Site icon DNAeXplained – Genetic Genealogy

Ancestry’s ThruLines and Shared Matches Now Require a Subscription

Roberta Estes

Ancestry informed us a few weeks ago that they were changing their platform and that some existing tools would soon be behind a subscription paywall.

I wrote about some changes in the article, Ancestry Updates Ethnicity, Introduces New Features and Pushes Some Behind Paywall.

A few weeks later, another banner appeared saying that everything “beneath the banner” would soon require a subscription of some type, meaning either DNAPlus or a full Ancestry Subscription.

Because Shared Matches was displayed above the banner, I didn’t think that Shared Matches would be behind the paywall, but I was wrong. Trees also require a subscription for DNA testers, but Ethnicity does not.

Truthfully, I’m not surprised by the more advanced features being placed behind a subscription paywall in addition to the price of the test, although I don’t like it. However, I’m shocked that Shared Matches would be restricted. I always viewed Shared Matches as a way to engage new testers just sticking their toe in the water beyond ethnicity results.

Effective now, if you purchase or purchased (in the past) a DNA test and you don’t have a subscription with Ancestry, or your subscription expires, you will be able to view 3 shared matches and no trees. If you want to see more, you have to either purchase their DNAPlus subscription or a regular Ancestry subscription.

So, technically, not all shared matches are behind the paywall, just all except 3.

Let’s sort this out.

First, let’s talk about what this isn’t.

DNAPlus is NOT ProTools

Do not confuse DNA features requiring a minimal DNAPlus subscription with yet another recently-introduced Ancestry feature called ProTools.

ProTools costs $10 per month, is not DNA-related, and includes a Tree Checker, Charts and Reports, Advanced Filters, and Map Views. ProTools is an add-on and requires a full subscription before you can additionally subscribe to ProTools.

This article is not about ProTools.

DNA Features – What’s In and What’s Out?

I fully realize that Ancestry customers expected to continue receiving the features included with an AncestryDNA test when it was purchased, with or without an Ancestry subscription, but that’s not the case anymore.

Ancestry provides this explanatory information in their FAQ.

Don’t shoot the messenger – meaning me. I’m just here to help you sort this out, so let’s review what’s in and what’s out.

Remaining included DNA features for everyone, with or without a subscription, are:

Restricted features without a subscription include:

Features requiring a subscription include:

All of the SideView™ related features are also subscription-only. You must designate a parental “side” for these features to work. I wrote about how to do that in the article Ancestry’s SideView™ – Dividing Your Ethnicity in Two. Those features are:

What is included or excluded in Traits differs depending on when you purchased the Traits test or the upgrade, so I’m not addressing those tests here.

Ancestry DNA Memberships

Ancestry has compiled a chart showing what’s included and what features require a subscription, which they call a membership. DNAPlus includes DNA features. The family history membership includes DNAPlus features and genealogy records.

That page also includes a brief FAQ sheet.

Exception – Shared DNA Results

The exception to the required subscription scenario is if a tester has shared their DNA results with someone who has a membership. The person WITH THE MEMBERSHIP can see the full results, even though the tester cannot if they don’t have a membership.

I have a full membership, and one of my relatives, who is deceased, shared their DNA results with me before he joined our ancestors.

I always check his results because I know he hasn’t changed anything and no longer has a paid membership.

This means that if you’ve asked your cousins to test for your benefit – they do NOT need to subscribe unless they want to work directly with their own results aside from looking at the basics listed in the included features. To work with their results more broadly, YOU need to subscribe and have them share their DNA results with you.

They (or you, with appropriate permission settings) need to link their DNA test to “them,” meaning their profile, in their (or your) tree. This option, along with DNA test sharing, is found under Settings.

Please note that if the DNA results are shared and the person has a tree, they also need to share their tree with you as a separate step found under Tree Settings.

Sharing DNA Results

Here are the instructions you need to provide to your cousins to share their DNA results with you.

To share DNA results with someone, click on “Your DNA Results Summary” at the top of your page, and then click on Settings in the upper right-hand corner.

Scroll down to DNA test sharing.

Click on the right arrow.

Then click on “Invite.”

Enter their email or Ancestry username and select the role of the person you’re inviting.

Then just click on the blue Invite button. That person will receive an invitation and can accept or not. For family members who want you to fully manage their test, instruct them to select Manager. Manager and Collaborator both allow you to connect their test to “them” in a tree, including your tree.

Here’s a breakdown of what different role selections of DNA test sharing can do with or to a tester’s DNA test.

Summary

I know this change in Ancestry’s policy is disappointing for many. I certainly can’t explain or defend Ancestry’s decision. I hope other companies don’t follow suit.

The good news is twofold. If you already have a full subscription, and many genealogists do, this does not affect you directly.

If you’ve encouraged or paid for others to test, you can still view their results through your subscription, so nothing is lost to you so long as they share their DNA results and tree with you.

_____________________________________________________________

Follow DNAexplain on Facebook, here.

Share the Love!

You’re always welcome to forward articles or links to friends and share on social media.

If you haven’t already subscribed (it’s free,) you can receive an e-mail whenever I publish by clicking the “follow” button on the main blog page, here.

You Can Help Keep This Blog Free

I receive a small contribution when you click on some of the links to vendors in my articles. This does NOT increase your price but helps me keep the lights on and this informational blog free for everyone. Please click on the links in the articles or to the vendors below if you are purchasing products or DNA testing.

Thank you so much.

DNA Purchases and Free Uploads

Genealogy Products and Services

My Book

Genealogy Books

Genealogy Research

Exit mobile version