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Family Tree Software Comparison

Here at My History we try to be as impartial as we can be about the software we sell or don't sell. If you look at the sites of the software authors and sometimes the retailers you will find that they are comparing the software they want you to buy with older versions of the competitor software to put their own in a better light. Often they will miss out the best points of the competitors software as their own cannot compete thus making theirs look better than it really is.

On this page we have attempted to present an impartial assesment of what you can expect to achieve using different means to create your family tree. The old adage "you get what you pay for" is very appropriate when making a purchase of any software but beware of hidden pitfalls when using free services on the internet. The free services are usually quite basic and sometimes you might unwittingly find you are submitting your families personal details to an online database, although we stress that the services recommended on this comparison page do give the option to keep details private.

Compare software from Free up to £15.00

Features marked in blue are important features of the program
Click to view comparison of free software and up to £15.00
My History offers the following table of features as a guide to help you choose the right genealogy software for your needs Roots Magic is now available from My History Click to see details of Family Tree Maker 2006 Range Click to see details of Family Tree Maker 2006 Range Click on 'buy now' to purchase Heritage Family Tree Deluxe Version 2 Click to see details of Family Historian Software
Sign up to the software newsletter and be kept informed about developments for your favourite family tree software. RootsMagic Edition v3 Family Tree Maker 2006 Family Tree Maker 2008 v2 (All editions) Heritage Family Tree Deluxe v4 Family Historian v3.1.2
  DETAILS SEE FULL RANGE BUY NOW BUY NOW style= DETAILS
Product Code n/a FTMS6FP 3 Packs available HFTD CPFH
My History Price £17.95 £9.85 18.95 £33.95 £35.90
Most recent edition 2006 .Aug 2005 .Nov 2008 2005 .May 2007
Operating System W95-Vista W98-Vista XP/Vista W98-XP W98-Vista
Ease of Use     
Complexity (1-5) 3 3 3 4 5
Users Suitable for beginners in computing and genealogy Suitable for beginners in computing and genealogy Suitable for beginners in computing and genealogy Takes time to learn Suitable for beginners in genealogy
Privacy Roots Magic Family Tree Maker 2006 Family Tree Maker 2008 Heritage Family Tree Family Historian v3
Data Storage Privacy Home Computer Home Computer Home Computer Home Computer Home Computer
Instructions     
Getting Started Guide - Printed No No Deluxe & Platinum only No 48 pages
Getting Started Guide - On disc No Yes Yes Part of main manual Yes
Main Manual - Printed Available separately Available separately Available separately 245 pages Available separately
Main Manual - On disc & printable No No No See above Yes 200 pages
On-screen Help Yes Excellent Excellent Yes Excellent
Data Storage/Sources Roots Magic Family Tree Maker 2006 Family Tree Maker 2008 Heritage Family Tree Family Historian v3
Multiple dates for a single event Yes Yes Yes No Yes
Space for sources Excellent Excellent Excellent Good Excellent
Attribute a single source to multiple records Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Add multiple sources to a single event Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Automatically assign a source to fields as they are keyed No No No No Yes
Create/Edit a list of Sources/Master Sources Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Create/Edit a list of Repositories Yes No Yes Yes Yes
Report of sources and where used No Yes Yes No Yes
Working with Data Roots Magic Family Tree Maker 2006 Family Tree Maker 2008 Heritage Family Tree Family Historian v3
Colour code people to help navigation in tree Yes No No No No
Create/Edit standard list of place names/occupations etc. Yes No Place names only Place names only Places, Occupations, + more
Notes     
Allow notes against individuals Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Allow separate notes No No No No Yes
Create a Source for Notes No No No No Yes
Link separate notes to multiple persons No No No No Yes
Research Roots Magic Family Tree Maker 2006 Family Tree Maker 2008 Heritage Family Tree Family Historian v3
Produces blank forms for manual research Yes No 2 Forms No No
Automatic Internet Research for Records Ancestry, Rootsweb, Family Search Ancestry Ancestry No No
Create Map Coordinates and link to Microsoft 3D Maps Yes No Yes No No
Create a 'To-Do' list Yes No Yes Excellent Excellent
Charts/Diagrams Roots Magic Family Tree Maker 2006 Family Tree Maker 2008 Heritage Family Tree Family Historian v3
Diagrams are part of main program Yes Yes Yes No Yes
Overall layout of Charts (Out of 10) 3 4 4 3 8
Ancestor Tree/Pedigree Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Standard Pedigree Yes Yes Yes No No
Descendants Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Hourglass Yes Yes Yes No Yes
All Relatives Diagram/All-in-one No Yes Expected on free update in 2008 No Yes
Everyone Diagram No No No No Yes
Fan Charts No Yes Expected on free update in 2008 Yes No
Expand/Hide Branches No No No No Yes
Click and drag on diagrams to add relatives No No No No Yes
Allow repositioning of people in diagram Yes Limited on Descendant chart Limited on Descendant chart Yes Yes
Click and drag to rescale charts to fit paper No No No No Yes
Prevent boxes printing over page joints No Yes Yes No Yes
Save and edit customised charts Yes No No No Yes
Synchronised charts No No No No Yes
Chart Design Templates No Yes No No No
Display Relationships on Diagrams/Charts No Yes ? No Yes
Print a numbering system on Diagrams/Charts No No Yes No No
Show same generation cousins as one level on charts Yes Descendant chart only Descendant chart only No Yes
Decorative box borders (colour) Colour only Yes Yes No Yes
Decorative page borders (colour) No Yes Yes No No
Choice of Colours for text/boxes/lines/background Yes Yes Yes No Yes
View/Edit individuals data by clicking on diagrams No Yes No No Yes
Statistics No Yes Yes No No
Time Lines Family Only Yes (USA bias) Family & National(USA bias) No No
Multimedia Facilities Roots Magic Family Tree Maker 2006 Family Tree Maker 2008 Heritage Family Tree Family Historian v3
Add Photos Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Edit Photos in Program Yes Yes Links to favourite photo editing program No No
Link Individuals to parts of a photo No No No No Yes
Categorise and sort photos No No Yes No No
Add Sound Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Add Video Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Reports/Publishing Roots Magic Family Tree Maker 2006 Family Tree Maker 2008 Heritage Family Tree Family Historian v3
Narrative Reports Good Excellent To be re introduced in a future update Good Excellent
Create PDF documents from Reports Yes Yes Yes No * No *
Family History Book Publishing Excellent Excellent To be re introduced in a future update No Good
Preview before Publishing Yes Yes Yes No Good
Create publishers files from Diagrams No PDF PDF No * Bitmap, JPEG,PNG, TIFF and more *
Create Ahnentafel report/book Yes Detailed Report Yes Book Format Outline Report
Create web (HTML) browser-based versions of reports for CD or internet publishing No Limited to creating PDF documents from reports & diagrams Limited to creating HTML files from reports Yes Limited to creating HTML files from reports
Create a website to publish on the internet Yes Basic Yes On Ancestry server only Yes On Ancestry server only No Yes Advanced
Create website for publishing on a CD No No No No Yes Advanced
Publish a read-only copy of program and family file on a CD Yes No No No No
Import/Export Features Roots Magic Family Tree Maker 2006 Family Tree Maker 2008 Heritage Family Tree Family Historian v3
Import from a Gedcom file Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Export to a GEDCOM file Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Import and attach to existing file Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Import and check for duplicates No (poor) Yes Yes ? Yes (good)
View/Compare two open files Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Export part of a tree to a GEDCOM file Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Utilities/Backups     
Back up directly to CD Yes Yes Yes No No
Backup service on remote computer No Yes $9.95/year No No No
Store Contact details for living individuals in tree Yes Yes No Yes No
Extras     
Collaboration with relatives No No No Yes No
Extra Programs/Data CDs No No No Francis Frith Photo Archive No
Free Trial/Subscriptions No Yes - 14 day Ancestry.co.uk Yes - see packs for duration No No
My History offers the following table of features as a guide to help you choose the right genealogy software for your needs Roots Magic is now available from My History Click to see details of Family Tree Maker 2006 Range Click to see details of Family Tree Maker 2006 Range Click on 'buy now' to purchase Heritage Family Tree Deluxe Version 2 Click to see details of Family Historian Software
Sign up to the software newsletter and be kept informed about developments for your favourite family tree software. RootsMagic Edition v3 Family Tree Maker 2006 Family Tree Maker 2008 v2 (All editions) Heritage Family Tree Deluxe v4 Family Historian v3.1.2
  DETAILS SEE FULL RANGE BUY NOW BUY NOW style= DETAILS

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Last updated January 2008

My History
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Telephone: 01709 876633, Fax: 0870 166 6702, email: sales@my-history.co.uk
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