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Family tree software comparison
for programs from £15.00 up to £50.00
| This table offers the following features as a guide to help you choose the right genealogy software for your needs. Please click on the link at the top of the page to view free software and programs with less features. |  |
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| Software title | RootsMagic Edition 4 |
Family Tree Maker 2006 | Family Tree Maker 2008 v2 (All editions) | Family Historian v4.1.3 | Family Tree maker 2010 | Family Tree maker 2011 |
| Price | ||||||
| My History | £24.90 | from £12.45 | from £9.95 | £35.50 | From £18.95 | From £23.95 |
| TWR Computing (Free delivery) |
£25.50 | £9.95 | from
£9.95 |
£35.90 | £19.95 | £23.95 |
| Price Direct from author | £25.50 | £9.95 | from£9.95 |
£35.90 | £19.95 | £23.95 |
| Most recent edition | 2009 | .Aug 2005 | .Nov 2008 | May 2009 | September 2009 | September 2010 |
| Operating System | W95-V7 | W98-Vista | XP/Vista | W98-V7 | WXP-V7 | WXP-V7 |
| Evaluation Rating | ||||||
| Ease of use (1[Complex]-10[Easy]) | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| users | Suitable for beginners in computing and genealogy | Suitable for beginners in computing and genealogy | Suitable for beginners in computing and genealogy | Suitable for beginners in genealogy | Suitable for beginners in genealogy | Suitable for beginners in genealogy |
| Privacy | ||||||
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| Data Storage Privacy | Home Computer | Home Computer | Home Computer | Home Computer | Home Computer | Home Computer |
| Instructions | ||||||
| Getting Started Guide - Printed |  |
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Deluxe & Platinum only | 48 pages | Deluxe & Platinum only | Deluxe & Platinum & World only |
| Getting Started Guide - On disc | |
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| Main Manual - Printed | Available separately | Available separately | Available separately | Available separately | Available separately | Available separately |
| Main Manual - On disc & printable | |
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Yes 200 pages | |
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| On-screen Help | |
Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent |
| Data Entry/Storage/Sources | ||||||
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| Multiple dates for a single event | |
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| Duplicate Person Warning | |
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| Space for sources | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent |
| Attribute a single source to multiple records | |
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| Add multiple sources to a single event | |
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| Automatically assign a source to fields as they are keyed | |
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| Create/Edit a list of Sources/Master Sources | |
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| Create/Edit a list of Repositories | |
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| Report of sources and where used | |
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| Working with data | ||||||
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| Colour code people to help navigation in tree | |
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| Create/Edit standard list of place names/occupations etc. | |
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Place names only | Places, Occupations, + more | Place names only | Place names only |
| Notes | ||||||
| Allow notes against individuals | |
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| Allow separate notes | |
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| Create a Source for Notes | |
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| Link separate notes to multiple persons | |
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| Research | ||||||
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| Produces blank forms for manual research | |
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2 Forms | |
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| Automatic Internet Research for Records | Ancestry, Rootsweb, Family Search | Ancestry | Ancestry | |
Ancestry |
Ancestry |
| Create Map Coordinates and link to Microsoft 3D Maps | |
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| Create a 'To-Do' list | |
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Excellent | |
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| Charts/Diagrams | ||||||
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| Diagrams are part of main program | |
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| Overall layout of Charts (Out of 10) | 3 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 6 | 6 |
| Ancestor Tree/Pedigree | |
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| Standard Pedigree | |
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| Descendants | |
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| Hourglass | |
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| Bow Tie Chart | |
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Yes - Siblings may now be included |
| All Relatives Diagram/All-in-one | |
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See extended chart in FTM 2009/10 | |
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| Everyone Diagram | |
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| Fan Charts | |
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Expected on free update in 2008 | |
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| Expand/Hide Branches | |
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| Click and drag on diagrams to add relatives | |
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| Allow repositioning of people in diagram | |
Limited on Descendant chart | Limited on Descendant chart | |
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| Option to print last generation vertically | |
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YES - Descendant and Hourglass charts only |
| Allow extra images to be added around charts | |
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| Allow sub charts to be added to main chart | |
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| Click and drag to rescale charts to fit paper | |
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| Prevent boxes printing over page joints | |
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| Save and edit customised charts | |
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| Synchronised charts | |
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| Chart Design Templates | |
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| Display Relationships on Diagrams/Charts | |
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? | |
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| Print a numbering system on Diagrams/Charts | |
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| Show same generation cousins as one level on charts | |
Descendant chart only | Descendant chart only | |
Descendant chart only | Descendant chart only |
| Decorative box borders (colour) | Colour only | |
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| Decorative page borders (colour) | |
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| Choice of Colours for text/boxes/lines/background | |
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| View/Edit individuals data by clicking on diagrams | |
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| Statistics | |
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| Time Lines | Family Only | |
Family & National(USA bias) | |
Family & National(USA bias) | Family & National(USA bias) |
| Editing of Time Lines allowed | Family Only | |
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| Multimedia Facilities | ||||||
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| Add Photos to Individuals | |
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| Edit Photos in Program | |
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Links to favourite photo editing program | |
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| Link Individuals to parts of a photo | |
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| Categorise and sort photos | |
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| Add Sound | |
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| Add Video | |
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| Reports/Publishing | ||||||
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| Narrative /Register Reports | Good | Excellent | To be re introduced in a future update | Excellent | |
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| Create PDF documents from Reports | |
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No * | |
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| Family History Book Publishing | Excellent | Excellent | To be re introduced in a future update | Good | |
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| Preview before Publishing | |
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Good | |
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| Create publishers files from Diagrams | |
Bitmap,JPEG,PNG, TIFF and more * | |
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| Create "Smart Stories™" | |
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| Create Ahnentafel report/book | |
Detailed Report | |
Outline Report | |
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| Create web (HTML) browser-based versions of reports for CD or internet publishing | |
Limited to creating PDF documents from reports & diagrams | Limited to creating HTML files from reports | Limited to creating HTML files from reports | |
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| Create a website to publish on the internet | |
Yes On Ancestry server only | |
Yes Advanced | |
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| Create website for publishing on a CD | |
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Yes Advanced | |
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| Publish a read-only copy of program and family file on a CD | |
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| Import/Export Features | ||||||
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| Import from a Gedcom file | |
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| Export to a GEDCOM file | |
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| Import and attach to existing file | |
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| Import and check for duplicates | No (poor) | |
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Yes (good) | |
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| View/Compare two open files | |
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| Export part of a tree to a GEDCOM file | |
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| Data Storage/Backups | ||||||
| Use with data stored on External Hard-drive | |
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| Back up directly to Memory Stick | |
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| Back up to External Hard-drive | |
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| Back up directly to CD | |
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| Use Program from a Memory Stick |
Program and data |
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| Backup service on remotecomputer | |
Yes $9.95/year | |
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| Store Contact details for living individuals in tree | |
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| Extras | ||||||
| Collaboration with relatives | |
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| Extra Programs/Data CDs | |
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| Free Trial/Subscriptions | |
Yes - 14 day Ancestry.co.uk | Yes - see packs for duration | |
Yes - see packs for duration | Yes - see packs for duration |
Information courtesy of www.softwareselection.org
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Last updated September 2010
My History
4 Mexborough Business Centre, College Road,
Mexborough, South Yorkshire, UK
Telephone: 01709 586758, Fax: 0705 343 7756, email:
sales@my-history.co.uk