How to Cancel Ancestry in 2026 (Download Your Tree Before It's Locked)
Updated 2026-02-19 · 6 min read
🧬 The DNA Test Upsell Pipeline
Ancestry's real business model: sell you a $99 DNA kit, then convert you into a $25-50/month subscription to access historical records. Most people do their DNA test, look at their tree for a week, then pay $300-600/year for records they never look at again.
Ancestry Pricing (2026)
AncestryDNA kit: $99-199 one-time (the hook)
Ancestry+ (basic): $24.99/month — US records only
All Access: $49.99/month — worldwide records + newspapers
Annual Ancestry+: $199/year ($16.58/month)
Annual All Access: $349/year ($29.08/month)
AncestryDNA+: $39.99/year — continued DNA match updates (separate from records)
Before Canceling: Export Everything
Export Your Family Tree (GEDCOM)
Go to your tree on ancestry.com
Click Tree Settings (gear icon)
Select Export Tree
Choose GEDCOM format (universal standard)
Download the file — this contains all names, dates, relationships, and notes
This is YOUR data — Ancestry is required to let you export it
Download Your DNA Data
Go to ancestry.com/dna
Click Settings → Download DNA Data
Ancestry provides a raw data file you can upload to other services
Upload to GEDmatch (free) for additional analysis
Upload to MyHeritage (free DNA upload) for more matches
How to Cancel
Go to ancestry.com → click your name → Account Settings
Click Subscription (or Membership & Billing)
Click Cancel Membership
Ancestry will offer retention deals (discount or plan change)
Confirm cancellation
Your tree stays visible but you lose access to detailed records
⚠️ What You Keep vs Lose
Keep: Your family tree (viewable), DNA results (ethnicity + matches), photos you uploaded, GEDCOM export. Lose: Access to historical records, census documents, birth/death certificates, newspaper archives, record hints. Your tree stays but you can't click through to see the actual documents.
Free Genealogy Alternatives
FamilySearch.org: 100% free — run by LDS Church, billions of records, largest free genealogy database in the world
FindAGrave.com: Free — cemetery records with photos, dates, family connections
GEDmatch: Free — upload your DNA from Ancestry for additional analysis and matches across databases
National Archives (archives.gov): Free — census, immigration, military records
Local library: Many libraries provide free Ancestry Library Edition access in-person
MyHeritage (free tier): Free family tree, free DNA upload for matches
The Binge Strategy
Instead of paying year-round, subscribe strategically:
Do your heavy research in one focused month
Download/save all records and documents you find
Export your updated GEDCOM
Cancel after 1-2 months
Cost: $50-100 instead of $300-600/year
Resubscribe for another month when you hit a new branch to research
💡 The Library Ancestry Hack
Most public libraries provide free access to Ancestry Library Edition at their computers. It's the full Ancestry database — census, birth records, immigration, military — without paying $25-50/month. Call your local library and ask. Some even offer remote access with your library card.
🔍 Subscription Audit
Ancestry, 23andMe, MyHeritage, Newspapers.com — genealogy subscriptions are some of the most forgotten. Upload your bank statement to JustCancel to find every recurring charge you've forgotten about.