Twigs vs. FamilySearch: which fits your family?
FamilySearch is a remarkable free resource run by a nonprofit, with the world's largest shared family tree and deep historical archives. Twigs isn't trying to be that. It's the private, modern home for your family as it lives today.
At a glance
Built for
FamilySearch: One shared world tree for ancestry research
Twigs: The living family you have today
Privacy
FamilySearch: Deceased profiles live on a public shared tree anyone can edit
Twigs: Private by default: family password, your own address, no public profiles, no ads
Price
FamilySearch: Free
Twigs: Free to start
Who keeps it current
FamilySearch: Volunteers and researchers worldwide
Twigs: Everyone claims their own card and tends it
How it feels
FamilySearch: A collaborative research archive
Twigs: A fluid, zoomable canvas that is lovely on a phone
| FamilySearch | Twigs | |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | One shared world tree for ancestry research | The living family you have today |
| Privacy | Deceased profiles live on a public shared tree anyone can edit | Private by default: family password, your own address, no public profiles, no ads |
| Price | Free | Free to start |
| Who keeps it current | Volunteers and researchers worldwide | Everyone claims their own card and tends it |
| How it feels | A collaborative research archive | A fluid, zoomable canvas that is lovely on a phone |
Where FamilySearch shines
- Completely free with an enormous shared world tree.
- Vast historical record collections and volunteer indexing.
- Great for collaborative deep-ancestry research.
Where Twigs shines
- Your tree is yours alone: private behind a family password, not merged into a shared world tree anyone can edit.
- Designed for the living: profiles, photos, moments, birthdays, reactions.
- A zoomable canvas that feels like a modern app, lovely on phones.
- Custom domains, branch focus, and cross-tree links when families intermarry.
The honest verdict
FamilySearch shines for ancestry research on a shared world tree. Twigs shines when you want a private, beautiful space for the family in your group chat. They complement each other well.