Online memorials make it easier for users and visitors to access, because it is centralized unlike using social media sites like Facebook which can be quite scattered. In this day and age, data privacy and malicious trolls are common concerns for web publishers. 

A dedicated online memorial on a trusted platform gives the administrator and publisher of it more control over privacy and moderation. Online memorials are also user-friendly and navigable. Even local and national newspapers now use online memorial platforms  to power or host their obituaries section. 

Although social media websites like Facebook, or blog sites like WordPress, have turned into informal hosts for tributes and messages of grief, they offer limited scope in terms of publishing and can be chaotic to administer. On top of that, Facebook’s advertising algorithms have the ability to post unwanted and inappropriate ads on a memorial page. This is why online memorial websites are much more preferred.

Online memorial platforms allow you to collect and showcase photos, videos and stories in a secure centralized environment. Unlike Facebook, Twitter, or blog sites, everything is presented nicely in an online memorial, which makes it easier for visitors to navigate and even contribute comments.

Online memorial webpages  are the respectful and formal counterparts to social media sites. Another major difference is that an online tribute page cuts out the negative aspects that go along with a Facebook and other social media sites.

● Maintain a guestbook for family and friends 

● Present a visual timeline of your loved one’s life

● Easily upload photos and videos

● Full control of privacy and moderation

● Collect and archive stories and anecdotes

● Interactive features such as slideshows and embedding music

There are over a dozen major online memorial platforms in the market, all which offer various features, pricing and design aesthetics. To help you choose which one is right for you, here are the top 5 best memorial hosts you might like.

Memories™ is based in Australia, but serves people all over the world. Memories’™ philosophy regarding online memorials is evident in their name: the legacy and memories of your loved one will twinkle brightly like a star in the clear night sky, even long after they’ve departed from Earth.

Memories™ was founded in 2013 and has since become one of the world’s major online memorial platforms. In fact, Memories™ powers the obituary notices of major newspaper publications like The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. The Memories™ publishing system makes it wonderfully easy for users to create dedicated private memorial pages that work seamlessly on both mobile and desktop.  

Users can create memorial pages, called ‘Memories Pages’, which can be made public or private depending on your preference. They can also post tribute notices. Other features include unlimited uploads, presenting a visual life story, up to 1GB video file, photo galleries and slideshows. The layout makes it easy for both users and visitors to navigate the dedicated memorial pages. 

A Memories Page is free to create and a once-off fee of USD $90 to publish forever.

Think of a photograph as a visual time capsule that has the power to freeze a fleeting moment in time within its borders. The people in photographs become alive every time you look at it, even if they’ve passed away a long time ago.

Smilebox, one of the major online memorial platforms currently available, turned this sentiment into their company’s vision. This is why the Smilebox focuses their services and web design layout on photographic media, with slideshows as a primary feature.

Smilebox adapted to today’s visual-centric online culture. In this day and age, most media on the web are some form of visual content. From Instagram to Facebook, online users have grown accustomed to slideshow templates. Smilebox also allows users to incorporate music and videos into slideshows, such as those you would find in YouTube memorial videos. 

Ever Loved is one of the most popular online memorial hosts in the market. The first thing one notices when going to their site is their clean minimalist design, which exudes a light and peaceful vibe. 

Ever Loved currently offers free memorial pages for users to create, but note that this may have limited functions. However, the company is always adding new features and improving their user-experience design. 

A particularly awesome feature of Ever Loved is it allows the users to “keep everyone in the loop with funeral details, updates and more.” It also has the option for people to donate to a charity that was close to the dearly departed’s heart.

Keeper, formerly known as “Qeeper”, was founded in Canada in 2013. Its current incarnation on mykeeper.com  offers free memorial pages for users who sign up. However, the pricing and the features that basic plans come with could change in the future.

Like many other online memorial platforms, Keeper allows users to upload multiple types of media types on to a beautifully-designed memorial page for their loved ones. 

Below is an example of a public tribute page on Keeper.

One of the first things you notice about Forever Missed the platform’s simple yet elegant layout design. Forever Missed prefers to focus on the content of their memorial pages, which is of course what matters the most. Similar to the other online memorials on this list, Forever Missed offers private and public options for memorial pages. 

Visitors such as family, friends, and associates of the dearly departed can post comments and stories on dedicated memorial pages. The user has full control over moderation and have the ability to approve visitor contributions. The style of their memorial pages is similar to a social media or blog profile, complete with photos, biographical information, text, and music. 

Forever Missed paid pages start at $5.99 monthly or $47.88 yearly. Below is an example of a public tribute page.

Whichever platform you choose, what’s important is the act of honoring your loved one’s memory and preserving their spirit for many generations to come. It is a tranquil place where family and friends of your dearly departed can reflect on a person who touched their lives.