Free online GEDCOM viewers compared (2026)
· 6 min read · The Memory Palace Team
Someone in the family has sent you a file called tree.ged. You do not have a genealogy program, and you would rather not install one just to see who is in it. There are good free viewers for this, and they differ in one way that matters more than the rest: whether your family's names and dates stay on your own device.
Last checked: 3 October 2026, on each tool's own website. We make The Memory Palace, a small app made by one person, Bram, in Leuven, Belgium, and one of the viewers below is ours. Where a site does not state something, the table says "not stated".
The short answer
To look inside a GEDCOM file quickly and privately, use a viewer that reads the file in your browser: GEDCOM Explorer, Kinfoly, TreeAlive, AncestorIQ, Topola or our own viewer. None of them needs an account. To work on the tree together with relatives, Gramps Web or webtrees are free but need a server you host yourself. To publish a tree for other researchers, FamilySearch accepts GEDCOM uploads. To edit on your own computer, Gramps and RootsMagic Essentials are free programs.
Ten free GEDCOM viewers at a glance
| Tool | Runs in the browser? | Your file | Account needed? | Cost | GEDCOM versions | Languages |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GEDCOM Explorer | Yes | Read locally, not sent to a server | No | Free, with ads | Not stated | Language switch: English, French, German, Italian, Spanish |
| Kinfoly GEDCOM viewer | Yes | Read in your browser, never sent to a server | No (an account only to keep editing) | Free | 5.5, 5.5.1, 7.0 | Not stated |
| TreeAlive | Yes | Read in your browser, not stored on their servers | No (FamilySearch sign-in only for that link) | Free | Not stated | Not stated |
| AncestorIQ GEDCOM Viewer | Yes | Read in your browser, not sent to a server | No | Free | 5.5, 5.5.1, 5.5.5, 7.0, also ANSEL | Not stated |
| Topola Genealogy Viewer | Yes | Stays on your computer | None mentioned | Free (donations welcome) | Not stated | Not stated |
| The Memory Palace GEDCOM viewer | Yes | Read in your browser, never uploaded | No | Free | 5.5.1 and 7.0, as UTF-8 text | English, Dutch, German, French, Spanish |
| FamilySearch (GEDCOM upload) | Yes, website only | Uploaded to the Pedigree Resource File, viewable by all FamilySearch users | Yes | Free account | Not stated | Not stated in the help article |
| Gramps Web | Yes, on a server you host | Imported into your own server | Yes, users sign in | Free software, hosting extra | Not stated | Over 50 |
| webtrees | Yes, on a server you host | Imported into your own server | Not stated | Free | "Standard GEDCOM", versions not stated | Over 60 |
| Gramps (desktop) | No, desktop program | Stays on your computer | None mentioned | Free, open source | Not stated | Translations included, number not stated |
| RootsMagic Essentials | No, Windows and Mac | Stays on your computer | Not stated | Free (full RootsMagic 11: $39.95) | Not stated | Not stated |
Features and prices change. Check them on the maker's site before you rely on them.
To look inside the file, privately: the browser viewers
Kinfoly is the most explicit about formats: it reads GEDCOM 5.5, 5.5.1 and 7.0 files of up to 50 MB and shows an interactive tree, a searchable list of everyone and statistics. AncestorIQ names the widest range, from 5.5 to 7.0, including older ANSEL-encoded files, with a chart you can pan and zoom. TreeAlive is the one to try if you want to see where your ancestors moved: it draws animated migration maps and can export them as a video, for files of up to 30 MB. GEDCOM Explorer centres on one person with a seven-generation view and a calendar of family birthdays and anniversaries. Topola draws hourglass and all-relatives charts that you can export as PDF, PNG or SVG, and it can also open a GEDCOM file together with its photos in a zip archive.
All five say on their own sites that the file is read in your browser and not sent to a server.
Our own viewer
The GEDCOM viewer of The Memory Palace reads a .ged or .gedcom file of up to 100 MB in your browser, without an account. Instead of drawing a chart, it tells you what is in the tree: how many people, families, generations and surnames, the years it spans, your longest line back to the oldest known ancestor, and where the gaps are, such as people without a date of birth or not linked to a family. It works in five languages. Where it is not the best choice: it does not draw a full family chart, and it reads files saved as UTF-8 text, so in an old ANSEL-encoded file accented letters may show wrongly. For those, AncestorIQ is the better pick.
To work on the tree with others: Gramps Web, webtrees and FamilySearch
Gramps Web and webtrees are free, open-source programs that put a family tree online for several people to work on, with roles and sign-ins. Both run on a web server that you install and maintain yourself, or that someone hosts for you. Gramps Web is translated into over 50 languages, webtrees into over 60.
FamilySearch lets you upload a GEDCOM file on its website. It then goes into the Pedigree Resource File, where all FamilySearch users can search and view it but not change it. From there you can compare it with the shared Family Tree and copy information across. This is a way to preserve and share research, not a private viewer.
To install a program instead: Gramps and RootsMagic Essentials
Gramps is a free, open-source genealogy program for Windows, Mac and Linux, built for hobbyists and professionals alike. RootsMagic Essentials is the free edition of RootsMagic for Windows and Mac, with many of the core features of the paid RootsMagic 11, which costs $39.95. Both keep everything on your own computer and let you edit the tree, not just view it.
How to choose
- Do you only want to look? A browser viewer is enough, and you install nothing.
- Is the tree private? Living relatives are often in it. Pick a viewer that reads the file locally. Our guide on opening a GEDCOM file online without uploading it shows how to check this yourself.
- Is the file old? Files from older programs may use ANSEL encoding. Pick a viewer that names it.
- Do you want to edit or share? Then a program (Gramps, RootsMagic Essentials) or a shared server (Gramps Web, webtrees) fits better than a viewer.
Do not have a GEDCOM file yet? Our guide explains how to export one from Ancestry, MyHeritage or FamilySearch.
Sources
- GEDCOM Explorer: gedcom-explorer.com
- Kinfoly GEDCOM viewer: kinfoly.com/gedcom-viewer
- TreeAlive FAQ: treealive.com/guides/faq
- TreeAlive, how to open a GEDCOM file: treealive.com/guides/how-to-open-a-gedcom-file
- AncestorIQ GEDCOM Viewer: ancestoriq.com/tools/gedcom-viewer
- Topola Genealogy Viewer: github.com/PeWu/topola-viewer
- FamilySearch Help Center, uploading a GEDCOM file: familysearch.org/en/help/helpcenter/article/how-do-i-upload-my-gedcom-file
- Gramps Web: grampsweb.org/features
- webtrees: webtrees.net
- Gramps: github.com/gramps-project/gramps
- RootsMagic Essentials: rootsmagic.com/rootsmagic/try
Questions people ask
What is the best free online GEDCOM viewer?
It depends on what you want to see. Kinfoly and AncestorIQ state which GEDCOM versions they read, and AncestorIQ also reads ANSEL-encoded files. TreeAlive draws migration maps. Topola draws interactive family charts and exports them as PDF, PNG or SVG. The Memory Palace's viewer summarises generations, surnames, your longest line and the gaps in the tree. All of these are free and read the file in your browser.
Is there a GEDCOM viewer that does not upload my file?
Yes. GEDCOM Explorer, Kinfoly, TreeAlive, AncestorIQ and Topola all say on their own sites that the file is read in your browser and not sent to a server. The Memory Palace's viewer works the same way. FamilySearch, Gramps Web and webtrees do store the file on a server.
Do I need an account to view a GEDCOM file?
Not for the browser viewers in this comparison. FamilySearch needs a sign-in to upload a GEDCOM, and Gramps Web works with user accounts on the server you host.
Which GEDCOM versions do free viewers support?
Kinfoly states GEDCOM 5.5, 5.5.1 and 7.0. AncestorIQ states 5.5, 5.5.1, 5.5.5 and 7.0, including ANSEL-encoded files. Most other viewers do not say which versions they read. The Memory Palace's viewer reads 5.5.1 and 7.0 files saved as UTF-8 text.
Can I open a GEDCOM file on my phone?
Yes, with a browser viewer: choose the file from your phone's files. Very large trees can be slow on an older phone. FamilySearch notes that GEDCOM uploads are not available in its Family Tree mobile app.
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