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Saturday, February 15th
OneGreatFamily aims to link all family trees together so that all knowledge and data is on one shared database. They claim to be the most technologically-advanced online records management software tool where you can view, explore, and share your family tree without desktop software. Unfortunately, their unsecure website and vague explanation of how this works does not give us much confidence in OneGreatFamily's promises.
Outdated site
You'll likely notice like we did that OneGreatFamily's website is outdated. Their font size is small and will be hard to read for some. They also don't seem to be pouring a lot of effort into the usability and appeal of their platform. It's probably the case that at one point OneGreatFamily had a unique idea and had a good trajectory ahead of them, but it doesn't seem like they've been able to keep up with other genealogy websites.
Impossible steps
There are two simple steps outlined by OneGreatFamily that should get you started here. The first is to upload a GEDCOM, or a copy of your family tree. However, spoiler alert: when we tried to do this, we got an internal service error that the link was broken, leaving us dead in the water at step one. Next, you should be able to list names and information to build on your family tree, but we weren't able to accomplish that here.
3 pricing plans
Since OneGreatFamily offers a 7-day free trial, we know there is a paid version of this platform. However, they aren't transparent with their pricing. You have to start the subscription process to see that they have a 1-month subscription for $14.95/month, quarterly subscription for $29.95/every 3 months, and yearly subscription for $79.95 annually. What exactly you're getting out of that cost, we aren't completely sure.
Don't waste your time
Unfortunately, One Great Family is one of the few genealogy sites we've found that has less than an "A” rating from the Better Business Bureau. They receive a "B-” rating, which isn't great. This is due to their failure to respond to a complaint against the business. Normally this isn't a huge deal, but paired with their less than awesome reviews from customers and other companies, we don't see why we'd waste our time here.
Not a good option
OneGreatFamily is not a good choice for spending your money or getting access to billions of documents to build your family tree. This is likely a company that started years ago and didn't take off. Without a doubt, we would encourage you to use a higher-rated genealogy site to get reliable information and be able to continually discover new information about your roots.
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.
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:
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.
Select any 2 Genealogy Services to compare them head to head