How to Cancel Archives.com Subscription in 2026

Last updated: February 2026 • Difficulty: Medium • Cost: $9.99+/mo

Cancel Online

1. Go to archives.com and log in
2. Click My Account (top right)
3. Go to Subscription or Billing
4. Click Cancel membership
5. Follow the confirmation prompts — they will try to offer discounts

Cancel by Phone

If you can't find the cancel option online (some users report it being hidden), call Archives.com customer service at 1-800-262-3787. Have your account email and last four digits of your payment method ready. Be prepared for retention offers.

How People Get Signed Up Without Realizing

Archives.com is notorious for sign-ups that people don't remember making. Common scenarios:

• TV commercial promotions: Late-night ads offering "free trials" that auto-convert to paid
• Ancestry cross-sells: Offered during Ancestry checkout or browsing
• Free trial traps: 7-day trial requiring a credit card that auto-renews
• Partner site bundles: Added through genealogy-related purchases

Free Genealogy Alternatives

• FamilySearch.org (Free) — billions of records, completely free, run by the LDS Church
• FindAGrave.com (Free) — cemetery and burial records
• WikiTree (Free) — collaborative family trees
• Public library Ancestry access — many libraries offer free Ancestry Library Edition
• National Archives (archives.gov) — free access to federal records (different from archives.com)

Request a Refund

If you were charged for a subscription you didn't knowingly sign up for, call 1-800-262-3787and request a refund. Archives.com/Ancestry typically refunds the most recent charge, and sometimes multiple months if you can demonstrate you never used the service. Check your bank statement for "ARCHIVES.COM" charges going back several months.