Comparison

British Names vs GenealogyDirect

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

British Names

Discover the meanings and origins of over 17,000 British names, including English, Scottish, and Welsh surnames. This offline app allows you to search for specific names and learn their history, making your heritage easily accessible.

Highlights
  • 17,000+ British names
  • Name meanings and origins
  • English, Scottish, Welsh surnames
  • Offline access
  • Search functionality
  • Name history
Features
Read full description

This app contain 17000+ British names with the history of each names, there is a search option to find out your desire name and know the history of you name. Top UK names, British names, History of names. The names are presented in three sets: English, Scottish, and Welsh surnames. Your heritage is now at your fingertips! The Application is offline and does not need any internet connection.

About

GenealogyDirect

Connect with local researchers to find archive documents for your family history. Offer your services to help others with their genealogy searches, making research more accessible.

Highlights
  • Connect with local researchers
  • Request archive document retrieval
  • Offer assistance to others
  • Collaborative genealogy network
  • Accessible family history research
Features
Read full description

GenealogyDirect helps you move beyond online hints and reach the records, context, and local knowledge your family history research often needs. Use GenealogyDirect to: • Request copies of archive documents when records are not online • Ask structured genealogy questions with evidence and context • Connect with local archive specialists, experienced volunteers, and professional researchers • Get help reading, locating, and understanding civil, parish, notarial, immigration, and historical records • Organize the next step in your ancestor search without relying on scattered messages or informal posts Whether you are building a family tree, tracing immigrant roots, researching ancestors abroad, or trying to solve a difficult record problem, GenealogyDirect gives your request a clear format so the right people can understand what you need. GenealogyDirect is not a record database. It is a bridge between family historians and the human help often needed when research reaches offline archives, local languages, handwriting, or specialized sources.

Screenshots

British Names4 screens
GenealogyDirect4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: GenealogyDirect at 5.0 against British Names's 3.5. GenealogyDirect also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (weekly vs every 12 months). British Names's advantage is iOS requirement (11.4 vs 26.0). On price, ratings volume, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

GenealogyDirect holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 4 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

British Names ships an update every 12 months, GenealogyDirect weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 4 level
British Names versus GenealogyDirect: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBritish NamesGenealogyDirect
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.5 (2 ratings)5.0 (4 ratings) — better
Number of ratings24 — better
Update frequencyEvery 12 monthsWeekly — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationAd-supportedFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS11.4 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size20 MB60 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAndrew YahinTheFrenchApps, LLC

Customer experience

British Names

All ratings2 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%

GenealogyDirect

All ratings4 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

British Names

No in-app purchases

None

GenealogyDirect

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is British Names free?
British Names is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is GenealogyDirect free?
GenealogyDirect is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, British Names or GenealogyDirect?
GenealogyDirect is rated higher. British Names averages 3.5 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while GenealogyDirect averages 5.0 from 4 ratings.
Do British Names or GenealogyDirect have ads?
British Names shows ads; GenealogyDirect does not.
Which is updated more often, British Names or GenealogyDirect?
British Names ships an update every 12 months, and GenealogyDirect weekly. Most recently, British Names was updated on October 3, 2026 and GenealogyDirect on October 25, 2026.

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