Trace Your Family History Through Archives

There are several different web sites that help you trace your family history. While Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.org are popular, they aren't the only research sites available.  Archives.com is another site that offers research options, including access to historical documents and online software to help you build a family tree.

The Archives website allows you upload an existing GEDCOM file so you can use your existing tree on their site. You can also add photos and other media to your tree. Anything you can do on Ancestry.com, you can pretty much do on Archives.com.

One of the interesting things that stands, however, about Archives.com is that you can search for living relatives so you can reconnect with them.  You can find living relatives on Ancestry.com too, but by default, these are hidden in order to protect their privacy.

So what really makes Archives.com different than Ancestry.com?

1. Archives.com is a LOT cheaper than Ancestry.com
2. Archives.com gives you access to their World Database in their basic membership (Ancestry.com charges an additional subscription for this). 

In other words, the annual subscription at Archives.com is currently $39.95 and this includes access to their World Database.

Ancestry.com charges $155.40 for the basic annual subscription (which only gives you access to U.S. Records) and $299.40 for the annual World Deluxe subscription (giving you access to ALL records).

In comparison, $39.95 a year versus $299.40, is one heck of a price difference!  If money is tight or if you're new to genealogy research and want to test the waters. then Archives.com is a great place to start.  Archives.com will even give you a free 7-day trial.