Comparison of genealogy software
This article compares several selected client-based genealogy programs. Web-based genealogy software is not included.
General information
Software | Latest version | Latest release | Free to use | Free software | Software license | Windows | macOS | Linux | Android | iOS |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Agelong Tree | 5.5 | 2020-04-08 | No (40 Person Free Trial) |
No | Proprietary | Yes | Yes | Using Wine | No | No |
Ahnenblatt | 3.10 | 2020-05-22 | No
(Free demo, 50 person limit, watermarked reports; latest free version: 2.99m) |
No | Proprietary | Yes | No | Using Wine | No | No |
Ancestral Quest | 16.0.6 | 2020-08-10 | Yes (Basics version) |
No | Proprietary | Yes | Yes | Using Wine | No | No |
Ancestris | 10 | 2020-02-08 | Yes | Yes | GNU GPL | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Brother's Keeper | 7.5.5 | 2020-12-11 | Yes (Unreg. ver.) |
No | Shareware | Yes | No | Using Wine | No | No |
Family Historian | 7.0.0 | 2020-12-08 | No
(30-Day Free Trial) |
No | Proprietary | Yes | No | Using Wine | No | No |
Family Tree Builder | 8.0 | 2016-08-12 | Yes (Free ver.) |
No | Proprietary | Yes | Yes | Using Wine | Yes | Yes |
Family Tree Maker | 2019 (24.0.1) | 2019-11 | No | No | Proprietary | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
Family Tree | 1.2.1 | 2013-10-05 | No | No | Proprietary | No | Yes | No | ? | ? |
GEDitCOM II | 2.3 | 2016-11-17 | No
(15-Day Free Trial, Read-Only afterwards) |
No | Proprietary | No | Yes | No | ? | Yes |
Genbox Family History | 3.7.1 | 2007-11-17 | No (30 Day Free Trial) |
No | Proprietary | Yes | No | Using Wine | No | No |
GenealogyJ | 3.0 | 2020-02-15 | Yes | Yes | GNU GPL | Java[lower-alpha 1] | Java[lower-alpha 1] | Java[lower-alpha 1] | No | No |
GenoPro | 2016, 3.0.0.7 | 2016-01-27 | No (25 Person Free Trial) |
No | Proprietary | Yes | No | Using Wine | No | No |
Gramps | 5.1.3 | 2020-08-22 | Yes | Yes | GNU GPL | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Heredis | 2020 | 2019-01-12 | No (50 Person Free Trial) |
No | Proprietary | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
Kith and Kin Pro | 3.2.5 | 2016-08-01 | No (30-Day Free Trial) |
No | Shareware | Yes | No | No | No | No |
Legacy Family Tree | 9.0.0.368 | 2020-09-29 | Yes (Standard Edition) |
No | Proprietary | Yes | No | Using Wine | No | No |
LifeLines | 3.1.1 | 2016-03-17 | Yes | Yes | MIT License | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
MacFamilyTree | 8.3.5 | 2018-04-24 | No
(Free Trial, but you cannot save or export your entries) |
No | Proprietary | No | Yes | No | No | Yes |
Personal Ancestral File | 5.2.18.0 | 2002-07-23 (discontinued 2014) | Yes | No | Proprietary | Yes | No | Using Wine | ? | ? |
Reunion | 12.0 (build 200127) | 2020-01-27 | No
(Free demo, 50 person limit, no import/export, watermarked reports) |
No | Proprietary | No | Yes | No | No | Yes |
RootsMagic | 7.6.4.0 | 2020-08-28 | Yes (Essentials) |
No | Proprietary | Yes | Yes | Using Wine | Yes | Yes |
The Master Genealogist | 9.05.0000 | 2014-12-03 (discontinued:2015) | No (30 Day Free Trial) |
No | Proprietary | Yes | No | Using Wine | No | No |
webtrees | 2.0.4 | Yes | Yes | GNU GPL | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? |
- Using Java Virtual Machine
General features
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).
Name | Individual view | Family view | Pedigree view | Chronology view | Ancestor charts | Ancestor narrative reports | Ancestor pedigree reports | Descendant charts | Descendant narrative reports | Fan charts | Research Manager | DNA charts | Research Guidance | Mapping |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Agelong Tree | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
Ahnenblatt | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | Yes |
Ancestral Quest | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
Ancestris | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
Brother's Keeper | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
Family Historian[lower-alpha 1] | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes |
Family Tree Builder | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
Family Tree Maker | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ? | Yes | Yes |
GEDitCOM II | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
Genbox Family History | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
GenealogyJ | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes |
GenoPro | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ? | ? | No | Yes |
Gramps | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
Heredis | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
Kith and Kin Pro | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
Legacy Family Tree[lower-alpha 2] | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
LifeLines | Yes | Yes | Yes | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | No | ? |
MacFamilyTree | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
Personal Ancestral File | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | ? | No | ? |
Reunion | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes |
RootsMagic | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
The Master Genealogist | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ? | ? | No | ? |
webtrees | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ? | Yes | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? |
- 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.
- 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
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.
Name | Unicode Support | Single parent family | Same sex marriage | Witness to events | Name variants | Conflicting evidence | Source surety | Adoption & foster parent | non-standard calendar in date fields |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Agelong Tree | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | ? | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Ahnenblatt | Yes | Yes | Yes | Partial christening and marriage only |
Yes | ? | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Ancestral Quest | Yes | Yes | Yes | ? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ? |
Ancestris | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No[a] |
Brother's Keeper | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ? | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Family Historian | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Family Tree Builder | Yes | Yes | Yes | ? | Yes | ? | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Family Tree Maker | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
GEDitCOM II | Yes | ? | Yes | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? |
Genbox Family History | Yes | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? |
GenealogyJ | Yes | ? | Partial One partner's gender mislabelled |
No | Yes | Yes | ? | Yes | ? |
GenoPro | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Gramps | Yes | Yes | Partial One partner's gender mislabelled[1] |
Yes | Yes | ? | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Heredis | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Legacy Family Tree[b] | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ? |
LifeLines | Yes | ? | No | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? |
MacFamilyTree | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Personal Ancestral File | Yes | ? | No | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? |
Reunion | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ? | Yes | Yes |
RootsMagic | Yes | ? | Yes | Yes (paid version) |
Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
The Master Genealogist | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
webtrees | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? |
- a Ancestris can handle dates according to several calendars (Gregorian, Julian, Jewish, French Republicain)
Languages
Available user interface languages
Name | English | Afrikaans | Danish | Dutch | French | German | Italian | Norwegian | Polish | Portuguese | Russian | Spanish | Swedish |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Agelong Tree[a] | Yes | No[b] | No[b] | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No[b] | Yes | ? | Yes | Yes | No[b] |
Ahnenblatt[c] | Yes | No[b] | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ? | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Ancestral Quest[d] | Yes | No[b] | Yes | No[b] | Yes | Yes | No[b] | Yes | Partial | ? | No | Yes | Yes |
Ancestris[e] | Yes | No[b] | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No[b] | Yes | Yes |
Brother's Keeper | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No[b] | Yes | Yes | ? | Yes | No[b] | Yes |
Family Historian | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | ? | No | No | No |
Family Tree Builder | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ? | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Family Tree Maker (Windows) | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No | ? | No | No | No |
Family Tree Maker for Mac | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | ? | No | No | No |
GEDitCOM II | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | ? | No | Yes | Yes |
Genbox Family History[f] | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Partial | Yes | ? | Yes | Partial | Partial |
GenealogyJ | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | ? | Yes | Yes | No |
GenoPro[g][h] | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | ? | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Gramps[i] | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ? | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Heredis | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | ? | No | No | No |
Legacy Family Tree | Yes[j] | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes[k] | No | ? | No | public test |
Yes |
LifeLines | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | ? | No | No | Yes |
MacFamilyTree | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ? | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Personal Ancestral File | (v4.x/5.x) | No | No | No | (v4.x) | (v4.x/5.x) | No | No | No | ? | No | (v4.x) | (v5.x) |
Reunion[l] | Yes | No | No | Yes[l] | Yes[l] | Yes[l] | No | Yes[l] | No | ? | No | No | No |
RootsMagic | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | ? | No | No | No |
The Master Genealogist | Yes[n] | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Partial | Yes | No[g] | ? | No | No[g] | Yes |
webtrees | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
- a Agelong Tree is also available in Arabic, Armenian, Bashkir, Belarusian, Bulgarian, Catalan, Chinese, Circassian, Croatian, Czech, Estonian, Galician, Georgian, Greek, Hungarian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Romanian, Serbian, Slovak, Tajik, Tatar, Turkish, Turkmen, Ukrainian and Uzbek.
- b Can be created by available translation program or language file.
- c Ahnenblatt is also available in Croatian, Czech, Estonian, Hungarian, Portuguese, Romanian, Turkish and Vietnamese (see [2]).
- d Ancestral Quest also has partial translations in Chinese (Traditional) and Finnish.
- e Ancestris is also available in Breton, Catalan, Czech, Greek, Finnish, Hungarian, Latvian.
- f Genbox Family History is also available in Slovak, Slovenian; partial translations are available for Czech, Greek, Hungarian, Lithuanian, Portuguese, and Vietnamese.
- g Can be created using the built-in translation tables.
- h GenoPro is also available in Arabic, Catalan, Czech, Estonian, Finnish, Greek, Hungarian, Latvian/Lettish and Vietnamese. Partial translations are available in Portuguese (Brazil), Indonesian, Dutch, Hebrew, Swedish, Portuguese (Portugal), Lithuanian, Turkish, Chinese Traditional/Taiwan (Big5), Albanian, Ukrainian, Croatian, Bulgarian, Icelandic, Scots Gaelic, Chinese simplified (Gb3312).
- i Gramps is also available in Catalan, Czech, Esperanto, Finnish, Greek, Hungarian, Lithuanian, Portuguese (Brazil), Portuguese (Portugal), Slovak, Slovenian, and Ukrainian. Partial translations are available in Arabic, Bulgarian, Chinese, Croatian, Vietnamese, and 11 more languages translated less than 50%.[3]
- j Includes Australian English, Canadian English, UK English, and US English.
- k Includes both nynorsk and bokmål.
- l English is the only language officially supported by the vendor of Reunion, but instructions for producing a translation are included, and users have made available the indicated translations.
- m My Family Tree also has complete translations in English (Australian), Portuguese (Brazil and Portugal variants) and partial translations in Arabic (Saudi Arabian), Chinese (Traditional), Chinese (Simplified), Turkish, Vietnamese, Finnish and Uyghur.
- n Includes UK English and US English.
- o Ages! is also available in Catalan, Czech, Finnish, Greek, Portuguese and Ukrainian.
References
- "0003346: Same gender relationship reports".
- Languages
- "Portal:Translators". Gramps. Retrieved August 9, 2015.