FamilySearch is free. AncestorOS is a premium paid platform. Here's an honest look at what each does best — and why many researchers use both together.
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A note on FamilySearch: FamilySearch is a beloved, genuinely free service with one of the largest genealogical record collections in the world. It's run as a public benefit by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We have deep respect for what they've built and the researchers who depend on it.
Side by Side
Feature Comparison
Feature
AncestorOS
FamilySearch
Data & Records
Record databaseHosted historical records
Your own research + imports
Billions of free records — one of the largest collections in the world
DNA testing
✕
✕
GEDCOM import / export
✓
✓
Tree & Collaboration
Family tree builder
✓
✓
Collaborative world treeShared with all users globally
✕ — Private trees only
✓ — Signature feature
Private family treeVisible only to you
✓
Limited — tree is shared globally
Memories & stories module
✓ — Full feature
Basic memories
Photo library
✓
✓
Interactive timeline
✓
Limited
Modern, fast UXApp-like experience
✓
Functional but dated in areas
Offline / PWA
✓
✕
Professional Tools
Client management CRM
✓
✕
Professional invoicing
✓
✕
Time tracking
✓
✕
Research logs & citations
✓
✕
Privacy & Pricing
Free plan
✕ — Paid only (from $15/mo)
✓ — Fully free
Data privacy
Private — your data is yours alone
Collaborative — living individuals private, deceased records shared
Ads / data monetization
None
None — nonprofit model
Cost to access records
N/A — no record database
Free
Honest Guidance
The honest answer: use both.
Use AncestorOS for…
Your private family tree — your data is yours and visible only to you
Memories, stories, and photos attached to your family
Running a professional genealogy practice (clients, invoices, time)
Structured research logs and Evidence Explained citations
A modern, offline-capable app with a fast UX
Use FamilySearch for…
Accessing their massive free historical record collection
Collaborating on a shared world family tree
Connecting with distant relatives who've already built out your line
Accessing digitized microfilm and international records
Questions
Frequently Asked
Yes — and many genealogists do. A common workflow: use FamilySearch to discover and access historical records for free, then document your findings, manage your private tree, and run your professional practice in AncestorOS. The two tools complement each other well. You can import your FamilySearch tree into AncestorOS via GEDCOM export.
Yes, genuinely. FamilySearch is funded by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as a public service. There are no paid tiers, no subscription fees, and no advertising. Their record collection is free to access for everyone.
AncestorOS is a premium paid platform starting at $15/month. If you want professional tools (client management, invoicing, time tracking, research logs), a private tree that only you control, a modern offline-capable app, and a rich memories module, AncestorOS fills those gaps. FamilySearch and AncestorOS solve different problems, and many researchers use both side-by-side.
FamilySearch's family tree is a shared, collaborative world tree. Deceased ancestors are visible to all users, and others can add to or edit your data. Living people are kept private. AncestorOS is entirely private — your tree, your data, visible only to you. If privacy of your family's information matters to you, AncestorOS keeps everything under your control.
In FamilySearch, you can use a third-party tool like Ancestral Quest or RootsMagic to export your pedigree lines as a GEDCOM file, since FamilySearch doesn't currently offer a direct GEDCOM export from the website. That .ged file can then be imported into AncestorOS from the GEDCOM Import page.