shouldiuse.io

Comparison

GEDmatch vs FamilySearch

GEDmatch lands on Depends, and FamilySearch lands on Worth it.

GEDmatch

gedmatch.com

Depends
Confidence: Medium

Use it if you're a serious genetic genealogist or adoptee hunting relatives across DNA companies . the free 1.5M-profile database is the draw.

Read the full report

GEDmatch versus FamilySearch
CompareGEDmatchFamilySearch
VerdictDependsWorth it
Best forAdoptees and unknown-parentage searchesBudget-conscious genealogists
Who it's not forPrivacy-sensitive users . police access and a past breach are real risksAnyone wanting a private, locked-down family tree
PrivacyFlagged: 2019 university research found security risks; a hack and privacy breach were reported; no public security page exists.⁵One confirmed 2022 breach, disclosed ~7 months late; MFA added from 2023; no other known issues.
Support qualityNo evidence in sources reviewedNo reliable support-quality evidence found
Public sentimentHobbyists find cross-company relative matching genuinely useful, but many complain about security concerns and poor ethnicity estimates.10Sentiment is polarized: users praise the free records but frequently slam the interface, shared-tree edits, and site behavior.
Biggest gotchaLaw enforcement can search your DNA unless you restrict permission . check privacy settingsAnyone can edit deceased ancestors on the shared tree; no private tree option16

Pick GEDmatch when

  • Adoptees and unknown-parentage searches
  • Serious genetic genealogists comparing across companies
  • Opt-in 'genetic witnesses' aiding cold cases
  • Testers whose relatives used other DNA companies

When GEDmatch is not a fit

  • Privacy-sensitive users . police access and a past breach are real risks
  • Casual testers wanting ethnicity estimates . users say it's bad at that
  • Anyone unwilling to upload raw DNA to a third-party site
  • People already satisfied with matches at their current DNA company

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

Sources

  1. GEDmatch official sitegedmatch.com
    official
  2. How it Works - GEDmatchgedmatch.com
    official
  3. Join the Genetic Witness Program - GEDmatchgedmatch.com
    official
  4. GEDmatch: A Platform for Data-Driven Forensic Intelligence (ISHI Report)promega.foleon.com
    official
  5. Genetic genealogy site vulnerable to compromised data impersonations (UW)washington.edu
    security
  6. GEDmatch Hack & Privacy Breach (Reddit)reddit.com
    security
  7. The Emergence of Forensic Genetic Genealogy (PMC)pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
    review
  8. Is GedMatch actually useful? (Reddit)reddit.com
    review
  9. Thoughts on GEDmatch and other sites? (Reddit)reddit.com
    review
  10. GEDmatch what does this provide others sites don't? (Reddit)reddit.com
    review
  11. Ancestry and MyHeritage (Reddit)reddit.com
    review
  12. How To Use GEDmatch - Is It Safe? | Beginner's Guide (GenomeLink)genomelink.io
    review
  13. Does FamilySearch charge subscription fees?familysearch.org
    official
  14. About FamilySearch . Free to Allfamilysearch.org
    official
  15. Is FamilySearch A Better Site Than Ancestry? 2026familyhistoryfoundation.com
    review
  16. 3 Reasons Not to Use the FamilySearch Family Treefamilyhistoryfanatics.com
    review