In a Nutshell
pros
- Unlimited chats with genealogy experts
- Available 24/7
- Very cheap plans
cons
- No genealogy or tree-building tools
- No extra services or GEDCOM
Best For
Fast answers about genealogical research and reporting
Overview
JustAnswer is an easy way to get quick answers to even the most involved genealogical questions. Whether you are just starting out and not even clear about what genealogical research entails, or you’re knee-deep in your research and have hit a brick wall, the experts at JustAnswer can provide you with valuable information and answers to help guide you through the process. While it doesn’t have any actual tree-building software, the wide network of experts makes JustAnswer a convenient tool overall if you’re trying to find relatives, create a family tree, or research your heritage.
Why Go With JustAnswer
JustAnswer isn’t a family tree builder. So, if that’s what you’re looking for, look elsewhere. Instead, JustAnswer is meant to help people with the research stage of their ancestry journey. It gives you access to professional genealogists who can help you get answers. Here are a few reasons JustAnswer is a good tool to help you along:
- It’s fast
JustAnswer is available all the time, 24/7. This is convenient because people frequently do their family research at night when most businesses are closed. Not to mention that people are doing research from all across the globe, making 24/7 responses a great feature.
- It offers unlimited questions and answers
If you ask a single question, you can go back and forth with your expert as much as you like until you’ve clarified your question and received a proper answer. If you pay for a membership, there are even more limits that are lifted. You can ask as many questions as you want, going back and forth till the cows come home.
- Its network is extensive
The experts answering your questions are real professionals working in the field. Each expert needs to show recognized credentials in their field. Additionally, JustAnswer uses a third-party service to verify each expert’s identity and credentials before giving them approval. Once approved, experts need to maintain a level of rank based on customer ratings. So you’re working with real professionals who will give you quality answers.
What’s on Offer
- SMS chat question and answer sessions with expert genealogists
- Live phone calls with an expert
- Live video calls with an expert
- Premium services (such as remote desktop, third-party apps, etc.)
Ease of Use
JustAnswer is a simple question and answer forum. If you’ve ever asked a question or sent a message online, you’ve got this. The average response time is just 6 minutes. That’s wonderfully fast. During high-traffic times (and we suppose for questions that are very involved), answers can take up to 24 hours to be returned. You will get an email notification when your answer is ready. You can also opt into text messages if that’s an easier way to get your notifications. The website will also send a shout-out when your answer has arrived.
If your question requires a more involved answer than a simple text message can provide, your expert may suggest a video or phone call session. This is helpful because the genealogist can clarify any points that are confusing and give a more detailed response than you’ll get from a basic answer.
Using premium services is also very straight forward. Your expert will send you a service request that you’ll need to accept. Once you’ve done this, you'll provide the number for your expert to contact you. The call should come in within a few minutes. If you’re using remote support, JustAnswer will generate a link that you and your genealogist can share. Simply click on the link to start the session.
Features
- Basic SMS answers
- Video chat
- Phone calls
- Remote support
- Library of previous questions and answers
Customer Support
A question and answer database, JustAnswer obviously has a help center for basic FAQs. You can also send an email to the support team with specific questions. JustAnswer also has international numbers for direct calling from various countries around the world, including Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. This is particularly helpful for genealogical research, since you never know where in the world your research will take you!
Pricing
Pricing per month: From $18, generally $46-$95, $1 week trial
Follow-up questions: Unlimited
Search database of expert answers: Yes
One-time question: $5
JustAnswer has a free trial that lets you use the service for a week. It’s not actually a free trial since you have to pay $1. But that’s pretty good in our book. You’ll get the trial membership regardless of whether or not you sign up for a paid account. Paying for your membership gives you access to benefits, including:
- Unlimited question and answer sessions with the experts
- 24/7 access to the database
- Exclusive members-only mobile app (iPhone and Android)
- 2 free phone calls with an expert
- Access to the library of expert answers
If you want to use the more advanced services, including phone calls, video chats, and more, you will have to pay extra for them.
Bottom Line
JustAnswer won’t directly let you build a family tree or access historical records, newspaper archives, or a people's database. What it will give you is access to a pool of expert genealogists who can guide you in your research. You can ask questions to the experts and get fast answers (usually within a few minutes) any time of night or day. The service is cheap, only $5 a question (or less if you sign up for a membership), and there’s a free trial too.
About JustAnswer
JustAnswer was launched in 2003 by Andy Kurtzig. The site was created as a helpful tool to assist people by providing fast, easy, and most of all, professional answers in a convenient online format. Instead of having to make an appointment, visit a doctor, wait in a line, and pay hefty fees, JustAnswer offers you access to talented professionals in all sorts of fields including tax information, finances, lawyers, mechanics, doctors, nurses, and veterinarians for a fraction of the price. JustAnswer holds an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau and holds a fair number of positive comments online from users.
Contact Details
Phone:
1-800-509-5721
Email:
Online contact form
