Ancestry.com

Ancestry.com sends a powerful message in one of its latest ads. Who wouldn’t want to learn about members of their family tree – where they came from and what traits they share? And maybe more importantly, who wouldn’t want to be able to do this for free?

But if you’re looking to visit the past with Ancestry.com, you should use caution because TINA.org discovered it could cost you in the future.

That’s because when Ancestry.com claims its genealogy service is free, the company is actually referring to a 14-day free trial:

Free trials, as TINA.org has noted in the past, often come with caveats. And this one is no exception.

First, in order to sign up, consumers are required to pick one of three autorenewing subscription plans, each one costing a different monthly amount ranging from $21.99/month to $54.99/month. This means that if you don’t manually cancel, you will be automatically enrolled in the selected plan once the free trial is up. Don’t know which one to pick? Ancestry.com generously chooses for you, preselecting the World Explorer option with a discounted price for 6 months.

But if you’re wondering how to stop this free trial from turning into a paid subscription, the company offers some conflicting messages.

In certain sections of its website, Ancestry.com claims you can “cancel anytime” and “if you cancel your free trial during the two free weeks … you will not be charged.”

However, in fine print buried at the very bottom of a long, text-filled page the company discloses that consumers are required to cancel at least two days before their renewal date to avoid being charged. And this is repeated on other pages of Ancestry.com’s website, including in the company’s renewal and cancellation terms.

This means that the 14-day free trial may actually only be free for 12 days. And forgetting to cancel before then could cost you quite a bit.

That’s because, if you go with Ancestry.com’s preselected option, failing to cancel on time will result in a $24.83/month subscription that carries a 6-month commitment. And to cancel early, consumers may have to pay a $25 “early termination” fee. Considering the cost of the first month of your subscription is nonrefundable, this could leave you down nearly $50.

And that’s only if you can cancel at all.

Some consumers have reported to the BBB (which gives the company an A+ rating despite a 1.18-star customer review rating) and left reviews on Trustpilot complaining that Ancestry.com has a difficult cancellation process, resulting in consumers continuing to be charged after attempting to cancel their subscription:

Of note, Ancestry.com has also been sued for issues related to this “free” trial.

Company response

In response to TINA.org’s request for comment, Ancestry.com stated that it “clearly discloses the details of the free trial offer and cancel options” throughout the checkout process and that the company “adheres to all regulations.”

Ancestry.com also stated that it “recommend[s]” canceling two days before the “next billing cycle” for consumers who “cancel their subscription via email or by using online request forms” but that consumers who cancel through their profile settings can do so at any time before renewal.

Of note, this distinction between cancellation methods does not seem to be reflected in the company’s terms or fine print disclosures.

The bottom line

If you see something advertised as free, it’s not uncommon for it to come with strings attached. And if you’re thinking about signing up for a purported free trial, always check for any fine print and read all the terms behind the deal before enrolling. Reading through online consumer reviews can also be helpful.

Find more of our coverage on free trials.