Can strangers edit my family on FamilySearch?

Deceased people sit in FamilySearch's shared Family Tree, where any FamilySearch user can see and edit them. Living people stay private to the user who entered them. In Banyan, only the relatives you invite can see your tree, and only your family can change it.

FamilySearch is free. Why choose Banyan?

For privacy and control. A Banyan tree is never part of a shared public tree, and only your relatives can change it. Banyan Starter is free, and when your tree grows, one person can cover everyone for US$79 a year.

Can I download my family tree?

Yes. Banyan Family and Banyan Legacy export your tree as a GEDCOM file that other family tree apps can open. FamilySearch's help center says it has no built-in way to download the shared Family Tree.

Do my relatives need to pay to join a Banyan tree?

No. One person pays for the tree, and anyone in the family can be that person. Every invited relative joins and contributes free, on every plan.

A private FamilySearch alternative

Banyan vs FamilySearch

FamilySearch is a free service with historical records and one shared tree for the whole world. Banyan gives your family a tree of its own: private, invite-only, and built by the relatives who know the stories.

Checked October 20, 2026

The short answer

Choose Banyan if you want a family tree that only your relatives can see and change. FamilySearch keeps deceased ancestors in one shared public tree that any FamilySearch user can edit. A Banyan tree belongs to your family, and elders decide who joins and what changes.

Banyan and FamilySearch, side by side

Banyan compared with FamilySearch
	BanyanYour living family	FamilySearchShared world tree
Who sees your tree	Good for families: Invited relatives only	Trade-off for privacy or control: Ancestors in a public tree
Who can change it	Good for families: Your family; elders approve	Trade-off for privacy or control: Any user (ancestors)
Price	Good for families: Free, or US$79/yr for everyone	Good for families: Free
What relatives pay	Good for families: Nothing	Good for families: Nothing
Ads and your data	Good for families: No ads, never sold	Good for families: Not sold

Good for families Neutral Trade-off for privacy or control

Full details for each row

Made for

Banyan: Your living family, building one private tree together
FamilySearch: Free historical records and one shared world tree

Who sees your tree

Banyan: Only the relatives you invite. Never public or searchable.
FamilySearch: Deceased relatives sit in one shared public tree that all users can see. Living people stay private to the person who added them.

Who can change it

Banyan: Only your family. Elders manage roles and review suggested edits.
FamilySearch: Any FamilySearch user can edit deceased people in the shared tree

Price

Banyan: Free to start. US$79 a year covers up to 250 relatives; US$149 a year for unlimited.
FamilySearch: Free

What relatives pay

Banyan: Nothing. One person pays for the tree, and every invited relative joins free.
FamilySearch: Free for everyone

Ads and your data

Banyan: No ads. Your family's information is never sold.
FamilySearch: Says it does not sell your information

Photos and family life

Banyan: Photos and notes on every profile, plus a shared calendar of birthdays and gatherings
FamilySearch: Photos, stories, documents and audio

Why families choose Banyan

Your tree, not the world's

FamilySearch keeps deceased relatives in one shared public tree. In Banyan, your whole tree belongs to your family, grandparents and great-grandparents included.

Changes you can trust

Any FamilySearch user can edit deceased ancestors' records. In Banyan, only your family makes changes, and elders review suggested edits.

Made for family life

Banyan keeps photos and notes on every profile, plus a shared calendar of birthdays and gatherings, so the tree stays part of everyday family life.

Banyan vs FamilySearch: questions

Can strangers edit my family on FamilySearch?: Deceased people sit in FamilySearch's shared Family Tree, where any FamilySearch user can see and edit them. Living people stay private to the user who entered them. In Banyan, only the relatives you invite can see your tree, and only your family can change it.
FamilySearch is free. Why choose Banyan?: For privacy and control. A Banyan tree is never part of a shared public tree, and only your relatives can change it. Banyan Starter is free, and when your tree grows, one person can cover everyone for US$79 a year.
Can I download my family tree?: Yes. Banyan Family and Banyan Legacy export your tree as a GEDCOM file that other family tree apps can open. FamilySearch's help center says it has no built-in way to download the shared Family Tree.
Do my relatives need to pay to join a Banyan tree?: No. One person pays for the tree, and anyone in the family can be that person. Every invited relative joins and contributes free, on every plan.

Start the tree your family will keep adding to.

Banyan Starter is free. Invite your relatives with a link or QR code, and build your family tree together.

Start your family tree free

More comparisons

Banyan vs AncestryPrivate from day one, and one yearly plan instead of a monthly membership.Compare Banyan vs MyHeritageOne simple plan and a tree that is never searchable, instead of a menu of plans.Compare Banyan vs GeniYour own private tree, never merged into a world tree.Compare All comparisonsBanyan next to every service in one table.See the table

Sources

We checked each company's public website on October 20, 2026. Prices are US list prices before tax and can change. Introductory offers are not shown. Banyan details come from our plans, FAQ and privacy policy. Brand names belong to their owners.