Best Free Genealogy Software 2026: 6 Options Compared
Best free Genealogy Software compared: Gramps, Gramps Web, webtrees, FamilySearch and 2 more, with free-plan limits, platforms and prices from official pages checked October 24, 2026.
•3 min read•Learning & Everyday Apps
Quick comparison
| Tool | Price | Platforms | Best for | Tested |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gramps | Free (Free: open-source under GPL-2.0; no paid plan on the license page) | Windows, macOS, Linux | Serious research kept on your computer | Docs only |
| Gramps Web | Free (Free: open-source under AGPL-3.0; no paid plan on the license page) | Web, Docker | Sharing a tree with family in a browser | Docs only |
| webtrees | Free (Free: open-source under GPL-3.0; no paid plan on the license page) | Web, PHP server | A family site where relatives edit together | Docs only |
| FamilySearch | Free (Nonprofit; site says records search is 'absolutely FREE' and heads the page 'Nonprofit and free') | Web, iOS, Android | Finding records and ancestors | Docs only |
| MyHeritage Family Tree Builder | Free (Page title 'Free genealogy program' with a 'Free Download' button; no people limit stated) | Windows, iOS, Android | Desktop tree with optional online sync | Docs only |
| Geni | Free (Geni Basic is free: unlimited profiles, Consistency Checker, photo and media uploads up to 1 GB) | Web | A collaborative online tree | Docs only |
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Good fit if
- You want full control and private data (Gramps is the pick)
- Relatives should edit the tree in a browser (webtrees is the pick)
- You are searching for records of ancestors (FamilySearch is the pick)
- You want a free desktop app with online sync (MyHeritage Family Tree Builder is the pick)
Not ideal if
- You need paid-tier features, uptime guarantees or support that these free plans leave out
Free genealogy tools either keep your tree on your computer or put it online, and that choice affects privacy and records access. Gramps is a thorough desktop program for Windows, macOS and Linux with a flexible data model and detailed source tracking; Gramps Web is its self-hosted browser version for sharing a tree with relatives. webtrees is a web application you install on a PHP server so family members can edit together. FamilySearch is a nonprofit with free access to billions of records and a shared world family tree, which makes it the strongest starting point for finding ancestors, though a single shared tree means other users can edit the same person. MyHeritage's Family Tree Builder is a free desktop program with tree syncing, and Geni's Basic account is free with unlimited profiles and 1 GB of media. The trade-off is control against records: desktop and self-hosted software keeps your research private and portable via GEDCOM files, whereas the big online services have the record collections but own the platform. A sensible route is to search records on FamilySearch, then maintain your master tree in Gramps and export GEDCOM backups regularly. Be careful with living relatives' details when publishing a tree online.
Gramps
GPL-2.0 desktop genealogy program for Windows, macOS and Linux with detailed source and event tracking. Steep learning curve.
Price: Free (Free: open-source under GPL-2.0; no paid plan on the license page) (Gramps pricing, checked 2026-10-24).
Platforms and license: Windows, macOS, Linux. GPL-2.0 (open source).
Project activity: 3.2k GitHub stars · latest release v6.0.8 (Apr 9, 2026) · last commit Oct 27, 2026
Best for: Serious research kept on your computer.
Worth knowing: Desktop genealogy program; platforms are general knowledge.
Gramps Web
AGPL-3.0 self-hosted web front end for Gramps data, letting relatives browse a tree in a browser. Requires a server or Docker setup.
Price: Free (Free: open-source under AGPL-3.0; no paid plan on the license page) (Gramps Web pricing, checked 2026-10-24).
Platforms and license: Web, Docker. AGPL-3.0 (open source).
Project activity: 1.8k GitHub stars · latest release v26.10.2 (Oct 20, 2026) · last commit Oct 26, 2026
Best for: Sharing a tree with family in a browser.
webtrees
GPL-3.0 web app needing a PHP server and database, built for collaborative family trees with privacy controls.
Price: Free (Free: open-source under GPL-3.0; no paid plan on the license page) (webtrees pricing, checked 2026-10-24).
Platforms and license: Web, PHP server. GPL-3.0 (open source).
Project activity: 835 GitHub stars · latest release 2.2.6 (Apr 29, 2026) · last commit Oct 26, 2026
Best for: A family site where relatives edit together.
Worth knowing: Self-hosted web genealogy; needs a PHP web server and database.
FamilySearch
Nonprofit service that says records search is absolutely free and describes the world's largest shared family tree. Shared tree edits by others affect your lines.
Price: Free (Nonprofit; site says records search is 'absolutely FREE' and heads the page 'Nonprofit and free') (FamilySearch pricing, checked 2026-10-24).
Platforms and license: Web, iOS, Android. Proprietary.
Best for: Finding records and ancestors.
MyHeritage Family Tree Builder
Free desktop genealogy program with tree syncing to MyHeritage; the site lists a free download and no person limit. Matching records on MyHeritage need a paid plan.
Price: Free (Page title 'Free genealogy program' with a 'Free Download' button; no people limit stated) (MyHeritage Family Tree Builder pricing, checked 2026-10-24).
Platforms and license: Windows, iOS, Android. Proprietary.
Best for: Desktop tree with optional online sync.
Geni
Basic account is free: unlimited profiles, a consistency checker and 1 GB of uploads. Check the site for the current Pro price.
Price: Free (Geni Basic is free: unlimited profiles, Consistency Checker, photo and media uploads up to 1 GB) (Geni pricing, checked 2026-10-24).
Platforms and license: Web. Proprietary.
Best for: A collaborative online tree.
Which one to pick
- You want full control and private data: Gramps
- Relatives should edit the tree in a browser: webtrees
- You are searching for records of ancestors: FamilySearch
- You want a free desktop app with online sync: MyHeritage Family Tree Builder
Limits of this review
Docs-only for Gramps, Gramps Web, webtrees, FamilySearch, MyHeritage Family Tree Builder, Geni: we did not install or run them, so feature claims come from vendor pages. Vendor prices and free limits change; confirm on the linked pricing page before you commit.
Sources
Kevin Fan
Kevin Fan is a SaaS founder. He runs Free Instead Of, which tracks free and open-source alternatives to paid software and checks each price and free-plan limit against the vendor's own pages.
Methodology
Based on official pricing, license and product pages checked 2026-10-24: Gramps, Gramps Web, webtrees, FamilySearch, MyHeritage Family Tree Builder, Geni. Prices, free limits and licenses are the figures shown on those pages on those dates. No tool on this page was installed or run. No accounts were created.