The short answer
For most families we recommend TributeWell — a dedicated memorial platform with a genuinely free page, a one-time lifetime option, no ads on your memorial, and collaborative contributions so relatives can add photos and stories without sharing a password. If raising funds for the funeral is your priority, Ever Loved is the strongest choice. For a well-known established name, ForeverMissed is reliable.
A memorial website is a lasting online place where family and friends gather to remember someone who has died. You add a life story, share photos and video, and invite people to leave tributes and light candles. Most are created in the days after a loss, so the platform you choose should be quick to set up, dignified in tone, and — this matters more the longer a memorial lives — clear about who owns the content and whether the page will still exist in ten years.
Below is our recommended pick, a side-by-side comparison of the field, and honest notes on each. Then a step-by-step guide to creating one, and answers to the questions families ask most.
TributeWell
Free memorial page · one-time lifetime plan available · no ads on your memorial
TributeWell is built specifically for memorials, not adapted from an events tool. You get a free, dignified tribute page with a life story, photo and video galleries, a guestbook, and candle-lighting. Family and friends can contribute their own memories directly, and the page stays free of the flower-and-obituary upsells that fund some “free” competitors. The lifetime option means one payment keeps the memorial online permanently, with no subscription to lapse. It’s the most complete free starting point for a family who wants something lasting and calm rather than a logistics dashboard.
Create a free memorialComparison at a glance
| Platform | Free page | Paid from | Ads on memorial | Family contributes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TributeWell | Yes | $99 lifetime | No | Yes |
| Ever Loved | Yes | Free (add-ons); Premium ~$199 | Partner promotions | Yes |
| ForeverMissed | Yes | ~$125 lifetime / $6.99 mo | No | Yes |
| Keeper | Yes | $99 lifetime (Plus) | No | Yes |
| Farewelling | Yes | Paid tiers vary | No | Yes |
| GatheringUs | Limited | Premium (concierge) | No | Yes |
| MuchLoved (UK) | Yes | Free (charity) | No | Yes |
| Legacy.com | Yes | Varies | Yes | Obituary-focused |
The platforms, in detail
Ever Loved
Best for fundraising and funeral logistics
Ever Loved is built around the practical days right after a loss: a memorial page, funeral service coordination, and integrated fundraising in one place. Its crowdfunding is the strongest in the field — families can raise money for costs or a charity directly on the page. The trade-off is that the free model is funded by partnerships, so visitors may see flowers, printed obituaries, and related offers on the memorial.
ForeverMissed
Best established, no-frills name
Running since the late 2000s, ForeverMissed is one of the most recognized pure memorial platforms. The free tier covers a biography, photo gallery, and candle-lighting; paid plans add storage, more photos, and customization. The interface feels dated to some, but it’s stable and offers a lifetime plan for permanence.
Keeper
Best free feature set
Keeper offers a capable free memorial with a life story, photos and video, guestbook, and even a family tree. Keeper Plus is a one-time $99 for premium features, and it’s one of the few platforms offering QR-code plaques that link a headstone to the online page.
Farewelling
Best design quality
Farewelling stands out for modern, professionally designed templates that avoid the dated feel of older platforms, paired with funeral-planning tools. A free Starter plan lets you try before committing. Fewer permanence guarantees are spelled out publicly, so check the plan terms.
GatheringUs
Best for a managed virtual service
GatheringUs is event-focused: a concierge-style service that plans and hosts a virtual memorial gathering, with a dedicated planner. It’s premium-priced and aimed at families who want the event handled for them rather than a simple standing tribute page.
MuchLoved (UK)
Best free option for UK families
A long-running UK non-profit, MuchLoved is entirely free and focused on tributes and charitable donations, with UK-based phone support. A natural first choice for families in Britain and Ireland.
Legacy.com
Best for newspaper obituaries
Legacy.com is obituary-first, powered by a large network of newspaper and funeral-home partners. It’s where many published obituaries live, but it assumes a single author and isn’t built for collaborative, photo-rich family memorials.
How to create a memorial website
The process is similar on every platform and takes about fifteen minutes for a basic page.
Choose a platform
Pick based on what matters most: a lasting free page (TributeWell, Keeper), fundraising (Ever Loved), or a managed service (GatheringUs). Prefer one with a one-time lifetime option so the page can’t lapse.
Add the basics
Enter the person’s name, dates, and a main photo, then write a short life story or paste the obituary. Most builders let you do this without design skills.
Add photos, video, and music
Upload a gallery and any video or audio. Hearing a loved one’s voice is one of the most valued things future visitors find.
Set privacy
Decide whether the page is public and searchable or private and invite-only. Both are valid — you just want the choice, and the ability to moderate what visitors post.
Invite family and friends
Share the link so others can leave tributes, light candles, and add their own photos and stories. Collaborative pages feel alive in a way a single-author page doesn’t.
Common questions
Are online memorials free?
Many start free. The most generous free tiers are TributeWell, Ever Loved, Keeper, and MuchLoved. “Free” can mean different things: some platforms fund the free page by promoting flowers or obituaries to your visitors, so read what appears on the page.
How much does a memorial website cost?
From free to about $200. One-time lifetime fees are common in the US, roughly $89 to $160 depending on platform. Monthly subscriptions run a few dollars a month. A one-time lifetime payment is usually the safest for permanence.
Will the memorial still exist in ten years?
This is the most important question and the one families forget to ask. Free, ad-supported pages can be archived over time, and a lapsed subscription can mean deletion. A lifetime plan (one payment) is the most reliable way to keep a memorial online long-term.
Can several relatives contribute to one memorial?
On most modern platforms, yes — TributeWell, Ever Loved, Keeper, and Farewelling are built for shared contribution, ideally without everyone sharing one password. Obituary-first sites like Legacy.com assume a single author.
What’s the difference between a memorial website and an obituary?
An obituary is a short published announcement of a death. A memorial website is a lasting, interactive space — photos, stories, video, and a guestbook — that family and friends can visit and add to for years.