Archives Review

Whether you’re just starting to do family history research or are a professional genealogist, it is helpful to review what family history websites offer. This review of Archives (www.archives.com) will help you understand Archives.com’s features.

Archives Review of Membership Benefits

An annual Archives membership, with access to all U.S. and international collections, costs $39.95. Other family history websites can cost hundreds of dollars per year. How does Archives compare? It offers 18 of the top 20 collections of the nearest competitor, and a number of other unique records collections, in addition to easy-to-use tools that help you build and share your family tree.

The site offers a 7-day free trial so you can evaluate and review Archives before you decide whether to continue with the service. With a membership, you can access to over 1.5 billion records in 268 collections, including vital records, census records, military records, newspapers, immigration records, surname histories, and obituaries. Archives members can also purchase family history products, often at a discount, such as DNA tests, hard-copy vital certificates, offline court records, living person reports, and memberships to OneGreatFamily and NewspaperARCHIVE.

Archives Learning Resources

Archives provides a number of learning resources to help you trace your family tree. Expert Series articles offer tips and tutorials on topics helpful to finding and documenting your ancestors. These articles, indexed by subjects ranging from ancient and medieval genealogy to finding living relatives, can serve as an introduction or a review, depending on your experience with researching archives. The Archives blog keeps you informed about industry news and new features.

Archives’ Recently Added Features

Recently, Archives has added a number of new features including:

Partnership with Family Tree DNA to offer DNA testing for the first time.
Addition of millions of new U.S. vital records and the U.S. Census 1790 – 1930.
Enhanced image viewer providing extended frame view, easier controls and navigation, and ability to invert colors.
Launch of Facebook app “Family History” which allows you to create your family tree in Facebook.

Archives posts new features on their frequently updated blog at http://www.archives.com/blog/.

Archives Review of Reputation

Though it is still a relative newcomer, Archives.com has quickly become one of the most visited family history websites in the U.S. Here’s a review of some facts that speak to the site’s reputation:

Named one of the 101 Best Websites in 2011 by Family Tree Magazine.
Over 4 million unique visitors to the site per month (Source: Compete.com).
Mentioned in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, TechCrunch, Family Tree Magazine, and reviewed on various genealogy blogs.
Accredited with the Better Business Bureau since 2008, certified by TRUSTe, VeriSign secured checkout. Archives partnered with the National Archives and Records Administration to make the 1940 Census available online April 2, 2012.

Archives Review of Customer Support

Archives offers U.S.-based phone and email support available 12 hours per day.

Mail
P.O. Box 391146
Omaha, NE 68139
support@archives.com

If you have a question about membership or billing you should contact Archives.com customer service directly. Customer service representatives are friendly, and very willing to work with you to resolve issues.

Hopefully this review helps you better understand Archives.com.