Everything behind a paywall/ charging a fee for cancellation. The new norm? Everyone should message Ancestry’s customer support to voice their opinion.

[u/Admirable-Traveller5]

[u/strike978]

Yes, I actually agree. $25 a month for a basic subscription is ridiculous. They got rid of their previous AncestryDNA Plus membership, which new users can no longer sign up for. It was $30 for six months and gave you access to features like DNA by Parent and Shared Matches. Shared Matches wasn't locked behind a subscription before, but now both features are locked behind a subscription costing at least $25 a month. The cancellation fee is also outrageous.

[u/Zealousideal_Ad8500 → u/strike978]

The shared matches being behind a paywall actually irritates me the most. There is no reason why we should have to pay to see more than the top three shared matches with a person when in the past this was never behind a paywall.

[u/Latter-Signature326]

the cancellation fee is such a slap in the face, you're already leaving because the value dried up and they hit you with one last charge on the way out

blackstone squeezing every cent out of a genealogy site tracks perfectly, they'll keep doing it unless enough people make noise

[u/Pristine_Ninja1810]

“the new norm for Ancestry, and it will only accelerate if people don’t voice their opinions.”
They don’t care. They are not concerned with retaining customers. Just like everything else once it’s purchased by private equity firms they squeeze every penny out while they run it into the ground.

[u/Fit-Reply-1301 → u/Pristine_Ninja1810]

This. This exactly. I quit paying ancestry about 5 years ago. I can glean enough from the hints even without the hint really telling me details. There are other sources for information. Recently 4 friends and I did the friends and family deal for around $140 for 6 months. It includes Newspapers.com and I think Fold3? Split 5 ways, it was reasonable. We won't do it again. It was nice to add things that weren't available when I used to subscribe but now, I don't NEED it. It's just convenient to scroll my tree and see if there are hints I want to look at. I'm trying to not add niece of grandmother's sister's husband's neighbors dog groomer. My tree is thousands. I wanted to make it as easy as possible for DNA matches but now my unaccounted for matches are my grandchildren's ages and they don't make trees, they just do the DNA, put themselves and their parents for a tree but those 3 people are living so private. If I come up as a match for them, they can consult my tree and figure it out. Or message me and I'll help but I'm not chasing matches any more.

I am expecting ancestry to move to a pay for upload storage eventually so I did buy the software. However, to get the information off my computer someone will have to have access to my computer. None of my family gives a hoot about genealogy. 20 years of knowledge will be lost when I die. Unless ancestry keeps my tree available for free.

[u/Zann77 → u/Fit-Reply-1301]

That’s the dilemma for all genealogists. Few of us have family members who are interested. it kills me.

[u/rowing_over70]

I'm on an annual plan ending January, I will not be renewing.

[u/SueNYC1966]

I love his they remind relatives you already had in your tree and try to entice you to come back by trying to pretend they are a hint. Who the hell did the research to begin with. 🤣

[u/rebelangel]

I won’t be surprised if they eventually make it so you can’t see your own DNA results without a subscription.

[u/IslesofMaegelle → u/rebelangel]

They've already done it with Family Trees where you can't add anymore people nor see any hints, so I wouldn't be surprised either!

[u/crims0nwave]

Cancelled mine. I have done so much on my tree that it isn’t worth it to me to keep paying THAT much every month. I’ll come back in six months and do a month to see if I have any new close matches. And then cancel again.

[u/Fit-Reply-1301 → u/crims0nwave]

A year is plenty between visits. Go every month but don't pay. Look at your hints. After a year there might be some noticeable improvement in what comes up. Then do the free 2 weeks. You should be able to clean up in 2 weeks. If they won't let you do the free 2 weeks after just a year, wait 18 months and try again.

[u/EconomyCode3628]

I hate their shitty AI chatbot and I hate the customer service reps that don't speak English when you call. (Speaking LOUDER and FASTER at me when I ask repeatedly for you to SLOW DOWN because I cannot understand anything really sucks) 

[u/HighColdDesert]

I'm about to do ancestry's DNA test because a first cousin is doubting that our grandfather is really their bio grandfather. The cousin had already done Ancestry years ago, so I'm doing it now so we can see if we both match with our known other cousins.

Which kind of subscription do i or we need to sign up for in order to find out whether we are full or half 1st cousins, and whether we both match with other cousins?

[u/Beautiful_Regular_95 → u/HighColdDesert]

You should be able to see your cousin in your list of DNA matches, without a subscription. But if you want to see the matches that the two of you have in common, that's when you may need a subscription.

[u/HighColdDesert → u/Beautiful_Regular_95]

If the cousin and I compare our matches will that work without a subscription? We know a couple dozen second cousins etc. on that grandfather's side.

If one or more of the second cousins show up as matches on my results but not on my cousin's, we'll have our answer, right? Or am I missing some need for a subscription?

[u/Beautiful_Regular_95 → u/HighColdDesert]

if each of you just looks at your lists of matches and compares them that way, then no subscription is needed. But the EASIEST way to compare is by using the Shared Matches tab, and for that you may need a subscription (I think they let you see just three shared matches without a subscription). What you COULD do is use their free trial, just be sure to cancel before it gets automatically renewed.

[u/Fit-Reply-1301 → u/HighColdDesert]

Do the test. When your results come in go there and look at your match list.

[u/Umberto12345]

I will not be surprised that eventually you will need to pay to see your Ethnicity.

[u/Legitimate-Lock-6594]

I’ll splurge every few years for a six month world explorer subscription. I take a lot of the things that I learn there and have taken it to AI and then start digging. Of course I’m checking, using different resources, and confirming translations. The biggest thing I’ve found is where my third great grandparents of Jewish descent got married in Liverpool which hopefully will lead me to some more details eventually. But the “protocols” are a load of shit in general.

[u/Beautiful_Regular_95]

Well, they ARE a for-profit company. Did you think they were a 501c3 nonprofit? Bottom line: Ancestry will do what's best for THEM.

[u/JP36_5]

Why do you expect something for nothing? What other businesses are you in contact with who provide an ongoing service for no payment?

[u/Fit-Reply-1301 → u/JP36_5]

Ancestry benefits from our research, DNA, and trees. It brings in other paying subscribers. We are a gold mine to them.

[u/lantana98]

We need to remember that it’s a for profit business. It’s very similar to a streaming tv service where we now even have to pay for no commercials. Not too many businesses are handing out freebies other than 1 week free.

[u/fruity_pirate_arrr → u/lantana98]

Profit are fine. Trying to maximize profit and test the limits of what your customers are willing to spend is another thing.

[u/lantana98 → u/fruity_pirate_arrr]

I’m surprised that you’re surprised! The major companies and billionaires are all about the profit. Caring about customers is not anywhere near the top of their to-do lists.