If you keep your family tree database with Ancestry, you’ll appreciate that it lacks tools you expect to find in full-feature software like RootsMagic, Legacy or FamilyTreeMaker.
Now Ancestry has added a new facility, Pro Tools, with some missing capabilities. It’s an extra cost monthly subscription, and it’s not cheap!
Ancestry promotes it: “These advanced tools not only double-check your work in the background, but they also allow you to see your expansive family history in a different light.”
The tools are:
Tree Checker
Charts & Reports
Advanced Filters
Map Views
You’ll find the first two under the Trees tab toward the bottom, accompanied by a green locked padlock.
Aimee Cross, who was a beta tester, has posted New Features @ Ancestry but it’ll COST YOU on YouTube which I recommend for a deeper dive.
Her bottom line is that at $9.99US per month, it’s a bit rich, maybe suitable for a month or two, after which you’ll probably have received most of the value. Perhaps Ancestry anticipates that reaction. The small print includes “Your Pro Tools subscription will automatically renew at list price every month until you cancel or until your Ancestry family history membership ends. If you don’t want to renew, cancel at least two days before your renewal date by visiting your Account Settings or by contacting us.”
Price is way too high. Already pay far too much for Ancestry. This should be a free add on.
Thank you for brining this to our attention .
Hi John,
As I read the cancellation terms, there does not appear to be an option to just cancel the extra Pro Tools without cancelling the entire subscription. Do you read it that way? I will investigate further but if that proves to be the case it certainly is not worth adding their tools.
Interesting. Not the way I read it Wayne, but there’s room for ambiguity. Debbie Kennett has commented that Ancestry appears to be experimenting with different pricing.
Price is too high. Only the Maps feature would be of interest to me. Error checking and charts have been functions of my desktop s/w for years.
ICK. Just another way to persuade you to spend more. Cheers, BT
I didn’t even renew my subscription this time. It’s getting far too costly and my research, for the most part, is now in history/historical books and local histories. Too many of my ancestors chose to live so far from civilization that there are no records and at a time when church records would have been the only option. Until those church records are found and published I’m SOL.
When I logged on this morning Pro Tools was there as an option. When I logged on this evening it had gone. Perhaps they are not getting a good response at $10 a month plus tax
Sunday 14 January 17.07 GMT
If historic maps are included in might be useful. One general problem is the the exclusion of historical maps in general. Borders and names of locations have been constantly changing so individuals who are unaware may conclude that their ancestors, each one individually, are a nationally that is incorrect. As a result modern maps can yield very incorrect information.
[For example, I see this over and over again when DNA results show persons who are Scottish are astonished that they have Scandinavian DNA. They do not realise that parts of Scotland and Ireland were occupied by Scandinavians at least for hundreds of years, formally as late as the 13th century. And even then the Scandinavians did not vanish, their offspring are still in Scotland.]
I have tried this for about 20 days. These are tools you would expect to be included, without paying extra. When you try to cancel, if you are not careful you will cancel entire memnership. Also, as a note, the number 1-800-ANCESTRY has too many digits for a viable phone number.
Ancestry once again gouging. I have had a membership since the 1990’s, and now seriously thinking of cancelling.