Legacy.com Alternatives for Publishing an Obituary (2026)

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Michael R. | 25. July 2026

Legacy.com offers broad reach and a convenient path to newspaper publication, but it is not the right choice for every family. The best alternative depends on whether you need public discovery, a private link, family contributions, a printable design or the lowest price.

Quick answer: Choose Legacy.com when newspaper placement and broad public discovery matter. Choose an online-only alternative when you mainly need a page to share directly with family and friends. Before paying any website, ask the funeral home whether online publication is already included.

Quick comparison

These services solve different problems. A large obituary network is useful when people need to find the notice on their own. A smaller platform can be a better fit when the family already knows who should receive the link.

Option Current price Best for Important limitation
Legacy.com $159 for a standard online obituary Newspaper placement, public discovery, unlimited text and photos, writing help Costs more than several online-only options; newspaper orders can cost substantially more
obituary.design $29 for one year; optional renewal currently $29 per additional year A designed obituary, public or private sharing, guestbook, printable PDF and image No newspaper-placement network and less built-in discovery than Legacy
Ever Loved Free standard memorial; $199.99 Premium option Family collaboration, photos and video, event details, fundraising and RSVPs Some controls and removal of gift or product sections require Premium
ForeverMissed Free Basic plan; $9.95 monthly, $79.95 yearly or $159.95 Lifetime Multimedia memorials, collaborators, privacy controls and long-term hosting choices The free plan limits photos; richer media and privacy features require payment
Funeral-home website Often included; varies by provider Keeping the obituary and service information with the funeral arrangements Design, editing, sharing and long-term availability vary widely

Legacy price note: The $159 price was listed in Legacy's Help Center when checked on July 25, 2026. 

What Legacy.com does well

Legacy is more than a place to build a memorial page. It is a large obituary network with connections to US newspapers and funeral homes. Families can publish online only or use Legacy's ordering system to arrange newspaper publication.

Its official help information lists unlimited obituary text, unlimited photos and an optional guestbook. Legacy also offers writing assistance and customer support. Those services are valuable when a family wants help or expects people outside its immediate circle to search for the obituary.

Newspaper pricing is separate and varies by publication, text length, photos and date. If print reach matters, request a complete quote and review the proof before approving it. Our guides to newspaper obituary costs and online versus newspaper obituaries explain those tradeoffs in more detail.

Four practical Legacy.com alternatives

1. obituary.design: for a polished obituary you can share and print

obituary.design is for families who want a respectful visual obituary rather than newspaper distribution. The $29 payment includes an online page for one year, public or private sharing, an optional guestbook, and a print-ready PDF and image. Pages have no advertising or built-in gift and product-sales sections. Optional renewal currently costs $29 for each additional year online.

This option works best when relatives and friends can be reached directly by text, email or social media. It is also useful when the family wants a printable file for a funeral program, keepsake or home display. It is not a substitute for Legacy when newspaper placement or large-scale public discovery is the priority.

Create a shareable obituary for $29 →

2. Ever Loved: for a free collaborative memorial

Ever Loved's standard memorial is free. Families can add event information, receive photos and messages, collect RSVPs, invite co-managers and create a memorial fundraiser.

Ever Loved says its memorials are free of display ads. Free pages can still include Ever Loved memorial-gift and product sections. The $199.99 Premium upgrade lets families remove those sections and adds controls such as password protection; the flower option can be disabled separately.

3. ForeverMissed: for multimedia and long-term plans

ForeverMissed offers a free Basic memorial as well as monthly, yearly and Lifetime plans. Paid plans support unlimited media, music and video galleries, advanced privacy settings and detailed collaborator permissions. Its Lifetime option provides a clearly defined one-time price for permanent hosting.

4. The funeral home: check what is already included

Many US funeral homes publish an obituary on their own website as part of the service package. Some also send it to Legacy or another network. Ask where the obituary will appear, how long it will remain available, whether the family can edit it, and whether publication is already covered by the funeral bill. This can prevent paying twice for nearly the same service.

How to choose

  1. Need a newspaper notice? Start with Legacy, the newspaper or the funeral home. Online-only platforms do not provide the same local print reach.
  2. Must acquaintances find it without receiving a link? Favor an established public directory such as Legacy. For direct family sharing, discovery matters less.
  3. Want relatives to add photos or stories? Ever Loved and ForeverMissed provide stronger collaboration and multimedia tools.
  4. Need privacy? Check whether “private” means hidden from directories, accessible only by link, or protected by a password.
  5. Need something printable? Confirm that the service supplies a high-resolution PDF or image rather than only a webpage.
  6. Want long-term access? Look for a specific term, renewal price and removal policy. Do not assume that “lasting” means permanent.

When Legacy is the better fit

Legacy remains a sensible choice when the deceased had a broad public or professional network, the family wants newspaper publication, people are likely to search by name, or the family needs unlimited photos and publishing support. Paying more can be worthwhile when reach is more important than design or privacy.

Questions to ask before paying

  • What is the final price, including print placement or processing fees?
  • Can the family edit or remove the obituary later?
  • Can the family download a permanent PDF, image or data copy?
  • Does the page contain advertising, flower or gift links, donation tips or fees?

Common questions

Is publishing an obituary on Legacy.com free?

No. Legacy's Help Center listed its standard online obituary at $159. A funeral home may include online publication in its service package, so ask before paying separately.

Do I have to use Legacy.com or a newspaper?

No. An online-only obituary can be enough when you can share the link directly with the people who need it. Legacy or a local newspaper is more useful when broad public discovery and local print reach matter.

How long does an online obituary stay available?

It depends on the provider. Some free memorials remain online indefinitely, while other services charge annually or offer a lifetime plan. Before publishing, confirm the initial term, renewal price, removal policy and whether you can download a copy.

Need a designed obituary rather than newspaper distribution?

Create an obituary for $29, share it publicly or privately, and download a print-ready PDF and image. The first year is included; optional renewal currently costs $29 per additional year.

Create an obituary →

This is an independent comparison. obituary.design is not affiliated with Legacy.com, Ever Loved or ForeverMissed. Features and prices can change; confirm them with the provider before purchasing.

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