Find a Grave
By Ancestry.com
Find a Grave is a reference app for genealogy enthusiasts that provides access to a global database of burial records and cemetery locations on iOS and Android.
The App DNA
What makes this app unique?
The platform removes the friction of physical cemetery research by providing a centralized, searchable, and crowdsourced index of burial information that users can access remotely.
For Genealogy enthusiasts, family historians, and volunteers interested in preserving burial records and cemetery documentation.
What does it look like?
Key features
Users build digital memorials with bios, photos, and life stories for deceased individuals.
Users mark and upload precise GPS coordinates for specific grave sites within cemeteries.
Users request headstone photographs from other volunteers in specific cemetery locations.
How much does it cost?
The app operates as a free, community-driven utility with no visible subscription or IAP gates, likely serving as a top-of-funnel acquisition tool for the parent company's broader genealogy services.
Velocity
Maintenance developmentUX improvementsperformanceShow more...
The app maintains a maintenance-level cadence, shipping 3 releases over the observed window. Development is currently focused on platform-specific stability and minor UI refinements rather than new feature expansion. The latest release arrived 10 days ago, following a period of infrequent updates across platforms. The development trend remains stable, prioritizing technical maintenance over significant content updates.
Who built it?
Ancestry.com
3 apps tracked · Reference
Ancestry: Family History & DNA
Find a GraveUser Sentiment
What do users think recently?
The recent review mood reads mixed. Users appreciate genealogy enthusiasts value the platform as a primary resource for connecting with ancestral burial records and gps navigation features help field researchers locate specific grave sites within large cemetery grounds, but report post-update technical regressions including server errors and login failures prevent users from accessing their accounts.
How are ratings & reviews evolving?
Weekly average review rating
What users say, by theme
- Genealogy enthusiasts value the platform as a primary resource for connecting with ancestral burial records
- GPS navigation features help field researchers locate specific grave sites within large cemetery grounds
- Virtual cemetery creation allows users to honor and remember loved ones from remote locations
- Post-update technical regressions including server errors and login failures prevent users from accessing their accounts
79 of 100 recent reviews analyzed · high confidence · Mixed overall
Read the full review analysisUnlock 2 more frustration themes and 1 user request, each backed by review evidence.
Access the full report for freeCompetition
Competitive landscape for Find a Grave
How's the Reference market?
Find a Grave holds a unique position in the reference category, maintaining a 4.6+ star rating across thousands of reviews despite recent technical instability. Its status as the largest free burial database makes it a primary utility for genealogy research, with chart performance reflecting its role as a niche, high-utility tool.
Read the market outlookThe rivals identified
Unlock the deeper market read.
Access the full report for freeThe Analyst's Read
Key takeaways for Find a Grave
Where is it heading?
Find a Grave remains a critical genealogy resource, but recent technical instability threatens to alienate its core contributor base. Addressing these stability gaps is essential to prevent power users from migrating back to the web-only experience, which would reduce the app's value as a mobile field tool.
- Persistent login failures and server errors following the latest update erode the daily research habit, forcing users to rely on the web version.
- GPS metadata attachment failures in the mobile app discourage field contributors, which slows the growth of the burial database.
The SWOT
- Crowdsourced database of 265 million records creates high switching costs
- GPS-tagged headstone photos provide unique field-utility for cemetery navigation
- Fixing GPS metadata attachment would resolve the primary friction for field contributors
Next best moves
Rebuild login authentication flow because server errors are the top-reported barrier to access -> restore user retention
+ 1 more prioritized moveThe counter-intuitive read
The platform's reliance on a volunteer contributor base…
Read the full takeBottom line
Restoring login stability and fixing the GPS metadata attachment bug would address the primary churn drivers for power users. Prioritizing these technical fixes over further UI adjustments will protect the contributor base that sustains the database's growth.
Unlock 2 critical frictions, 1 market threat, 1 more prioritized move and the analyst’s take.
Access the full report for freeFAQ
Is Find a Grave free to use?
Can I use Find a Grave to find my ancestors' graves?
Why are my photos not showing GPS data?
Sources
- [1] App Store
Report last updated