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Free Genealogy & Family Tree Software. Platform: Windows 10 / 8 / 7 / Vista / XP / 2000. MacOS Mountain Lion (10.8) through Catalina (10.15) Free! RootsMagic Essentials is a free genealogy program that contains many core features from the award-winning RootsMagic family tree software. Downloading RootsMagic Essentials is. Free family tree program. Looking for a free family tree software? Download for free HEREDIS for Windows and Mac for your research and your family trees. HEREDIS is the software of reference in the world of family tree. Whether amateur or professional, you will not exhaust the many possibilities offered by the software. Legacy Family Tree did well in tests because of its excellent data management and research tools. The interface is very dated, and the website is terrible, but it's very effective and easy to use. Most importantly, Legacy Family Tree was one of only two programs with 100% accuracy in GEDCOM tests. For Mac Os version some of the family tree maker software is “Reunion”, “iFamily” and “Osk”. “FamilySearch Tree”, “GedStar Pro Genealogy Viewer” and “FamilyGTG” are some of the family tree maker software for android application. Most popular Family Tree.

This article compares several selected client-based genealogy programs. Web-based genealogy software is not included.

General information[edit]

Gramps is a genealogy program for Linux, Windows, Mac, and FreeBSD that allows you to easily build and keep track of your family tree. It supports the GEDCOM standard, allows fine grained privacy. Free Genealogy Software For Mac.

Family Tree Maker 3 (Family Tree Maker for Mac 3 at its launch) is Ancestry.com’s sequel to Family Tree Maker for Mac 2, with a slight name change.Family Tree Maker is a popular cross-platform app (both OS X and Windows) that supports syncing your genealogy data with Ancestry.com and Ancestry.com’s mobile apps. Looking for the best family tree software for genealogy? Paid and free, online and downloadable - we've reviewed the options to help you decide. Family Tree Maker was acquired by Software MacKiiev (maker of the Mac version) when Ancestry discontinued support. Since then, the road to a new version has been long and winding – but in 2017.

General features[edit]

Genealogy software products differ in the way they support data acquisition (e.g. drag and drop data entry for images, flexible data formats, free defined custom attributes for persons and connections between persons, rating of sources) and interaction (e.g. 3D-view, name filters, full text search and dynamic pan and zoom navigation), in reporting (e.g.: fan charts, automatic narratives, relationship between arbitrary people, place of birth on virtual globes, statistics about number of children per family), validation (e.g.: consistency checks, research assistants connected to online genealogy databases), exporting (e.g.: export as web page, book or wall chart) and integration (e.g.: synchronisation with tablet version). Some software might include also fun and entertainment features (e.g. quizzes or slideshows).

Family Tree Maker Mac 3.1. Family Tree Maker 3 (version 22.2.5.820) released by Ancestry. Along with critical bug fixes, and catching up the Mac edition with some missing Windows functionality, we’ve chosen just one area in which to add a. This is an area that genealogy software should be more focused on and we. I have used many family tree programs over the years and I think Mac Family Tree is the best. I love that it is aailable on my Macs and IOS devices and also in the cloud. I can quickly and easily enter new information from anywhere. Family Tree Maker* (FTM) 2017 was officially released 16 July 2017. The 19 months since December 2015 when Ancestry.com announced the retirement of Family Tree Maker have been a bumpy road for the venerable genealogy application.

1. ^Family Historian users can also optionally install free plugins (access to the Family Historian plugin store is integrated into the program). Scripting tools are included for automation of repetitive tasks, and much more.
2. ^Legacy Family Tree can also save DNA Test Results and Print the values. Mapping is included to automatically pinpoint and plot important locations in ancestors' lives.

Genealogical features[edit]

Besides exchange between systems (e.g. GEDCOM support for import and export), flexible data handling (e.g. custom attributes and multiple kinds of relations between people) is relevant.

Languages[edit]

Available user interface languages

References[edit]

1. ^'0003346: Same gender relationship reports'.
2. ^'Portal:Translators'. Gramps. Retrieved August 9, 2015.

External links[edit]

• Comparison of genealogy software at Curlie

Tracing your family tree can be a fascinating and sometimes life changing experience. Here we look at the best family tree software for Mac in 2019 to trace your roots.

Although the majority of family tree programs out there are still Windows based, there are now some very good free and paid genealogy apps for Mac.

Nowadays thanks to DNA home testing kits such as GPS Origins (currently $50 off) and AncestryDNA you can even delve deeper than ever before into your family origins.

All of the programs featured here work on the latest versions of macOS including El Capitan, Sierra, High Sierra and Mojave.

Note that Family Tree apps differ from Genogram software which are used more by social workers and psychologists to trace family issue rather than hereditary lines.

Here then is our list of the best genealogy software for Mac in 2019 in order of ranking.

1. RootsMagic

RootsMagic has been in the family tree business for years and although started life on Windows, can now be used on Mac too.

Although RootsMagic doesn’t have the slickest interface of the apps featured here, it’s extremely powerful and still popular with professional genealogists.

RootsMagic is one of the most reliable apps we’ve seen when it comes to importing family trees in GEDCOM format if you’re switching from another family tree application.

We also like the fact that RootsMagic has lots of way to share your family trees with others. RootsMagic is one of the few apps that also still allows you to create sharable CDs or DVDs with family members although for this you will need a CD/DVD burner for your Mac too. You can also create books and wall charts which make excellent gifts at Christmas and Birthday time for family.

Another great touch is that you can load your RootsMagic family trees onto a pendrive or external storage device on your Mac and then continue working on it at a library, family member’s home, courthouse etc.

Finally, RootsMagic is integrated with heritage sites such as Ancestry, FamilySearch, FindMyPast and MyHeritage to make filling-out your family charts quicker and easier.

At $29.95 RootsMagic is also easily one of the best value family tree programs on macOS considering everything that it can do.

Pricing: $29.95 – Free Trial

2. Family Tree Maker

Family Tree Maker (FTM) is certainly the most well-known family tree software on Mac and the latest version of FTM 2017 for Mac is still one of the best. Family Tree Maker is made by MacKiev, the makers of the popular Mavis Beacon Typing courses and features just about everything you need in family tree software on Mac. FTM makes it very easy to build family trees with family history timelines, interactive maps, device syncing and more. One of the things we like most about Family Tree Maker is FamilySync which now replaces the old TreeSync. This allows you and other members of your family to keep adding bits and pieces to the family tree in sync so that there are no duplicates. This ability to involve all members of the family in building q family tree, makes it easier to build your family trees quicker and with richer data.

The other thing that makes Family Tree Maker powerful is integration with both Ancestry.com and FamilySearch which allow you to automatically download information about family members so you don’t need to enter them manually. Ancestry.com actually used to own Family Tree Maker for Mac before they sold it to MacKiev so integration with Ancestry.com is unsurprisingly very close and well done. Other nice tools in FTM for Mac 2017 include a Photo Darkroom to retouch and improve old photos, color coordination and auto-suggestions regarding potential additions to your family tree.

It’s amazing how quickly your family tree grows especially if online ancestry databases reveal relatives you never even knew existed. However, the problem with this is that your family tree software can start to slowdown as your family tree grows and it has to process, retrieve and display more and more information. Family Tree Maker seems to remain fast and responsive even when processing large amounts of data and we found it just as fast and efficient when it comes to processing several generations worth of data as it does with just a few.

Family Tree Maker is a huge application however and the user manual alone is over 300 page so to really get the most out of it, you need to invest some time in learning it. It is still arguably the most powerful genealogy software out there for Mac though. Family Tree Maker 2017 for Mac is available in three formats – a download, download with DVD and USB stick with download.

Pricing: $79.95 – Free Trial

3. MacFamilyTree

MacFamilyTree is one of the few genealogy software built only for Macs and offers many of the features if FTM for Mac but in a more tailored OS X/macOS interface. We prefer the interface to MacFamilyTree over FTM for Mac because it simply looks better on Mac and it’s been around on Mac for almost 20 years now so they’ve refined it pretty well. MacFamilyTree is dedicated to all things Apple so you can use it on your iPhone and iPad too with the MobileFamilyTree app. Most recently, the app has introduced CloudTree Sync & Share which allows you to collaborate on building your family tree with other family members, similar to FTM’s FamilySync in order to create richer family trees, faster.

One of the things that makes MacFamilyTree different to FTM for Mac is the impressive chart visualizations available. You can visualize your family tree in a huge variety of ways including Hourglass, Fan Chart, Kinship Chart and Genogram. In fact there are far more charts than you’ll probably ever need but it’s quite fun trying all the different ways of looking at your family history. One of the most interesting is the Map view which shows you some interesting statistics on where your relatives are located around the globe.

It also generates some customized reports about your relatives and origins including Marriage Lists, Person Analysis and Kinship Reports. If you want to make a gift out of your family tree, we also like the way that MacFamilyTree has a tasteful selection of templates and books that you can publish your family tree in. You can print these yourself or export them in PDF to give to a professional print shop to make some really unique gifts with.

MacFamilyTree also makes it easy to publish your family tree as a website that you can share with family members or make available publicly.

MacFamilyTree is integrated with the online FamilySearch database so you have access to a huge repository of genealogical data. This contains details of over six billion people and can undercover some fascinating nuggets of information about relatives such as court data, monastery log books and shipping registers. You can use FamilySearch purely for research purposes or download data directly into MacFamilyTree making it very easy to build your family history. You can also upload your own family data to the FamilySearch database for others to use although for data privacy reasons, you can only upload data of deceased persons. MacFamilyTree is a really well supported product with good developer support and regular updates. Most recently it has been updated to feature a much improved layout, an improved streamlined interface and better performance on your Mac. You can try MacFamilyTree for free although the in the demo, you can’t save, print or export.

Pricing: $59.99 Mac App Store – Free Trial

4. Heredis

Heredis is a huge online database of over 350 million persons and records that also has a desktop client for Mac. Heredis is used by professional and amateur genealogists alike and has some of the most powerful and intelligent search capabilities of any online family tree software on OS X. Heredis Smart Search passes your data through combined search criteria to give some extremely accurate matches. Note that the Heredis database is mainly focused on European Anglo-Saxon family histories so those from other backgrounds, including the USA may find it less useful.

When you’ve entered your details, the dashboard in Heredis gives you a very quick overview of how many ancestors you have and even suggests other ancestors that may be related to you over several generations. The information presented can be overwhelming which is why Heredis allows you to narrow searches by parameters such as country, event, number of children etc. One of the most interesting features of Heredis is the migratory flows map that shows why your ancestors may have moved and where they moved to. Other nice touches in Heredis are slideshows of your ancestors with different themes to choose from, a little like you find in Apple Photos.

There’s also a very slick Heredis mobile app for iPhone and iPad which even allows you to dictate to Siri details about your family that you’d like you to add to ancestor profiles and other data.

Heredis for Mac is extremely good value at $49.99 and there’s even a free version of Heredis for Mac which is limited to 50 entries but a good way to see if you like the software first.

Family Tree Maker Mac Version

Pricing: $49.99 – Free Trial

Family Tree Maker Program For Mac

5. GEDitCOM II

If you don’t want all the fancy bells and whistles of either FTM for Mac 2017 or MacFamilyTree, then the rather more basic GEDitCOM II may be for you. GEDitCOM II is quite a dated genealogy software nowadays but still interesting for those that want something a bit more manual and less “connected to the web” than most genealogy software on Mac.

The main problem with GEDitCOM II is that it’s far more tedious and laborious to upload census data and entering data in general is a far more hands on task than with FTM or MacFamilyTree. The application also requires some knowledge of AppleScript, Python or Ruby to get the most out of it which will be beyond the capabilities or time for most Mac users. You can try a free demo of GEDitCOM II for 14 days during which time you can save files but after 14 days, you will no longer be able to save anything. Our advice is that unless you have a lot of time on your hands, there is far better and more modern family tree software on Mac nowadays than GEDitCOM II.

Pricing: $64.99 – Free Demo

6. iFamily For Mac

iFamily for Mac is another quite dated genealogy software on Mac but is easier to use than GEDitCOM II and also one of the cheapest. iFamily is focused around you the individual and who is related to you rather than the entire family tree as with most genealogy software. For instance, it only goes 6 generation deep so that your connection to your direct descendants isn’t lost in layers and layers of ancient family data. iFamily for Mac supports GEDCOM import and export, publishing to the web and supports over 200 media file types which you can upload and drag and drop into your tree. There’s no online integration with ancestry databases however and as a result, filling it in is quite painstaking although since it only goes 6 generations deep, it’s manageable.

Like GEDitCOM II, iFamily has been left behind by FTM for Mac 2017 and MacFamilyTree but for an inexpensive genealogy software focused on the individual rather than the wider family, it’s still very good. If you just want to create a personal ancestral file on Mac, it’s definitely worth a closer look.

Note that iFamily for Mac only works up to OS X 10.13 High Sierra – it does not officially support macOS 10.14 Mojave yet. There’s also a legacy version which works from OS X Tiger to Yosemite.

Pricing: $29.95 – Free Demo

7. Gramps

Gramps is a well-respected open source free family tree software for Mac and PC. Although it’s ideal for amateur genealogy sleuths, it’s also suitable for professional genealogists and is maintained by a community of genealogists. Gramps certainly doesn’t have the same slick interface as paid apps such as iFamily and can feel a bit slow but it’s still a very accomplished and detailed genealogy app.

Gramps uses “Gramplets” on the main dashboard which are like widgets that provide analysis of your data. These gramplets include widgets for People, Relationships, Families, Ancestry, Events, Places, Geography, Citations, Repositories, Media and Notes.

Gramps is well documented with an easy to follow Wiki on how it works. There’s no online integration with ancestry databases and Gramps is about as basic as it gets when it comes to genealogy and family research on Mac but for a free application, it’s ideal for those that just want to maintain some record of their family history at no cost.

Pricing: Free

8. Reunion for Mac

Reunion has been around a long time now and works on both Mac, iPhone and iPad. Family relationships are displayed in a very clear and easy to follow fashion and you can create a range of genealogy reports, charts, forms and books. You can even create birthday calendars, slideshows, family mailing lists and questionnaires for fun quizzes at family reunions or special events. Reunion also has a mobile app ReunionTouch which syncs automatically with any changes you make on your Mac via DropBox.

Reunion allows you to digitize photos of your relatives and link them to people, family and other records. You can also make slideshows from these which is a nice touch.

Walmart Family Tree Maker Program

Many people switch from Family Tree Maker to Reunion and there are full instructions how to export GEDCOM files from FTM for Mac and import them into Reunion here.

You can try Reunion for free although in the demo, you can only enter up to 50 family records, there’s no import or export options and printed documents will carry a watermark.

Pricing: $99 – Free Demo

Family Tree Maker Program For Windows 10

Genealogy Software On Mac: Essential Tips

Before choosing which app is best for you, there are some important things to be aware of to choose the best genealogy software for your needs.

• Genealogy research is increasingly moving online making it much easier for relatives to find each other and research their past. There are now powerful online ancestry databases such as FamilySearch, Heredis and Ancestory.com which can help build your family tree far quicker than having to research things yourself. Ancestory.com is extremely powerful and has access to over 20 billion historical records, although it has more data for European users than those in the USA. FamilySearch is the largest genealogy database in the world and is owned by the Church of the Latter Day Saints but is completely free to use. The LDS Church are more commonly known as Mormons and the reason they maintain such detailed records is because genealogical research is extremely important to Mormons in maintaining their faith and blood lines. These databases are invaluable in saving time searching through family records or printed archives of your family history.

• Some Mac genealogy apps automatically link to these online services in order to complete your family tree quickly and accurately. They also provide rich information such as major events in your ancestors lives, the percentage of your blood origins from different countries, migration reports etc. Be warned however that occasionally you may find that some family records suddenly disappear from these online databases, especially from Ancestry.com. A common reason for this is that the developer does not own the rights to the information so a good tip is to download documents such as probate records and wills because when they’re gone from the online database, it’s very difficult to get them back. If you have a lot of family tree data stored on your Mac, always back it up to an external or online source in case your Mac crashes or dies. Check out our guide to the best external hard drive for Mac for the best backup solutions for Macs.

• Some online genealogy services such as GPS Origins (currently 50% off) and Ancestry.com go one step further and also offer DNA testing kits. DNA testing opens-up whole new avenues to explore and has even been used to catch serial killers such as happened to the Golden State Killer. For example, GPS Origins costs $99 and allows you to send a sample of your saliva DNA for analysis with results usually delivered to you online in a few months. This is a far more powerful way to trace your roots and reveal blood lineages to other countries you weren’t even aware of, including Native American ancestry. The company is currently offering 50% off its DNA testing package with coupon code GPSCJ100 which usually costs $199. A similar service is offered by Ancestry.com’s AncestryDNA. AncestryDNA uses what’s known as micro array-based autosomal DNA testing which can trace your DNA genome in over 700,000 locations. This type of analysis also works for both men and women whereas some DNA analysis services only work for analyzing the male Y-chromosome and can’t be used to analyze a woman’s past. These types of test obviously raise some ethical and security concerns although Ancestry.com do not store your DNA with your name or any other identifying data and allow you to request destruction of your DNA sample at any time. You can also choose to download raw DNA data for your own records before Ancestry.com destroy it. If you really want to dig deep into your family history however, DNA testing could be one of the most interesting undertakings you’ve ever done.
• Software developers come and go and the genealogy software you use today may not be around in 5 or 10 years time. It’s therefore important that you can export your comprehensive family tree data in a format that can be read by other software if your family tree software developer disappears or ceases business. The most common export format that genealogy software uses is a specific format called GEDCOM (Genealogical Data Communication) . However, even if a program supports GEDCOM, some data such as images, citations and custom fields don’t always import so well so if possible, try to pick one genealogy software and stick to it.

Family Tree Maker For Mac Download

• Not all family tree programs for Mac are up to date in terms of modern relationships. Some are still based on the model of the nuclear family and don’t support same-sex marriages, adoptions, step relations etc. However you will find that all the software featured here supports a wide range family structures so that your family tree is reflective of changing times.

• The best apps allow you to add rich information about your family tree through the use of media, citations and other attachments. This includes adding photos, videos and scanned documents such as birth certificates, death certificates and other documents relating to important events in your relatives’ lives. The more the software supports, the richer your family tree will be.

• Genealogy software can be complex and the best programs include comprehensive Help and Support sections although most of these are in the form of user guides, PDF files and forums. Note that there are few Mac family tree developers that offer live or 24/7 customer support but most are well documented.

• One of the most rewarding things about family tree software is making a gift for relatives which you can either print out or send in digital form. Many genealogy apps support printing or gift features which make a unique present. If you want to print your family tree, heirloom pedigree charts or descendant charts, check out our guide to the best printers for Mac to get optimum results. Some genealogy software can also generate complex reports although these are more useful for academic research purposes.

Conclusion

As we’ve seen, there’s quite a lot of family tree software for Mac users to choose from.

If you want something that’s powerful, got lots of useful features and tons of way to share your family trees, RootsMagic for Mac is excellent.

If you want to build a really rich family tree and dig deep into your past, you really need Family Tree Maker or MacFamilyTree as they are the only ones that are integrated with online genealogy databases.

MacFamilyTree looks better on Mac but if you want to dig really deep into your past, Family Tree Maker’s integration with AncestryDNA is hard to beat. Both are focused more on North American family histories though and European users may find that Heredis database is more relevant to their family history.

This is by no means a comprehensive list but in our opinion they are the best family tree apps for Mac users.

We hope we help you find answers to your family history with some of the genealogy software featured here but if you have any questions, problems or suggestions, let us know in the comments below.

Free Mac Genealogy Software[edit | edit source]

Commercial Mac Genealogy Programs[edit | edit source]

Download for free HEREDIS for Windows and Mac for your research and your family trees. HEREDIS is the software of reference in the world of family tree. Whether amateur or professional, you will not exhaust the many possibilities offered by the software. Many genealogists work with HEREDIS worldwide. Free download Family Tree Family Tree for Mac OS X. Family Tree is an application created to build family tree models.

• iFamily for Mac for Snow Leopard and newer. For older OS versions, use iFamily for Leopard (still works for Tiger)

Mac Genealogy Programs Certified for FamilySearch[edit | edit source]

FamilySearch Certified Products and Services

• Ancestral Quest for Mac Tree Share, Sources, Discussions, Change History and FamilySearch Support
• MacFamilyTree Tree Share, Sources, Discussions, Change History

Running Certified programs for FamilySearch that were created for Windows on a Mac

1. You will need a valid copy of Microsoft Windows.
   
2. You can partition your hard drive and create a windows section on your computer which will allow you to run any of the certified programs for New Family Search on your computer. You would partition your hard drive using Apple's Boot Camp. Boot Camp comes preinstalled on your computer. The program walks you though step by step how to partition the hard drive although I do recommend that you print out the instructions before you begin. Apple
   
3. As alternatives to BootCamp there are a few virtualization programs that allow you to run the Windows OS as you would a native program program.
   • Oracle VM VirtualBox is free open-source software similar to Vmware Fusion and Parallels. Virtual Box
     
   • Parallels is currently $79.95. Parallels contains a feature similar to VMware Fusion's Unity called Coherence. Parallels
     
   • VMware Fusion is currently $79.95. It has a feature called Unity, which allows you run Windows programs like native applications. VMware

Modern genealogy software has tons of useful features for everyone, from the rank amateur just starting out to the seasoned professional.

But with so many choices of software out there, which one is the best for you? Read on, and we’ll give you our top five picks.

Our picks

• Family Tree Builder: free desktop software by MyHeritage
• RootsMagic: most popular software amongst genealogists
• Legacy: best option if you want a wider range of reporting features
• Family Historian: best option for beginners and for those not tech-savy
• Family Tree Maker: good software but too expensive

* Prices may vary; check websites for the latest prices before ordering. We may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post which help support this site.

Genealogy software basics

There are a bunch of things that you can expect any genealogical software to do:

• Build a family tree
• Record information on your ancestors: dates, locations, relationships, etc.
• Document research sources and link them to your family tree
• Maintain more than one database for multiple family trees
• Print out ancestral charts and reports
• Share your family tree with others in print and electronically
• Store photos, audio and video recordings, and scans of your ancestors and documents
• Protect your information through regular backups
• Give you hints on where and how to search for more clues
• Export your information to other genealogy programs

In addition, some genealogy software today will let you:

• Download information directly from certain online resources
• Map your ancestors through time and space
• Browse online directly, without switching to a separate web browser

So if all genealogy software does all this, does it really matter which program you pick?

Yes, it does, because each program does certain things better than others. The best one for you depends on how you plan to use it.

Here are our top 5 picks for genealogy software, in no particular order because they are all best at something.

Family Tree Maker 2017

Free Office Software For Mac

Family Tree Maker, or FTM, has been around for decades, and is the best known and most widely used genealogy software.

It packs a lot of power, and is good all-around at just about everything.

Pros and cons

Family Tree Maker provides all of the features that you would expect from a genealogy program, and it does most of them very well.

The latest version of Family Tree Maker added a unique feature called FamilySync, which lets you automatically synchronize up to three family trees.

This is perfect if you have relatives who are working on the same tree as you. Any information you enter gets added to their trees, and vice versa.

They have also added the ability to color code your ancestors with up to eight different colors each.

This can be used to help you keep track of your research status, easily see which children were by a first wife or second wife, or any other use you can think of.

Family Tree Maker 2017 also includes a lightweight built-in image editor so you can make simple changes to enhance any photos connected to your family tree.

The program connects easily to both the Ancestry and FamilySearch websites, allowing you to download records directly into your tree.

It also provides extensive hints on places to search for more records when you are connected to the internet.

FTM 2017 is one of very few programs that now allows you to include same-sex marriages in your family tree.

On the negative side, while Family Tree Maker 2017 does offer an improved set of charts and reports, the charts are still not as extensive as Legacy 9.

Also, the company that produced Family Tree Maker changed in 2016.

The new company, Mackiev, has made a number of changes and improvements with their 2017 version, but don’t count on them to provide much support for older versions.

Family Tree Maker also tends to be the most expensive genealogy software out there, but for many people, it’s worth it.

Compatibility

FTM is available for both Windows (7.0 or later) and Mac (10.9 or later).

Online support

Because it has been around for so long and is used by so many people, Family Tree Maker has a wealth of online support in the form of tips, step by step instructions and tutorials, and even how-to videos.

Their website includes a free digital companion guide to get you started on using all of the program’s features.

While all this support is great in most cases, be aware that Family Tree Maker has changed a lot over the years, so some of that support might be out of date.

Still, there are so many users out there that you can always find a forum to ask questions and get expert answers quickly.

Integration

For years, Family Tree Maker has allowed you to connect with Ancestry to upload your family tree and to directly download records from Ancestry into your tree.

With the latest release, FTM now includes that capability for FamilySearch.com as well.

That means you can easily connect and share with the two largest genealogy sites out there with billions of online records available.

Where to buy

Family Tree Maker is available from http://www.mackiev.com/ftm/. There is no free trial available.

Legacy 9

Legacy 9, also known as Legacy Family Tree 9, is a fully featured genealogy program that is considered by many to be the best on the market today.

It has plenty going for it, and only a couple of weak areas.

Pros and cons

Legacy 9 provides everything you would expect, plus a lot of neat extras that are new in the latest edition.

One powerful tool is the compare two people tool, which lets you examine two people side by side.

This is especially useful if you have two records with the same name, but you’re not sure if they’re the same person.

The side by side display lets you check them out easily rather than having to keep flipping back and forth.

Legacy 9 has the most extensive (and in most cases best looking) set of charts out of any genealogy program.

This gives you all sorts of options for printing out your results.

The latest release even includes a new X-DNA chart to track your genetic inheritance.

In addition to printed reports, Legacy 9 has built-in support to turn your family tree into a webpage automatically.

It also has a built-in web browser so you can check out online sites without having to switch back and forth between windows.

The program includes color coding for easy organization of your ancestors, such as tracking children from multiple marriages, and up to nine tags that can be used however you want.

Legacy 9 even includes a secure online backup for your family trees, so you never have to worry about losing your database.

On the down side, Legacy 9 does not support same-sex marriages yet, though that is supposed to be coming.

The Legacy website is less flashy than most and a little harder to navigate at times, but still includes a help center, forums, and more.

Compatibility

Legacy 9 is only designed for Windows, though their website includes instructions for how to make it work on a Mac using an emulator.

Online support

The Legacy website provides a variety of training videos and programs, and an extensive help center that includes user forums, troubleshooting advice, and even a suggestion box for you to tell them what features you’d like to see added.

Integration

Legacy 9 is specifically designed to work with a variety of useful (and free) websites, including FamilySearch, FindMyPast, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Find A Grave.

It can search these sites for your ancestors automatically and give you hints on where to find more information.

Where to buy

Legacy 9 is available from their website here, and is available in two versions.

The Standard version is completely free, allowing you to sample most of the features of Legacy with no time limit.

If you want to access all of Legacy’s features, you can purchase the Deluxe version.

Family Historian 6

Family Historian 6 is not nearly as well-known as Family Tree Maker or Legacy, but that doesn’t mean it is any less useful when it comes to recording your findings.

Pros and cons

Family Historian’s greatest strength is its ease of use.

If you’re looking for a program that you can use right out of the box from day one, this is it.

You can get started right away without having to read a lot of manuals or watch a bunch of tutorials.

Entering information into Family Historian is simple and intuitive.

The main screen includes both an ancestry chart and a separate details box for a selected individual, letting you enter information without losing sight of the big picture.

Family Historian includes a “smart trees” option that lets you expand or collapse different parts of your tree as needed.

That means you can concentrate on just a small section at a time without your other branches filling up the screen.

The program also offers tools to view two family trees side by side so you can compare them before deciding if you want to merge them.

Family Historian includes a dynamic mapping tool that not only lets you see where your ancestors were, but lets you color code them, zoom in and out, view all the events that happened at a particular location, and more.

Family Historian 6 also offers powerful tools for sharing your family tree with others in print or electronically. It includes about twice as many charts as Family Tree Maker, though not as many as Legacy 9, and they are not as artistic.

The lack of backgrounds leaves Family Historian charts looking a little dull compared to other programs.

Unfortunately, Family Historian 6 does not offer any support for DNA results at this point.

Compatibility

Family Historian 6 runs on Windows (Vista, 7, 8, and 10).

Online support

The Family Historian website includes quick start guides and tutorials, but has a more limited online community compared to other products, especially Family Tree Maker.

On the other hand, because it is produced by a British company, the Family Historian community might be particularly helpful for those researching family roots in the United Kingdom.

Integration

The program links directly with the MyHeritage and Findmypast websites, letting you easily locate information on your ancestors and download it directly into your family tree.

However, unlike the other programs on our list, it does not include direct linking with Ancestry or FamilySearch.

Where to buy

Family Historian 6 is available from Amazon here. There is also a 30-day free trial if you want to test it out before you buy.

RootsMagic 7

RootsMagic is not as well-known as some of the other genealogy software, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t just as good. It offers all of the basics you need, plus some useful bonus features.

Pros and cons

RootsMagic has some powerful features that you won’t find in many programs, including the ability to have more than one database open at the same time.

That makes it a lot easier to compare databases and copy information from one to the other.

You can even drag and drop people directly from one database to the other.

One of the best things about RootsMagic is a unique feature called RootsMagic To-Go, which lets you load a portable copy of the program onto a USB drive.

That way you can take it with you and use it on any computer wherever and whenever you want.

This can make doing research on the road, at libraries, courthouses, or wherever, much easier, and lets you enter search results right away.

RootsMagic makes it simple to share your findings. Built-in tools help you create custom webpages, CDs, and DVDs, and offers plenty of print options as well.

This program is one of the few that currently allows you to include same-sex marriages in your family tree, and can manage other complex relationships as well.

Compared to other programs, RootsMagic does not have as many charts available, but it has extensive options for creating every sort of report you’re ever likely to want.

On the negative side, RootsMagic’s interface is not as nice looking or easy to use as other programs. That can make it more frustrating for folks just starting out in genealogy.

Compatibility

RootsMagic 7 works on the greatest range of operating systems of any of our picks, including every version of Windows since Windows 2000 and XP, and on Macs (10.8 and later).

Online support

The RootsMagic website is more limited than most of the others. It does include some video tutorials and how-to guides, but not as much other support, and has a smaller user community.

Integration

RootsMagic 7 is able to connect and download directly from such sites as Ancestry, MyHeritage and FamilySearch, giving you access to a ton of online records and databases.

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Where to buy

RootsMagic 7 is available from Amazon here.

RootsMagic Essentials 7 is a free version of the software which includes all of the basics you need to get started, and can be used as long as you want.

However, the free version does not include a lot of the best features, such as RootsMagic To-Go.

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Family Tree Heritage 9

Rounding out our top five picks, Family Tree Heritage 9 lacks a lot of the bells and whistles that the other programs have. Still, it covers all of the basics with flying colors, and has a few great features of its own.

Pros and cons

Family Tree Heritage lets you connect to Ancestry, FamilySearch, and RootsWeb, giving you instant access to billions of online records.

Even better, it can help you add other sites as well, something most software doesn’t allow.

That can be a great help when searching for information from other countries around the world.

Like our other top five choices, Family Tree Heritage provides web hints for getting the most out of your online connections.

Family Tree Heritage has powerful tools to make it easy to merge two family trees together, saving you hours of crosschecking and identifying duplicate records.

The program makes it easy to add news sources, and a ditto tool that lets you quickly connect one source to many individuals. This can be a great time saver.

One of the best features of Family Tree Heritage is the way you process bulk changes in your family tree all at once.

If you find a mistake, like a misspelled town name, you only need to fix it in one spot, and the program can update it everywhere else for you instantly.

Other features include a research timeline that organizes what you do (and don’t) know about an ancestor chronologically, color coding to help organize family branches both on your computer and in print, and the ability to add up to three custom tags to each ancestor so you can group them however you want.

Family Tree Heritage is mixed when it comes to producing charts and reports.

It is great for producing quick, easy to read reports, but it has a more limited choice of charts with generally uninteresting backgrounds.

So if you want fancy charts, it’s not so hot, but if you want to see your info in report format, it’s probably the best.

On the negative side, Family Tree Heritage is the only one of our five picks that does not include an in-app browser.

That means you have to switch back and forth between programs if you want to look up information online in most cases.

However, it does support direct searching of Ancestry and FamilySearch databases from within the program.

Family Tree Heritage 9 does not include a mapping feature, so you can’t track your ancestors visually. It also does not support same-sex marriages.

Compatibility

Family Tree Heritage 9 is only available for Windows.

Online support

Family Tree Heritage 9 has some online tutorials, but overall offers a lot less than the other programs on our list. It has a very limited online community.

Integration

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The software allows direct downloads of records from Ancestry and FamilySearch.

It can often be set up to work with other websites as well. However, it does not let you directly modify your family tree on Ancestry, only through manual uploads.

Where to buy

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Family Tree Heritage 9 is available from http://www.familytreeheritage.biz/. There is no free trial available.

So which software is for you?

Which program is best? As with so many things, that depends on you, and how you plan to use it.

• Family Tree Maker 2017 is a great all-around program for most users, especially if you want to upload your tree to Ancestry.
• Legacy 9 is also a great all-around program, and provides the greatest number of charts for showing off your research.
• Family Historian 6 is excellent if you want ease of use. It lets you dive in right away, spending less time learning the program and more time researching your family.
• RootsMagic 7 is the clear (and only) choice if you want to take your research on the road and don’t have a laptop. It’s also one of the more popular picks among professional genealogists.
• Family Tree Heritage 9 lets you link to more online sites than any of the other programs.
• If you want to work together with other family members on the same tree, Family Tree Maker 2017 is the way to go.
• If you’re looking to create a webpage from your findings, Legacy 9 and RootsMagic 7 are your best choices.
• If you want to create amazing looking ancestral charts, Legacy 9 is your best bet.
• For the most economical route, Legacy 9 and RootsMagic 7 both have free versions with no time limit, but you’ll miss out on some of their best features.

In the end, don’t agonize too much about picking the wrong program. In most cases, all of them will do what you need especially if you are just starting out.

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Worst case scenario, all these programs let you export your data as a GEDCOM file, which can be loaded into any other genealogy software.

It won’t copy everything, such as photos and videos, but it will save you from starting from scratch.

So decide what your main priority is, pick the program that looks best for you, and get started searching for your family roots today!