Fold3
Fold3 is a subscription-based genealogy platform providing searchable access to over 640 million digitized military records from the U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, serving family historians, genealogists, and military history researchers as a subsidiary of Ancestry.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2006
- HeadquartersLindon, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Fold3 does
Fold3 is a subscription-based digital genealogy platform specializing in U.S. and allied military records, operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ancestry. The platform provides searchable access to over 640 million digitized records spanning conflicts from the U.S. Revolutionary War through modern engagements, covering military personnel and conflicts from the United States, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. The technical foundation combines digitized archival images with Optical Character Recognition (OCR) to enable every-name searchable records, supplemented by user-contributed content such as family photos, stories, and memorial pages. Fold3's content base is anchored by exclusive data partnerships with primary archival holders including the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (BIRLS Death File, Veterans Gravesites), The National Archives (Marine Corps Muster Rolls, Army Registers), the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, the Imperial War Museum, and numerous state and local historical institutions.
The business operates on a freemium subscription model with a free basic membership tier and a premium paid membership providing full access to all records. Customer acquisition is primarily direct-to-consumer via fold3.com with a 7-day free trial funnel, supported by content marketing (Fold3 Blog), organic social presence on X, Facebook, and Instagram, and an affiliate program. The primary customer segment is genealogists and family historians researching military ancestry; secondary segments include professional historians and academic researchers, and institutional users (genealogical societies, archives).
Fold3 is headquartered in Lindon, Utah, with a reported headcount of 51–100 employees, and was founded in 2006. The brand is registered as a trademark owned by Ancestry.com Operations Inc. and benefits from shared authentication infrastructure with Ancestry.com, Find a Grave, Newspapers.com, Archives.com, and the broader Ancestry family of genealogy properties. The platform is accessible globally via the web with no native mobile app and no public API documented in the source material.
Fold3 firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Fold3
- Legal name
- Fold3 by Ancestry
- Website
- https://fold3.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2006
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Fold3 is a subscription-based genealogy platform providing searchable access to over 640 million digitized military records from the U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, serving family historians, genealogists, and military history researchers as a subsidiary of Ancestry.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Fold3 industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Genealogy Records Platform
- NAICS
- Libraries and Archives (51921), Web Search Portals, Libraries, Archives, and Other Information Services (5192)
- SIC
- Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Libraries, Archives & Special Collections (BPAGAHAF)
Keywords
Where Fold3 is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Lindon
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Fold3 business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Subscription Access: Fold3 generates revenue through premium subscription memberships that provide access to its database of over 640 million historical military records. The platform offers free basic membership and premium paid tiers with full access.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Monthly | Free Basic Membership |
| Subscription | Annual | Premium Membership |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
Fold3 product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Fold3 operates a subscription-based online platform that provides searchable access to over 640 million digitized historical military records drawn from premier archives including the U.S. National Archives, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, and international partners. The platform serves genealogists, family historians, and academic researchers seeking military service records, memorials, photographs, and unit histories spanning conflicts from the Revolutionary War through modern times across the United States, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.
Product overview
Fold3 is a subscription-based genealogical and historical research platform specializing in military records, operated by Ancestry. The platform offers a single unified product providing searchable access to over 640 million historical military records spanning conflicts from the US Revolutionary War through modern times, covering the United States, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. The core Fold3 platform includes the main records database, browsable collections organized by conflict period, user-contributed content, and memorial creation features. Key record types include Vietnam Veterans Memorial images, USS Arizona Memorial records, veterans gravesites, Army and Marine Corps registers, military yearbooks, and unit histories contributed by veterans' associations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Fold3 Premium Membership Premium subscription membership providing full access to Fold3's database of over 640 million searchable military records, including service records, unit histories, memorials, photographs, and user-contributed content, for genealogists, family historians, and academic researchers.
- Fold3 Free Basic Membership Free basic tier offering limited access to Fold3's military records database, intended as an entry point for new users before upgrading to a premium membership.
Companies that use Fold3
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Fold3 technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Fold3 partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.
- AncestrycoreAncestry owns Fold3 and provides the underlying technology platform, authentication infrastructure (allowing sign-in with Ancestry credentials), and cross-platform integration for genealogy research.
- US Department of Veterans AffairscorePrimary data provider for BIRLS Death File records (13.5M+ records), Veterans Affairs records, and gravesite information.
- The National Archives (US)coreMajor content provider supplying Marine Corps Muster Rolls (44.8M records), Naval Hospital records, National Homes records, and other federal military documents.
- New York State Military MuseummajorProvider of New York State military records including Adjutant General Reports and military museum photographs.
- Boston Public LibrarymajorContent provider for Army Registers historical records.
- Pennsylvania Historical & Museum CommissionmajorProvider of Pennsylvania Veterans Card Files from 1775-1916.
- Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)majorProvider of records on unaccounted-for remains from WWII, Korean War, Vietnam War, and Cold War (81,872 records).
- Imperial War Museum (UK)majorProvider of War Memorials Register covering memorials across the UK (1.65M+ records).
- Naval and Military PressmajorPublisher providing UK military books and Victoria Cross Medal Recipients records.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Fold3 competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Fold3 social profiles
Digital presenceFold3 financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Fold3 leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Fold3 funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Fold3 M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Fold3
What does Fold3 do?
Fold3 operates a subscription-based online platform that provides searchable access to over 640 million digitized historical military records drawn from premier archives including the U.S. National Archives, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, and international partners. The platform serves genealogists, family historians, and academic researchers seeking military service records, memorials, photographs, and unit histories spanning conflicts from the Revolutionary War through modern times across the United States, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.
Is Fold3 a public or private company?
Fold3 is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Fold3 founded?
Fold3 was founded in 2006. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Fold3 based?
Fold3 is headquartered in Lindon, United States, in the North America region.
How does Fold3 make money?
One revenue line is on record: subscription Access.
Does Fold3 have an API?
No public API is recorded for Fold3.
What industry is Fold3 in?
Fold3's product category is Genealogy Records Platform. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAHAF, Libraries, Archives & Special Collections. Its NAICS code is 51921 and its SIC code is 7370.