Greg Braxton of the Los Angeles Times considered Family Trade to be a "game-changer" for GSN due to the network's history of primarily airing game shows. Braxton also called the show a "key part in [GSN's] strategy to broaden its programming and brand." The day after the series premiere, Michael Tyminski of Manhattan Digest gave a negative review of the show, calling it "incredibly bland," and stating that it appeared to lack much of the family drama that had previously been advertised. Writing for the Star Tribune, Neal Justin added, "The toughest sell of all [is] convincing me to watch more than one episode."
