Fam Hist sites advice

[Wulfsige]

If it is acceptable to ask this question, I'd be grateful for some advice. I subscribed to FindMypast and to MyHeritage for a trial year, and soon I need to decide which one to remain with and on which to end the subscription. My research only concerns Britain. I asked for the same advice on the 'ancestry discussion' Facebook group (which has no connection with ancestry.co.uk), but admin refused to post it, yet offered no explanation that I could find for declining the request. (A message came later saying that advice would be subjective.) Thing is, my research has reached a point up to which findmypast and myheritage have both been helpful, but (a) two subscriptions are costly and (b) I have reached a point at which I need to dig more deeply into on-line resources (such as these sites) as well as paying for travel and accom to county record offices as far apart as Durham and Somerset, so prior advice - however subjective - would be valuable. I shall be grateful for any suggestions.

[BumbleB]

I know nothing about My Heritage, so I am unable to comment on that site.

I have had a FindMyPast subscription for a number of years and am very satisfied with it.  My main interest is in English records and I do like the fact that there are new records and/or additions every week.  There is also access to newspapers, again with additions every week.  I also have a yearly subscription to Ancestry UK and find that site helpful as well, with additional records added regularly.

[Rena]

I had to make the same decision as you quite a long time ago.

At the time findmypast did not provide images of, or provide records of, all the areas where my ancestors lived, thus I do not have a tree on, or subscribe to, that website.

[Jebber]

Like BumbleB I have no experience of MyHeritage, so cannot comment on that. I subscribe to Findmypast, the Genealogist and Ancestry.

I always suggest looking at the list of holdings on each site, then choose the one that has the most records pertaining to the ares of your research. None of them will provide all the records you want.

[arthurk]

Don't forget that many public libraries offer free access to Ancestry and/or FindMyPast on library computers; or that for some counties quite a lot can be found for free at FamilySearch.

Also remember family history societies and their publications and online databases. Their transcripts are generally produced with a lot more care and local knowledge than the ones that have been done for the major pay sites.

[Wulfsige]

Also remember family history societies and their publications and online databases.

Hmmm... that sounds good. I hadn't thought of that. Maybe join the Somerset FHS and the Gwent FHS, the two counties where my studies are concentrated from about 1720 to 1930. Thank you.

[Gadget]

I have subs to both and use them for different reasons.
 
I've been with FindMyPast since it was launched as 1837 Online many years ago. It has added to its collection over the years and I think it is the best site for British records (esp. Welsh).

I joined My Heritage primarily for DNA analysis and don't use  their collections very often. It was a great help with US info and  a range of European collections (but see Family Search)

This is a link to their collections to see if they are of use to you.

https://www.myheritage.com/research/catalog?s=515642581

I also use  many other online collections - Family Search, Scotland People, the Irish sites, Varios counties national  archives,  etc, etc. add - also Durham Recods Online

Gadget

[Wulfsige]

I also use  many other online collections - Family Search, ...

Yes, I make good use of Family Search, assuming we mean the same thing. It's free, if we are talking of the same one, and has proven interesting and useful.

[Gadget]

Yes, I make good use of Family Search, assuming we mean the same thing. It's free, if we are talking of the same one, and has proven interesting and useful.

I meant the whole list that I gave plus many others   



Gadget