Websites with digital images want you to subscribe. Check out the completeness of their offerings before you subscribe. Coverage of records may be complete for certain area and not for others. The time period coverage may not be as complete as the marketing material indicates.

And….remember that your genealogy friend may think a site is “worthless” because it doesn’t include areas she needs. It may be worth it to you if it covers areas that you need.

And vice versa for the next site.

And remember–even if a site has a great deal of information, remember that there may still be original records that have yet to be microfilmed or digitized.

The fee-based sites don’t usually tell you what they don’t have.

Many fee-based sites at least allow you to browse the content. Find out how to do that before you buy.