FamilySearch
Worth it
Confidence: Medium
Use it: it is genuinely free with a deep record archive and the largest single family tree online.
Comparison
FamilySearch vs Wikitree
FamilySearch lands on Worth it, and Wikitree lands on Depends.
Wikitree
Depends
Confidence: Medium
Buy if you are a genealogy hobbyist happy building one shared public tree . it is 100% free with strong DNA tools.
| Compare | FamilySearch | Wikitree |
|---|---|---|
| Verdict | Worth it | Depends |
| Best for | Budget-conscious genealogists | Genealogy hobbyists |
| Who it's not for | Anyone wanting a private, locked-down family tree | Anyone wanting a private, self-owned tree |
| Privacy | One confirmed 2022 breach, disclosed ~7 months late; MFA added from 2023; no other known issues.⁹ | Admitted data breach announced Aug 28; no other public vulnerabilities found in sources reviewed. |
| Support quality | No reliable support-quality evidence found | Volunteer G2G forums only, no SLA |
| Public sentiment | Sentiment is polarized: users praise the free records but frequently slam the interface, shared-tree edits, and site behavior.⁸ | Users love that it is free and collaborative but grumble about the learning curve, strict rules, and privacy model. |
| Biggest gotcha | Anyone can edit deceased ancestors on the shared tree; no private tree option⁴ | Data breach announced Aug 28; scope thinly documented . rotate passwords |
Pick FamilySearch when
- Budget-conscious genealogists
- Record hunters across global archives
- LDS Church members
- Hobbyists tolerant of a clunky UI
When FamilySearch is not a fit
- Anyone wanting a private, locked-down family tree
- Privacy-critical users who cannot tolerate breach history
- Beginners needing a slick, guided experience
- Users unwilling to learn documented quirks
Pick Wikitree when
- Genealogy hobbyists
- DNA match triangulation
- Collaborative researchers
- Zero-budget family historians
When Wikitree is not a fit
- Anyone wanting a private, self-owned tree
- Privacy-sensitive users
- People who hate strict community rules
- Beginners wanting quick, easy results
Sources
- Does FamilySearch charge subscription fees?familysearch.orgofficial
- About FamilySearch . Free to Allfamilysearch.orgofficial
- Is FamilySearch A Better Site Than Ancestry? 2026familyhistoryfoundation.comreview
- 3 Reasons Not to Use the FamilySearch Family Treefamilyhistoryfanatics.comreview
review
- FamilySearch is a joke : r/Genealogyreddit.comreview
review
security
- FamilySearch Account Data Incidentfamilysearch.orgsecurity
- The Importance of Security at FamilySearch (MFA)familysearch.orgsecurity
- NGS Recommends…17 Important Free Websitesngsgenealogy.orgnews
- Which Genealogy Giants website is best for me?lisalouisecooke.comreview
- WikiTree: The Free Family Treewikitree.comofficial
- Help: The Free Family Treewikitree.comofficial
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