FamilySearch.org is one of the largest and most trusted websites for genealogical research for several reasons. As many may already know, this site is run by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. This site is completely free for all to use, whether they are members of the LDS Church or not. With over 100 years of experience collecting and preserving records, the LDS Church created a website to digitize their vast collection, which grows daily due to worldwide digitization projects (indexing) manned by an international army of volunteer indexers working from home. This site sets itself apart from the rest not only by its pricing, but the sheer volume of records one can access as well as the degree of assistance which is available in a variety of forms – anywhere from online self-instruction videos or step-by-step tutorials, to online chat (24/7) or honest to goodness live help at one of the 4,600 Family History Centers operated and manned by volunteers. In an industry where the customer service of other companies is concerned primarily with billing of technical support, having assistance from another genealogist is priceless. The site is robust and filled with helpful hints and tips on the WIKI pages with topics for new genealogists and those whom are more seasoned.

Top Ranked Companies

Ancestry.com

4.1

star star star star star_border

(506)

View Profile View Profile

Find a Grave

4.6

star star star star star_border

(92)

View Profile View Profile

MyHeritage.com

3.7

star star star star_border star_border

(112)

View Profile View Profile

thumb_up

The Good

Features
Free membership
Mobile app

FamilySearch.org is a top-notch site which has many features integrated to make family research easier. These include:

Access to census records (1790-1940)
SSDI database
Family tree building (with several layouts to view and print data - traditional pedigree, fan and dependency)
Free membership (upon signing up with a membership, users can determine the level of privacy which they want as far as allowing other members to connect to them and contact them via email)
Access to obituaries, newspapers and books
Multiple language platforms
Comprehensive blog with educational and informative articles on family history
Helpful WIKI to guide research
Ability to upload images, documents and create life sketches of family members to bring their records to life
Data protection - when duplicates or errors are found, members email their notes through on onsite system with their information corrections and documentation to try and reduce duplicates and correct errors
Puzilla.org (run by FamilySearch.org) gives additional opportunities to research dependency and find cousins (also free)
Mobile app allows for quick additions on the run
Volunteer opportunities for all to help digitize (index) records from home to increase the digital databases available
Huge network of Family History Centers (worldwide) at which to receive free help from other genealogists
Social Media presence with helpful tips - Facebook, Twitter and Google+
YouTube Channel with instructional videos

thumb_down

The Bad

Web freezes

Our review team noticed that when adding family members into their family trees (especially when importing them from another member's tree), the page can freeze up and needs to be reloaded by clicking another link and then going back into the tree page. This seems to happen during the times which internet traffic is higher. While not a full crash, this can become frustrating when working on building your trees. The developers obviously worked hard to make the site user friendly. There is a learning curve to its use and it is not always intuitive.

gavel

The Bottom Line

Our review team is confident in recommending FamilySearch.org for anyone wanting to begin their family history research or to expand the branches of their family tree. This site is well-planned and offers access to records which other sites charge (sometimes hefty fees) to access. Having so many venues for personal help, not only with the functionality of the site (technical), but with the research itself make this site a real bargain - indeed a treasure even.

Was this content helpful?

thumb_up Yes thumb_down No

border_color Write a Review

User Reviews

Star Rating

4.8

star star star star star_half

698 Reviews

Review Breakdown

5 grade

79%

4 grade

17%

3 grade

2 grade

1 grade

Sentiment Criteria

Value

star star star star star_half

Quality

star star star star star_half

Service

star star star star star_half

Trustworthiness

star star star star star_half

cancel

Filter by:

arrow_drop_down

Sort by:

arrow_drop_down

star star star star star

Jordon Patton Pflugerville, TX

I recently started using FamilySearch again and they've made a lot of really awesome improvements that make it more fun! I am also a youth leader, and we were able to show the youth how to use the website to do fun things like finding stories about their ancestors, seeing things like who won the Super Bowl the year you were born, where your ancestors come from by percentages, and more.

3 months ago

star star star star star

Brad H Gilbert, AZ

I find familySearch.org very easy to use. Type in a parent name with date of birth and a pedigree chart appears if the parent is in the system. You can also create a fan chart which explores even more relatives. This is a very easy way to start reviewing your ancestry. As you proceed to grandparents and great grandparents the chart keeps expanding allowing you to go back further into the family tree

3 months ago

star star star star star

Cindy H Gilbert, AZ

Love, love this site. It is free to use and has many resources and also opportunities to participate in indexing as a volunteer. I love how you can see so much family history and also you are able to add pictures and memories to share with those who are here and those are yet to be born. I had a 2nd cousin contact me that i never had met when she signed onto an account! This site is all about bringing families together...past, present and future!

3 months ago

star star star star star

CoasterRider Show Low, AZ

I use FamilySearch.org on a weekly basis. It is my go-to for family history research. It is organized and user friendly. Outstanding genealogy site!

2 months ago

star star star star star

The Man Flake Rio Rancho, NM

I really love FamilySearch.org, it allows me to see and find my ancestors and their stories, as well as perform important ordinances for them that they never had before their death.

2 months ago

star star star star star

The Voice Over Closet Anaheim, CA

Family search is a wonderful tool for discovering and adding more about family history! I love that you can add pictures, voice memos, and documents to bring your family members to life 😊

2 months ago

star star star star star

Cynthia DeGrey ,

I’m able to add family information and also review information submitted by other family members. Family Search has also recently made timelines available to me for deceased family members

2 months ago

star star star star star_border

Holly Magnusson ,

Honestly at first this website was a little confusing, but once I got going it made more sense. Also it becomes a little addicting, like in a good way. I love the side game / facts such as the maps of where my ancestors are from, my look alike, famous relatives and so much more. I feel geeky saying this but I have fun with this app.

3 months ago

star star star star star

Taylor Hall Los Angeles, CA

familysearch.com is so easy to use. It is easy to get overwhelmed with genealogy work, but this website simplifies it. I love finding my family and it is so easy to keep track of my work. I’ve never had any issues with the website.

3 months ago

star star star star star

Whitney Wilkins West Valley City, UT

I have loved family search. It is very easy to use and find what I'm looking for. I love having easy access to my family tree and basic information. It also emails me with notifications or new features I may be unaware of. This includes things such as information about relatives, famous ancestory, pioneers, etc.

3 months ago

star star star star star

Paige Ellis Slade Gilbert, AZ

I love familysearch.org. It helps me stay connected with those that have gone before me in a way that wouldn’t be possible. I love looking up little facts or stories from my ancestors and I want to do more of it. Today I was able to wish my dad a happy anniversary to his parents because of this great familysearch.org service. So special!

3 months ago

star star star star star

AshMan17 Riverton, UT

I enjoy how they prompt me with interesting ancestral facts about my family. I love the way that you can view your lineage in many different ways and that you can upload photos, stories, etc about yourself and your ancestors .

3 months ago

star star star star star

Jason Burt Riverton, UT

Love this tool for tracking my family history! It is easy to use, has accurate records, and the price (free) is hard to beat! One feature I really like is how easily you can tie records (like census records) to your ancestors to verify their information. Would strongly recommend it to anyone interested in doing the same!

3 months ago

star star star star star

Whit Orem, UT

I love FamilySearch.org because it is simple and easy to understand. I have used it for many years as I've tried to learn more about my family history. I do feel like they could do better about the connection they offer in creating faster paces responses.

3 months ago

star star star star star

Mary Johnson Flower Mound, TX

Family Search is a great way to learn more about your ancestors and more about yourself! It is user friendly, even for my kids, who like to see which ancestor they look the most like and what percentage American they are. It's also a great place to keep track of important life details and memories.

3 months ago

star star star star star_border

Mark Troxel Provo, UT

I have found FamilySearch to be a free service. The main problem with it is that there is a lot of information that is inaccurate. Parent listed as siblings, wrong spouse information. You need to confirm any information that you use. It has improved over the years and there are ways to correct info but it can be cumbersome. The reason I rate FamilySearch 4 stars is that the service is free. Compared to what you get versus the sites you pay for, FamilySearch is the best deal around. It is maintained by one of the largest collectors or genealogy information in the world.

3 months ago

star star star star star

Katrina Breithaupt Provo, UT

I use FamilySearch.org almost everyday. It is simple to use and has SO many resources. This website offers easy access to a wide variety of things like indexing names from images, sources to attach to individuals, various views of your family tree and so many more tools that make family history so much easier!

3 months ago

star star star star star

Blake Hirschi Salt Lake City, UT

Being a part of this genealogy community at familysearch.org has been life changing. Such a great way to connect to your past and grow closer to your living relatives! I have been able to add records to many of my deceased grandparents and its been very rewarding.

3 months ago

star star star star star

Landon Badoni Montgomery, TX

Family Search has an incredibly diverse database that is ever expanding. They have a fantastic checks and balances system that is peer reviewed and allows people to transcribe old documents into digital form. I definitely recommend using Family Search for genealogy!

3 months ago

star star star star star

Emily H West Wendover, NV

Love using family search for compiling stories, pictures, and timelines of my ancestors. Very easy to communicate with other relatives and compilers on the family tree. Steps are well guided--I've been using it since I was a young teenager. Grateful for the family history that I am able to keep track of through their services.

3 months ago

star star star star star

Ben Knight Salt Lake City, UT

Super easy to get around on familysearch.org compared to other family history websites. They have such a large, if not the largest, databases for family history. Really great website to find information about your ancestors!

3 months ago

star star star star star

Karli American Fork, UT

Family Search is incredible! It is so amazing to be able to have so much information about my family right at my fingertips! The site is user friendly and well organized and can be used easily both on a mobile phone or internet browser. I love being able to go on and read stories and memories from my ancestors! Truly a great resource.

3 months ago

star star star star star

Mary Alice M. Orem, UT

I used this software in a college family history class and it made my experience trying to find my ancestors much easier. Of course I ran into a lot of what seemed like dead ends, but you need to put a lot of time into familysearch in order to see the results.

3 months ago

star star star star star

Missy Charleston, IL

I love FamilySearch for so many reasons. With so many people connected and able to contribute, it's rewarding to search for ancestors and have such a large extended tree available. I love looking through the "memories" section of ancestors and learning more about their lives because of others contributions. I enjoy indexing and have indexed thousands of names through this site.

8 months ago

star star star star star_border

Lex Midway, UT

Pretty easy to use, I don't look at it all the time but very interesting to see the family tree. They make it easy to find relatives and add them to the tree, My mom uses it ALOT

3 months ago

star star star star star

Julianna Bateman Mont Alto, PA

I love looking at my family history and reading their stories and seeing their pictures. I enjoyed submitting stories of my own grandpa after he passed away so that others can read and benefit from them.

3 months ago

star star star star star

Jake Mecham Lehi, UT

FamilySearch.org is a really fun website. My friends that have also used their service will login and we can look at our connections and see if we are long lost relatives. It is not just informative, but a lot of fun!

3 months ago

star star star star star

murfday College Station, TX

I get weekly emails with very interesting facts about my ancestors. It peeks my interest so I often click on the email to explore more. I like that you can collaborate with others.

3 months ago

star star star star star

Wendy Hunter Riverton, UT

FamilySearch.org is really easy to navigate and has helped me in my family history quest. It would be the first site I would recommend to someone who is looking for long, lost ancestors!

3 months ago

star star star star star

Corbin Short ,

It's really the best website to use for ancestry. The rate at which volunteers index is amazing and they store and digitize so much data. It is easy to use, and easy to get involved in.

3 months ago

star star star star star

Emma Simpson West Valley City, UT

Family search is a great website to do family history with. I have used it multiple times and I especially love how organized the site is, and it looks very appealing. And there are many options for family history tools.

3 months ago

star star star star star

Jared Provo, UT

I use FamilySearch.org every day. They are constantly upgrading the site, and the user interface is very friendly and intuitive. I highly recommend every service they provide!

3 months ago

star star star star star

Tammi Guyton, GA

Family Search is easy to use, even kids can log in and find stories and photos of their ancestors. Do you want to know which relative you look like? Check out FamilySearch.org

3 months ago

star star star star star

Tommy McCarlie Chicago, IL

The gold standard if you are interested in searching for your ancestors. The site has become much better in recent years including better integration with the app. Bonus: It's free.

3 months ago

star star star star star

Desiree Pleasant Grove, UT

FamilySearch is such an amazing website. It's so cool to listen to amazing stories from hundreds of years ago.I think it's amazing how we can also index and review records, which helps a lot with accuracy but also gives you the experience. FamilySearch is a great way to connect families together and step in each other's shoes.

5 months ago

star star star star star

Betty Brigham City, UT

Family Search is one of the first pre-eminent free information sites. Family Search has a wealth of information from government sites and private records. I love the aspect that it is so user friendly. It has a multitude of instruction and help. One can connect with local live assistant persons by phone. Learning about your ancestors has limitless possibilities.

6 months ago

star star star star star

STurner Saratoga Springs, UT

I use it on a constant basis. It is user friendly. It is packed with information. I can share information with my family and get information from others. It is by far the best genealogy program out there and it is in partnership with with several other genealogy sites and has easy buttons to click on to go to these sites. This is the best program available and it’s free.

7 months ago

star star star star star

Christine Christensen Salt Lake City, UT

Familysearch is my go-to site for all things family history. I love that I can add sources, edit information that is incorrect and add my reasons for doing so, carefully merge duplicate individuals, and add or see photos and memories that others have added. Familysearch also allows me to search their extensive database of historical records which tireless volunteers have indexed. The beauty of familysearch is that family members all over the world who have access to the internet can read information and feel connected to our family! While in the Philippines my son would frequently read stories about his ancestors that gave him strength and courage. I access familysearch almost daily and LOVE it.

5 years ago

star star star star star

Cynthia Azócar Ahumada Riverside, CT

I love this site, I'm using it for years, and is always getting better. I completed 5 generations, just with the free information that FamilySearch provide. I'm from Chile and I can find everything in my own language, and organize it in English or any language I want. I can download documents that contains my great-grandfather signature. I got happier when I found that now there is a Family Search application to add to my smart phone and tablet, using my own account, so I can go with my genealogy everywhere. This is perfect when you are in family reunions and you get more family information that you can add. Also take family pictures and add them to your family tree.

5 years ago

star star star star star

Steven Klaproth Show Low, AZ

They are an excellent resource for doing family history or just finding ancestors. They are good about sending information on my relatives.

2 months ago

star star star star star

Bing Yeung Riverton, UT

Family search is user friendly and rich in data. You can expand your tree with your family members. Fun activity with family to learn more about your family history.

3 months ago

star star star star star

Melissa M Kansas City, MO

They have incredible resources and partnerships to help to your genealogy. I also like the various emails they send about new I formation and significant dates for ancestors.

3 months ago

star star star star star

CoachTrista Saratoga Springs, UT

After using a few different sites, I now only use Familysearch.org. This is the easiest platform for me to find ancestry and share with my other family members.

3 months ago

star star star star star

Van M. Orem, UT

I love that they send me information about my relatives each week and I have been able to learn a lot because of it. This is such a great platform to do genealogy work .

3 months ago

star star star star star_border

Sherry Bateman Port Coquitlam, BC

I like this company because I am able to not only see my family tree and add to it but I appreciate the weekly reminders that are sent regarding my ancestors including timelines, historic information, grave markers etc.

3 months ago

star star star star star

Becky Gilbert, AZ

I love family search! It has so many cool options! I love that I can post pictures of my family to access forever and that I can make voice recordings!

3 months ago

star star star star star

Rachel Butler Provo, UT

I love all the features of family search for trying to make active connections with ancestors. I wish that there was an easier collaboration with other sources of records.

3 months ago

star star star star star

Heather Greenburg ,

FamilySearch.org is one of the best genealogy websites available. There are no fees for accessing the website. They are always adding new material to search daily.

3 months ago

star star star star star

Claire Snow Big Sky, MT

I love getting the weekly changes and rhinos to do under activities. Finding long lost relatives, famous people from history you are connected to is a blast

3 months ago

star star star star star

Abby Layton, UT

I like Family Search because it is very easy to use and has many cool features! I don't know a lot about family history but this site makes it easy to start learning.

3 months ago

We're on a mission to empower consumers to make the best decisions and connect confidently with companies that deserve their business.