No, you don’t have to pay for a separate subscription. You can just have a DNA account, with no ongoing charges.
I have put up limited trees (mostly direct line only) on the sites I have tested with/uploaded my data to. I consider these provide enough names and dates for DNA matches to get a preliminary view as to where a potential match might be and they can contact me for more info. They don’t include photos, stories, or associated documents.
I probably need to add a couple more generations to these limited online trees, however, because I underestimated how far back matches can take you. I have two examples of matches where our common ancestors were born about 1760s - 1780s, yet the amount of DNA we share is comparable to, or greater than, that shared with known third cousins with shared ancestors born in the 1840 s. Cousin marriages appear to be responsible.
I have withheld my name and the names of my parents and grandparents - these are only relevant to very close matches who would know this information anyway. Contrary to some comments I have seen on Rootschat, withholding these names does not appear to affect the operation of tools such as the Theory of a Relativity or Through lines.
If you don’t want to put any family tree information at all on line, or only want a private tree which no one else can see, then I agree there is no point testing. I suppose people who do this can freeload off the information from their matches, but they will still miss out on much of the value of testing. I don’t bother contacting matches with no trees or private trees as I assume they either have no interest in family history ( no tree) or no interest in sharing/collaboration ( private trees).
DNA helped me find out the father of my illegitimate 2 x great grandfather ( it led me to the right paper trail) - I am very, very glad I have tested. I was also able to help a match identify his unknown great grandparents. Again, it was a combination of DNA plus traditional research. It is helping me confirm other working theories and explore new avenues.
I hope you find a way to address your concerns so you can experience the exhilaration of the world DNA testing opens up, but I do understand that it is not something everyone wants to do.
