The Problem With Open-Ended Hourly Genealogy Retainers
Large research agencies such as Ancestry ProGenealogists and Legacy Tree Genealogists employ capable researchers, but their business model is built around billable hours:
- You pay for the search time, even when an archive is empty: If a researcher spends twelve hours @ $175/hr checking county files that turn out to have burned in 1885, $2,100 of your retainer is gone.
- The deliverable is a technical research report: Standard agency packages deliver a genealogical research calendar, citation log, and folder of raw document scans. Turning that dossier into a custom-written, typeset hardcover coffee-table book typically requires an additional publishing upgrade costing thousands more.
- Long queues and multi-month waits: Traditional retainer projects commonly take 4 to 9 months per phase.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| What you get | Large Hourly Genealogy Agencies | Family History Press |
|---|---|---|
| Initial Feasibility Check | Paid consultation or rolled into paid retainer hours | 100% free written feasibility study within 48 hours |
| Pricing Model | Hourly retainer ($3,000 – $10,000+ per phase) | Firm, all-inclusive price: from $590 (Ancestor Portrait) or $1,690 (Lineage Edition) |
| Final Deliverable | Technical research report & document binder (book publishing extra) | Custom-written, typeset hardcover book + private digital edition included |
| European Archive Reach | Subcontracted out at extra hourly rates | In-house French, Italian, German, Irish & Eastern European archival research & translation |
| Turnaround Time | 3 to 9 months | 21 days (Ancestor Portrait) or 30 days (Lineage Edition) |
Why Our 48-Hour Feasibility Study Protects Your Budget
Before you spend a single dollar, our historians check the surviving US and European records for your family during a complimentary 48-hour feasibility study. We tell you upfront which passenger lists, censuses, military files, and homeland registers exist, outline the chapters of your book, and commit in writing to a firm USD price and delivery date.
Frequently Asked Questions
01How much do ProGenealogists and large hourly genealogy firms typically charge?
Large US genealogy agencies generally require minimum 20- to 40-hour research retainers billed at $140 to $220+ per hour, putting entry packages between $3,200 and $9,000+ before any custom book writing or hardcover binding is even added.
02Why can Family History Press offer a fixed price of $590 or $1,690 instead of hourly billing?
Two reasons: first, we conduct a complimentary 48-hour archival feasibility study before quoting, so we verify record survival upfront rather than billing you by the hour to look for missing registers. Second, our historians, writers, and book designers work under one roof with zero corporate agency overhead.
03Do you still provide the original historical documents and source citations?
Yes—every single one. Unlike a raw research log that buries documents in an appendix, we reproduce the key passenger manifests, censuses, military files, and European civil acts directly on the book’s spreads alongside clear transcriptions, translations, and a complete source index.