Getting the Most Value From Genealogy Subscriptions

Note: I do not receive any compensation (affiliate or otherwise) from any of these sites. This post is simply my observations on the value of various genealogy subscriptions and ways to save money accessing subscription resources.

Subscriptions come and subscriptions go. For several years, I maintained a lot of genealogy subscriptions. Truth be told, I still have more than I need. But I get really excited when one of the sites I subscribe to rolls in a new membership benefit providing access to another site I'd otherwise have to pay to access. Each site below offers many on-site features, but this post focuses on the additional website access provided with each subscription. Prices shown are regular price. Many sites have sales throughout the year to help make subscriptions more affordable. (All prices are shown in US dollars).

Let's start with the big sites:

Most everyone knows, Ancestry.com offers several membership levels. Personally, I stick with the All Access Family Plan ($269.00 every 6 months). Not only have I been able to share the subscription with 4 others (encouraging new family historians) but I also get full access to Fold3 military records and Newspapers.com including Publishers Extra. You can find out more about the All Access Family Plan here. The value of having Fold3 and Newspapers works out to about $30 every 6 months (based on the current pricing I've found). The biggest value in this plan is the ability to share it with 4 others (and they don't need to be related to you). You can ask the others to contribute to the cost if you need to bring your price down, but this is something you coordinate yourself. You cannot split the price between members directly on the Ancestry site. 

At MyHeritage, the Omni Plan comes with access to OldNews (newspaper archive). The cost is currently $399 per year. Additionally, you receive access to GeniPro and Legacy Family Tree Webinars. On the MyHeritage site, you'll also have access to some outstanding photo and AI features at your disposal. More information on all the benefits of the Omni Plan can be found here. If you subscribed separately to all the features it would cost over $600 per year!

FindMyPast offers an Everything subscription. This includes not only all their record collections, but all the newspapers you'd have access to with a British Newspaper Archive subscription (a value of $133 per year). They also offer a 15% discount on continued subscriptions (no playing games, cancelling and resubscribing necessary). The current price is $299 per year. The 15% discount works out to about $45 per year off the annual price (so $254 as of this post). For more information on their subscriptions please click here.

And now for a few of the lesser known sites offering a good value:

A few years ago, the National Genealogical Society (NGS) added access to Newspaperarchive.com and Storied. My $85 membership to NGS (already providing many nice benefits and access to their Family Papers Collection) was expanded to save me $95 on a separate NewspaperArchive and Storied membership (based on the current pricing shown on their website). It's worth noting, while Storied does have the option for a standalone membership at $99.99 per year (for Unlimited), all the features are included in a regular NewspaperArchive subscription. The subscription to NGS literally pays for itself! For the complete list of member benefits visit this page.

One super value is AmericanAncestors. A regular price Individual Membership is $99.95 per year. In addition to their databases, you also get access to an impressive list of partner databases. For a full price membership, you can also get discounts with partner sites, including a $10 discount on a GEDmatch Tier 1 membership. But let's circle back to the partner databases for a moment. While they don't disclose the full value of all the partner databases, NewspaperArchive is $95.00/year, a New York Times subscription can run in excess of $150 per year, Genealogical Publishing Company (GPC) eBook Collection (a subscription I used to maintain) is worth $135 per year. And there are many more partner databases. Even if you only use one, you've paid for your membership. You can find out more about a membership here. While the full membership is already a great value, I don't use any of the on-site benefits or discounts on services. Last year, I considered letting this membership lapse. I received a couple of discount emails (as most sites tend to offer) but was still on the fence —until I received an email for a truly amazing deal...digital access for just $49.95 per year! This still includes all the partner databases! While they don't seem to advertise this level on their site, here's a link to the digital membership page from the email I received. If it doesn't work for you, I'd suggest reaching out to them to inquire about this membership. 

And finally, there's the Conococheague Institute. This is a "hands on regional learning center" in Mercersburg, Pennsylvania. A membership is only $25 per year for an individual. The added value is in the History Commons (formerly Accessible Archives) access they provide as a membership perk, a $90 value per year. From the website, "History Commons presents a curated universe of landmark primary-source collections presented on Coherent Digital’s award-winning, next-generation platform." This is not a one-size fits all site. I needed it for some specific Pennsylvania newspapers, so it was useful to me. But if you're considering it, I'd suggest checking the site out first. For more information on joining the Conococheague Institute, visit this page.

One other resource worth noting is libraries! If you don't often access the brick and mortar building for your local library, you may be able to register for a digital card. Many libraries offer in-branch access to library editions of the big genealogy sites for free. They may also offer digital access to a wide variety of various databases and newspaper resources. And it's worth noting, if the resources at a given library outside your local area are valuable enough, you may even be able to obtain access even if you aren't a resident of the area. The cost and availability vary considerably, but depending on the materials you need, it could be an option. (If you can't find the information for out of state residents online, I'd suggest emailing or calling for more information.) Many libraries now offer some genealogy resources free on their websites. And several offer amazing on-site research areas with collections, manuscripts and other resources not available elsewhere. You can't go wrong checking out library websites for areas you're researching. Family Tree Magazine has a wonderful list of the best libraries for genealogy research. 

I've added all the links in this post to my Genealogy Toolbox (including a new section for both Books and Libraries, and expanding Articles, Tips/Tricks, Guides, to include Webinars and Videos). The cost of doing genealogy can vary greatly. If you're willing to put in the time, many records can be found for free. But sometimes we need a subscription. Finding the ones with the most bang for your buck is always a great feeling.  If you've discovered any other genealogy subscriptions with great bundled perks and membership benefits please share them!

Image by Foundry Co from Pixabay

Disclosure: I used ChatGPT to assist in titling this post, and for the search description. All content is my own.

American Ancestors: Perks Well Worth the Cost

Disclaimer: All thoughts & opinions are my own. I do not receive compensation or consideration for posts. 

I've subscribed to AmericanAncestors for several years. I've found there are some great benefits to being a member. I do all of my research online, so having extra resources beyond those found on the big 4 websites (Ancestry, FamilySearch, MyHeritage, FindMyPast) always interests me. 

Ho-hum perks of being a member: They offer the ability to build your tree on the site, But, I didn't find the interface to be anything special - certainly not as good as Ancestry. They also offer a quarterly magazine, but I'm not a big fan of magazines (digital or otherwise) so this wasn't a big factor for me. They also feature additional publications and tools you might be interested in checking out. I haven't used these myself, but they are on the site.

The perks I DO really like are:

• Access to 10 billion searchable names and records in the AmericanAncestors database
• Free access to partner databases

Let's break it down a little. As far as the searchable records on the site, they offer access to hundreds of databases. The search screen shows they currently have 507 databases. Some of these are not necessarily different from databases you may already have access to via the big 4 sites. But 224 are touted as being unique to AmericanAncestors. They also have a Digital Library & Archives containing digitized materials from three repositories: the Wyner Family Jewish Heritage Center (highlighting records for New England's Jewish community) R. Stanton Avery Special Collections (including family bibles and genealogies among other select records), and the Brim-DeForest Library (a book collection including family and local histories as well as other books). Not all of these collections will be of interest to every family researcher, but certainly these additional repositories could be beneficial to some.

And then there's the magic of partner databases! 

Let's start with a site currently experiencing some issues. NewspaperArchive is normally about $140 per year (I used to subscribe, but stopped when the National Genealogical Society offered it as a free perk of their membership.) I noticed today AmericanAncestors also offers access with their membership. Currently the site is recovering from a service disruption, but hopefully it will be back online soon. Is this newspaper site better than Newspapers.com, OldNews or GenealogyBank? It's hard to give a solid answer. Your research needs may be different than mine, and newspaper coverage can vary widely by site and area. I haven't had the best luck with NewspaperArchive, but I like having the option to search at no additional cost! 

In the past, I also subscribed to Genealogical to access their eBooks in the Genealogical Publishing Company (GPC) eBook Collection. Their current subscription rate is $135 per year. Their digital collection is fully searchable, both within titles and text. You can now access this collection for free with an AmericanAncestors subscription! This is an absolutely awesome perk! I had been waiting to renew until I needed to use the collection, so this was a fantastic surprise.

Additional third party partner databases include:

• Archives Unbound
• Gale OneFile: Diversity Studies 
• The Gale OneFile: Fine Arts & Music Collection 
• Foundation for Medieval Genealogy
• Informe Academico
• Irish Newspaper Archives
• HistoryGeo.com
• The HistoryMakerss
• 19th Century U.S. Newspapers
• Early American Newspapers Series 1
• The New York Times
• Parchemin Notarial Database
• Genealogy Quebec

I haven't added up the value of having all these databases available, but certainly, the value far exceeds the cost of membership to AmericanAncestors.

I used to pay for an individual membership at AmericanAncestors at a cost of $99.95 per year. This level also includes (in addition to the features listed above) free admission to American Ancestors in Boston, discounts on programs and services, and exclusive offers - including 10% off a Tier 1 membership to GEDmatch (the value of this is about $12). If you live in the area and want to access in person, it's still a very good deal. But I don't live nearby and am not planning on visiting - so I didn't really need the bells and whistles. When it came time to renew this year, I was on the fence. I was cutting back a little on my subscriptions and I was just going to let this one lapse until I needed it. And then I received the email there was a subscription level I didn't see displayed anywhere when browsing the site...

It's a digital subscription only. For only $49.95 per year, I replaced 2 subscriptions - NewspaperArchive AND GPC library (worth $275 if I subscribed direct) AND I still have access to all the other partner databases. It was a no brainer for me. I did lose the free in person access (though passes are available at $20 per day if needed), the discounts on programs and services and the exclusive offers (but the GEDmatch discount wasn't terribly substantial anyway).

So, if you like to have a lot of other database options, for $49.95 per year AmericanAncestors is truly a fantastic value. If you aren't yet convinced, you can sign up for a free guest membership to access a limited number of databases, and get a feel for whether you'd like to upgrade to a digital or individual membership. I believe the digital membership is by far the best value if you do the majority of your research online.

Image by klimkin from Pixabay

Genealogy Heroes: Volunteers, Angels and Helpers

Image created with DALL-E and ChatGPT

There are so many wonderful and giving genealogists out there who make it their mission to help others. I'm always amazed at how giving and warm most genealogists are. Just researching your own tree could be a full time job for...well, basically forever! It's hard to imagine the time and effort these volunteers give on top of their own research. 

Here are just a few of many great projects I've heard of:

• Search Angels is a non-profit organization assisting with genealogy and DNA test results for those in search of their biological family roots (basic adoptive search is free)
• Family Treasures Found works to reunite lost treasures with their families
• Megan Smolenyak has researched and helped identify 188 soldiers of various US wars. For 25 years, she's assisted the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) with identification of soldiers who gave their lives in war, but had not yet been accounted for
• DNA Doe Project has a mission to identify John and Jane Does using investigative genetic genealogy
• Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness (RAOGK) is a place where volunteers offer to provide research time (without charge) to researchers who need "boots on the ground" genealogy help in a distant location
• 10 Million Names is dedicated to recovering the names of the estimated 10 million men, women, and children of African descent who were enslaved in pre- and post-colonial America
• Project Infant a site dedicated to every victim of the Mother & Baby Homes in Ireland

If you're thinking of giving of your time, in addition to the above projects, here are a couple ideas almost any of us can do:

• Assist with indexing, transcribing and proof-reading: Family Search has a whole page of volunteer opportunities
• Volunteer with a genealogical society such as the National Genealogical Society (NGS) or American Ancestors or ask your local genealogical society how you can volunteer with them
• Take photos or transcribe for BillionGraves or FindAGrave

For more ideas and sites: 

• Check out Cyndi's List for sites working to return reunite old photos with their family and other lost and found projects
• Investigate the numerous volunteer projects on Cyndi's List
• Browse Facebook groups - there are tons of them depending on your area of interest

While we all give in our own way, preserving and telling the stories of our ancestors - volunteers, helpers and angels are the unsung genealogy heroes. From transcribing documents to adding photos, I'd venture every one of us has benefited from the generosity of these amazing people. We may know some of their names, others remain in the shadows. If you're keen to give back to the genealogy community, take a few moments to look through some of these projects and ideas.

I've added a Volunteer Opportunities section on my Genealogy Toolbox page where you can find all of these links easily.

Double Vision: RootsFinder and American AncesTREES

By now you probably know I have a bit of a subscription addiction. This weekend, I was really tempted to subscribe to RootsFinder. I've had the free plan for some time, but never really took it for much of a spin. The site is owned by FindMyPast, a bit odd considering they have their own GEDCOM import and tree building capabilities on their site (and I'm already using them). But still, on the surface, at only $34.95 per year for the Pro Plan, it seemed like a well priced addition...and there were a few features I thought I liked the sound of.

After comparing the free vs. paid Pro Plan, it seemed like the biggest differences were the ability to set trees as private and the DNA tools. To be clear, it's tools....not additional DNA matches. I have plenty of other sites with DNA tools I'm not fully utilizing, so it wasn't much of a stretch (this time) to kick the tires on the free version before upgrading.

One of the draws for me was aggregating hints from multiple sites together in one location. While I do most of my research on Ancestry, I do like to pop over to other sites to see additional hints from time to time, especially about direct ancestors. Who doesn't want to move another generation back?! Per their site, RootFinder pulls hints from "FamilySearch, BillionGraves, FindAGrave, OpenArch, GenealogieOnline, and paid subscription sites Findmypast, AmericanAncestors, RootsPoint, Ancestry and MyHeritage." Subscriptions are required to actually view the hints from the paid sites.

After uploading my GEDCOM, I immediately noticed the tree building and hinting system looked identical to American AncesTREES from American Ancestors. For a moment there I thought I was seeing double! The selections for hinting are the same: Direct Ancestors, End of Line (people with no parents) and Everyone (though a pop up warns hinting is limited to 2000 people.) The checkboxes to pull hints from various sites are the same. The one-time sign in to FamilySearch so it can "mirror" your tree is the same and the warning if you delete your tree it will no longer be on FamilySearch or RootsFinder are the same. (Don't worry, if you have a tree on FamilySearch already, it will NOT delete it. It only deletes the "mirror" tree.) Editing a person is the same as well.

With a quick search I found American AncesTREES pulls hints from "American Ancestors, FamilySearch, FindmyPast, Newspaper Archive, Billion Graves, Find a Grave and more." They say search hints are available for Ancestry.com, but offered up as collections to search, not actual hints. Just like RootsFinder, subscriptions are required to actually view the hints from the paid sites. American Ancestors, where I already have a subscription, was $99.95 per year, but comes with a whole host of other third party databases and research tools (a big draw for me).  

For all intents and purposes, these two sites appear to be using the same technology for their tree building interface and hinting. After consideration, I decided not to use RootsFinder after all. Being limited in how many people can receive hints for is a big deal to me. I'm already doing direct ancestors only on American AncesTREES and a duplication of this information isn't helpful. Since I didn't upgrade, I couldn't compare the DNA features, but I'd be surprised if they weren't the same too. Given FindMyPast has it's own tree building capabilities (and they aren't the same as RootsFinder), I wonder if they aren't simply licensing out the RootsFinder technology to any genealogical society who wants to use it on their own sites. (American Ancestors, also known as the New England Historic Genealogical Society, founded back in 1845, is a tremendous resource for those with family heralding from New England.) If FindMyPast was serious about development of RootsFinder (or American AncesTREES...or whatever you want to call it...) they'd have kept the algorithms and interface proprietary. It seems more of an attempt to create a return on their 2019 investment in RootsFinder.

If you're concerned about the cost of genealogy and/or have a smaller tree where the person limit on hints isn't a drawback, you can certainly try the free version at either site. I joined American Ancestors primarily for the collection of third party databases. American AncesTREES was just a bonus extra for me. If you're going to spend money on either site, supporting a genealogical society is probably a better choice. A subscription to AmericanAncestors includes access to all their databases (including third party databases not included in tree hints), discounts on books and courses, free admission to the research center, a 10% discount on GEDmatch Tier 1, and more. Quite honestly, I probably wouldn't select either site as the host for my tree. The user interface at Ancestry is far superior. The only plus to either RootsFinder or American AncesTREES is the multiple hinting, and you can always use this feature (with the free plans) alongside any site or software you may choose as the home for your tree. 

Image by PayPal.me/FelixMittermeier from Pixabay