There are several choices for you when selecting software to create and build your family tree. But what are the best genealogy software programs that you can purchase?

• Free Ancestry Software

Do you know which one to buy? Just which family tree program is right for you? Top 5 Best Genealogy Software Programs To Buy! Here I will give an overview of the 5 best genealogy programs that you can buy today. Full genealogy software reviews can be found after each product that I review here. Comparing The Competition! These programs in my opinion the best on the market today.

Each of them have their certain qualities and features that make them stand out on their own. So, have a look at what they offer and whether they are right for you! Rating Platform Disc and Download Disc Download Disc and Download Disc and Download Compatible Windows Windows Windows and Mac Windows and Mac Windows and Mac Connects FamilySearch, Find A Grave, FindMyPast, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage FindMyPast, MyHeritage FamilySearch, Ancestry FamilySearch, Ancestry, FindMyPast, MyHeritage FamilySearch, Ancestry Bottom Line Best All Round Software Easy To Use Most Popular Offers A Lot Best For Printing Bonus Program Review: The best for storing large family trees!

All of these genealogy programs can be used on a Windows computer, (exception Family Tree Heritage 9 and Ancestral Quest 15 which can both work on both Windows and Mac). These family tree programs are available to purchase from either the US or UK. Please check from the sellers that I have included if you can purchase your choice of program from outside of these countries. When you have finished reading these family tree software reviews you may want to head over to Top Ten Reviews where there is a guide. Just thought that I would put that out there for you! Not quite ready to spend a fortune on tracing your family tree? No worries, you can check out my guide.

Please be aware though that free does mean that you will get limited features and so you may want to consider buying a proper genealogy program with full capabilities at some point. Express Your Thoughts Below! I would love to hear from you. What To Expect From A Genealogy Software Program? Before I show you my top pick of the best genealogy programs that you can buy today I first want to discuss what you should be looking for in a program. Or, rather what should come standard with a genealogy software program.

Genealogy Software Program Requirements: Build A Family Tree Pretty obvious that you want a program to do this, but you do want a program where you can easily create a tree and add your relatives and all of their details. You want to add their name, important dates, locations, any notes, etc. Add Media Genealogy software programs these days allow you to add multimedia to members of your family tree. These can include pictures, videos and even sound clips or your relatives. Add Your DNA Results As DNA genealogy testing has become increasingly popular these days it is only right that you have somewhere to store your results. This information can also be stored in your program.

Produce Charts A program should be able to produce relationships charts based on the family tree that you have created. You can expect hourglass, pedigree and fan charts to name but a few. Produce Reports Reports are a great way to easily see information about your family tree. You can expect family, descendant and a genealogy report at least from these programs. Map Your Ancestors The best programs should allow you to see the migration of your ancestors.

They should as well show you where they were born, married and died, and also other important events. Create Books, CDs, and a Website Not only can you produce charts and reports but there are other ways that you can showcase your family tree. Most programs these days will allow you to create a book that you can print out and share with your family. Creating CDs and a website should also be an option. Import & Export If you have already created tree elsewhere then you should be able to upload it into your new software program. Alternatively you will also be able to export your tree so that you can then pass it onto other family members Doing so means that you can work together on your genealogy.

Getting Tips The best thing about using a program is that you can get tips or hints for building your tree further. This is possible as they can be connected to popular genealogy search websites such as Ancestry, FindMyPast and FamilySearch. Be advised though that to access this additional information you will need a subscription to these sites. Getting Support You should also get basic support such as help files, telephone and email support. You can also get access to video tutorials and maybe forums on the respective company’s website.

Legacy 9 – Best Genealogy Program Available Today! Regarded as the best family tree software on the market today. Legacy 9 has got this title because of the many features it contains. This software offers a lot of different chart types to the user, which is the most compared to any other program that is available. As well as charts you can also display your results in the form of a webpage. There are other cool tools and features which you can see in the table below. Legacy 9 Family Tree Rating and Details Rating (5/5) Normal Price Bundles vary from $34.95 to $99.95 Discounted Price (upgrade from Legacy 8) Bundles vary from $26.95 to $89.95 Platform PC Disc and Download Compatible Windows Features Charts, Reports, Maps, Hashtags, Color Coding, and more!

Connects FamilySearch / Find A Grave ( FREE) FindMyPast / GenealogyBank / MyHeritage ( PAID) Help & Support FAQs, User Groups, Email Full Review Previous Version (read more what Legacy can do) Bottom Line All Round Software! BUY HERE What Does Legacy 9 Offer You? Legacy 9 can link you to popular genealogy sites such as FamilySearch and Ancestry to further help with your research. Credit: Legacy Family Tree It also has an embedded browser so that you can find information and import it into your tree easily. So, you don’t have to switch between computer programs and lose your concentration. Color coding system makes your tree simple to follow!

Legacy 9 makes adding multiple marriages easy to follow as you can color code different spouses and descendants. Errors are flagged with red warning symbols so that you can clearly spot any mistakes that may have been entered. This program allows you to add comprehensive information when citing any record. It is important for any family historian to record where they found information regarding their ancestor. By adding all relevant information then you will be able to know where to return to your ancestor’s record if you need to. Drawbacks To This Program?

Unfortunately even the best program does have its drawbacks. One disadvantage is that does not support same-sex marriages. There is however a planned update to rectify this. One earlier drawback with the previous version, Legacy 8, was that there were no web-hints available to you. I am pleased to announce now with this latest version of the Legacy Family Tree software that they are now available. Legacy 9 Is Still The Best Software Program! Despite this minor flaw Legacy 9 is still a great investment to help you research your family history.

If you want to make a start and find out about your ancestry then check out the. Read more what about Legacy 9 by checking out my post. Here you will see what has been improved on and what has been added to the best genealogy software program that you can buy today. Many Reasons Why Legacy 9 Is Far Superior!

There are too many reasons for me to list and describe here. But I will point out a few reasons why you should consider Legacy 9 as your genealogy software program.

Top 5 reasons:. Customize the interface – If you are not completely satisfied with the layout of the program then no worries. You can customize it however you feel.

Huge capacity – Add as many people to your family tree as you like. And also information about your ancestors. You are not limited to size with this program. Powerful and intelligent merging – If you have more than one file of information then you can easily merge all of this into the one file. Ancestral Quest makes it very easy to see the differences between the files. Powerful searching capabilities – With any program you want to find your ancestor and their information effortlessly.

This is easily done with the search function of the program. This is performed by a simple fill-in-the-blanks form or by using a powerful detailed search.

QuickFill fields – This is one of the best features of the program in my opinion. When you are entering information the program will automatically fill in the remainder of the information.

This will allow you to then to go onto the next ancestor to add to the tree. Legacy 9 Family Tree Software Bundles Explained! When you click through to the Legacy Family Tree Store you will be presented with a choice of 6 different bundles that you can choose from. The prices listed in brackets are the discounted price if you are upgrading from Legacy 8.

Best All Round Software! Setting a new standard in genealogy software! Family Historian 6 – Easiest Genealogy Program To Use! Although coming in second this program is by far the easiest to use that is available to you.Don’t you want software that you can use straight away and not have to worry about how to use it?

Well, adding your ancestry information with this software package will be very quick for you. Family Historian 6 Rating and Details Rating (4/5) Normal Price Please refer to Amazon for price Platform PC Disc and Download Compatible Windows Features Charts, Reports, Maps, Books, Booklets, CDs, DVDs, Websites Connects FindMyPast / MyHeritage ( PAID) Help & Support FAQs, Guides, User Groups, Video Tutorials, Email Book Full Review Bottom Line Really Easy To Use! BUY HERE – Also available for Amazon Prime customers!

What Can You Get From Family Historian 6? Family Historian 6 offers nearly twice as many chart options than Family Tree Maker. It does though give you less charts than the number one rival Legacy.

Credit: Family Historian This program is primarily useful if you wish to do online publishing. So, if you want to share your family’s history to the online world then Family Historian 6 is for you. Enter and view information very easily with this program! The main screen of this program shows a pedigree chart showing your ancestors. The details of a selected member of your family will be displayed to the right of this chart.

Entering personal data is very easy for you to perform. As with other available choices you can view your ancestors origins on a world map. Images can also be uploaded to the map.

For me seeing a map of where your ancestors lived, worked and moved just gives me an appreciation of their lives and the struggles that they faces in order to find work. Different media types can be uploaded and attached for each person in your family.

Any source material added can also be rated on its quality. All of the sources for an individual can be viewed in one area of the program. Create Books, Booklets and More! Creating charts and reports is a common feature with any genealogy software program today. But you may want to do more than that. Family Historian 6 will allow you to create books, booklets, websites, CDs, and DVDs as well.

All of these great gifts that you can then share with your family, or maybe your friends if you wish. Drawbacks of Family Historian 6? Despite Family Historian 6 having twice as many charts than the popular Family Tree Maker program there are no background templates installed. This therefore will make your charts look quite dull.

Another disadvantage with this program is the inability to enter any DNA results that you may have. As DNA research is beginning to become an important avenue of discovering your ancestry I feel that an update will be added for this. There is unfortunately no video tutorials provided to to help you use this program. But if you do get stuck there are online resources and FAQs that are available to you. Family Historian 6 will run on any of the recent Windows OS except for Windows Vista. Despite this I feel that any genealogist would be happy to buy this genealogy software program.

Pros ✔ Connects to FindMyPast/MyHeritage ( PAID) ✔ Sync trees to web ✔ Get web hints ✔ Quick and easy input of your ancestor’s details ✔ Same sex relationships ✔ 19 different charts ✔ Great for publishing your family history online Cons ❌ Visually unappealing charts ❌ Unable to input DNA results My Verdict This program does not offer stunning charts to print out your family tree. So, if you want to make some special gifts for your relatives then this software is not for you.

Connecting to genealogy sites such as FamilySearch and FindMyPast is a must these days as they both help you to extend your knowledge of your ancestors and help build your tree. Getting web hints from these sites is also a bonus.

If you want something that is easy to use then I highly recommend Family Historian 6. Award-Wining Genealogy Program! Really Easy To Use! Family Tree Maker 2017 – Most Popular and Well Known Program Today! By far the most popular and well known genealogy software program available to digitally create your family tree. Some of the advantages it offers over Legacy is the ability to create same sex marriages and providing web hints to help with your research.

Free Ancestry Software

Even though it is my second preference Family Tree Maker is still regarded as a top genealogy software to use by many genealogists. Family Tree Maker 2017 Rating and Details Rating (4/5) Platform Download Compatible Windows and Mac Features Charts, Reports, Maps, FamilySync Connects FamilySearch ( FREE) and Ancestry ( PAID) Help & Support FAQs, Online Chat, Email Full Review Previous Version Bottom Line Most Popular Today! BUY HERE What Can You Expect From Family Tree Maker? The hints featured in Family Tree Maker show up when you are connected to the Internet. These hints can help you further with discovering your roots. You will be able to connect with two of the biggest genealogy search websites – Ancestry and FamilySearch. Credit: FreeTutorials So, you can build your family tree quickly with the Family Tree Maker program.

Entering Family Information Is Easy! Most of the information that you will enter will be through the program’s People tab. By using this tab you can easily enter your family’s details such as birth, marriage and death. From this tab you will also clearly see your ancestors in a pedigree form. The children of a selected ancestor will be listed in a table below the pedigree chart.

The task of entering individual information is very intuitive and easy to do. You will also be able to add media content such as videos, stories and images for each member of your family. Color Code Your Family Tree! The latest version now allows you to color code each family member. You maybe wondering what is the point of that? Does it serve any purpose?

Well, actually it does! By selecting one or more colors to an ancestor you can effectively set an attribute to that person. For example, if you add a dark blue to several ancestors then that may signify that they served in the military. It’s just another cool visual representation of your family that makes finding what you’re looking for easier.

View A Map of Your Ancestors Migration! I really like to see the path that my ancestors took as they went from their homeland to a new world. If you are like me then you are probably keen to see what path that they took. Their route may have been subjected to a number of conditions, such as the topography of the area or the likelihood of work. Whatever factors that affected their decision you can see their path of migration with an embedded aerial or satellite map in the program.

Synching Your Tree You can take your family tree and your genealogy research with you on the go thanks to FamilySync. You are not tied to your computer at home. If say for example you do some research at your parents house then you can sync your tree. That means that you will also see any latest additions to your tree on your computer at home. The Sync Weather Report will allow you to view any errors that may occur when synching your tree. If there is a major problem then a red box will appear or if there is some caution then there will be an orange box. But if everything is OK with the process then you will see a green box.

What Are The Negatives? Despite being a great program to help you with your family history research Family Tree Maker does gives you significantly less charts than its’ main rival Legacy. But the easy and intuitive feel of the program does more than make up for this. With this family history software program you can connect to FamilySearch.

This is the world’s largest genealogy search website where you can access millions of records for free. This program also connects to Ancestry.

However, in order to access any records on that site you will need to have a paid subscription. Whether you want to call that a negative for Family Tree Maker or not. I just thought that you may like to know that. Pros ✔ Stunning user interface that makes it easy to use ✔ Connects to FamilySearch ( FREE) and Ancestry ( PAID) ✔ Sync trees to web ✔ Get web hints ✔ Same sex relationships Cons ❌ No connection to other genealogy search sites My Verdict The reason that Family Tree Maker is the most well known genealogy program today is because of its’ past association with Ancestry. And that is why, in my opinion, it is so popular. But with saying that I have personally used this program and have found it really ease to use. So, being an intuitive, simple and easy program definitely contributes to it being one of the more popular choices amongst genealogists.

If you want a program that is easy to use and does offer you appealing reports and charts then this program is for you. Most Popular Genealogy Software Program! Discover your ancestry today! RootsMagic 7 – This Genealogy Software Program Offers You A Lot! By using this software you are able to link with the top genealogy sites FamilySearch and Ancestry. And a helpful lightbulb icon will help you make connections with your family’s past. With RootsMagic 7 you can also print out various kinds of family reports from what you have discovered.

RootsMagic 7 Rating and Details Rating (3/5) Normal Price Please refer to Amazon for price Platform PC Disc Compatible Windows Features Charts, Reports, Maps, CDs, Websites, Export Tree Connects FamilySearch ( FREE) and Ancestry / FindMyPast / MyHeritage ( PAID) Help & Support User Group, Webinars, Video Tutorials, How To Guides, Forums, Phone and Email Full Review Bottom Line Offers A Lot! BUY HERE – Also available for Amazon Prime customers! What Can RootsMagic 7 Give You?

To start off RootsMagic 7 does offer you significantly less choice of charts for you to chose from. Despite this you do get a wide range of reports that you can use to display your family’s ancestry. With RootsMagic 7 you get the most reports out of all the top five programs. Finding your ancestors records is clear and simple with the aid of the in-app browser. Within the program there is a lightbulb icon that will next to your ancestor’s. Credit: RootsMagic This lightbulb will clearly show you if there are any online matches. Working with more than one database is also available!

One clear advantage with this program is the ability to open more than one database at a time. When working on different family groups if there is a relationship between the two then you can drag and drop people between the two. RootsMagic 7 will also keep track of these changes. So, that’s really helpful!

There is nothing worse than dissecting the difference between two trees that you may have. RootsMagic makes this job easy for you. With this program there is also a diverse number of relationships that is also supported. So, if there is a same-sex marriage within the family then you can add this as well. You can add all sorts of information for each member of your family. The media that you can add includes photos, sound clips, videos and more. What Are Negatives There With RootsMagic 7?

One of the benefits of RootsMagic 7 is that you can connect with the top genealogy software sites. However, you will not be able to sync your tree to the web. You will also not be able to import any online information that you may find. So, whatever you do come across you will manually have to add this to your family tree. Another drawback is that this software is not the easiest program to use due to the outdated interface and the misleading tabs that feature on the toolbar. Although support is provided by online resources, printed material and video tutorial there is unfortunately no FAQ support available to you. Despite these drawbacks RootsMagic 7 is still a popular choice among family historians to buy.

Pros ✔ Connects to FamilySearch ( FREE) and Ancestry/FindMyPast/MyHeritage ( PAID) ✔ List same sex marriages ✔ Similar web hint feature called lightbulb ✔ Can open more than one family tree so you can easily compare them ✔ Organize large volumes of data Cons ❌ Less charts but more reports ❌ Cannot sync trees to web ❌ Outdated interface ❌ Misleading tabs ❌ No FAQs to help you My Verdict I like how RootsMagic can connect to FamilySearch and Ancestry. However, due to the fact that you cannot sync your tree to the web this will mean that any new information that you do find you will have to enter it manually into this program.

One thing that is going for RootsMagic is the ability for you to open more than one family tree file. Keeping track of the changes between these two files is very easy to use. Why would you want to have two trees? Well, you may have received a tree from a family member. So, you may want to compare the two to see any differences before you add the information to your tree. If you want a program that will help you to organize your large family tree then RootsMagic is for you. For that reason I highly recommend this software.

Offers A Lot To You! This is award-winning genealogy software! Family Tree Heritage 9 – Best To Print Out Your Records! The last of the top five programs for the genealogist is Family Tree Heritage 9. With this package you can connect to the top genealogy sites such as FamilySearch, Ancestry and RootsWeb.

Although coming in last this is still one of the best genealogy software programs on the market today. Family Tree Heritage 9 Rating and Details Rating (3/5) Normal Price (Windows) Please refer to Amazon for price Normal Price (Mac) Please refer to Amazon for price Platform PC Disc and Download Compatible Windows and Mac Features Charts, Reports, Maps, Color Coding Connects FamilySearch ( FREE) and Ancestry ( PAID) Help & Support Tutorials, Address, Phone, Email Full Review Bottom Line Best For Printing! BUY HERE (US) (Windows) – (Mac) BUY HERE (UK) (Windows) – (Mac) What Can You Expect From Family Tree Heritage 9? The great thing about Family Tree Heritage 9 is that you can easily add any genealogy site to this program. Credit: Family Tree Heritage If you do use a site other than what is listed then you will still be able to use it within the program. As with the other top five programs a web hints feature though is included with this package to aid you with finding new information. Correcting Mistakes and Merging trees Is Easy!

Adjusting errors in your tree in bulk is one of the advantages of this package. If you do find any anomalies then you can simply replace the details and any other occurrences will be altered as well. This will save you time sifting through your entire tree. Another benefit of this program is the ability to merge two trees together. This is easily done with Family Tree Heritage 9. Citing sources to any new information is also easily achieved with this program.

A ditto tool is provided that will enable you to attach numerous people to the same source. So this can save you a lot of time when you are citing your records. Disadvantages With Family Tree Heritage 9? Although Family Tree Heritage 9 is a great program for the researcher there is undoubtedly some drawbacks with this choice. For one you will not be able to sync your tree to the web in order to enter any found information. If you do find any interesting details concerning your ancestors you will manually have to enter it.

This is not really a big problem as this will give you a chance to ascertain whether the found information is correct. It’s still great for printing out records! There is also no in-app browser is provided so a separate window is needed when searching online. This can lead to confusion when you switch between the two programs. Although you could split your screen into two to compensate for this. Or if you do have two screens then this will rectify this problem.

The number of available charts and reports is limited with this choice. And the lack of background templates makes charts rather dull. But if you just want a program that simply prints out your research then Family Tree Heritage 9 is for you. Relationships such as same sex marriages is not supported and there is no mapping ability is featured.

So, you will not be able to plot your ancestors trail. Amazon US – Windows & Mac: Amazon UK – Windows & Mac: Pros ✔ Connects to FamilySearch ( FREE) and Ancestry ( PAID) ✔ Add other genealogy sites if you wish ✔ Easily replace many occurrences of new information, such as a place name Cons ❌ No online searching capability within the program. Best To Print Out Your Records! Build your family tree and share your story! Ancestral Quest 15 – Best For Storing Large Family Trees! When it comes to adding ancestors to your family tree you want the process to be both quick and easy.

So, if you have already done a ton of research and you don’t want to be wasting your time and getting frustrated with the program then Ancestral Quest 15 is the one for you. Ancestral Quest 15 Rating and Details Rating (3/5) Normal Price (Windows) $29.95 ( Download) or $34.95 ( CD ROM) Normal Price (Windows upgrade) $19.95 ( Download) or $24.95 ( CD ROM) Normal Price (Mac) $38.95 ( Download) Normal Price (Mac upgrade) $24.95 ( Download) Platform CD ROM and Download Compatible Windows and Mac Features Charts, Reports, Maps, TreeTips, NetFam Collaboration, Memories Manager Connects FamilySearch ( FREE) and Ancestry ( PAID) Help & Support FAQs, Video Tutorials, Newsgroup, Phone and Email Full Review BUY HERE What Do You Get From Ancestral Quest 15? Ancestral Quest 15 allows you to enter your family tree easily as I have just mentioned. You can view your tree 4 different ways. You can choose from Family View, Pedigree View, Name List View or Individual View.

Credit: Ancestral Quest Whatever your preference there will be a view for you. Enter your family tree with ease. No matter how large it is! The interface is a bit basic I must admit. But for me that is not a problem. At the end of the day you want a program that is both intuitive to use and is easy for you to add information and to find it.

Do you want to waste your time figuring out how to use the software? Do you want to be checking the help files every so often? Of course not! You want to be working on your genealogy research. And this is what Ancestral Quest allows you to do.

Organizing your family tree is also simple! As you have a large family tree to work with you want to be able to organize your research. This is done possible with the Research Manager and Log feature of the program. This can show you what information you need to research next. The manager will also help you to group your tasks by either location or type, or anything else for that matter.

Sharing your research is simple too! If you have got a large family tree then chances are that you are working on your ancestry with other family members.

If so then Ancestral Quest is the program for you as it allows you to share information effortlessly! This is accomplished with the NetFam Collaboration feature.

You will however need to subscribe to this feature, but it is a worthwhile extra to consider. Even more new and improved features with the latest version!

With every incarnation of this program the developers add new and improved features. They listen to their users and give them what they want. There is not enough room here to describe all of these latest features. Instead why not check out my full and see for yourself why this is such a powerful program.

Drawbacks to Ancestral Quest 15? To me the only real drawback of this software program is the lack of a stunning interface. But in hindsight as I have discussed before, what do you really want from a program? Do you want something that is fancy looking but can be tricky to understand. Or do you want something that will allow you to effortlessly add your ancestors and their information. And that is why Ancestral Quest have been developing this software for more than 20 years! Pros ✔ Connects to FamilySearch ( FREE) and Ancestry ( PAID) ✔ Straightforward and easy to use ✔ Excellent supported help in the form of online video tutorials ✔ Also FAQ section, online discussion groups, in program help section and telephone support ✔ Can research online within the program ✔ Can easily connect and share research with others Cons ❌ Basic interface design My Verdict If you want a program that will make your genealogy research a whole lot easier to perform then Ancestral Quest 15 is for you.

Ideally it is suited to the family historian who has amassed a large family tree over the years. But the beginner can also take something from this program as well. The simple design does make it easier for the newcomer to add their ancestors effortlessly. So it can be a great program for any level of experience. That is why I highly recommend this software for anyone wanting to researching their family tree. Start Your Family History Adventure Today! Most comprehensive and easy-to-use genealogy software!

My Final Thoughts So, there you have it, my pick of the best genealogy programs that you can choose to buy to create and build your family tree. Which ever program you do decide to buy I’m sure you will be more than happy with it. Don’t stress too much though which program that you do go for. They all have the same basic features and will ultimately do what you want. And that is to create and build your family tree. Don’t worry if you do feel though that your chosen program isn’t right for you. You can easily export your family tree and load it into a new genealogy program.

My Recommendation! My personal recommendation is Legacy 9. It does everything that you would expect from such a program and more!

You can read my to find out what cool features you can expect from the best genealogy program. My main reason for this choice is because that it connects to many genealogy search sites that can really help you with your family history research. Connecting with FamilySearch and FindMyPast has really helped me with my own research. And it can with yours too! But at the end of the day it is your choice. So, all the best on your decision and I wish you all the best with creating your family tree and your genealogy research.

What do you think? If you decide to buy any of these software programs then please come back and let me know what you think of it. I would love to hear how it is working for you. Thank You and Please Leave A Comment I hope you enjoyed reading this review about the best genealogy software programs available to the family historian. If you have any questions or comments then please leave a comment below.

Please share with family and friends if you think this post will help others by using the social media buttons below. I have been trying to ascertain the best genealogy programme for my personal use and was close to deciding to give Legacy 9 a go. But I am not sure if it is actually the best for my particular needs. I am less interested in building a tree (though of course that is an important part of it) and more interested in organising material – notes, certificates and especially stories and photographs – that I want to present in a printed book at some stage. So I am wondering if Family Historian would be better or does Legacy 9 have such capabilities? My other keen interest is in presenting the family tree in an attractive chart at the beginning of the book and using exerpts in chapters associated with particular individuals.

Another comparison website suggested that Heredis has the best charting ability. In addition, I want to be sure that on a chart I can display families with multiple mothers/stepmothers especially when one dies and the man marries again (and visa versa). I am on Family Search and they make me prioritise who is displayed when I really want to be able to show both. I live in Australia but the bulk of my family comes from the UK. Any advice you have would be appreciated. Thanks in advance, Stephanie. Hi Stephanie, Thanks for dropping by with your query.

In my opinion is the better option for you in this case. It is a very easy program for you to add information, pictures, notes and whatever, and then turn them into a book. As far as I can see you can add more than two parents with this program. I haven’t reviewed Heredis yet but have quickly checked out the charts. From what I have seen I don’t think this is possible.

I could be wrong, but I am not overly impressed with the presentation of these charts compared to what Family Historian 6 offers. I used Microsoft Word for my family history book.

I couldn’t find a suitable program for my needs. I used Family Tree Maker to create and save charts and then inserted them into Word. I then used Word to insert photos, maps, and tables of information at the back in an appendix. That may not be suitable for you but thought I would suggest it as that is an option for you, (if you do have Word that is). All the best and please let me know how you get on.

Thanks for your input. I do a lot of work in Word and was wondering if a genealogy program would actually assist in presentation. But it sounds like what you did was use the program (Family Tree Maker) to create charts etc and then insert into Word. In which case I’m not really sure why Family Historian is any better than that process. So now I’m thinking that I really want something that produces good and attractive charts with comprehensive trees (covering multiple marriages for example) and will help me organise all my material linking things together.

At present I have lots of directories in Windows and various documents I have constructed including a giant one with a page for each family member. It is starting to get rather unwieldy as I have to remember where I put things!

Given what I have just said do you still think Family Historian is the go? I quite liked that Legacy says it can create a web page which I thought might be useful for sharing. And the free trial sounds has appeal as well.

Hi Stephanie, My approach to my family history book was quite unique. I wanted to include my family stories, (this is what first got me interested in my ancestry), but also photos, maps, and other pieces of information. I also wanted to present my book more like a thesis.

I wanted to number each branch of my family, and ancestor so that I could easily find each of them in my book whenever I wanted to. I was thoroughly happy with Family Tree Maker with creating my tree and producing various charts. So I decided to keep using it and just save the charts so that I could put them into my book. Please by all means try out the free version of Legacy family Tree first.

See if it’s right for you and whether you like it or not. Family Historian does create professional books, booklets, websites and even CDs that you can share that way. So yeah just try Legacy and take it from there.

If it’s not right for you then maybe give Historian a go. Hope this helps Stephanie 🙂 Owain. I am ready to take the dive back into working on my family tree. I have used Family Tree Maker since the 90’s but haven’t actually worked on it in 12 years. Needless to say I have an ancient version. If I understand everything I either need to upgrade to 2017 or find a different program.

FTM 2017 will allow me to keep all of my work even though it is a very old version. I have read of some stories where everything got “messed up”. Everything will transfer correctly? Will I be warned if there are errors or conflicts?

I have several “trees” I worked on. One is rather extensive and would not like to recheck or be on constant guard of every detail of it.

Very nervous about the change!! Hi Angie, Thank you for your query. I have personally used FTM and have upgraded the program a few times without any problems.

Having said that I have heard of issues where stuff is messed up, mainly relationships. Unfortunately I am not aware of any warning messages that you can see, so as far as I know you will need to inspect your tree after upgrading to make sure everything’s ok. If you still have the older version of FTM you can make a backup of the program and then import it into FTM 2017.

The following link shows how to do that from an old version to FTM 2014: The instructions shows that you can retain your old copy. This will help if you do experience any problems.

Here are instructions to do the same with FTM 2017, but with this version I don’t see that you can retain your previous version. I’m sure it’s there but the instructions don’t show it.

I am still using FTM 2014, mainly because I didn’t like how charts were displayed in 2017 compared to 2014. So I stuck with the old version. I’m sorry that I couldn’t be of more assurance, but hope that I have helped regardless.

Please let me know how you go. All the best with this process and your research, Owain. It totally infuriates me about Family Tree Maker. I have purchased and used it for about 20 years now.always upgraded but when I wanted to. Now, my older program will no longer work with Ancestry.com. This really makes me mad. I even cancelled my subscription to Ancestry.

Now that I have calmed down, I am rethinking; however, I was told that the new Family Tree Maker makes you upload your tree to ancestry in order for the features to work. Meaning, ancestry hints, downloading information such as jpegs of census etc, and family connections. Is this true? Hi Owain, Thanks for all the work you have done. I am currently looking at buying a computer based program and have extracted info out of most of the sites under a trial version. Eg Ancestry, Myheritage etc Qu – if I buy one of the computer based programs like Legacy Family does it link to my trail account and allow me to download my already entered info? Can I then stop trialling the monthly subscription based sites?

Can I share the trees across the web with family? Sorry for all the questions. Thanks again Pierre. Hi Pierre, Thank you for your comment and your questions. I will try to answer them as best I can. I can’t see anywhere with these programs that you cannot link them to a free trial account. So I would say that it should work.

I’m sorry if that’s an affirmative answer. You can share with your family if you create a GEDCOM file from the program. You can then send this file to your family.

It does then depend then if your family has a genealogy program to open it. Or you could create charts and reports and save them as jpg files and then send them that way. Let me know how you get on. Kind regards, Owain. Thank you Jaran for bringing this up. It is true that Legacy does only support Western European fonts which includes English, French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Dutch, and the Scandinavian languages.

And as such it does not yet support Eastern European fonts, like Polish, Asian fonts, Hebrew, or any other non-Western European fonts. So I do apologise if you feel that this software is outdated to you.

There is however a work around to this issue which you can find on the. I hope that this is of help to you and others. I have used a number of different products over the years based upon reviews only to have watched them disappear. When searching for a new product, two issues are important but seldom covered. Handling exact and possible duplicates when merging multiple data files received from relatives. Importing files directly from other software programs without first exporting to GEDCOM and importing.

This can occur when replacing your own software or when importing data from a relative who is contributing information. I currently have the latest version of Family Tree Maker and am not impressed with their current handling of merging. Maybe this will change with the new ownership. How does your top two picks address these issues? Hi Rodger, thank you for contacting me about these genealogy software issues. My top two picks are Legacy and Family Tree Maker.

For the moment though I would suggest that you check out. My review does so you what you can expect from Legacy 8. However, the latest version Legacy 9 is out now. Anyway to answer your questions any duplications or errors that do occur with merging will come up with red flags. So it’s quite easy to spot any mistakes when this does happen. And importing should be quite easy with Legacy.

You shouldn’t need to export and then import. All the best, Owain.

Hi Anne-Marie, Thank you for your comment. If you decide to use any of these programs to build your tree then your data will be private. However, if you decide to upload your tree to any of the genealogy search websites, such as Ancestry, then you will be giving up your right to ‘your’ data. If you are concerned about your privacy then you could do what I do.

Use any of these programs and also use a site such as Ancestry, but don’t upload your tree. Sure Ancestry maybe able to see what your searching but they won’t be able to create a tree from your search results. It’s a bit of a pain to do this, but do whatever you are comfortable with. You could though try where you will have access to FREE records. You can print out your trees, charts, reports, etc from any of these programs. It’s just that Family Tree Heritage offers you the most when it comes to printing your research. I wish you all the best with your genealogy research Anne-Marie and I hope that I have answered your questions.

I have Legacy 8.0 and so far I really like it and the features. There are a few drawbacks to it, mainly when I upload media/photos to a person from my hard drive, they tend to come over severly distorted, fuzzy, whatever you want to call it, definitely not as clear as the orginal I have on my computer. 🙁 I have a few other gripes about it, but that is my main concern! 🙁 I was hoping there would be a place within Legacy where I could store photos that I use over and over, like cemetery / church photos and just attach them to people straight from Legacy. If there is a way to do that, I have not found it.

I don’t see why you couldn’t have both programs running on your computer. At one time I had two versions of FTM running on mine. Although it’s still the same company I must admit it still worked and so I don’t see it being a problem here. Hints are exceptional with FTM.

Not only have I found records but also have compared my tree against other members family trees on Ancestry. There is plenty of choice with Legacy, and that’s why I like that one too. But I do only use a handful of charts to be honest, so FTM has always been my choice. Hello Qwain, i am curious,Is the Q in your name silent?

I have commented on your content before, this is a great guide for persons interested in genealogy. One of my nieces who was born in Canada and who i have never met is putting together a family Tree. This is important for us because we have close adult family members that have never met and our family travels. We live all over the world and recently i received an email asking for information. We also carry foreign last names -French, Dutch,German African, Polish among them. It can be dangerous if you don’t know who your family are.Thanks for sharing. Really nice review Owain.

I love the way your compared the programs in one review. I understand that the prices may vary but I too would have liked to have maybe an average cost of each program. I have never looked into my genealogy but my twin sister did and she said it was very interesting. I believe that she was using Ancestry. Not being familiar with any of these programs, I wonder what is the difference between the software in this review with Ancestry? You said that they can be integrated. How do they differ?

Thank you for liking the review. And I’m sorry I didn’t put the prices up.

I just didn’t want to scare you. I would’ve done but as you may know Amazon always changes their prices so often and I would have to fix it up all the time. I was more concerned with giving my top 5 and explaining all that they have to offer. It was the first genealogy program that I heard of. It’s real simple to use and I like creating charts so that I can put it into my family history book. I started this hobby mainly because of my father.

He would tell me countless stories of our ancestors. I didn’t want all of that history to be lost. So I wrote them up.

But I soon discovers that I needed to create charts so people could see how my ancestors related to me. And that’s how I came across Family Tree Maker. It is certainly a wise decision to make. With so much information in your family all that can be put into the program. Your family members could decide to work on separate branches and bring it altogether. That is the beauty of using genealogy software, the sharing of information and incorporating it into your tree.

Also, if you and your family members decide to purchase a genealogy program then all your family memories will be remembered. Over time stories and memories can get forgotten and that would be a shame.

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I have a MacBook Air and an iPhone 7. I'm looking for recommendations on the best genealogy software, primarily for my Mac, but having a mobile app is definitely a bonus. I'd like one that allows edits to multiple records at once and doesn't feel like I'm on a 1990's program.

I'm not too concerned about excessive charting capabilities, but basic charts and a good reporting option is needed. I'd rather not have to add Windows to my Mac or work through third party software. I've been researching this for two days and can't find all the information I need. Can anyone recommend a good program? I'll spend some cash, but nothing outrageous.

Edit: Hey all. Just wanted to follow up with my 'review'. I went with MacFamilyTree 8 and am pretty much digging it. Almost perfect for what I was looking for. Once I learn all the features, it very well might be all perfect. I downloaded the MobileFamily Tree app also and am using CloudTree to sync between the two. About $60 for the Mac App and $15ish for the Mobile app.

I was initially kind of disappointed that one didn't include the other, but they really are stand-alone apps.they don't depend on each other at all. After I figured that out, I actually thought it was pretty cool that I wasn't forced to buy both and the costs were separate. However, I would have been ok with a multi-app discount. 😉 Thanks to all for your advice and recommendations. Truly helpful! I have a MacBook Air, iMac (27' screen - makes viewing whole pages easier), iPhone 6, and iPad Air. For the MacBook and iMac, I use Family Tree Maker 2017 without issue (I have the subscription for three devices) which I sync with Ancestry.

On the iPhone and iPad, I have the Ancestry app that I find is always helpful at family functions - some one always has a question. In addition, I back everything up to the iCloud - all my files are saved to an iCloud directory.

I am very pleased with the sync-ing of devices and Ancestry Sync Weather Reporting systems.