10 Best Genealogy Websites of 2026

1. 1

   FamilySearch

   A free genealogy website run by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, with billions of indexed record names and one shared family tree.

   9.6overall

   A free genealogy website run by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, with billions of indexed record names and one shared family tree.

   Best forAnyone starting family history research who wants a large record collection and a family tree at no cost

   Adoption data

   25.19 MillionFamilySearch reported 25.19 million monthly visits on its company facts page updated in November 2026.

   FamilySearch, FamilySearch.org Facts (2026): “Monthly Visits 25.19 Million”

   FamilySearch ranks first because it gives away what other sites charge for. Its company facts page, updated November 9, 2026, lists 16.93 billion searchable names in historical records, 5.96 billion digital images and 679,854 digital books, and the whole site is free to everyone. The FamilySearch Tree is a single shared pedigree of 1.98 billion people, backed by 4.30 billion attached sources. When you add a deceased relative, the site looks for that person in its records and suggests matches, and the app maps where key life events happened. The shared tree is both the strength and the catch: you often find branches that cousins have already researched, but anyone can change a profile, so you need to check sources and watch for edits. There is no DNA test, and some images are restricted by local law. For a first stop, and for the question of the best free genealogy database, nothing else here comes close.

   Strengths

   • +Completely free, with no paid tier to upsell
   • +Huge collection of record images, including many not indexed elsewhere
   • +Shared tree means earlier research by relatives may already be there

   Limitations

   • −Anyone can edit the shared tree, so facts need checking against sources
   • −Some record images are restricted by local laws or partner agreements
   • −No DNA testing of its own

   SummaryFamilySearch indexes 16.93 billion names in historical records and charges nothing to search them.

2. 2

   Ancestry

   The largest paid genealogy service, combining 71 billion records, private family trees, Ancestry Hints and AncestryDNA.

   9.1overall

   The largest paid genealogy service, combining 71 billion records, private family trees, Ancestry Hints and AncestryDNA.

   Best forUS-focused family historians who want the biggest paid record collection and DNA matches linked to their tree

   Adoption data

   3 million paying subscribersAncestry says it has more than 3 million paying subscribers and over 150 million family trees.

   Ancestry, Company Facts (2026): “More than 3 million paying subscribers and over 150 million family trees on Ancestry”

   Ancestry is the strongest paid genealogy website, and it would rank first on features alone. Its company facts page lists 71 billion records online from more than 80 countries of origin, over 150 million family trees and more than 3 million paying subscribers. Ancestry Hints watch your tree and suggest census, birth, marriage, death, immigration, military and yearbook records, and AncestryDNA adds ethnicity results and matches with over 30 million people in what the company calls the largest consumer DNA network. Linking DNA matches to trees is what makes it hard to replace when you hit a brick wall. A free account still lets you build a tree, search 4 billion free records and receive hints, but viewing most records requires a membership, and newspaper and military archives sit in separate sites or the top bundle. We could not confirm US dollar prices from our location, so value is scored cautiously and FamilySearch keeps the top spot.

   Strengths

   • +Largest record collection and the largest consumer DNA network
   • +Hints surface records automatically as the tree grows
   • +Free tier is useful for building a tree before you subscribe

   Limitations

   • −Full record access needs a paid membership
   • −Newspapers.com and Fold3 content costs extra outside the top bundle
   • −Prices showed only in zloty from our location

   SummaryAncestry has 71 billion records online and more than 3 million paying subscribers.

3. 3

   MyHeritage

   A family tree and records platform with Smart Matches, Record Matches, 40 billion historical records and its own DNA test.

   8.5overall

   A family tree and records platform with Smart Matches, Record Matches, 40 billion historical records and its own DNA test.

   Best forFamily historians with European or international roots who want automatic tree and record matching in many languages

   Adoption data

   81 million family treesMyHeritage says users have built 81 million family trees on its platform, alongside a database of 40 billion historical records.

   MyHeritage (US App Store listing), MyHeritage: Family Tree & DNA (2026): “our diverse collection of 81 million family trees built by users all over the world, and in our huge database of 40 billion historical records”

   MyHeritage is the best alternative to Ancestry for families whose records sit outside the United States. Its app listing describes a database of more than 40 billion historical records, with vital records from 66 countries, and a collection of 81 million family trees built by users. Smart Matches compare your tree with those trees, Record Matches look for your relatives in historical records, and Instant Discoveries can add a whole branch in one click. The app runs in English plus 48 other languages, which matters when a cousin in Norway or Poland built half of your tree. MyHeritage DNA reports ancestry across 2,114 geographic regions and matches you against 9 million people, a smaller pool than AncestryDNA. Photo tools such as LiveMemory animate and repair old pictures. The downside is cost and clarity: matching and full records need a paid plan, the plan names overlap, and we could not confirm US dollar prices from our location.

   Strengths

   • +Matching works across trees in many languages
   • +Strong record coverage outside the US
   • +Photo enhancement and animation tools are built in

   Limitations

   • −Record access and matching need a paid Data or Complete plan
   • −Several overlapping plans make the pricing hard to compare
   • −Prices showed only in zloty from our location

   SummaryMyHeritage matches your tree against 81 million user trees and more than 40 billion records.

4. 4

   WikiTree

   A free, community-run single family tree where members collaborate on sourced profiles under an Honor Code.

   8.5overall

   A free, community-run single family tree where members collaborate on sourced profiles under an Honor Code.

   Best forCareful researchers who want a free shared tree with a strong sourcing culture and a helpful community

   Adoption data

   1,428,941 community membersWikiTree counted 1,428,941 community members and 46,731,489 people on its tree in November 2026.

   WikiTree, WikiTree: Free Family Tree (2026): “Today we have 1,428,941 community members and 46,731,489 ancestors and cousins on our tree, 16,969,072 of which have DNA connections.”

   WikiTree is the best free shared family tree for people who care about sources. It has grown for 18 years from the grassroots up, and its home page counted 1,428,941 community members and 46,731,489 ancestors and cousins in November 2026, of which 16,969,072 have DNA connections. Everything is free, paid for by advertisements that members who sign the Honor Code mostly do not see. Because there is one tree, your great-grandmother has one profile that everyone improves, and the community expects citations on it, which keeps quality higher than many open trees. The G2G forum is where you ask for help with a brick wall, and weekly activities such as Connection Checkers show how you link to well-known people. WikiTree does not host its own record images, so you still search FamilySearch or a paid archive and cite what you find. That keeps it below the record sites on features, but its value is unbeatable.

   Strengths

   • +Free for everyone with no paid tier
   • +Community expects sources on profiles
   • +Active forum where volunteers answer research questions

   Limitations

   • −No record collection of its own, so you cite records found elsewhere
   • −Shared profiles mean you work by consensus
   • −Ads appear for visitors who have not signed the Honor Code

   SummaryWikiTree is free for everyone, forever, and hosts 46.7 million ancestors and cousins on one tree.

5. 5

   Find a Grave

   A free, volunteer-built index of graves and cemeteries with memorial pages, headstone photos and GPS locations.

   8.3overall

   A free, volunteer-built index of graves and cemeteries with memorial pages, headstone photos and GPS locations.

   Best forFamily historians confirming death dates, burial places and family links from headstones

   Adoption data

   265 million memorialsFind a Grave says its community has created over 265 million memorials since 1995.

   Find a Grave, Find a Grave: Millions of Cemetery Records (2026): “Over 265 million memorials created by the community since 1995.”

   Find a Grave is the free tool most family historians use alongside a records site. Its home page describes it as the world's largest gravesite collection, with over 265 million memorials created by the community since 1995. You can search by first, middle and last name, birth and death years with ranges, cemetery location, bio keywords and even the name of a spouse, parent, child or sibling, then filter for memorials that have grave photos, GPS coordinates or plot details. A single headstone photo can confirm a death date, a maiden name or which children are buried nearby, and many memorials link family members together. Anyone can add memorials, upload photos and transcribe headstones, so quality varies and you should treat a memorial as a clue rather than proof. It covers burials only, so it ranks below the full genealogy sites on features, but as a free database it earns a place on every researcher's list.

   Strengths

   • +Free to search and contribute
   • +Headstone photos often show dates and family names in one image
   • +Sign in with an Ancestry account is supported

   Limitations

   • −Volunteer entries vary in accuracy and completeness
   • −Covers burials only, not census or vital records
   • −Ads appear unless you pay to remove them

   SummaryFind a Grave holds over 265 million volunteer-created memorials and is free to search.

6. 6

   Geni

   A collaborative World Family Tree that aims to connect every profile into one tree, with a free account and a paid Pro tier.

   8.1overall

   A collaborative World Family Tree that aims to connect every profile into one tree, with a free account and a paid Pro tier.

   Best forGenealogists who want to merge their research into one large shared tree and connect with distant relatives

   Adoption data

   millions of genealogistsGeni says its World Family Tree is built from the collaborative research of millions of genealogists.

   Geni, World Family Tree Facts on Geni (2026): “Geni is creating one family tree for the entire world, built from the collaborative research of millions of genealogists.”

   Geni is the largest of the shared single trees on this list after FamilySearch. Its World Family Tree page counted 213,905,549 connected profiles in November 2026, with 9,851,236 added and 1,337,684 merges completed in the previous 365 days. The goal is one tree for the whole world, built from the collaborative research of millions of genealogists, so when your branch connects you can see how far it reaches and who else works on it. Projects and discussions gather people around topics such as a town or a historical group. Joining is free, and a Pro tier adds features such as Pro Workspace for private projects. Geni users can also use MyHeritage Smart Matches and Record Matches, but MyHeritage's help center notes that these need a separate MyHeritage Data subscription. Shared profiles can be merged or edited by others, and we could not confirm Pro prices in US dollars, so it sits mid-table.

   Strengths

   • +One of the largest single shared trees
   • +Active merging keeps duplicates down
   • +Free to join and build

   Limitations

   • −Shared profiles can be edited or merged by others
   • −MyHeritage matches need a separate MyHeritage subscription
   • −Pro prices were not shown on a page we could check

   SummaryGeni's World Family Tree connected more than 213 million profiles by November 2026.

7. 7

   Newspapers.com

   A searchable archive of historical newspaper pages from Ancestry, covering obituaries, announcements and local news.

   8.1overall

   A searchable archive of historical newspaper pages from Ancestry, covering obituaries, announcements and local news.

   Best forResearchers who need obituaries, wedding notices and local news stories to fill gaps in vital records

   Adoption data

   1 billion+ pagesNewspapers.com says its archive holds more than 1 billion pages from over 31 thousand newspapers.

   Newspapers.com, Newspapers.com Subscription Plans (2026): “Unlimited access to 1 billion+ pages from 31 thousand+ newspapers dating back to 1618.”

   Newspapers.com is the newspaper archive to pick when you research American families. Its plans page offers unlimited access to more than 1 billion pages from over 31 thousand newspapers dating back to 1618, and the Publisher Extra plan adds papers still under copyright, typically 1931 and newer, which is where many 20th century obituaries live. Obituaries often list surviving children, siblings and married names, so a single clipping can confirm half a branch of a tree. Publisher Extra costs $21.99 a month plus tax, or $79.99 for six months, which saves $51.95 against paying monthly. The site belongs to Ancestry, and the Ancestry All Access bundle includes it, so heavy Ancestry users may already be paying for it. It is a specialist tool rather than a full genealogy site, and its monthly price is the highest on this list, which holds its value score down.

   Strengths

   • +Largest newspaper archive in this list
   • +Recent decades are included with Publisher Extra
   • +Useful for obituaries that name surviving relatives

   Limitations

   • −Monthly price is the highest here
   • −Auto-renews at list price unless cancelled two days before
   • −Tax is added at checkout

   SummaryNewspapers.com searches more than 1 billion pages from over 31 thousand newspapers.

8. 8

   Fold3

   A military records archive from Ancestry with US service files, pension records, war diaries and memorial pages.

   7.7overall

   A military records archive from Ancestry with US service files, pension records, war diaries and memorial pages.

   Best forFamily historians tracing ancestors who served in US wars from the Revolution to World War II

   Adoption data

   390 million recordsFold3 says Premium members get full access to over 390 million records.

   Fold3, Choose a Plan (2026): “Full access to over 390 million records”

   Fold3 is the place to go once you know an ancestor served in the military. Its plans page promises full Premium access to over 390 million records, covering WWI, WWII, the US Civil War and the Revolutionary War era, with war diaries, prisoner of war records and pension files. Pension files in particular can run to dozens of pages and often name a widow, children and places of residence. A free Basic account lets you search, browse free collections and create memorial pages, but you need Premium to view, download or save most records. Premium costs $7.95 a month or $79.95 a year after a 7-day trial, the lowest paid price on this list, and records can be saved to an Ancestry family tree. The narrow focus is the limit: Fold3 is excellent for service records and of little use for anything else, so most people use it for a few months alongside a general site.

   Strengths

   • +Cheapest paid plan on this list
   • +Deep US military collections, some found nowhere else
   • +Free Basic account for searching and memorials

   Limitations

   • −Narrow focus on military records
   • −Basic accounts cannot view or save premium records
   • −Auto-renews at list price

   SummaryFold3 Premium opens over 390 million military records for $7.95 a month.

9. 9

   Findmypast

   A genealogy site specializing in British and Irish records, including censuses from 1841 to 1921 and the 1939 Register.

   7.4overall

   A genealogy site specializing in British and Irish records, including censuses from 1841 to 1921 and the 1939 Register.

   Best forFamily historians with ancestors from England, Wales, Scotland or Ireland

   Adoption data

   827 RatingsFindmypast's iPhone app had 827 ratings in the US App Store in November 2026.

   Findmypast (US App Store listing), Findmypast (2026): “4.6 out of 5 827 Ratings”

   Findmypast is the specialist to add when a branch of your tree leads to Britain or Ireland. Its app listing describes British and Irish censuses from 1841 to 1921, including the 1921 Census, plus the 1939 Register, armed forces service records, obituaries, wills and probate, birth, marriage, divorce and death records, and passenger manifests. You can view original documents next to transcripts, which helps when an indexer misread a surname. The app and family tree are free, with hints pushed to your phone, and US subscriptions start at $19.99 for one month of Essential in the US App Store, with Premium, Ultimate and Everything tiers above it and a 12-month Ultimate plan at $199.99. Its US App Store listing has 827 ratings, far fewer than the big general sites, which keeps its adoption score low. Findmypast's own website blocked our automated checks, so we relied on its app listing for features and prices.

   Strengths

   • +Strongest coverage here for British and Irish lines
   • +Original documents shown alongside transcripts
   • +Essential, Premium, Ultimate and Everything plans let you pay for what you need

   Limitations

   • −Less useful for families that never lived in Britain or Ireland
   • −Small US user base compared with Ancestry
   • −Its website blocked our checks, so we relied on its app listing

   SummaryFindmypast covers British and Irish censuses from 1841 to 1921 and the 1939 Register.

10. 10

    GenealogyBank

    A US newspaper and obituary archive from NewsBank, covering more than 330 years of papers and historical records.

    7.2overall

    A US newspaper and obituary archive from NewsBank, covering more than 330 years of papers and historical records.

    Best forResearchers hunting US obituaries and small-town papers that other archives may not hold

    Adoption data

    Hundreds of thousands of customersGenealogyBank says it has served hundreds of thousands of customers over more than 20 years.

    GenealogyBank (NewsBank), Search Newspaper Archives 1690-Today | GenealogyBank (2026): “20+ Years of Trust. Hundreds of Thousands of Customers Served.”

    GenealogyBank is the second newspaper archive worth checking, especially for obituaries. Its plans page lists more than 16,000 newspapers from 1690 to today, describes itself as the largest obituary archive online, and says 95% of its archive is exclusive to GenealogyBank, so a notice missing from Newspapers.com may turn up here. It also includes US Census records and military, migration, birth and marriage records, and you can browse collections by culture, such as African American, Hispanic American and Irish American papers. Every plan includes unlimited searches and downloads. The Monthly Membership costs $19.95 a month and the Annual Membership $79 a year, about $6.58 a month, after a 7-day trial that requires a card. GenealogyBank says it has served hundreds of thousands of customers over 20 years, but publishes fewer usage figures than the larger sites, and its focus is purely American, so it ranks last here while remaining useful for US obituary searches.

    Strengths

    • +Says 95% of its archive is exclusive to GenealogyBank
    • +Annual plan works out to $6.58 a month
    • +Unlimited downloads included

    Limitations

    • −US-only focus
    • −Card required for the free trial
    • −Fewer published usage figures than larger sites

    SummaryGenealogyBank says 95% of its newspaper archive is exclusive to its site.

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