Where can you find billions of records that can help you with your family history research? And what about building a family tree and possibly connecting with a distant cousin?
Well, the best genealogy sites can do that. Here I will reveal the top 5 websites that you need to check out!
Each site is unique for your needs!
This is my guide to the best genealogy websites that you will find online today. Most of them are paid subscription sites, meaning that you will need to pay an ongoing fee to use and access the records that you are interested in.
The only exception to the list is Family Search which is the world’s largest free genealogy search site.
Each of these sites is unique in its way, so you will need to see what they have to offer and decide whether they are right for you.
In this review, I will only include a brief overview of what you can expect from each of these sites. A more thorough review can be found within each review.
Best Genealogy Sites To Check Out:
Comparing The Competition!
| Ancestry | MyHeritage | Family Search | Find My Past | Genes Reunited UK | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rating |  | | | | |
| Records | 20 Billion | 9 Billion | 4 Million (Names) | 8 Billion | 550 Million |
| Family Tree Builder | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Hints | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Free Trial | 14 Days | 14 Days | Always Free | 14 Days | 14 Days |
| Bottom Line | Most Popular | Offers A Lot | Hit & Miss | Huge Potential | Excellent For UK Research |
After you finished reading this review you may want to check out the ten best genealogy search websites over at Top Ten Reviews.
Express Your Thoughts Below!
I would love to hear from you.
What To Expect From A Genealogy Search Website!
Before you can decide on which site is right for you you need to know what you can at least expect from them. After all, as I pointed out at the start of this review no two sites are the same.
With that said there are some standard tools and features that you would expect from such a site. But depending on the site you may get varying levels of performance from them.
Below is just a quick overview of what a typical site has to offer. Check out my What Do Genealogy Search Websites Offer post for a more detailed guide.
Records
Depending on which site that you go to you could either find millions or billions of genealogical records that you can use for your research. The more records that are on the site then the more chance that you will find your ancestor.
The types of records that you should expect on any genealogy search site should include vital records, (birth, death, and marriage), and census records. These are great resources that will help you to start to build your family tree by giving you facts about your ancestors.
The more popular sites will include military records, passenger lists, immigration and travel records, directories, wills and probates, and newspaper archives as well.
So there is a lot of interesting things that you can discover about your ancestors from these sites.
Family Tree Builder
A family tree builder should come as standard with these types of sites. As you learn facts about your ancestors then you can easily plug them into your family tree.
By discovering more and more information you can watch your tree grow more and more. And the beauty of this tool is that you do not have to use a separate program.
However, if you want to print charts, reports, check out maps, etc then a genealogy software program is a must. The top programs will connect to these sites, but maybe just one or two.
So, you will need to check which program connects to your chosen site.
Hints
You have probably seen the Ancestry TV ads where someone has joined this site and built their tree. As their tree grows they get these little leaves that point them to records within their database.
Let me say that this is a great tool for you and can save you time searching for records. The information is right there, you just need to check it out.
Of course, though you will need to sift through the records that do not relate to you. This is a tool that you can benefit from and the best site will include this.
And also the best genealogy software will have this included tool as well.
Free Trial & Packages
As with any product or service, there is usually a free trial period. This trial can allow you to see what these search websites are all about and what records that you can access.
Most of the trial periods are 14 days, yet there can be ones that only give you 7 days. I would encourage you to try before you buy.
Also, a good tip is to make sure that you do have free time on your hands to try out the site. There is no point signing up to a site only to not have an opportunity to check it out. You will only be wasting your time.
Help & Support
Everyone gets stuck once in a while. And when using such a site there will most likely be a time when this happens.
Any good site should have some help and support in place. You should expect at least some contact details where you can get help directly from the developers of the site.
So there should be an email address, phone number to call, and maybe an address as well.
There should also be a contact form that you can fill in. These forms seem to be the last resort after going through a site’s FAQ section.
Other forms of support include video tutorials, articles, and learning centers.
Community
Genealogy is a hobby where we can all learn from each other. We can learn valuable advice, get tips and tricks from our fellow family historians as well.
Hey, that’s why I created this site so that you could learn from my experience.
So, you should find either a message board or forum where other users of the site communicate and get help. There will likely be different areas within the forum where you can post your relevant query.
1. Ancestry – The Most Popular Genealogy Site Today!
Known today the world over by not only the family historian but also everybody else. It doesn’t matter if you aren’t interested in researching your family history as you have probably heard of this site.
Offering the most out of all the genealogy sites, with 20 billion records Ancestry has become the world’s most popular go-to site. But how can this site help you with your research and what can you expect from it?
Ancestry.com Rating and Details | |
|---|---|
| Rating | (4/5) |
| Packages | U.S. Discovery, World Explorer, All Access |
| Subscription | $19.99 – $199 |
| Free? | 14-Day Free Trial |
| Records | 20 Billion Records |
| Family Tree Builder | Yes |
| Other Features | Many Collections, Online Community |
| Help & Support | Help Section and Learning Center, FAQs, YouTube Videos, Chat, Contact Form, Email |
| Bottom Line | The Most Popular Genealogy Site Today! |
| CHECK IT OUT ==> | www.Ancestry.com |
What Does Ancestry Offer You?
The sheer volume of records that this site has within its databases is a genealogist’s dream. I just can’t believe that Ancestry has 20 billion records for you to peruse through.
And its’ collection grows all the time!
Credit: Ancestry
The site includes the usual vital records such as birth, marriage, and death certificates, but also census records that can help you to expand your tree.
Other collections include:
- Military – Draft, enlistment and service, casualties, pension records, awards and decorations of honor, and more.
- Immigration & Travel – Passenger lists, citizenship & naturalization records, and more.
- Schools, Directories & Church Histories – City & area directories, profession & organization directories, and more.
- Tax, Criminal, Land & Wills – Wills & probates, land records, court, government & criminal records, and more.
- Reference, dictionaries & almanacs – General reference materials, research guides & finding aids, and more.
That is a lot of different records for you to look through. And it can be overwhelming so I would suggest for you to just pace yourself and take little snippets of information. Just digest each little bit before going back for more.
More resources for you:
Yes, sorry but there is more within Ancestry’s collection that will be of use to you. There are family trees, stories and publications, photos and maps, and special collections as well.
Tools & Features!
Family Tree Builder and the hints
This feature and tool are probably what make Ancestry so famous. You most likely have seen those TV ads where they show someone who has built their tree using their tool and have gotten a hint to records that they can check.
It’s a great initiative for you as you discover more and more about your heritage. As long as you enter as much as you know about your ancestors then the more that you will uncover.
Search Tool
Searching for your ancestors is simple with the Search Tool. It will allow you to enter your ancestors first, middle and last name, as well as the date of birth
You can narrow in on those records by filling in more information about your ancestors such as life events, (eg birth), and family members, (eg wife).
There will be some records that may not contain information about your ancestor. I have found though that the more that you build your tree then the more likely it is that you will find what you are looking for.
This is because Ancestry will base its’ search on what you have entered.
Members Trees
Again this is a feature that has helped my research a great deal. When you subscribe to Ancestry you can gain access to other members’ trees. That is of course if they have granted public access.
Here you can find further branches of your own family as these members’ trees will have some connection to yours. A word of warning as you will need to make sure that they do contain accurate information.
Mobile App
To make your research easier for you when you are out in the field, (not literally), you can get a mobile app. This will allow you to have your family tree in your pocket.
You, therefore, do not need to write anything that you may find and then have to wait till you’re at home to edit or amend your tree.
Community
The community of family historians and genealogy experts is something else that makes Ancestry special. You can get help from others by visiting the message boards that have been categorized either by locality or by topic.
World Archives Project
This is a project where you can submit your records and research. It is a way of giving back to the genealogy world and helping others to trace their roots.
Pros
✔ 20 billion genealogical records
✔ Covers many collections
✔ Offers different packages and duration
✔ Community willing to help
✔ Meet distant cousins
Cons
❌ Subscription a little expensive
❌ Loading times
❌ Overnight maintenance works
My Verdict
If you are serious about tracing your family roots then you should consider subscribing to Ancestry. As I have mentioned before with 20 billion records for you to search through this site has the highest chance for you to find what you are looking for.
Also covering a vast array of records for you to look through you can not only learn the facts such as what your ancestors’ names were, where they lived, where they married but much more besides.
I quite like that you can sign up for a one-month or a 6-month subscription. No, don’t have to stick around for a whole year if you don’t want to.
You can’t possibly find everything that you want in a month, but half a year is ample time.
I also like that you can get help from the community and you have the potential of contacting distant cousins. And this connection is possible thanks to the site being so popular.
2. MyHeritage – Offers A Lot For The Family Historian!
The second place has to go to MyHeritage. Although not offering nearly half the number of records that Ancestry has within its collection this site is still worth checking out.
There are plenty of tools included on this site that make up for the shortfall in records. Even though in my mind 11.1 billion records is nothing to be sniffed at.
MyHeritage Rating and Details | |
|---|---|
| Rating | (4/5) |
| Subscription | Premium – $9.17 / month (billed annually) Premium Plus – $10.95 / month (billed annually) Data/Record Search – $9.95 / month (billed annually) Complete Plan – $20.89 / month (billed monthly)
|
| Free? | Yes, but there are limitations with free membership |
| Records | 11.1 Billion Records |
| Family Tree Builder | Yes |
| Other Features | SuperSearch, Matching Technologies, Timebook |
| Help & Support | Message board, Help Center, and Telephone support |
| Bottom Line | This Site Offers A Lot To The Family Historian! |
| CHECK IT OUT ==> | www.MyHeritage.com |
What Does MyHeritage Offer You?
With this site being supported by 42 languages you can safely say that there are a lot of people who do use this site. And it can help you too!
MyHeritage though sets things out a little differently when it comes to their collection of records. But that shouldn’t be a problem as it is a pretty simple and easy site to use.
Credit: MyHeritage
SuperSearch Feature
This search tool will link you to all the records, family trees, photos, videos, and documents contained on the site. You just enter your ancestor’s name, year of birth, place, and any keywords. The search will then bring up any relevant.
Similar to Ancestry MyHeritage also offers vital records and census records as well. These as I have mentioned are pretty much a standard inclusion on any of the best genealogy sites.
But there are more resources besides these two that will help you with your family history research.
Other resources include:
- Family Trees – Check out family trees that have been created by members of the site. And also trees hosted at Family Search, Geni World, and trees hosted on other sites.
- Photos – Access photos and documents that have been uploaded to the site.
- Military – Draft, enlistment & service, Pension records, Military documents.
- Immigration & Travel – Passenger lists, Citizenship & naturalization, Immigration & emigration and more besides.
- Newspapers
- Books & Publications
- Public Records
- Schools & Universities
- Directories, Guides & References
- Histories, Memories & Biographies
- Government, Land, Court & Wills
- Maps
Tools & Features!
Family Tree Builder Tool
Unlike other genealogy sites, there’s no need for a subscription to create and build a family tree on this site. However, there are limitations to creating a free tree.
You will be limited to 250 people in your tree with a maximum storage space of 500MB. This limit is increased to 2,500 people and 1,000MB storage for the Premium package.
And then the Premium Plus package has no limit set at all.
Matching Technologies
Several matching technologies are used during the search function that can help you with your research.
This technology can check other members’ family trees to see if there is any relevance to your research.
Timebook
This feature is only available to the highest subscription package at MyHeritage. This is a great tool as it can show you any gaps in your knowledge relating to an ancestor.
Community
Similar to Ancestry you can expect to get help from others by visiting the message boards. The boards are broken down into 10 categories to help you get the support that you need.
Pros
✔ Contains 9 billion genealogical records
✔ Build your family tree online for free
✔ Interact with other users through the message board
✔ Smart matching technologies that will improve your genealogy research experience
✔ Get help through the help center, message board, and telephone support
Cons
❌ No monthly subscription offered
❌ Currently no Native American records
My Verdict
Yes, it doesn’t contain as many records as Ancestry does, but you would think that with 11.1 billion records in its collection it surely can help you.
And even if you do not want to subscribe to the site you can still build your family tree for free at this site. With other sites, (Family Search excepted), you would need to subscribe before you could even use this tool.
It won’t help you with learning about your ancestors but I thought that I would just mention it.
The technology that is used behind the scenes is really powerful. The Smart Matching feature I particularly like as it can connect you with other members’ trees. It’s great to get records as well as connect you with distant cousins.
MyHeritage doesn’t offer as much help and support as Ancestry but you will most likely get the assistance that you need if you get stuck.
The one thing that I don’t really like is that there is no monthly subscription. They just offer annual packages.
But if you can see yourself working on your family history for a while then this shouldn’t be a problem.
3. Family Search – Hit & Miss But Can Still Help You!
Billed as the world’s largest free genealogy site Family Search is the place to go for genealogists where they can get information for free.
Although not offering as many records as the others in this top 5 list it certainly deserves its position at number 3.
Also, I must point out here that you should check out this FREE site first before you go checking out the paid sites.
After all, there’s no point paying for records when you can get them for free on this site.
Family Search Rating and Details | |
|---|---|
| Rating | (4/5) |
| Paid Site? | Totally Free! |
| Records | 4 Million (Names) |
| Family Tree Builder | Yes |
| Other Features | 2 Mobile Apps |
| Help & Support | Articles, Videos, Messaging Staff, Live Chat, Telephone Support, YouTube Channel, Research Wiki, Forums, Digitized Books, Courses |
| Bottom Line | Hit & Miss But Worth Checking Out! |
| CHECK IT OUT ==> | www.FamilySearch.org |
What Does Family Search Offer You?
I have labeled this a ‘hit and miss‘ site. It is a good site but only if you find what you are looking for. And as it doesn’t have as many records within its collection as the first two sites then won’t be as many rewards.
But it is still worth checking just in case you do discover some gems that can help you with your research. It is worth checking out before you visit the subscription sites and pay your money.
Credit: Family Search
Family Search offers an array of records. And similar to the first two sites in this list it also offers vital records and census records, although not nearly as enough.
Other records include:
- Compiled genealogies
- Directories
- Ethnicity
- Migration & Naturalization
- Military
- Miscellaneous
- Newspapers
- Probate & Court
If you do not find what you are looking for then fear not as Family Search is connected to the top genealogy sites – Ancestry, FindMyPast, and MyHeritage. This means you can search outside of this site and get a better chance of what you are looking for.
However, you will need to have a subscription to access any records from these external sites.
Tools & Features!
Family Tree Builder
You can not only search for free on this site but also create a free family tree as well. So when you do find your ancestors within the records well then you can add that information to your tree.
You will though need to register to use this tool.
The handy hints feature that is included on other sites is also used here. So you can get connected to records on the site that may include your ancestor.
Family Search Apps
This site makes it easy for your to research your ancestry while on the go. The FamilySearch Tree and FamilySearch Memories apps will work on your phone or tablet and can be used to search the collections on the site and to record what you find.
Pros
✔ Totally FREE!
✔ Millions of records for you to search through
✔ Build your family tree online
✔ Interact with other users
✔ Get help from other members and staff
✔ Messaging, live chat, and telephone support provided
✔ Help is also available through articles, video, forums, digitized books, and courses
Cons
❌ Not as many records as the paid subscription sites
❌ Cannot create or export a GEDCOM file
My Verdict
If it’s free then it’s worth checking out right? Genealogy can be an expensive hobby, what with paying for software, genealogy search websites, DNA testing, and so on.
So, whenever you can research for free then it’s always a good thing. As I have said it can be a little bit hit and miss with this site. But still, it’s worth checking out what you can find.
And if you do not find what you are looking for then you can always connect with one of the other top genealogy sites. This means that you can continue to build your tree on the site and get your information from elsewhere.
4. FindMyPast – Huge Potential To Help Your Research
This site is only about half of what Ancestry has but it is still worthy of being on this list. Even though it does currently have 2 billion records in its collection the site can help you with your American, Canadian, British, Irish and Australian ancestors.
Primarily catering for the UK genealogist this site has expanded to cover other countries of the world.
And I feel it will only be a matter of time when it will be as good a site as Ancestry.
FindMyPast Rating and Details | |
|---|---|
| Rating | (4/5) |
| Price (US & Canada) | Free 14-Day Trial $19.95 / month – $199.50 / year (World Subscription) $9.95 / month – $99.50 / year (US & Canada) |
| Price (UK & Ireland) | Free 14-Day Trial £12.95 / month – £155.95 / year (World Subscription) £10.00 / month – £119.95 / year (British Subscription) |
| Price (Ireland) | Free 14-Day Trial €14.95 / month – €179.50 / year (World Subscription) €9.95 / month – €114.50 / year (Irish Subscription) |
| Price (Australia) | Free 14-Day Trial $19.95 / month – $239.50 / year (World Subscription) $9.95 / month – $114.50 / year (Australia Subscription) |
| Free? | 14-Day Free Trial |
| Records | 8 Billion Records |
| Family Tree Builder | Yes |
| Other Features | Newspaper Articles, Members Family Trees, Timeline |
| Customer Support | Getting Start Guide, Live Support, FAQs, and Email Support |
| Bottom Line | Has Huge Potential For Your Research! |
What Does FindMyPast Offer You?
So, if you do have British heritage then this site is worth a visit. It contains all the vital records and census records that you need.
Other records include:
- Parish records
- Electoral rolls
- Land records
- Military records
- Convict records
- Passenger list records
- Immigration & naturalization records
- Newspaper archives
And it also includes the 1939 Register. Due to World War II, there was no census conducted in 1941.
As the 1931 census was lost due to fire the 1939 Register provides a little insight into the life of your British ancestors.
Tools & Features!
Family Tree Builder and Hints
As you would expect you can create and build your family tree with this tool. Whatever you do find on the site can be added immediately to your tree.
Not to be outdone by Ancestry, FindMyPast also offers a clever hints feature that will connect you to records that may be of relevance to your research.
So make sure that you try to enter as much information as you can to access records that you can use to build your tree.
Search Tool
Search the collection of records at FindMyPast with as little or as much information as you can. Just enter your ancestor’s first and last name, when they were born or died, set a tolerance for the dated, and set where in the world you want to search for.
Unfortunately, a more advanced search is not possible on this site. For example, you cannot enter say a spouse which could help you to limit the results that you receive from your search.
Members Trees
Again similar to Ancestry you can access trees that have been created by other members of the site, (provided of course that they have been made public).
This is a great resource as you can learn a great deal from others who have already researched your ancestors. However, please just take your time to analyze their research to make sure that it is accurate.
Pros
✔ Over 8 billion records available
✔ Records dating back to the 1200s
✔ More records added every week
✔ Newspaper and periodicals included
✔ Family tree builder
✔ Access 1939 Register
✔ Live Support
✔ Plenty of FAQ, video, and email support (answered within 2 days)
Cons
❌ Clever hints system doesn’t work for your uploaded GEDCOM file
❌ Have to be thorough with the hints that these records feature your ancestor
❌ Sometimes only transcriptions are available, (no images)
❌ No DNA testing
❌ No tutorials, telephone assistance, or user forum help
My Verdict
I have personally used FindMyPast so I know that it is a great site that can offer you a lot. When I wasn’t able to find what I was looking for at Ancestry I then turned my attention to this website.
And chances were that I found what I was looking for on this site. This is probably due to the transcriptions of the records. What I mean by this is that sometimes when a document is transcribed unfortunate errors can creep in.
This can therefore hamper your research. If you cannot find what you are looking for at Ancestry then please give FindMyPast a go.
Although this site is best suited if you have British ancestors who you want to research. But their database is increasing all the time so it is also worth checking to see what American records that they do have.
5. Genes Reunited UK – Excellent Site For Your British Ancestry!
Similar to FindMyPast this site is an excellent resource for anyone who has British roots. Although it does only half a fraction of what its competitor has within their collection.
But it is worth trying if you cannot find what you are looking for elsewhere. Surely with 1/2 billion records, you got to find something of interest.
Genes Reunited UK Rating and Details | |
|---|---|
| Rating | (4/5) |
| Subscription | Standard or Platinum |
| Duration | 1 month, 6 months, or 12 months |
| Prices | From £4.95 to £79.95 |
| Free? | 14-Day Free Trial |
| Records | 550 Million Records |
| Family Tree Builder | Yes |
| Other Features | Message Boards, Discounts |
| Bottom Line | Excellent Website For UK Research! |
| CHECK IT OUT ==> | www.GenesReunited.co.uk |
What Does Genes Reunited Offer You?
Available records:
- Census records 1841-1911
- Birth, marriage, and death indexes 1837-2006
- Birth, marriage, and death records for British subjects overseas 1761-2005
- Military records 1656-2005
- Parish baptisms, marriages, and burials dating from 1538
- Travel & Migration records, and Passenger Lists
Tools & Features!
Family Tree Builder, Hints, and Hot Matches
The family tree builder tool comes as standard. So, whatever you do find on the site then you can add it to your family tree.
And again with any tool such as this, you will get hints that reveal records that may contain your ancestors.
The great feature that I like is that you can receive Hot Matches. No, this isn’t hinting at records that can help you. These matches can be your distant cousin.
Based on what information that you enter into your tree and other members’ trees you could find a relative who is also using the site.
Search Tool
The search tool at Genes Reunited is pretty basic. It’s a similar tool that you can expect on other genealogy search sites.
Search for your British ancestors by entering their forename and surname. Followed by a year of birth, setting a tolerance, and also adding a place keyword that can help limit your search.
Community
Genes Reunited make it very easy for you to get help and communicate with other members of the site by including a message board that is broken up into 11 different categories.
So, if you do hit a brick wall in your research and want help from a fellow family historian then check out the boards. Or if you just want to pass the time then there are quizzes and games that you can play among other things.
Genes Extras
To entice you to join and use the site some competitions are exclusive to Genes Reunited. You can also expect to find discounts for family history magazines, days out, and more as well.
Pros
✔ Millions of records to help with your genealogy research
✔ Build your family tree online
✔ Connect with distant cousins
✔ Get help from the Genes Reunited community
✔ Competitions and discounts to family history magazines, etc.
Cons
❌ Can be expensive to research your family tree
❌ Information is limited to the United Kingdom, not Ireland
My Verdict
This site as the name suggests is for the British family historian. So, if your ancestors come from elsewhere then you are wasting your time here.
There is plenty here that will help you with your genealogy research. And I like the fact that you can connect with a distant cousin.
So if you are wanting to make that connection then it is certainly worth giving this website a try.
My Final Thoughts
Well, I hope that you have enjoyed checking out this list of the best family tree websites that can help you with your family history research. There is certainly a lot of information here for you to consider before subscribing to any of the sites.
As I mentioned within the Family Search review it is worth checking out what this site has to offer. If you can save money by accessing records from this site for free then that’s surely got to be a good thing. Right?
But with that said you should check out at least one of the other paid sites that are in this review. A genealogy search site can help you significantly to find your ancestors and discover your ancestors.
They make your research easier by allowing you to create and build your family tree on their site. And they can connect you to your ancestors with hints to records that they contain.
The help and support that you can get from staff, as well as the community, is worth mentioning as well. I cannot stress enough how much genealogy is a hobby where we can learn from each other.
And with the help that you can get from other users, well then this can help you to expand your family tree and your knowledge of your ancestors. Everyone hates a brick wall but if you ask for assistance chances are someone will come to your rescue.
My Recommendation
I recommend that you should check out Ancestry!
What do you think?
If you decide to subscribe to any of these genealogy sites then please come back and let me know what you think. I would love to hear how it is working for you.
Thank You and Please Leave A Comment
I hope you enjoyed reading this review regarding the best genealogy sites that you can use for your family history research. If you have any questions or comments then please leave a comment below.
Please share with family and friends if you think this post will help others by using the social media buttons below.
Owain, I’m new at genealogy and am trying to figure out which site to use. Probably either Ancestory or My Heritage for starters. My cousin has a tree on Ancestory so I’m leaning that way so I can import his tree. I had my DNA done by 23andMe. A few questions:
Can you move a tree from one search program to another?
What happens when you decide to let your subscription lapse then go back in a year later? Is your tree gone/deleted?
Can I search on…say Ancestory, then load my tree into 23andME?
Hi Donna,
Many apologies for not getting back to you sooner. I don’t check my site that regularly and I wasn’t notified that you had sent a query.
To answer your question you can save your tree as a GEDCOM file. Then you can easily upload to whatever other genealogy site you wish.
I’m not sure whether you could come back to a site later when your subscription has lapsed. I would assume that they would still have your details though. It would be a good idea anyway to save your tree as a GEDCOM file, (this can easily be done within whatever site you’re subscribed to).
Hope this answers your query, and apologies again for the late reply.
Owain
Reading more about your query and I’ve discovered that your tree will still be stored on Ancestry. That’s because Ancestry want people to keep using their site, and it helps if they still host members trees where their subscription has lapsed.
Great article. Thanks for the detailed information. Your blog is by far the best source I’ve found. Thanks!
Thank you Victoria. I’m glad you like it.
Thank you Owain
I am actually a member of both Ancestry and Findmypast. I find Ancestry slightly better especially now that they have the 1939 Register.
It’s mainly the Genologist that keeps aendin* me offers offering diamond membership for gold price. It’s quite a discount. I’m wondering whether the SOG Uk is not a better option for me being not far from London and having access to their library,
Thanks again for your advice
Kind regards
Lauchie
You’re welcome Lauchie. I have used both of these sites in the past so I know how useful that they can be. You’re pretty much getting what you need from those two.
All the best with your genealogy research.
Hi Owain
Just wondered if you had any view on the Genealogist verses The society of Genealogists. I receive offered from these ORGS ALL THE TIME ESPECIALLY THE GENEALOGIST., Any guidance? They both claim to have amazing databases and are currently about the same price.
Thanks
Lauchie
Hi Lauchie,
Thank you for your query.
I haven’t yet reviewed SOG, but have done some checking for you. From what I see about their library they have 1000s unique records. I’m not sure if they have other records besides offering a discount to FindMyPast, incidentally they have 8 billion records.
If you’re after records then in my opinion I would go for FindMyPast. But if you are after guidance and help then SOG can offer that. So they are excellent in that regard.
Personally I prefer FindMyPast over The Genealogist, mainly because I used their site extensively when I first started to trace my family tree.
May I ask what other organisations/sites you get offers from? The reason is is that I plan to write more reviews about such services.
Thanks for dropping by and I hope that I have answered your query.
Please let me kno show you get on.
Owain
MyHeritage has a consistency checker which is very useful. I haven’t been able to find one in Ancestry, and I’m sure there are probably some discrepancies.
Thank you Martha for mentioning that. I will amend this post to mention that.
I found this review to be very informative, and well organized. I think you did a superb job outlining the differences between the sites available, and giving the pros and cons of each.
There are so many choices these days that it is difficult to know which one to go with. Obviously Ancestry is one that everyone is familiar with. But it’s good to see that there are other options as well.
Thanks Adam. Yes there are plenty of sites online that can help you with your genealogy research. It’s just a question of which one to go opt for. Fortunately for you, (and others), I’ve done the hard work and reviewed the 5 best ones, in my opinion.
Cool article. Love the insights on the different genealogical sites. This will help a lot in researching my family tree…:)
I was just blown away by just how many records that there are. I would be pleased with millions, but billions, wow. And they’re still growing yes?
Thanks Dennis. Yes they are still growing. There’s just so many records out there that need to be digitized and put online. I wonder when that will finish, if ever.
Hello Owain, very nice website, you certainly have done your home work on all the different genealogy sites. I had no idea there was so much involved in ones ancestry search. I will keep your site in mind. Thank you for all your hard work and sharing,i’m sure it will help a lot of people choose what one they want to go with.
Hi Robert,
Yes it did take a lot of work to put this guide together of the best genealogy sites. Each of them has their own qualities so whatever works best for you then go for it. Please share with family and friends.