Welcome to our reviews the Best Family Tree Software of 2018 (also known as Genealogy Software). Check out our top 10 list below and follow our links to read our full in-depth review of each genealogy software, alongside which you'll find costs and features lists, user reviews and videos to help you make the right choice. Legacy Family Tree 8.0 gets a top rating from Top Ten Reviews for its flexible options, which can handle divorce, adoption and other complicated branchings of the family tree. 1 Answer from the Community. Macfamily Tree Answered by John G; 15-Apr-2018 Apple. Whether you’ve just started researching your family’s past, or are looking for a fresh start, our guide will help you discover the best family tree software program for your needs. You’ll find a quick comparison chart and a detailed breakdown of the top 6 family tree programs available today.
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. Family Tree Maker 2017 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. No audio devices are installed. 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.
Best Family Tree Software Review
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 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.