shouldiuse.io

VERDICT

Should I use Findmypast?

Search the largest collection of UK and Irish genealogy records and newspaper archives online to find your British ancestors - findmypast.com

Depends. Buy if your family tree runs through Britain or Ireland — record depth and newspaper search there are best-in-class. If your roots are elsewhere or your budget is zero, Ancestry or free FamilySearch fit better.

Confidence

Medium. Based on ~14 public sources; pricing comes from a March 2022 review and may be outdated.

Ratings

  • Value for money
  • Ease of use
  • Feature depth
  • Support quality
  • Security postureNo security evidence in sources reviewed

Pricing

$15/mo or $129/yr

Essential

ModelNot disclosed
Monthly feesNot disclosed
HardwareNot disclosed
Free tierYes
Ultimate$20/mo
Free trialFree 7 days

Best for

  • UK and Irish ancestry research
  • British newspaper archive digging
  • Hobbyist family historians
  • Ancestry users stuck on UK brick walls

Not for

  • Anyone without British or Irish roots
  • Tight budgets — FamilySearch is free
  • Researchers focused outside UK/Ireland

Gotchas - check before you buy

high

Many records duplicate free FamilySearch content — check there before paying.

medium

Pricing sourced from a March 2022 review — verify current tiers before subscribing.

medium

Yearly plans billed upfront (~$129 Essential) — confirm auto-renewal terms yourself.

medium

App users report empty search results for known relatives.

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Largest online collection of UK and Irish genealogy records and newspapers
  • Search and sorting rated better than Ancestry by users
  • Strong British and Irish newspaper search
  • Free tree-building plus 7-day full trial
  • Some users found US records missed by Ancestry

Cons

  • Specializes in UK/Ireland; weaker coverage elsewhere
  • Pulls many records from FamilySearch, which is free
  • Some app users report searches returning nothing
  • Full record access requires a paid subscription

Sources & method

Analyzed 9/24/2026 - 12 sources - No known vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed.

official x4review x7news x1

Key stats

  • Value for money: 3/5

    Rating

  • $15/mo or $129/yr

    Starting price

  • 12

    Sources

  • Analyzed

  • Value for money: 3/5. Deep UK value; free FamilySearch undercuts it
  • Ease of use: 3/5. Praised search tools; some report empty results
  • Feature depth: 4/5. Largest UK/Irish record and newspaper archive
  • Support quality: 3/5. Replies publicly on Trustpilot; evidence thin
  • Security posture. No security evidence in sources reviewed
  • $15/mo Starting price Essential tier, ~$129/yr (March 2022 review)
  • Yes Free tier Free family tree + 7-day full-access trial
  • DC Thomson Ownership UK company, owner since 2007

Pricing

Essential

$15/mo or $129/yr

  • Entry paid tier
  • Per March 2022 review — verify inclusions

Ultimate

$20/mo

  • Top tier
  • Per March 2022 review — verify inclusions

Free trial

Free 7 days

  • Full access to start
  • Free family tree and records tier also available

Security

No known vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed.

What users say

UK and Irish researchers praise its search tools and newspapers, while some app users report searches turning up nothing.

“Searching and sorting of searches is far better than Ancestry. Good newspaper search for British and”
Reddit, r/Genealogy
“Sometimes I find US records on this site that I wasn't able to find on Ance”
Findmypast homepage testimonial
“My searches turned up absolutely nothing, I even tried a search for my father, with no”
Google Play review
Full analysis

Based on ~14 public sources; pricing comes from a March 2022 review and may be outdated.

Best-in-class for UK/Irish roots; skip if your ancestry lies elsewhere — FamilySearch covers much of it free.

Methodology

Based on ~14 public sources; pricing comes from a March 2022 review and may be outdated.

Sources

  1. Findmypast homepagefindmypast.com
    official
  2. Findmypast free trialfindmypast.com
    official
  3. Findmypast free recordsfindmypast.com
    official
  4. Findmypast review — Nebulanebula.org
    review
  5. Find My Past Review — TopConsumerReviewstopconsumerreviews.com
    review
  6. Ancestry vs MyHeritage vs Findmypast — Family History Dailyfamilyhistorydaily.com
    review
  7. Findmypast Review — DNAWeeklydnaweekly.com
    review
  8. Reddit r/Genealogy — is Findmypast worth itreddit.com
    review
  9. Findmypast Google Play reviewsplay.google.com
    review
  10. Choosing the best genealogy subscription — WDYTYA Magazinewhodoyouthinkyouaremagazine.com
    review
  11. Findmypast — Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
    news
  12. FamilySearchfamilysearch.org
    official

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