# FamilySearch Tree vs PhosphorSWL

The clearest difference is price: FamilySearch Tree at Free against PhosphorSWL's $0.99. FamilySearch Tree also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 3 months) and chart position (#47 vs unranked). On ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

FamilySearch Tree is free to download; PhosphorSWL costs $0.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

FamilySearch Tree ships an update weekly, PhosphorSWL every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | FamilySearch Tree | PhosphorSWL |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $0.99 |
| Rating | **[4.8 (506K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/familysearch-tree/id885982973/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **506K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 75.9% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Best chart rank | **#47** | — |
| Size | 197 MB | 3 MB |
| Requires iOS | **18.6** | 26.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [FamilySearch International](https://appshunter.io/developer/495353625) | [Stuart Woolley](https://appshunter.io/developer/315697638) |

## What reviewers say

### FamilySearch Tree

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/familysearch-tree/id885982973)

**Currently charting:** #47 Top Free · Reference (US App Store)

Explore your family history by building and documenting your family tree. Discover ancestors through historical records, preserve memories like photos and stories, and collaborate with others to enrich your heritage.

**Highlights:** Build and document family trees, Discover ancestors in historical records, Preserve photos, stories, and audio, Collaborate with other users, Explore ancestral heritage on maps, Add sources to confirm information

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Helpful for family history research
- 👍 User-friendly app
- 🚀 Convenient for accessing family tree on the go
- 👍 Allows sharing family stories and photos
- 👍 Comprehensive database of records

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inaccurate or incorrect information added by other users
- 🐛 Difficulty removing or correcting erroneous data
- 🐛 Navigation and usability issues
- 🐛 Slow performance and frequent crashes
- 🔒 Privacy concerns with open collaboration

**Reported bugs**

- Duplicates and incorrect connections in family tree
- Issues with merging profiles and maintaining accurate lineage
- Compatibility problems on older devices

**Requested features**

- Option to lock down personal family tree
- Improved search and filtering capabilities
- Better integration with external genealogy sources
- More detailed instructions and tutorials
- Ability to request changes to incorrect information


### PhosphorSWL

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phosphorswl/id6761208521)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is FamilySearch Tree free?

FamilySearch Tree is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is PhosphorSWL free?

PhosphorSWL costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Do FamilySearch Tree or PhosphorSWL have ads?

Neither FamilySearch Tree nor PhosphorSWL shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, FamilySearch Tree or PhosphorSWL?

FamilySearch Tree ships an update weekly, and PhosphorSWL every 3 months. Most recently, FamilySearch Tree was updated on November 1, 2026 and PhosphorSWL on October 31, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*