What Ancestry.com subscriptions cost and what they include
Ancestry.com offers several subscription tiers, each with different access to records and features. The basic subscription, called Ancestry.com, costs around $20 per month when paid monthly, though the price drops if you commit to a year upfront. A second tier, Ancestry.com Plus, adds access to additional record collections and costs more. A third option, called Ancestry World Explorer, bundles Ancestry.com with access to other genealogy sites Ancestry owns, like FamilySearch and Newspapers.com.
The exact price you see depends on whether you pay monthly or annually, whether you are a new subscriber (many companies offer a discount for the first month), and what promotions are running when you sign up. Ancestry frequently runs sales, especially around holidays. You can cancel at any time, though if you paid for a year upfront, you will not get a refund for the unused months.
All subscriptions give you access to Ancestry's core database of census records, birth and death certificates, immigration records, and family trees created by other users. The higher tiers unlock additional record sets — military records, newspapers, DNA matches, and records from specific countries or time periods.
Key Takeaways
- Ancestry.com subscriptions range from basic (around $20 per month) to premium bundles that include access to multiple genealogy sites.
- You can cancel your subscription at any time, but annual prepayment plans do not offer refunds for unused months.
- The subscription gives you access to historical records and the ability to build a family tree, but DNA testing is a separate purchase.
- Ancestry runs frequent sales and discounts, especially for new subscribers and during holiday periods.
- Your subscription is tied to your Ancestry account login and works across their website and mobile app.
How to start and manage your subscription
To start a subscription, you create an Ancestry.com account with an email address and password, then choose which subscription tier you want. You will need to enter a payment method — a credit card or debit card. Ancestry will charge you on the date you sign up each month (or each year, depending on your plan).
You can manage your subscription from your account settings on the Ancestry website. There you can see your renewal date, change your payment method, upgrade or downgrade to a different tier, or cancel. If you cancel, your access stops at the end of your current billing period — you do not lose access immediately.
Ancestry also offers a mobile app for iOS and Android. Your subscription works on the app the same way it works on the website — you log in with the same account, and your access is the same.
What records are included at each subscription level
The basic Ancestry.com subscription includes U.S. census records from 1790 to 1940, birth and death records, marriage records, immigration records like ship manifests and naturalization papers, and the ability to view family trees other users have built and made public. You can also build your own family tree and upload documents.
Ancestry.com Plus adds access to additional record collections that vary by region — for example, U.S. military records, wills and probate records, land records, and newspaper archives. It also includes access to records from other countries, depending on what Ancestry has digitized.
Ancestry World Explorer bundles the Ancestry.com subscription with access to Newspapers.com (a searchable archive of historical newspapers) and other record sites Ancestry owns. The exact bundle changes, so check what is included before you sign up.
DNA testing is separate from your subscription
Ancestry offers DNA testing — you order a kit, provide a saliva sample, and receive a report showing your ethnic breakdown and matches to other people in Ancestry's DNA database. This is a one-time purchase, not part of your subscription. The kit costs around $100 to $200 depending on what type of test you order.
If you have both a subscription and a DNA test, your results will appear in your Ancestry account and you can use them to find relatives. But you do not need a subscription to take the DNA test, and you do not need a DNA test to use your subscription. They are separate products.
How Ancestry uses your data and privacy settings
When you create an Ancestry account and build a family tree, you are storing personal information — names, dates of birth, relationships — on Ancestry's servers. Ancestry's privacy policy explains how they use that data. You can control who sees your family tree by setting it to private (only you can see it), shared with specific people you invite, or public (anyone can view it).
If you take an Ancestry DNA test, your DNA data is stored separately and governed by Ancestry's DNA privacy policy. You can choose whether your DNA profile is searchable by other users, whether Ancestry can use your DNA for research, and whether law enforcement can access your results. These settings are independent of your family tree privacy settings.
Ancestry has been subpoenaed by law enforcement to release DNA data in criminal investigations. If privacy is a concern for you, read Ancestry's full privacy and DNA policies before you sign up.
Cancelling your subscription and what happens to your data
You can cancel your Ancestry subscription from your account settings at any time. Your access ends at the end of your current billing period. If you paid for a year upfront and cancel early, Ancestry does not refund the unused portion.
When your subscription ends, you lose access to Ancestry's records and search tools. However, your family tree and any documents you uploaded remain in your account. You can still view your tree if you log in, but you cannot search Ancestry's record collections or add new information without a subscription. If you resubscribe later, your tree and documents are still there.
If you want to keep a copy of your family tree before you cancel, you can export it as a file from your account settings. Ancestry offers options to download your tree in different formats.
Common reasons subscriptions renew and how to avoid surprise charges
Ancestry subscriptions renew automatically on your billing date each month or year. If you forget you have a subscription, you may see a charge on your credit card statement that surprises you. To avoid this, set a reminder on your calendar for your renewal date, or check your account settings regularly to see when you will be charged next.
If you see a charge you did not expect, you can contact Ancestry's customer service to ask about it. If you cancelled but were still charged, or if you were charged twice, Ancestry can usually reverse the charge or issue a refund. Keep your account login information and billing records in case you need to dispute a charge with your credit card company.
Some people sign up for a free trial or a discounted first month and forget to cancel before the trial ends. Read the terms when you sign up so you know when your free trial or discount period ends and when you will be charged full price.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I pause my subscription instead of cancelling?
Ancestry does not offer a pause feature. You can only cancel or keep your subscription active. If you want to stop being charged but keep your account, you must cancel. Your family tree and documents stay in your account even after you cancel, so you can resubscribe later without losing anything.
Do I need a subscription to view records other people have shared with me?
No. If someone shares a family tree or a document with you directly, you can view it without a subscription. However, you cannot search Ancestry's full record collections or build your own tree without a subscription.
What happens if I upgrade or downgrade my subscription mid-month?
If you upgrade to a higher tier, you will be charged the difference for the remainder of your billing period, and your new tier will renew at the higher price on your next renewal date. If you downgrade, the change usually takes effect on your next renewal date, not immediately.
Can I share my subscription with family members?
Your subscription is tied to your account login. You can share your login credentials with family members, but Ancestry's terms of service do not permit account sharing. If multiple people use the same login, Ancestry may flag it as suspicious activity. Each person who wants their own account and access needs their own subscription.
Is there a student or senior discount?
Ancestry occasionally offers discounts for students, seniors, and military members, but these promotions change and are not always available. Check Ancestry's website or contact their customer service to ask what discounts are currently running.