Introduction
Genealogy software provides a method for recording the subjects of our research, e.g. their names, relationships, and events of their lives. Evidence (citations and sources) should be recorded to support the conclusions reached. They also print the reports and charts to show off the results of our labor.
This article reviews stand alone programs which run on your PC. If you are interested in web applications, see this companion review Best Free Online Genealogy or Family Tree Applications.
Several free applications in this review will do a reasonable job for the novice or advanced genealogist. Read also the Supported Features of these applications in a section of this page.
Rated Products

Gramps
A cross-platform and open-source application to research, organize and share your family tree with outstanding features.

Platforms/Download: Linux | Mac OS | Windows (Desktop) |
Version reviewed: n/a
Gizmos Freeware
Our Rating: 5/5 |
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Platforms/Download: Windows (Desktop) |
Version reviewed: n/a
Gizmos Freeware
Our Rating: 5/5 |
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MyHeritage Family Tree Builder
Handy genealogy software for building your family tree, adding photos, historical records and more.
Platforms/Download: Windows (Desktop) |
Version reviewed: n/a
Gizmos Freeware
Our Rating: 4/5 |
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Platforms/Download: [field_blackberry_download] | iOS |
Version reviewed: n/a
Gizmos Freeware
Our Rating: 3.5/5 |
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Platforms/Download: Windows (Desktop) |
Version reviewed: n/a
Gizmos Freeware
Our Rating: 3/5 |
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Platforms/Download: Windows (Desktop) |
Version reviewed: n/a
Gizmos Freeware
Our Rating: 3/5 |
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Ancestral Quest Basics
Easily organize your family history with basic features and automatic searches.
Platforms/Download: Mac OS | Windows (Desktop) |
Version reviewed: n/a
Gizmos Freeware
Our Rating: 3/5 |
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Supported Features:
The above applications support these features unless otherwise noted:
- They support unlimited entry of individuals, birth, marriage, death, burial, and other events together with their associated dates, locations, and source citations.
- Alternative names can be entered but are not necessarily searched.
- Marriages are not numerically limited, i.e. multiple spouses (sequential or polygamous).
- Polygamous relationships are not completely displayed, e.g. only one pair can be viewed at a time.
- Multiple parents are supported (adopted, foster, or other possibilities). However, only one pair of parents can be displayed at a time.
- Incest is supported, e.g. a child can be married to one of their parents and/or be both sibling and parent of another sibling.
- Same sex marriages and parents are supported by several of the recommended programs.
- Intersex and transsexual individuals are not supported.
- They support family group, pedigree, and descendant reports and charts together with the associated foot- or end-notes.
- They support multimedia attachments but not all support photos in reports.
- They support import and export of GEDCOM (GEnealogical Data COMmunication) format files.
Related Products and Links
Related Products
- GEDView is a portable viewer for GEDCOM files. Save your GEDCOM to a USB drive with this utility and you'll never be without access to your research. Provides name listing, individual screen, and pop up pedigree, descendant, Mitochondrial DNA, and Y Chromosome views.
- Ged2Web converts GEDCOM files to HTML files for uploading to a website. More features than PAF but either Legacy, Gramps, or ScionPC produce better formatted web sites. If you don't want to install Legacy, Gramps, or ScionPC then you might try this utility.
- "GeneaQuilts is a new visualization technique for representing large genealogies of up to several thousand individuals. The visualization takes the form of a diagonally-filled matrix, where rows are individuals and columns are nuclear families. The system includes an overview, a timeline, search and filtering components, and a new interaction technique called Bring & Slide that allows fluid navigation in very large genealogies." I suggest watching the demonstration video if you're interested in trying this program.
Related Links
- Best Free Online Genealogy or Family Tree Applications
- RootsWeb WorldConnect
- RootsWeb Freepages
- Cyndi's List - Software
Editor
This software review is copy-edited by Jojo Yee. Please help edit and improve this article by clicking here.
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Comments
I have been using Legacy Family Tree for the past 5 years. It does support same sex marriage and same sex parents. You just have to turn off the 'warning' of this 'error' in the Customize menu.
[Commercial version feature comment removed]
Thanks for the reply, okrick. I am using IE 10 as my browser, and when I click on the Quick Selection Guide link, I am only taken as far down as the ScionPC discussion. Also, please note that I'm not sure from the discussion which free program gets the highest rating or which programs work well with the 64 bit version of Windows.
Disabled all IE 10 add-ons; link issue remains. In fact, just noted another issue. After clicking the link, along the right side of the narrative, I see small specks of icons. If I put my cursor on the specks, the say things like "version," "product type," "pros," "cons," etc. When I return to that page, the specks are missing until I click on the poorly working Quick Selection Guide link again.
However, I'm less interested in fixing the link issue and more interested about how the free programs in the discussion are rated compared to others and which will work well with 64 bit Windows 7?
Using latest version of Firefox solved the problem; all ratings appear and Quick Selection Guide link works perfectly. I will have to play with IE10 to see if I can figure out it's issue.
Re: Legacy Standard free
Gizmo says
"Source templates, research guidance, place list, to-do list, Focus groups. Creates web sites. Merge feature for people, places, sources, repositories, etc. Many report and chart types including narrative, citation list, to do, and DNA. Internet searches. Polygamous and sequential multiple marriages and incestuous relationships are supported. Supports multiple names but can't search them."
Legacy says that "research Guidance" only available in the paid version. "Dna" markers also only in paid version, I did not research any further re comparisons of other features only in the Paid version
Just read this today and wondered why several of the discussed software packages never made it to the ratings and compatible operating software part of the article (Quick Selection Guide)? Also the Quick Selection Guide link early in the article takes us to a spot mid-discussion rather than to the start of the guide.
I should have mentioned in my previous post that I am using the portable version of Gramps but surely this would not make a difference to the relationship situation for cousins. As much as I love open source software I do detest having to download and install separate software components in order to allow Gramps to run. That is why I downloaded the portable version.
Have you heard of or looked at XY Family Tree? I have downloaded it and GRAMPS. XY was considerably easier to enter data into. Also after I had entered all available data GRAMPS would not recognize cousin relationships at all yet XY Family Tree listed all such relationships including the once, twice removed status etc.
Have just migrated from a paid program to Gramps v.3.4.3-1. I am impressed beyond believe. Took a few days to find my way around the wiki help files but well worth the time.
Almost every screen has a Help button that takes you to the appropriate page in the online wiki (Prepare to Bookmark!)
Lots of pop up tips as well to help you through the mire.
Someone mentioned that you can't change the date format. In my version, it can be easily changed via Edit > preferences > Display tab > 'Date Format'.
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