10 Best Free Genealogy Sites for Building Your Family Tree

How We Picked the Best Free Genealogy Sites

Every site on this list is genuinely free to use for the features we highlight, actively maintained, and useful to hobbyists as well as serious researchers. Where a service also sells premium tiers, we call out what is included in the free plan and where the paywall begins.

1. FamilySearch

Best for: historical records and a single shared world tree.

Run by a non-profit and fully free, FamilySearch offers billions of indexed records, digitised documents and a collaborative global family tree. The shared-tree model means anyone can edit your ancestors, which is great for collaboration but frustrating if you prefer a private working copy. Pair it with a private editor like Family Tree Simple.

2. WikiTree

Best for: a supervised single world tree with source citations.

WikiTree is a free, community-run one-world tree with strict citation and privacy rules. Excellent for pre-1700 profiles and academic-quality research.

3. Family Tree Simple

Best for: a modern, private, mobile-friendly free tree editor.

Family Tree Simple is a free browser-based tree builder with unlimited people, GEDCOM import/export, photos, PDF export and role-based sharing. No premium tier, no member cap, no software to install, the modern alternative to legacy desktop apps.

4. Ancestry Free Tools

Best for: record hints when combined with a subscription.

Ancestry lets you build a tree for free but locks most records behind a paid subscription. Useful as a search index, export your GEDCOM and edit it elsewhere to avoid the paywall.

5. MyHeritage Free Plan

Best for: free Smart Matches on small trees.

MyHeritage offers a free tier capped at 250 people, with paid plans required beyond that. Its record-matching engine is strong, but the free cap is easy to outgrow.

6. Findmypast Free Search

Best for: UK, Ireland and Commonwealth records.

Findmypast lets you search its index for free and browse selected free record collections. Best used alongside a private tree editor.

7. Geni

Best for: collaborative family-wiki-style trees.

Geni is a free collaborative world tree owned by MyHeritage. Free to build; premium adds record matches.

8. Billion Graves

Best for: free access to headstone photos and GPS locations.

Volunteer-photographed cemetery records with searchable transcriptions, a superb free complement to any research workflow.

9. Find A Grave

Best for: memorial pages and cemetery lookups worldwide.

A long-running free database of cemetery records with photos, biographies and family links.

10. Chronicling America

Best for: free historical US newspapers.

A Library of Congress project offering free digitised newspapers from 1777 to 1963. Ideal for adding colour to your research with obituaries and social columns.

Which Combination Should You Use?

Most researchers use two or three tools together. A common free stack: FamilySearch or WikiTree for records and cross-referencing, plus Family Tree Simple as a private, modern editor for your working tree. Export via GEDCOM between them any time.

Tools for your family history

• Every site listed is genuinely free for the highlighted features
• Compares records databases, world trees, and modern editors
• Pair Family Tree Simple as your private editor with any of them
• GEDCOM import/export keeps your data portable across all tools
• No lock-in, your tree, your data, always exportable

Frequently asked questions

What is the best 100% free genealogy site?

FamilySearch has the largest fully-free record collection, and Family Tree Simple is the best fully-free modern tree editor. Most researchers combine one records site with one tree editor.

Is Ancestry really free?

You can build a tree on Ancestry for free, but most records require a paid subscription. Free alternatives like FamilySearch, WikiTree and Family Tree Simple do not gate features behind a paywall.

Can I move my tree between these sites?

Yes. Every serious genealogy tool supports the GEDCOM standard. Export from one, import into another, and Family Tree Simple handles both directions in one click.

Do I need to pay for DNA to build a family tree?

No. DNA tests are a separate research aid. You can build a complete, well-sourced tree using only free records and a free editor.