Ancestry.com Reviews 

34,824
TrustScore 3 out of 5

3.1

While we don't verify specific claims because reviewers' opinions are their own, we may label reviews as "Verified" when we can confirm a business interaction took place. Read more

To protect platform integrity, every review on our platform—verified or not—is screened by our 24/7 automated software. This technology is designed to identify and remove content that breaches our guidelines, including reviews that are not based on a genuine experience. We recognise we may not catch everything, and you can flag anything you think we may have missed. Read more

Review summary

Created with AI, based on recent reviews

Looking at 3,563 reviews, most reviewers were somewhat happy with their experience overall. Customers widely appreciate the extensive historical records and DNA matching capabilities, helping them discover new relatives and build family trees. Many find the platform valuable for uncovering family connections and accessing historical documents, making genealogy research engaging. However, many people express significant dissatisfaction with increasing subscription costs and perceived constant up-charges. A recurring concern for serious researchers is the absence of a chromosome browser, essential for in-depth DNA analysis. Some customers also report issues with DNA kit processing, including requests for multiple samples, and find website functionality and information accuracy problematic.

What people talk about most

Product

Reviewers mention ambiguous feedback about product, with some customers praising its ability to trace family... See more

User experience

People report ambiguous experiences with user experience, with some finding it easy to use and helpful for... See more

Website

Customers consistently note ambiguous experiences with the website, with some praising its ease of use for... See more

Price

Clients share negative opinions on price, with many reviewers finding the service too expensive and not worth... See more

Subscription

Consumers find subscriptions to be a source of frustration, citing high costs and a perceived lack of value.... See more

Reviews shaping this summary

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

DNA-results are mediocre withouth the actual primary source, which is what positions on the chromosomes you share with others. For that we need an actual Chromosome browser. The way it is now, we have... See more

Company replied

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

The sharing of families is wonderful but leads to many errors. One person adds incorrect information and it spreads everywhere. I stopped attaching other peoples tree information. I look it up myself... See more

Company replied

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

Need Chromosome Browser - Ancestry has the largest database and many useful features; however, genealogy has moved on. The name of the game now is genetic genealogy. Without a chromosome browser we... See more

Company replied

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

I love the number of DNA matches that I have and the pro shared matches information. But without a chromosome browser it is difficult for me to determine if my shared matches actually share a common a... See more

Company replied



Company details

  1. Genealogist
  2. Association or Organization
  3. Hobby Store

About Ancestry.com

Written by the company

Take a moment to review the site you are most familiar with.

Review Ancestry.co.uk
Review Ancestry.com.au
Review Ancestry.ca
Review Ancestry.se
Review Ancestry.de
Review Ancestry.fr
Review Ancestry.it

About Ancestry.com

Ancestry.com® is the world's largest online family history resource home to billions of historical records, millions of family trees and much more. It's also the world's leading network of businesses dedicated to helping everyone discover, preserve and share their family history.



Written by the company


Contact info

3.1

Average

TrustScore 3 out of 5

35K reviews

5-star
4-star
3-star
2-star
1-star

Asks customers to review

This company invites their customers to review, whether positive or negative

At Trustpilot, it's all about human content. This business can also access our AI-assisted response tool which helps them draft replies.

How this company uses Trustpilot

See how their reviews and ratings are sourced, scored, and moderated.

3.1

All reviews

(34,824)

3,549 reviews in the last 12 months

Write a review
Companies on Trustpilot aren't allowed to offer incentives or pay to hide reviews. Reviews are the opinions of individual users and not of Trustpilot. Read more

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

One GIANT complaint!!!

One GIANT complaint. It was a disaster to include GENEANET information, in your hints and sources. You may have (or may not?) have noticed that I always ignore any hints and sources from GENEANET. Why? In large letters BECAUSE THEIR INFORMATION IS WRONG MORE TIMES THAN IT IS CORRECT!! If "bold" had been available, I would have used bold, also!! ~~ Respectfully, Lorraine Frantz with the Lorraine Frantz Family Tree

19 July 2026
Unprompted review
Ancestry.com logo

Reply from Ancestry.com

Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback with us, Lorraine. We're always happy to hear from our members on ways we ca improve. We strive to provide the best and most comprehensive online genealogical database out there, and you taking the time to share where we can innovate can be truly helpful to us in achieving this goal. We'd be happy to pass on your suggestions, but please also don't hesitate to submit this through the link below as well. Thanks again for contacting us. Have a fantastic day, too!
Link: https://ancestry.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eaMJAIOG9lwk709

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

sharing DNA with spouse

I don't like that I can't use my wife DNA into our tree.
I don't have access and we have one family tree that I manage

19 July 2026
Ancestry.com logo

Reply from Ancestry.com

Hi there, Tsvi! Thanks so much for taking the time to raise your concerns with us. We wanted to reach out to let you know that you should be able to link your wife's DNA test to the tree you've already created. To achieve this, your wife will just need to share their test to your account and assign you as a manager. Once that's done, you'll be able to view her results within your account, and link the test to your tree, too. You can find out more about how to achieve this below. We hope these steps can be a big help!

Link: https://support.ancestry.com/s/article/Assigning-a-Manager-to-Your-AncestryDNA-Test

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

I asked how I needed to get a role…

I asked how I needed to get a role number and bam..gave me all kinds of info and was just awesome..ty so much

18 July 2026
Unprompted review
Ancestry.com logo

Reply from Ancestry.com

This is wonderful to hear, Tracy! We hope you enjoy learning even more about your family history. 😁

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

PROS & CONS:

PROS & CONS:
Lots of new information. But the problem is that it’s like always having homework.

Then I found out if I were to cancel after ten years all the information is lost to me and my family. Even though I’ve paid thousands of dollars in subscription fees.

18 July 2026
Ancestry.com logo

Reply from Ancestry.com

Thanks for getting in touch, McLaughlin. We're grateful to you for choosing Ancestry to help you in your family history research over the years, though we're sorry to hear of any concerns about what happens to your account after cancelling.

We're grateful for the opportunity to clarify that any research that you've saved to your tree will remain there if you chose to cancel. Ancestry will not delete or remove any information that you've saved to your family tree. A membership is needed to access the records that we host, but we won't remove those resources from your tree if you need to take a break. You can find out more here: https://support.ancestry.com/s/article/Ancestry-Accounts-after-Cancellation

We hope this information helps to clarify things!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Veterans History

I was able to find veteran that was an P O W

18 July 2026
Ancestry.com logo

Reply from Ancestry.com

We're delighted that you were able to make this discovery, Judy! Thanks so much for sharing what you've uncovered in your research.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Priority Processing

I'll sent my sample in hoping to confirm dna relation to someone who could be my half-sister. I paid for priority processing and have finally made it to the last phase. We have been impatiently waiting for the results. The estimated timeframe for processing has too many contingencies but we will see. I'm hoping for results by tomorrow!

2 July 2026
Unprompted review
Ancestry.com logo

Reply from Ancestry.com

Thanks for sharing this with us, Donielle. We know the wait for the results can be an anxious time. Once a kit reaches our lab, the testing process can take up to 6 weeks, though with priority processing, the results are often ready in 4 weeks. We hope that the results can help you with confirming that relationship, and if you'd like some tips for making the most of your Match list, please don't hesitate to check out the guide below. Thanks again for stopping by, and have a lovely day as well!
Link: https://www.ancestry.com.au/c/discover/education/ancestry-dna-match-list-webinar

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Its amazing what you find about your…

Its amazing what you find about your heritage and the chat support is awesome.

18 July 2026
Unprompted review
Ancestry.com logo

Reply from Ancestry.com

We are so happy to hear you've uncovered some exciting insights in your family history, Carol! Thanks as well for sharing your feedback about contacting our Support team. We're always happy to help! 😊

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

I had spent alot of time researching…

I had spent alot of time researching our ancestors. I even trusted Ancestry with my DNA. I was off it for a time and when I was finally financially able I rejoined knowing my DNA was there. Well there was a mix up with Google and I couldn't get back in my account. So I called support line. I was so upset angry crying. This gentleman talked me through it all. He stayed calm he let me have time to breath. He definitely deserves a raise.

18 July 2026
Unprompted review
Ancestry.com logo

Reply from Ancestry.com

Thanks very much for taking the time to share your experience with us, Melinda! We know that not being able to log in can be so worrying, but we're thrilled to know that you were able to get the help you needed to get access to your account once again. We hope you'll be able to make some rewarding new discoveries as you pick up your research again, and we hope you have a lovely start to your week, too. 🙂

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

I have found information on many of my DNA relatives

I have found information on most of my ancestors on all my lines except two several generations back. I think the ones I cannot find are due to incorrect information. I hope one day with new information coming online everyday that I will overcome this hurdle. I started researching m family before ancestry.com so I appreciate the time, travel, and expense that i have saved with this resource.

10 July 2026
Unprompted review
Ancestry.com logo

Reply from Ancestry.com

Thanks so much for choosing ancestry to help you in your research over the years, Carolyn! We're glad to know you've been able to uncover a lot of fascinating details, and we hope that in time you'll be able to solve the brick walls you've encountered too. We appreciate that getting stuck on a specific line or too can be irritating, but as you say yourself, resources are being uncovered and digitized each and every day! We look forward to the future insights you could make, and we hope you have a lovely start to your week, too!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

You do good advertising

You do good advertising

17 July 2026
Unprompted review
Ancestry.com logo

Reply from Ancestry.com

Hi BIlly! Thank you so much! We put a lot of heart into sharing the real stories of discovery, heritage, and connection that happen on Ancestry every day, so it means the world to hear that our campaigns resonated with you. We truly appreciate the support!

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

DENEIED MY REQUESTS TO CLOSED MY ACCOUNT

So I discovered that an account I closed 4 years ago is still being charged each month so I called to cancel the subscription and was told they cant find my account, no billing info, no receipts, and said that they cant help me. I asked for someone that could and was told there is no one that can close this account. So after talking to 3 different people they all refused or state they can't help me. I just want the payments to stop.

17 July 2026
Unprompted review
Ancestry.com logo

Reply from Ancestry.com

Thanks for bringing this matter to our attention, Kevin. We're sorry to hear about the back-and-forth you've experienced when requesting to cancel your membership. We'll be in touch with you shortly to request some more information so we can review this in more detail. If possible, it would be great if you could provide us with your Ancestry username, which you'll be able to locate within your Account Settings page, as linked here: Ancestry.com/account.

We look forward to hearing from you again soon.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

It is terrible that I have to do all of…

It is terrible that I have to do all of this before even being allowed on the site to do what I want.

17 July 2026
Unprompted review
Ancestry.com logo

Reply from Ancestry.com

Hi Jason! We do appreciate any feedback our members wish to provide us. With that said, please rest assured that leaving feedback for us is entirely optional. If you're encountering any difficulty with getting logged in or accessing any particular tool or feature, please don't hesitate to reach out. Our support team is always happy to help! If that's ever needed, please don't hesitate to reach out via the link below. Thanks again!

Link: https://support.ancestry.com/s/contactsupport?language=en_US

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

Being able to trace ancestors by DNA…

Being able to trace ancestors by DNA back farther than 5th great grandparents thru ThruLines

17 July 2026
Unprompted review
Ancestry.com logo

Reply from Ancestry.com

Terry, that is incredible to hear! We're thrilled to hear you've been able to trace your family roots that far back and wish you continued success with your research!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Great program but expensive.

Need to improve the search engines. Need to reduce costs in order to attract more subscribers, especially when food and other necessities are so high.

17 July 2026
Unprompted review
Ancestry.com logo

Reply from Ancestry.com

Thank you for sharing your feedback with us, M M! We completely understand that budgeting for family history tools can be a challenge. We are constantly working to improve our search engines and so thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts with us!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

More hints every day.

More hints every day.

16 July 2026
Unprompted review
Ancestry.com logo

Reply from Ancestry.com

We're so glad you've enjoyed exploring those record suggestions, Susan! Thanks very much for taking the time to share your experience with us. We wish you every success in your continued research, too!

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

not enough info

not enough info. there are many 2% matches on relatives???? i have never heard of any of these people. my sister and daughter should have been at the top of the list because they have used ancestry. and i do have a lot of relatives in the area. this was a total waste of my money.

8 July 2026
Ancestry.com logo

Reply from Ancestry.com

Thanks for taking the time to share your concerns with us, Maria. We are sorry to hear of any unmet expectations from your match list so far. We appreciate the opportunity to confirm that your matches will list anyone that you share DNA with who have also tested with us. They can range from close family to distant cousins. Collaborating with those matches, even the distant ones, to find your shared ancestors can be a great method for uncovering new details about your family history. We'd love to share some tips to help you with this, and if you're interested, we'd highly recommend checking out the guides that we've linked below. We hope these can be a big help to you, and we wish you a lovely day, too!

AncestryDNA 101: https://www.ancestry.com/c/discover/education/ancestrydna-101

AncestryDNA Match list: https://www.ancestry.com/c/discover/education/ancestry-dna-match-list-webinar

Making the Cousin Connection: https://www.ancestry.com/c/discover/education/cousin-connection

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

Best of a sorry lot

Being the best of a sorry lot is Ancestry's chief strength. That and extensive, bordering on the edge of dishonest, advertising. Less-than-competent techs are always implementing changes that increase processor load and slow the efforts of users trying to get things done. There are periods of processor bottlenecks every day at the same times which make it impossible to get anything done. Ancestry is deaf to suggestions. More than 20 years using Ancestry has me evaluating alternatives nearly every other month. And finding only disappointment.

On edit: Ancestry.com's reply (below) is appreciated. It may seem canned but includes specifics; AI generated? Hard to take it seriously, though, as everything in my review (above) has been posted directly to Ancestry's feedback page multiple times. And ignored. It is good they have an AI chatbot personalizing responses to negative reviews. It would be FAR BETTER if they actually did something to address negative comments.

15 July 2026
Unprompted review
Ancestry.com logo

Reply from Ancestry.com

Hi Art, thank you for your honest feedback and for your 20 years of research on Ancestry. We are very sorry to hear that recent performance issues and daily slowdowns have made your experience so frustrating.
Please know that we do not take our members' feedback lightly. We are sharing your concerns about site speed and processor load directly with our development teams to help us address these bottlenecks. We value your long-term loyalty and hope we can provide you with the seamless experience you deserve moving forward.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Ancestrial Discoveries Await

I have been able to use birth records, marriage records, census, and other historical records to take my family tree back to the 1500’s and in some cases the 1200’s. An interesting fact my family never knew, for example, is that we are part Irish. We found out about Margaretta Byrde (the early 1900’s writer). She is my Great Great Grandmother and I now own some of her books. We learned there was a name change in one case and we found the beginning of our last name in another. I am really enjoying it and love finding new connections to English Gentry, Castles, and Noblemen.

15 July 2026
Unprompted review
Ancestry.com logo

Reply from Ancestry.com

Hi Christie! Tracing your tree all the way back to the 1200s is an amazing achievement, but finding out that your Great-Great-Grandmother was the writer Margaretta Byrde, and now owning some of her books, is absolutely magical! We are honored to help you and your family bring these stories to life. Happy researching!

The Trustpilot Experience

Anyone can write a Trustpilot review. People who write reviews have ownership to edit or delete them at any time, and they’ll be displayed as long as an account is active.

We use dedicated people and clever technology to safeguard our platform. Find out how we combat fake reviews.

Learn about Trustpilot’s review process.

Here are 8 tips for writing great reviews.

Verification can help ensure real people are writing the reviews you read on Trustpilot.

Offering incentives for reviews or asking for them selectively can bias the TrustScore, which goes against our guidelines.

Take a closer look