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Archive Compass
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Interactive Tool
Record Search Time & Cost Estimator
Cost Estimator for Records & Archive Finder
Archive Compass — Record Search Time & Cost Estimator
Record Search Time & Cost Estimator
Archive Compass
Estimate research hours, out-of-pocket costs, and best sources for your target record.
Record Details
Record type
Select a record
Census
Vital (Birth/Marriage/Death)
Immigration/Naturalization
Military Service/Personnel
Probate/Wills
Newspapers/Obituaries
Land/Deeds
Court/Criminal
Church/Parish Registers
Geographic scope
Select a region
US - Federal/State
UK & Ireland
Canada
Australia/NZ
Europe (continental)
Latin America
Other/International
Time period
Select period
Pre-1850
1850–1910
1911–1945
1946–1975
1976–2000
2001–present
Urgency
Standard
Rush
Access Method & Sources
Preferred access
Online databases
Local archive/courthouse
National archives/mail request
Hybrid
Subscriptions to use (monthly)
Ancestry ($24.99)
MyHeritage ($14.99)
Findmypast ($19.95)
Newspapers.com ($12.99)
Fold3 ($7.95)
If none selected, estimator uses pay-per-view average of $2/image.
Expected searches this month
1
5
searches
20
Round-trip distance (miles)
Parking/transit ($)
Repository day pass
Day pass ($15)
Estimated pages to copy
Per-page cost:
$/page
Archive reproduction fee (estimate)
Adjust based on repository fee schedules.
Estimated wait (days)
Official certificate orders
Per certificate:
$
Repository pull/handling fees ($)
Effort & Labor
Your experience level
Select level
Beginner
Intermediate
Pro
Value your time ($/hr)
Hire a researcher?
Include pro option
Pro hourly rate ($/hr)
$35
$60
/hr
$85
Tip: Use Hybrid when online coverage is partial but a single onsite pull or mail request can finish the job.
Estimate
Results & Breakdown
—
Estimated research time
—
Out-of-pocket cost
Category
Estimate
Notes
Online access
$0.00
Travel & onsite
$0.00
Copies & certificates
$0.00
Archive fees
$0.00
Labor (your time)
$0.00
Labor (pro option)
$0.00
Coverage & Difficulty
Online coverage:
—
Difficulty factor:
—
Calendar wait:
—
Recommended sources
Open curated search links
Next steps: Use the links above, double-check locality coverage, then decide if an onsite visit or mail request is warranted.
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