Technology in the Funeral Industry: What Has Changed for Families

Technology has changed funerals most in the parts families use directly: livestreamed services, funeral home prices posted online, caskets bought from outside sellers, online memorials and digital accounts that need closing. Newer methods such as aquamation and natural organic reduction are also spreading. The rules that protect you have not changed, so you can still compare prices, buy elsewhere and decline extras.

Which funeral technologies will you actually meet?

Most of what gets written about "funeral tech" is aimed at funeral homes. These are the ones that matter to a family arranging a service.

How do livestreamed and hybrid funerals work?

A hybrid service is a normal in-person funeral that is also broadcast, usually through a private link, so people who cannot travel can watch live or later. Many funeral homes offer it, and some venues have equipment built in. Prices are set by each home, so ask whether streaming appears as a separate line on the price list.

A few practical points help:

• Choose a private, password-protected link instead of a public social media post, so strangers cannot join and the family controls who sees it.
• Ask about recording. A recording lets relatives in other time zones watch later, and you can decide whether to keep or delete it.
• Check the venue's internet connection before the day. A phone on a tripod in a church with weak signal often fails.
• Let guests at the service know a camera is running and where it points.

Our guides on funeral live streaming, streaming platforms compared and attending a funeral virtually cover set-up and etiquette in more detail.

Can you compare funeral prices and buy items online?

Yes, and the law backs you up. The FTC Funeral Rule says a funeral home must give you a General Price List you can keep, and must give price information by phone if you ask, without making you give your name or number first. The FTC's consumer guidance notes that some homes post their lists online. If a home's website shows only "packages" or no prices, call and ask for the full list. Our guide to the General Price List explains what to look for.

You can also buy a casket or urn from another seller. The FTC states that a funeral provider cannot refuse to handle a casket or urn you bought online, at a local casket store or elsewhere, or charge you a fee to do it, and cannot require you to be there when it arrives. Compare the home's other fees before you assume you will save money overall. See buying a casket online and the FTC Funeral Rule explained.

What about online memorials, obituaries and AI?

An online memorial page can hold photos, stories and service details, and unlike a newspaper notice you can correct it later. Before you build one, find out who controls the page, whether comments can be moderated before they appear, what it costs after any free period and what happens to the page if the company closes. Many families publish a short notice in a newspaper and put the full tribute online. See memorial website builders and free obituary options.

AI writing tools can turn a few notes into a first draft of an obituary or a funeral program. They can also invent details or mix up relationships, so treat the result as a draft. Have a family member check every name, date, place and survivor before anything is published or printed.

Are aquamation and human composting technology too?

Both are newer ways to care for a body, and both depend on specialized equipment.

• Aquamation (alkaline hydrolysis) uses water, alkaline chemicals and heat to speed natural decomposition. The Cremation Association of North America says it uses significantly less fuel and has a lower carbon footprint than traditional cremation and burial. CANA lists it as legal in 26 states as of March 2026.
• Natural organic reduction (human composting) uses compostable material such as wood chips, straw and alfalfa to turn a body into soil. The Funeral Consumers Alliance describes the process taking place in a steel cylinder, and CANA says it was first legalized in Washington state in 2019. CANA says several more states have since legalized it, so check current law where you live.

Legal does not mean available. A state may allow a method while no provider is within driving distance, and prices vary. Check aquamation availability by state and where human composting is legal for your location.

How do you plan your digital accounts?

Most people have years of photos, messages and subscriptions online, and your family will not be able to open them without help. The big platforms each have their own tool:

• Google Inactive Account Manager: you choose how long the account must be inactive (3 to 18 months), name up to 10 trusted contacts and decide what data they can download. Google may delete an account inactive for at least two years if no plan is set. See our Google Inactive Account Manager guide.
• Apple Legacy Contact: the person you name needs the access key you generate and a copy of your death certificate. Apple says inaccessible data includes media and subscriptions you bought with your Apple Account and passwords stored in iCloud Keychain.

Keep a list of accounts, and say where it is kept, in a place your executor can reach. Avoid writing passwords in your will; a separate, secured list or a password manager is safer. Our digital estate planning guide and guide to managing a deceased person's social media go further.

Electronic wills are a separate legal question. Rules on signing and witnessing differ by state, so read our digital will guide and check your state before relying on one.

What to do next

1. Ask any funeral home you are considering for its General Price List, by phone or email, and compare at least two.
2. If you want a livestream, ask who sets it up, whether the link is private and whether it is included in the price.
3. Set up Google's and Apple's legacy tools now, and write a list of other accounts for your executor.
4. Tell your family which, if any, of the newer options you would want, so they are not guessing.