Our goal, first and foremost, is to help you make informed decisions to benefit your research. This helps us support our work but does not influence our opinions in any way. We may earn money to support our site if you make a purchase through links found on this page. Please know that we have teamed up with many genealogy companies to bring you news and updates about their services. If you need help downloading a GEDCOM and moving your tree to a new program read this article. Update: For a great free option we did not include in our guide consider reading our new review of RootsFinder. Keep this in mind when choosing the program that best fits your needs. Other programs, like RootsMagic 7 and Family Tree Maker 2017, are available for a one-time cost but may require you to pay to upgrade to a new version in the future. You might consider taking advantage of a free trial of their record subscriptions before committing to their tree. Some of these family tree options are free, such as Ancestry and MyHeritage, but are so integrated with their own paid record hints and searches that is can be distracting or difficult to complete your research if you do not intend to consider a paid subscription. Start with the simple comparison chart of every family tree program on our list, and then scroll down to read all of the information in our detailed guide. Our top choices are listed below in no particular order. We have not chosen a favorite here because, the truth is, no single tree builder is perfect for everyone. You’ll learn about their basic features, what they cost, the type of privacy they provide, and hear about a few pros and cons for each. We’ve put together a breakdown of six popular family tree programs, some which are available completely online and some that you’ll download to your computer. What level of user support do you need? Would you like your tree program to include extensive help pages, free learning centers or peer-to-peer forums? Once you’ve asked yourself these basic questions – and identified what elements will make up your best family tree software – you can begin the search for the right program. Would you like to be able to easily share your progress with others and invite them to collaborate with you on your tree?ĭo you need access to a selection of printable and shareable charts, reports and maps? Or the ability to easily create a website dedicated to your family’s history?

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