership are free, but then the cost after that is ambiguous. We aren't impressed with how non-transparent Archives is with their pricing. Nowhere on their site does it directly tell you how much you'll be charged after the free trial until you've actually signed up. We found that after we signed up, Archives charges $9.99/month and can be canceled at any time. While this is pretty affordable compared to some other genealogy sites, we wish they were more upfront with it.
Would like to see more
We wish Archives would show more of their platform and what it looks like for people to build a family tree before signing up. Unless you provide your credit card information and start your free trial, you can't get a good grasp of what their platform looks like to see if it seems up-to-date, easy to use, or appeals to you.
Free resources
To find vital records on someone, you can easily search the first and last name and state of a deceased individual. From there you can add people you find to your own personal family tree. You can also build upon family trees that are created by other family members to make them more robust. At the bottom of Archives' website they have a "Free Genealogy Resources” link that leads to a variety of topics to help you with tutorials, finding other genealogists, and online search tips. While creating your family tree, this is a good place to turn if you find yourself in a rut.
DNA kits through Ancestry
Archives offers DNA test kits, but we quickly realized that these are the same as the ones from Ancestry DNA since it links you straight to those. These are popular, insightful ways to get an overview of your ethnic origins, genetic communities, and get connected with living relatives. These test kits start at $99 and will provide you results in just 6-8 weeks.
Poor reviews
Archives is not rated by the Better Business Bureau. However, their customer reviews reflect poorly on them and we aren't impressed. People say that it's difficult to cancel your membership and you often have to make phone calls and wait quite a bit of time. Some people also felt like they fabricate records to get you to sign up. For example, users would make up crazy names in the search box and get birth, death, and census results that could be viewed after signup. We can't imagine that this company was doing well when it was purchased by Ancestry and we doubt Ancestry is pouring a lot of effort into keeping it alive.
Turn to Ancestry
Since Archives is run by Ancestry, it makes most sense to us to just go directly to them instead. Ancestry clearly has a one-up on the resources and information you can find at Archives, so for the most extensive experience, we recommend signing up at Ancestry. Archives is a genealogy service to avoid.
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Where is the Best Place to Discover Your Genealogy Online?
Everyone on earth seems to have an innate, yearning desire to deeply understand who they are and where they came from. One of the most exciting ways to dive into this is through genealogy. Learning about ancestors on both sides of the family, what areas of the world they lived in, and stories from their lives can give an indescribably profound sense of pride and self-worth to an individual.
Genealogy has become a fast growing hobby for people of all ages since it is easier than ever. No longer do you need to go to government agencies for vital documents or "cemetery hop” while trying to learn names and death dates of family members. It used to be a complex puzzle trying to trace your family lineage, but now there are incredible companies that have compiled billions of records and made it possible for people to easily create their own family tree.
Genealogy Service FAQ
Continued from above...
Through genealogy websites you can not only learn the names of the people in your family tree, but you can usually see pictures of them and view any documents that are attached to their records. You could spend days pouring over journal entries, news articles, and contributions from other family members about an ancestor. To learn about the people who paved the way for your existence is remarkable and will likely teach you more about yourself than you can imagine.
These online genealogy platforms provide you with instant access to vast databases of historical records, DNA databases, and family trees from the comfort of your own home. This accessibility makes genealogical research much more feasible for people with varying levels of experience and resources.
Once you find an online platform that gives you all the resources you need to do your own genealogy, you'll understand why this pastime is so addicting for people. Incredible things have transpired for people who have looked for lost family members and been able to reconnect through genealogy work. All it takes through most companies is to set up an account and get started.
When deciding which online genealogy service to spend your time and energy with, take the following things into consideration:
- Variety of information. Does the company have a plethora of information that you easily search online? What types of records do they keep on file that you can view? How does the layout of all the information compare to other genealogy sites? You'll want to easily be able to sort through files and keep things organized.
- Features. Can you easily create your own family tree? Or can you search for a family member and easily get connected with a tree that has been started for you? Are other family members able to contribute to your ancestors' information through uploading documents, photos, and stories?
- Cost. Some of the best genealogy sites are completely free. But, there are valuable resources on today's popular paid sites as well. Does the company charge a one-time fee for access to your family tree? Or do you have to pay a subscription? What happens to your family tree if you cancel your membership? How does the price of one genealogy site compare to another?
Ready to research your genealogy? Top Consumer Reviews has reviewed and ranked the best places for you to get started on your personal family tree. We know this information will help you make life-changing discoveries that give you a deeper sense of who you are and an appreciation for those who came before you.
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