Online obituary vs. newspaper obituary

For most of the last century, the newspaper was the only real option. You called the paper, gave them the details, paid by the line, and hoped it came out right. It was slow, expensive, and the word limits forced you to leave out things that mattered.

Things have changed a lot. Most people now find out about a death through a text, a Facebook post, or a shared link — not the morning paper. And while a newspaper obituary still has a place, particularly for reaching older family members who still subscribe, the online obituary has become the more practical and personal option for most families.

Here's a side-by-side look at the real differences:

Feature Newspaper Obituary Online Obituary
Average cost $100–$500+ Free to ~$100
Word limit Usually 200–300 words No limit
Photos Usually 1, extra cost Unlimited
Reach Local subscribers only Anyone with the link, worldwide
Shareable No Yes — email, text, social
Guest comments No Yes, on most platforms
Editable after publishing Rarely Yes
Stays online permanently Not guaranteed Yes, on most platforms

The honest answer is that you don't have to choose. A lot of families publish a short death notice in the local paper — just the name, dates, and service info — and use the full online obituary for everything else. You get the local reach without paying for every word.

Worth knowing You are not legally required to publish an obituary in a newspaper. There's no law around it. The newspaper is a tradition, not a rule — and an increasingly expensive one.

What information you need before you start

The single biggest obstacle people run into isn't the writing. It's sitting down to create an obituary online and realizing they don't have all the details in front of them. So before you open any tool or platform, take 15 minutes to pull this information together.

Information checklist
  • Full legal name, including maiden name if applicable
  • Any nickname they were known by
  • Date of birth and date of passing
  • City or town of most recent residence
  • Cause of death (optional — your choice entirely)
  • Parents' names (and whether they are deceased)
  • Education — high school, college, trade school
  • Military service, branch, and years served
  • Career — jobs, how long, anything notable
  • Marriage — spouse's name, years married
  • Children's names, and their spouses if included
  • Grandchildren and great-grandchildren
  • Siblings — names and whether living or deceased
  • Hobbies, passions, organizations, community involvement
  • One or two personal details that capture who they were
  • Funeral or memorial service details — date, time, location
  • Preferred charity for donations in lieu of flowers
  • A photo (or several)

You won't always have all of this, and that's fine. An obituary doesn't need to be exhaustive. But having what you do know in one place before you start makes the whole process significantly less frustrating. If you're unsure about any dates or names, call a family member before you begin — it's much easier to get it right the first time than to issue a correction later.

How to create an obituary online, step by step

Once your information is together, creating an obituary online is actually straightforward. Here's the process from start to published.

1

Write the obituary text first

Don't start by choosing a platform. Start by writing the text — in a Notes app, Google Doc, Word file, anywhere. Getting the words right matters more than the platform you publish on, and it's easier to write without being distracted by sign-up forms and design options. If you need help with the actual writing, our full obituary writing guide walks you through it step by step, including a copy-and-paste template.

2

Choose where to publish

Decide whether you want a simple online obituary listing, a full memorial page, or both. A basic listing just puts the text and a photo online somewhere people can find it. A memorial page goes further — photos, a guest book, service RSVPs, donation collection, a place people can return to over time. More on the differences in the next section.

3

Create an account (or don't)

Most platforms require an account to publish. Some let you create an obituary without one — which is helpful when you're in a hurry and just need something live quickly. Eternal Obituary doesn't require an account to get started. Worth checking before you commit to any platform.

4

Fill in the details and upload photos

Paste your text, add the key details (name, dates, service info), and upload at least one photo. A clear, recent photo makes the obituary feel personal and helps people who knew them from different periods of their life confirm they've found the right person. More photos are always better if you have them — online there's no extra cost to include them.

5

Review before you publish

Read everything out loud at least once. Check every name spelling — family members notice misspelled names, and it can cause real hurt. Confirm the service date, time, and location are correct. If possible, ask one other family member to review it before it goes live. Most online platforms let you edit after publishing, but it's still worth getting right the first time.

6

Share the link

Once it's published, copy the link and share it. Text it to family. Post it on Facebook. Email it to your loved one's contact list if you have access. A shared link travels faster than any newspaper ever could — family across the country, old friends, former colleagues will all be able to find it within minutes.

Ready to create a memorial page?

Eternal Obituary gives your loved one a beautiful permanent page online — with photos, a memory wall, service RSVP, and more. Takes about five minutes to set up.

Create a memorial page →

Free vs. paid obituary platforms

There's a real range here, and "free" doesn't always mean what you'd hope it means. Here's an honest breakdown of what you're actually getting at each tier.

Free platforms

Several sites let you post an obituary at no cost — Ever Loved is probably the most well-known. Free tiers typically include the obituary text, a photo, basic service details, and a shareable link. Some include a guest book where people can leave comments.

The trade-offs with free platforms are usually one or more of the following: ads displayed on the page, limited design customization, the platform's branding prominently displayed, or features locked behind an upgrade. For many families, that's completely fine. For others — particularly if the page will be shared widely or kept up long-term — it can feel like putting a billboard on a tribute.

Paid platforms

Paid options range from a one-time fee to a small monthly subscription. What you typically get in return: no ads, a cleaner and more personalized design, additional features like RSVP collection, donation integration, photo galleries, and a permanent home that doesn't expire or get buried under other listings.

Pricing varies a lot across platforms. Eternal Obituary starts at $8 per month or $95 as a one-time lifetime payment — no ads, no upsells, and the page stays up permanently. It's one of the more affordable options that doesn't compromise on the experience.

What to ask before you choose

  • Does the page stay up permanently, or does it expire?
  • Are there ads on the page visitors will see?
  • Can you edit the obituary after publishing?
  • Is the platform's branding prominent on the page?
  • Can family members contribute photos and memories?
  • Is there a guest book or memory wall?
  • Can you collect RSVPs for the service?
  • What happens to the page if the company shuts down?
A note on "free" obituary sites Some sites that rank highly for "free online obituary" are ad-heavy aggregators that scrape obituary data from funeral homes and display ads next to your loved one's tribute without your knowledge or consent. It's worth reading the fine print before you publish anywhere.

Going further: the online memorial page

An obituary and a memorial page are related but different things. Worth understanding the distinction before you choose a platform.

An online obituary is primarily text — a written announcement of someone's passing, their life story, and service details. It's the digital equivalent of what you'd submit to a newspaper.

An online memorial page is a living space. It's where the obituary lives, but it's also where family and friends can leave messages, share photos, RSVP to the service, make donations, and return on anniversaries and birthdays. It becomes a permanent record of the person — not just their death, but their life.

For most families, the memorial page is the better long-term choice. The obituary gets people informed. The memorial page gives them somewhere to go. You can see what a full memorial page looks like at Eternal Obituary's designs page.

Tips for writing it quickly when you don't have much time

This is real life. Sometimes you're getting calls, making arrangements, and someone just asked you when the obituary is going to be up. Here's how to get something good published fast.

  • Use a template. Don't start from a blank page. Our obituary writing guide has a fill-in-the-blank template that takes most of the decisions off your plate. Fill it in, personalize one or two details, and you have a real obituary in under 20 minutes.
  • Write the short version first. Name, dates, survived by, service info. That's the minimum. Get that published first so people have the key information, then go back and add more later. Most online platforms let you edit at any time.
  • Delegate one specific task. If someone asks how they can help, ask them to collect the family names and spellings so you don't have to track them all down. One task, one person. Specific requests get done — vague ones don't.
  • Don't wait for the perfect photo. Use whatever you have. A recent casual photo is better than spending an hour searching for a formal portrait. You can always add more photos later.
  • Use AI as a first draft. If you're truly stuck, an AI obituary generator can take basic facts and produce a workable first draft in seconds. You'll still want to personalize it — the AI won't know the things that made your person irreplaceable — but it gets you past the blank page.

People also ask

Can I create an obituary online for free?
Yes. Several platforms let you publish a basic obituary online at no cost, including Ever Loved and some funeral home websites. Free tiers typically include the obituary text, a photo, and a shareable link. They may display ads on the page or have limited customization options. Paid platforms remove ads and offer more features, but free is a completely valid option for many families.
How long does it take to create an online obituary?
If you have the information ready, most online obituaries can be published in 20 to 30 minutes. The writing usually takes longer than the technical side of publishing. Having names, dates, and a photo ready before you start will cut the time significantly.
Do I still need a newspaper obituary if I post one online?
No, you're not required to. Many families choose to publish only online, especially when the deceased had a wide network beyond the local area or when newspaper costs are a concern. Some families do both — a short death notice in the local paper with a link to the full online obituary. That's a practical middle ground if reaching older, local readers matters to your family.
Can I edit an online obituary after it's published?
On most online platforms, yes. This is one of the big advantages over newspaper obituaries, which are essentially final once printed. Online, you can fix a spelling error, add service details that weren't confirmed yet, or include additional family members you forgot. Always check that a specific platform allows edits before you commit to it.
What's the difference between an online obituary and a memorial page?
An online obituary is primarily the written tribute — the text, a photo, and service details. A memorial page is a fuller experience: it houses the obituary but also includes photo galleries, a guest book or memory wall, RSVP functionality, donation links, and a permanent home that family can return to over time. If you want more than just a text announcement, a memorial page is the better choice.
How much does it cost to publish an obituary online?
It ranges from free to around $100 for most families. Basic online obituaries are often free through funeral home websites or platforms like Ever Loved. A full memorial page with no ads, permanent hosting, and additional features typically runs $8 to $15 per month, or $50 to $100 as a one-time payment. That's significantly less than a newspaper obituary, which averages $100 to $500 depending on length and publication.
How do I share an online obituary?
Once published, you'll have a unique URL (link) for the page. You can share that link via text message, email, Facebook, Instagram, or any other platform. Most memorial page services also let you send a formatted email announcement directly from their platform. The link travels fast — family in other states or countries can have it within minutes of publishing.

Creating an obituary online doesn't have to be complicated. Gather the information, write the text, choose a platform that fits what you need, and publish. The whole thing can be done in under an hour — and it'll reach more people, last longer, and cost less than the newspaper ever could.

If you want a permanent, ad-free home for the tribute — one where family can share photos and leave memories for years to come — Eternal Obituary makes it simple. You can browse memorial designs here or check the FAQ if you have questions about how it works.