Ancestry restricting number of shared matches to 3

[neelawson]

 A few months ago Ancestry.co.uk started limiting to 3 the number of matches shared with other relatives you could see. At the time it said you could see the rest of the shared matches by signing up to DNAPlus at £14.99 for 6 months (=£2.50 pcm). As I very rarely get any significant new matches - only had 1 in 18 months - it seemed pointless then signing up for that until I got a significant new match as I already knew the shared matches for my existing matches.

I have just had a new match for which I'd like to see all the shared matches for so I tried to sign up for DNAPlus by clicking on the button to see those extra matches. However it just invited me to take up a membership of UK and Ireland historical records as well as some additional DNA features and the cost is £13.99 per month ie £11.49 pcm more than DNAPlus had been advertised T. I don't want to be able to access UK and Ireland records I just want to be able to access my DNA matches and shared matches so it's pointless me paying for that, it's like having to pay for a 3 course meal when all you want is a cup of tea. I also googled DNAPlus and followed the link to buy but after signing in it invited me to sign up for US Discovery at $20.99 a month!

I've spent hours on the phone - their 'chat' is just a bot - trying to sort this out with their so-called customer services which are obviously not based in the UK and only seemed familiar with services available to US subscribers. I was originally told there was a glitch on the UK website that would be resolved in 24 hours. Having allowed several days for the glitch to be fixed I and finding it wasn't I phoned again and after being cut off 4 times I was eventually told that DNAPlus is only available to order over the phone which is ridiculous as besides having no confidence the person I was speaking to understood the issue I am not prepared to spend money without being able to see in writing what the service actually is and what the t&c are.

I asked 'customer services' how to complain and was told I had to either write to a corporate office in the USA or use a feedback form which I used but it doesn't give me much confidence that anything will ever happen as it doesn't even promise a response and I've not received any acknowledgement. I would much prefer an email address but was told there wasn't one and I checked the Resolver site and there's nothing listed for Ancestry there.

Googling different terms trying to get to the bottom of this I found the statement "AncestryDNA plus is in a gradual release phase which is not open to all Ancestry members".

I rely on access to shared DNA matches to try and build trees to find out who my Polish father was. It's out of order that Ancestry restricts access to that information. MyHeritage provide unlimited shared matches for free so no wonder more people are using them.

[Biggles50]

Ancestry does seem to have a promo going at present, maybe that is affecting what you can see and buy.

I have recently had an eMail offering reduced costs on subscriptions.

Ancestry is my Wife’s account so their main emails go to her.

If you know someone who has a live Ancestry subscription and they are willing you could give them Management rights to your DNA and they could look at your tree periodically to see what is new.

We manage a few different DNA tests and do just that, I look weekly at each to see if any of the new matches look likely candidates for further research.

[Pheno]

You might like to look at these previous topics.

https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=886285.msg7594729#msg7594729

https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=883852.msg7567841#msg7567841

[AnotherDay]

With some of the Ancestry tools, you seem to only be able to find them by signing out of Ancestry and doing an internet search!

So sign out of Ancestry. And try this link for AncestryDNA Plus - albeit you might have to pay in US dollars...

https://support.ancestry.com/s/article/AncestryDNA-Plus-Membership?language=en_US

[neelawson]

It's just like the UK version in that it links to a membership option for records and DNA and it costs $24.99 a month. Ancestry websites just seem to be in chaos and not fit for purpose

[Biggles50]

I have not had any significant DNA Matches for about 4 years.

People whinge that they bought a DNA test kit and then cannot access their matches, and I do understand the frustration.

Let us not forget that Ancestry is a business and as the saying goes “there is no such thing as a free lunch”, and to me getting access for a limited time is acceptable but in the long term subscribing does not necessarily provide value for money.

I get Worldwide for £89.99 thanks to links posted in this forum and a UK only deal at £59.99 and now my Family Trees are pretty well finished.

If one has problems then DNA is a waiting game so do stick at it and why not take out a monthly sub on an add hoc basis, or as I have already suggested ask a friend with a subscription to manage your DNA that way they could advise you if a potential candidate shows up.

[Cell]

.

I have just had a new match for which I'd like to see all the shared matches for

Hi,
Sometimes the  obvious  can be the answer - Have you tried  messaging your match?
If it  were me, and I really didn't  want.to pay for a sub to just see  matches between that  just 1  particular  match - I would message that 1 match, explain  your situation and ask them nicely if they  wouldn't  mind giving you the  rest of the matches outside the 3 you have .

Maybe your  new match has a sub ( especially if they are new match , I would think there's a higher chance that they have taken a sub out along with their dna kit)., and  perhaps they wouldn't  mind copying the shared matches for you -.its worth a shot..

I know  I would copy down the shared matches and give them  to any  of my matches  if asked  ( within reason of course  ie say the top  20, 30 of shared matches  or so, as some.have loads of  shared matches)
( not that I have a paid sub anymore since last April just gone  when I cut my sub off, because of my huge gripes with Ancestry's/ blackstone's  greed and unscrupulous new policies , and thats after almost 20 years of being a full sub holder)

Worth a shot , you've  nothing to lose  by messaging them , but everything  to gain  if they answer .

I assume you can still message  your  dna matches without a paid sub?  ( I have  my dna turned on to private at the moment, unless I quickly switch my visability back on just to check.)
Kind regards 

[neelawson]

.

I have just had a new match for which I'd like to see all the shared matches for

Hi,
Sometimes the  obvious  can be the answer - Have you tried  messaging your match?
If it  were me, and I really didn't  want.to pay for a sub to just see  matches between that  just 1  particular  match - I would message that 1 match, explain  your situation and ask them nicely if they  wouldn't  mind giving you the  rest of the matches outside the 3 you have .

Maybe your  new match has a sub ( especially if they are new match , I would think there's a higher chance that they have taken a sub out along with their dna kit)., and  perhaps they wouldn't  mind copying the shared matches for you -.its worth a shot..

I know  I would copy down the shared matches and give them  to any  of my matches  if asked  ( within reason of course  ie say the top  20, 30 of shared matches  or so, as some.have loads of  shared matches)
( not that I have a paid sub anymore since last April just gone  when I cut my sub off, because of my huge gripes with Ancestry's/ blackstone's  greed and unscrupulous new policies , and thats after almost 20 years of being a full sub holder)

Worth a shot , you've  nothing to lose  by messaging them , but everything  to gain  if they answer .

I assume you can still message without a sub?  ( I have  my dna turned on to private at the moment, unless I quickly switch my visability back on just to check.)
Kind regards 

Yes I've messaged the 3 shared matches (out of 7) I can see but none have replied. Most ppl don't reply to messages in my experience. Life would be a lot simpler if Ancestry made the DNAPlus available to buy.

[Cell]

.

I have just had a new match for which I'd like to see all the shared matches for

Hi,
Sometimes the  obvious  can be the answer - Have you tried  messaging your match?
If it  were me, and I really didn't  want.to pay for a sub to just see  matches between that  just 1  particular  match - I would message that 1 match, explain  your situation and ask them nicely if they  wouldn't  mind giving you the  rest of the matches outside the 3 you have .

Maybe your  new match has a sub ( especially if they are new match , I would think there's a higher chance that they have taken a sub out along with their dna kit)., and  perhaps they wouldn't  mind copying the shared matches for you -.its worth a shot..

I know  I would copy down the shared matches and give them  to any  of my matches  if asked  ( within reason of course  ie say the top  20, 30 of shared matches  or so, as some.have loads of  shared matches)
( not that I have a paid sub anymore since last April just gone  when I cut my sub off, because of my huge gripes with Ancestry's/ blackstone's  greed and unscrupulous new policies , and thats after almost 20 years of being a full sub holder)

Worth a shot , you've  nothing to lose  by messaging them , but everything  to gain  if they answer .

I assume you can still message without a sub?  ( I have  my dna turned on to private at the moment, unless I quickly switch my visability back on just to check.)
Kind regards 

Yes I've messaged the 3 shared matches (out of 7) I can see but none have replied. Most ppl don't reply to messages in my experience. Life would be a lot simpler if Ancestry made the DNAPlus available to buy.

Ah OK,  that's  a shame they haven't answered , maybe  they have just done the test for ethnicity fun  and not  family tracing/  genealogy.

 I've been lucky in that respect as most of mine have always  answered,
Although I did have one match who answered me  about two years later  out of the blue  ( I'd all but  given up  hope they would answer.and thought perhaps they may have died or something, as I have a couple of  DNA  matches  that I know they have passed away ) . The reason was they'd  forgotten about  the test. Apparently  It  was for a  fun gift from her daughter and she hadn't signed in for years ( I could see my messages hadn't been read) . Then out of the blue two years later ( could have been even 3 years later , without checking  my messages ) ,  I had message back - from the daughter of my match , when  the daughter checked   her  mum's DNA account for her, her mum had all these messages from a load of people , including  my message . So never give up hope of  some  of them returning your messages years later
Kind regards