Filae and Geneanet have been occupying the French-speaking online genealogy space for years, but their paths are increasingly diverging. The acquisition of Filae by MyHeritage, confirmed at the end of 2021, has gradually changed the very nature of the platform. Geneanet, on the other hand, remains rooted in a collaborative model where users share trees and records. Comparing these two tools requires going beyond the simple pricing grid to examine what each actually contributes to research.
Data Model of Filae and Geneanet: Two Indexing Logics
The most structuring distinction between the two platforms concerns neither the interface nor the price. It relates to the origin and processing of data.
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Filae has built its reputation on the nominative indexing of digitized civil status records. The platform offers indexes that allow users to directly find a record based on a name, place, or date. This indexing work, largely automated and then corrected, mainly covers French parish and civil status registers.
Geneanet operates on a different principle: the data primarily comes from the users themselves. Online trees, records made by associations or volunteers, transcriptions of freely shared acts. The richness of Geneanet directly depends on the community that feeds it.
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A genealogist looking to identify the differences between Filae and Geneanet should first ask what type of source they prefer: structured indexes linked to images of acts, or a network of data shared by peers.
Acquisition by MyHeritage: What Changes for Filae Users
Since the gradual integration of Filae into the MyHeritage ecosystem (starting from 2023-2024), the platform is no longer an isolated player. The Filae indexes now also feed into MyHeritage results, and trees can be synchronized between the two services.
This evolution has a direct consequence. A Filae subscription potentially provides access to MyHeritage’s international features (DNA matches, foreign archives). However, feedback from users varies regarding the actual degree of integration in daily use: some functions remain compartmentalized, and the user experience varies depending on the subscription plans.
For Geneanet, the acquisition of Filae by MyHeritage had another effect. Several agreements or bridges between Filae and other players have ended. Access to Filae indexes is refocused on Filae and MyHeritage, which reduces the possibilities of cross-referencing this data from Geneanet.
Consequence for a Beginner
A genealogist starting out without wanting to pay upfront will find free access to a large collaborative database on Geneanet. Filae also offers limited free access, but the most useful results (images of acts, complete indexes) require a paid subscription.
Departmental Archives, Filae, and Geneanet: Verification at the Source
Neither Filae nor Geneanet replaces departmental archives. Experienced genealogists repeat: every act found online must be verified against the digitized registers of the archives. Indexing errors exist on both platforms, whether due to automatic reading (Filae) or human entry (Geneanet).
The most effective strategy, documented by numerous user feedback, combines three levels:
- Filae for quickly locating an act thanks to nominative indexing, especially for civil status from the 19th century
- Geneanet for exploring shared trees, identifying collateral branches, or finding associative records covering older periods
- Online departmental archives for consulting the original image of the act and correcting any transcription errors
This three-step approach avoids dependence on a single platform and limits the risk of propagating an error in one’s tree.
Online Trees and GEDCOM File: Portability of Genealogical Data
Both platforms allow users to create an online tree and export it in GEDCOM format, the standard for genealogical data exchange. This file (extension .ged) can then be imported into desktop software like Ancestris, or transferred from one site to another.
The portability of data remains a criterion not to be overlooked. A tree built on Filae can be exported to Geneanet, and vice versa. However, the transfer is never perfect: some metadata, links to sources, or notes may be lost in the conversion.
Geneanet also offers collaborative features absent from Filae. The ability to report errors in another user’s tree, propose merges of records, or participate in collective indexing projects creates a participatory ecosystem. Filae remains more oriented towards individual consultation of centralized data.
Which Genealogy Site to Choose Based on Your Research Profile
The choice between Filae and Geneanet depends less on an objective ranking than on the type of research being conducted.
- For targeted research on French civil status (births, marriages, deaths), Filae offers more direct access thanks to its structured indexes
- To go beyond the 19th century or explore branches in areas less well covered by automatic indexing, Geneanet and its associative records have the advantage
- For an international approach or interest in DNA matches, Filae’s connection to MyHeritage adds an extra dimension
- For free and community-based use, Geneanet remains the most accessible platform without a subscription
The available data does not allow for designating a “best” genealogy site in absolute terms. Both platforms cover different needs, and the most advanced genealogists generally use both in parallel, systematically verifying against departmental archives. The real trap would be to limit oneself to a single source and consider its data as definitive.