Ancestry.com helps you explore your family history by giving access to a huge collection of records, letting you build family trees, and connect with your ancestors. They offer subscriptions like U.S. Discovery for $24.99/month, World Explorer for $39.99/month, and All Access for $59.99/month, which also includes extra resources like old newspapers and military records. You can choose monthly or six-month billing, with discounts if you pay for six months upfront. If you're seeing charges from them, it's likely for one of these subscription plans giving you access to their records and tools to research your family history.
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Ancestry provides a straightforward way to cancel subscriptions through the Account Settings page or by contacting customer service. While the cancellation process is simple, some regional cancellation fees and policies may add minor complexity. Overall, it is relatively easy but not immediate since it may take a few minutes to navigate and complete the process online or by phone.
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How to Cancel Ancestry: Step by Step
If you purchased through Ancestry.com:
- Go to the Ancestry website and log in to your account.
- Navigate to your Account Settings.
- In the Membership section, find the membership you want to cancel.
- Click on 'Cancel Membership' or 'Cancel Trial'.
- If prompted, choose whether to pause, switch, or cancel your membership, then click Continue.
If you purchased through the Apple App Store:
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
- Tap your name at the top of the screen.
- Select 'Subscriptions'.
- Find the Ancestry subscription and tap on it.
- Tap 'Cancel Subscription' to confirm the cancellation.
If you purchased through Google Play:
- Open the Google Play Store app.
- Tap on the menu button (three lines) in the top-left corner.
- Select 'Subscriptions'.
- Find your Ancestry subscription and tap on it.
- Tap 'Cancel Subscription' and follow the prompts to confirm.
If you purchased through Amazon:
- Go to the Amazon website and log in to your account.
- Navigate to Your Account and select 'Your Subscriptions'.
- Find the Ancestry subscription.
- Click on 'Manage Subscription' and then select 'Cancel Subscription'.
Tips & Tricks for Canceling Ancestry
- Cancel your 6-month subscription immediately upon purchase to trigger the refund for unused days, then re-subscribe to lock in a better rate or current promotions.
- If manual cancellation via "My Account" is not possible, call Ancestry support directly at 1-800-958-9073 to request cancellation.
- Cancel within the 30-day refund window for plans longer than a month to get an immediate refund and end service.
- Cancel after the refund window to keep access until the end of the paid period but prevent future auto-renewals.
- Remove payment information from your account to prevent automatic renewal because the system cannot charge you without saved payment info.
- If unable to cancel through Ancestry, consider canceling via third-party payment services like PayPal used for subscription payments.
- In extreme cases, some users have contacted their bank or credit card company for chargebacks or canceled their credit card to stop unwanted charges.
- Be aware of potential predatory billing practices; document your cancellation attempts and keep records of communications with support.
- Timing is critical—do not cancel late to avoid unexpected charges such as cancellation fees or full subscription fees without service received.
Ancestry Customer Service Info
If you need assistance, here's how you can get in touch with Ancestry's support team.
Cancel Ancestry Script
Script
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Dear Ancestry Customer Service,
I hope this message finds you well. I would like to request the cancellation of my Ancestry subscription. While I have appreciated the insights I've gained during my time as a member, I have recently found that I am unable to use the service as frequently as I had anticipated.
Please confirm that my subscription has been canceled and ensure that no further charges are applied to my account.
Thank you for your assistance.
Best regards,
Frequently Asked Questions
Ancestry.com subscriptions renew automatically and can be canceled at any time through account settings. For monthly subscriptions, cancellation must be done at least two business days before renewal to avoid being charged for the next period, with access retained until the subscription ends. Refunds are generally available if canceled within 30 days for upfront longer-term subscriptions or during the first 14 days for monthly plans without trials, though cancellation fees up to $50 may apply for longer commitments; trials must be canceled at least two days before ending to avoid charges.
To cancel your Ancestry subscription, you need to sign in to your account at ancestry.com, which requires your password. There is no indication that you can cancel without being logged in or through phone or chat support without authentication. If you have forgotten your password, you can reset it by visiting https://www.ancestry.com/account/forgotpassword. This ensures you can regain access and proceed with cancellation through your account settings.
- Unexpected charges from auto-renewal after free trial without clear consent.
- Difficulty cancelling subscriptions, including inability to remove payment information and being charged despite cancellation.
- Unhelpful customer service and lack of live representatives, leading to frustration.
- Complex refund policies with some refunds only issued as a courtesy.
- High cost of subscriptions causing financial concerns.
- Pricing confusion, especially around monthly vs. annual fees.
- Fear of losing research data if subscription is cancelled.
- Issues with family plan billing affecting multiple members.
- Delays and problems with DNA kit processing and replacements.
- Subscription service does not reward loyalty, leading to dissatisfaction.
Be aware that if you have a subscription billed monthly with a 6 or 12 month commitment, cancellation before the end of the commitment may incur a fee ($25 for 6-month or $50 for 12-month subscriptions or the remaining cost of the subscription). For subscriptions billed upfront, cancelling after 30 days generally offers no refund but you retain access until the end of your subscription. Monthly subscriptions can be cancelled any time before two business days prior to renewal, but refund policies are strict, and after renewal, no refunds are given. Also note that pausing subscriptions is possible but only once per billing cycle with no service access during the pause. These terms act as landmines to watch out for before cancelling.
Before cancelling your Ancestry subscription, know that you will still retain access to your family tree and all the photos and documents you have uploaded. However, you will lose access to most of the records and documents that require a paid membership, including previously attached Ancestry sources unless they are free or accessible through a library subscription. You can continue to add new people, photos, and documents to your tree, but access to full records behind Ancestry's paywall will be restricted. Consider backing up your tree and sources using programs like RootsMagic or Family Tree Maker before cancelling to keep offline copies.
- Account login credentials (email and password used to sign in to Ancestry.com)
- Access to the Membership or Account Settings page within your Ancestry.com account
- Name of the subscription or membership you want to cancel
- Billing information associated with the account (for verification if contacting support)
- Order number (especially for DNA kit-related cancellations or international subscription orders)
- Sample tube code (only if canceling or destroying an AncestryDNA kit in process)
- Contact information (such as email address or phone number used for the account)
- Refund request details (if you are requesting a refund, the information used in your original order and return of the DNA kit)
- Use of the official cancellation form (for EU or UK users, if applicable)
We've actually written a step by step guide on how to get a refund from Ancestry. Check it out!
The Easiest Way to Cancel Ancestry
If you’re frustrated trying to cancel your subscription, membership, or bill from Ancestry—or if you didn’t even realize you were being charged—Chargeback can help. Chargeback is a personal subscription manager that automatically detects hidden, recurring charges like Netflix, Hulu, and hundreds of others. With one click, we can cancel unwanted subscriptions, flag suspicious billing, and even initiate refund requests on your behalf. No more waiting on hold or navigating confusing help pages. Just connect your bank or email account, and we’ll take care of the rest.
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Editorial Note: These articles reflect the opinions of Chargeback's writers. Everyone's situation is unique; therefore, it is important to conduct your own research and note that our self-help tools are not guaranteed to help with any specific problem.
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