FamilySearch vs Ancestry: what users say
FamilySearch is free and holds many of the same records as Ancestry, often with page images. Its tree is shared, so anyone can edit your people. Ancestry's tree is private but paid. RootsFree gives you a private tree for free and searches free records.
How to use both without paying
- Search records on FamilySearch. Make a free account. Search by name, then open the page image.
- Keep your tree somewhere private. Build it in RootsFree at /tree/. Nobody else can edit it.
- Attach the image to each fact. A fact with its image is PROVEN. One read from an index is LIKELY.
- Use our records search for the rest. /records/ searches free sets such as the Library of Congress newspapers.
In their own words
I used family search. Many of the same documents but free.
r/Genealogy user, read
In many cases they have images of the actual records, so that you don't have to rely on transcripts, you can read the records for yourself.
r/Genealogy user, read
Full-text search for newspapers or for familysearch has been a great use of AI and a real game changer.
r/Genealogy user, read
Other people can edit it. You may very well log in one day and find a bunch of nonsense added.
r/Genealogy user, read
If familysearch allowed non-collaborative trees, it would crush Ancestry.
r/Genealogy user, read
Questions
Is FamilySearch really free?
Yes. It needs a free account. There is no paid tier.
Can other people edit my FamilySearch tree?
Yes. It is one shared tree. RootsFree trees are private to you.