Ancestry.com and FindMyPast

[Smudgeboy]

Hi all,

I've had an Ancestry.com account for a few years now, found it really useful but getting to the limits of where I want to go with hints and how diverse I want my tree to be.

I was thinking about cancelling my Ancestry subscription for a year and moving to FindMyPast, as I get the impression that there are some different sources (I can't really afford both).

I was wondering if people could confirm the below assumptions:

1. I can download my tree from Ancestry using a GEDcom file and upload it to FindmyPast?

2. If, at a later date, I want to re-activate my Ancestry account, will everything I've done before I cancelled have been saved under the "Guest" user profile?

Has anyone got any further advice, hints and tips?

Thanks

[KGarrad]

You can keep your tree on Ancestry, and update it with facts and dates
What you can't do is add images from Ancestry data sets.

I stopped my subscription to Ancestry some 5 years ago, when I became unemployed.
I still have about a dozen trees on there, and update them frequently!

Added: You keep your user profile, even if you aren't a paying a subscription.

[andrewalston]

Use a free trial period on FindMyPast to try a test of your tree data in their scheme.

I've just tried a transfer with one of my trees, and found events which were put in the GEDCOM by Ancestry, but thrown away by FindMyPast.

Images, of course, are not transferred, and if you upload them to FindMyPast, there is no way of seeing anything other than a thumbnail, so you need to make sure you have local copies before your Ancestry sub lapses.

There are differences in the way they want you to organise your data; FindMyPast has events like "1871 Census" while Ancestry only has "Residence". However most things should be understandable after the shift. Incidentally, FindMyPast knows the dates of censuses while Ancestry only knows the years.

Having tried both, I think the Ancestry tree software is a bit slicker, but I find them both very clunky when compared with the software I use offline. Both need a huge number of mouse clicks to navigate, but FindMyPast needs more.

FindMyPast have a public/private option on the trees, but at present "Public" just means that they can be accessed by another subscriber to whom you've sent a link - there's no "search public trees".

[Smudgeboy]

Thanks Andrew, really good info.

In the end I have stayed with Ancestry and gone with a monthly FindMyPast for a test period - I must admit I'm not getting on with it very well. The tree software/display is horrendous. I think I'll just mine some info I'm looking for and then dump it.

Out of interest, what's your (anyone's) recommendation for an offline tree software programme (I'm a Mac user)?

Thanks

[Jebber]

I would recommend Reunion for a Mac user, I used it on  a Windows PC and continued when they renamed it Generations, it was a sad day when they discontinued support for Windows. I regret not switching to a Mac when I had to upgrade my computer, I have never found another programme as good.

[Smudgeboy]

Thanks Jebber,

I'll check that out.

[Treetotal]

Hi Smudgeboy and welcome to RootsChat, I use Family Tree Maker and have done for years, but there are a few others to consider. It might be worth googling Family Tree software programmes and compare prices and reviews to help you make your choice.
Carol