Trace Your Past (trace.com) has a 4.5 out of 5 rating on OK.one, based on 62 user reviews collected here. It is listed under Hobbies & Crafts and its reputation is excellent. 87% of reviews are 4 stars or higher and 8% are 1 star; The business has replied to 83% of negative reviews; 8 of them were added in the last 12 months. Last updated 2026-08-10.
What people say
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Bobbie Jackson · 1 review · Experienced 2023-04-13 ·
★★★★★
I liked the way the course was set up…
I liked the way the course was set up and that you could go back to review. The "tests" were helpful to show me weather or not I needed to study more.
I have taken other DNA courses but this one was well laid out and taught in a way that allowed me to fully understand.
Reply from Trace Your Past2023-04-13
We really appreciate your review Bobbie! We are happy to hear that you enjoyed the course and found the test helpful. If there is anything else we can help you with, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at [email protected].
I had an initial consultation with a staff member and was very clear about what I wanted to research. I provided a lot of documentation that I had previously compiled. What I got for my $199 dollars was an amaturish and shoddy proposal that was not what I had originally discussed and it was clear that the researcher did not look at the documentation I had sent. The proposal consisted of researching many of the things that I had already provided. The company refused to revise the proposal or give me a refund.
Reply from Trace Your Past2023-04-12
Hi Dorrie, we are sorry that you did not like your experience with Trace. We have offered to work with you to come up with a proposal that worked and is what you wanted. We would still love to do that for you. The researcher that put together your proposal did review your documents and if you have questions about the proposal our onboarding team would be happy to answer them. If there is anything else we can help you with, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at [email protected].
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Carl C · 1 review · Experienced 2023-03-29 ·
★★★★★
It was fun seeing the family history
It was fun seeing the family history, The process took an inordinate amount of time (even through COVID) (1+yrs), but I was kept informed of the progress
Reply from Trace Your Past2023-03-31
We really appreciate your review, Carl! We know covid caused some delays but we are happy we could finish your project for you. If there is anything else we can help you with, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at [email protected].
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Beryl · 1 review · Experienced 2023-03-24 ·
★★★★★
Lousy Follow Up
May 26, 2023 - Sadly, upon successful completion of my final test the admins, instructors and staff, in general, have disappeared. The web page that was accessible during the course, apparently, has no one monitoring it. So all queries do not get posted or responded to. I am having a extremely difficult time finding a way to contact anyone. I paid my fee promptly, successfully completed the course, and still have not received my certificate of completion. Also, I have not had any response from the course admins, instructors or staff.
March 24/23 An admin posted on the web page "....any registered learner who has successfully completed all requirements as of yesterday will be receiving their certificates soon. If you have not already received your certificate, expect it to arrive within the next 3-4 weeks. Once we receive confirmation from the printer that the certificates have been mailed, we will post another update....."
April 6th/23 another update posted.
"Certificates have shipped!"
I wrote a glowing 5 star review March 23, 2023 and have now altered it.
During the time I was working on the course I was able to work at my own speed, had access to the instructors if I needed them. Videos, graphs, charts, and resources were available to me, and still are today.
Reply from Trace Your Past2023-03-27
Thank you for your review Beryl! We are happy to hear that the course was helpful. If there is anything else we can help you with, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at [email protected].
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Tom Woelfersheim · 1 review · Experienced 2023-03-21 ·
★★★★★
Sadly disappointed.
I have had two appointments to speak with a representative. They do not call. They do not email. They do not offer a Teams or Zoom contact. When I call their number during their stated normal business hours I receive a recording stating to call back during their normal business hours (10 AM - 1 PM, EST, which translates to 8AM - 11 AM Utah time).
I am looking for their help, and they are unresponsive.
Reply from Trace Your Past2023-03-21
Hi Tom, thank you for your review and we apologize that your sales representative has not taken your call. We will look into this matter and take care of it. If there is anything else we can help you with, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at [email protected].
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Wanda · 2 reviews · Experienced 2023-03-15 ·
★★★★★
I have used Trace twice now and both…
I have used Trace twice now and both times I was happy with the results. The genealogist was very thorough and the summary and documentation sent at the end of the project were excellent and enlightening.
Reply from Trace Your Past2023-03-15
We appreciate your review, Wanda! Thank you for being a great customer and we are happy you have enjoyed your projects. If there is anything else we can help you with, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at [email protected].
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Sherry Miller · 4 reviews · Experienced 2022-11-22 ·
★★★★★
Trace found my 3rd great grandparents and other decendent lines
Trace successfully provide sufficient details about my brick wall ancestors parents and one sibling that I have since been able to find a second sibling line and the probate record that my ancestor named his son as Administer of the estate and names his mother. I have connected with decendents of the 2 sibling lines to learn more about this family.
Reply from Trace Your Past2023-03-14
Thank you for your review, Sherry! We are happy to hear that you enjoyed the results of the research and that they helped you get past a brick wall. If there is anything else we can help you with, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at [email protected].
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Yazmin Soto · 1 review · Experienced 2023-03-07 ·
★★★★★
The course was definitely for beginners…
The course was definitely for beginners like me; I was completely clueless about how people read their DNA tests. Now I have a better methodical understanding.
Reply from Trace Your Past2023-03-08
We appreciate the review Yazmin! Thank you for sharing your experience and how the course helped you. If there is anything else we can help you with, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at [email protected].
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Kiki Davies · 1 review · Experienced 2023-03-06 ·
★★★★★
LOVED this course!
LOVED this course. So glad that I signed up for it. Extremely useful and informative. I really appreciated all of the handouts and resources that were provided with each module. Instructions were clear and step-by-step application of research methods was appreciated. I wish there was another course! I would highly recommend it to anyone looking to dive into the basics and intermediate concepts of genetic genealogy.
Reply from Trace Your Past2023-03-07
Thank you so much for your review Kiki! We are happy to hear you loved the course and that it was so helpful. If there is anything else we can help you with, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at [email protected].
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Linda Colston · 1 review · Experienced 2023-02-21 ·
★★★★★
Highly recommend the DNA Course
Highly recommend the DNA Course, especially for newbies to DNA. Taking the course at ones own pace allows for the ability to stay with one topic til it clicks. The tools/resources are really helpful in not only understanding the concepts but applying them as well.
Reply from Trace Your Past2023-02-22
Thank you Linda for your review. We are glad that you found the course helpful and enjoyed the tools available during the course. If there is anything else we can help you with, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at [email protected].
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Steve W · 7 reviews · Experienced 2023-02-10 ·
★★★★★
Excellent Course for Understanding DNA Research
The course is well designed, with good depth of information. The amount of learning in each section is good. Assessments help confirm that you are grasping the concepts. For a topic as broad as DNA genealogy, they have done a very good job. A few concepts, terms and tools are mentioned without fully introducing them, so had to occasionally jump over to Google to stay caught up, but it worked well.
Reply from Trace Your Past2023-02-13
Hi Steve, thank you for your review! We are happy to hear that the course was helpful and thank you for the feedback. If there is anything else we can help you with, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at [email protected].
The most in depth DNA class yet!!
This online class is perfect for beginners and intermediates who are interested in finding their biological families. I loved the triangulation sections.
Reply from Trace Your Past2023-02-06
We appreciate the review, Kathy! We are happy to hear you loved the course. If there is anything else we can help you with, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at [email protected].
I recently took Trace's DNA Academy course. Some of the information was review from what I had learned in other courses I have taken, but there were modules that had new material and applications that were helpful. There was a FB community that allowed students to communicate. However, there was a lack of Trace presence in the community to answer our questions.
Reply from Trace Your Past2023-02-02
Thank you for your review, Brittney. We appreciate the feedback. If there is anything else we can help you with, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at [email protected].
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Kim M · 1 review · Experienced 2023-01-30 ·
★★★★★
Great Course
This course was very thorough and I was happy with the order in which it was taught. Each section flowed into the next with good explanations and examples of the topic. Adding the skills practice, to apply what was learned, before taking the assessment was very helpful. I would recommend the trace DNA Academy to anyone looking to advance their knowledge of DNA and research methodologies.
Reply from Trace Your Past2023-01-31
Thank you for the review, Kim! We are happy to hear you loved the course. If there is anything else we can help you with, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at [email protected].
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Sharon B · 1 review · Experienced 2023-01-29 ·
★★★★★
I just completed the DNA Academy-Genetic Genealogy Course
I just completed the DNA Academy-Genetic Genealogy for Beginners & Intermediate Course. This course was packed full of informative information. I was definitely in the "beginner" stage when starting this course and have found the content extremely useful. I now have to put all this information to use! It was well worth the cost.
Reply from Trace Your Past2023-01-31
Sharon, thank you so much for your review! We are happy to here the course was useful for you. If there is anything else we can help you with, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at [email protected].
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Jim Thompson · 1 review · Experienced 2023-01-27 ·
★★★★★
Race to Trace!
I have taken dozens of courses (online and in-person) on topics running the gamut from adoption to DNA to triangulation, and the Trace course is by far the most helpful. The lessons are deep, thoughtful, not repetitive, and well packaged. Lessons contain a multitude of worksheets, practices, and assessments for understanding the rich material. Trace goes above and beyond the traditional approach!
Reply from Trace Your Past2023-01-31
Thank you for your review, Jim. We really appreciate it and our glad you loved the course so much! If there is anything else we can help you with, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at [email protected].
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George Shorter · 1 review · Experienced 2023-01-04 ·
★★★★★
Father's missing family foundd a successful conclusion to my…
I had a successful conclusion to my research. The researcher gave important monthly updates that made me realize that there was someone working on it. It does take some time depending on what your research is about but as I said I feel it was worth it to get the answers.
Reply from Trace Your Past2023-01-26
Hi George, thank you for your review! We are happy to hear that you enjoyed getting updates on your project. If there is anything else we can help you with, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at [email protected].
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Jane Connors · 7 reviews · Experienced 2023-01-21 ·
★★★★★
Rewarding and transparent
I appreciated that no one from Trace over-promised what could be achieved in a difficult search. Also appreciated the transparent pricing and there was no subsequent 'upselling'. The final report contained information that I had not been able to find for myself, and was well-written. I thought it was money well spent and would use this service again if I come across another family history hurdle that requires some professional knowhow.
Reply from Trace Your Past2023-01-23
Hi Jane, thank you so much for your review. We are happy to hear that you loved your results and the research. If there is anything else we can help you with, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at [email protected].
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Diane E Berg · 5 reviews · Experienced 2023-01-22 ·
★★★★★
This is the worst company with the best…
This is the worst company with the best advertisements. I was lured in and signed with them and sent a lot of money. I dealt via email with Matt Bidstrup. I gave Trace everything I had on my Baltimore great grandparents who I had been researching for 40 years. I asked for their port of entry since I could not find it and where they came from in Lithuania. Instead, after months and months and months, I got their Baltimore addresses and their children’s birthdays! Nothing that I asked and paid for instead they sent everything I had discovered decades before by visiting and researching in Baltimore. Last year, my husband hired a professional genealogist in Sicily who promised him 5 generations in 3 weeks for $800. I was skeptical because of Trace’s disgraceful service but guess what? Three weeks later he got birth, death, and marriage records for five generations as well as a magnificent family tree. Trace is a rip off and probably farms out to novice genealogists. They wouldn't refund my money. I got nothing I paid for. Don’t use them. They are the worst. I am still seething. Hire a professional!
Reply from Trace Your Past2023-01-23
Hi Diane, we are sorry to hear that you did not enjoy your experience with Trace. We strive to provide quality reports to all of our customers. I have looked into your case and our researchers reviewed all your questions/concerns and provide a response with reasons and explanations for each one. If there is anything else we can help you with, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at [email protected].
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Theresa · 1 review · Experienced 2023-01-22 ·
★★★★★
Great Skills Practice Activities!
I found the Skills Practice activities to be very helpful. It's one thing to read about it, but then to turn around and do the activity was extremely beneficial to me.
Reply from Trace Your Past2023-01-23
Thank you Theresa for your review. We are glad you liked the course. If there is anything else we can help you with, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at [email protected].
