- Family tree programs at a glance
- Ten genealogy programs and services
- The 72-year census rule from the US National Archives
- What to look for in family tree software
- Starting or moving a family tree
- Habits that keep years of research safe
- My advice for family historians picking software
- Frequently asked questions
The best genealogy software keeps your family tree where you want it, on your own computer or shared online, and exports it cleanly so your research is never trapped. Many good programs are free, and others offer a trial or demo. This page lists ten in no particular order, then covers how to choose and where records run out.
Family history has a habit of outgrowing whatever you started it in. A few names on paper turn into hundreds of people, scanned certificates and notes from relatives you'd never met, and suddenly the choice of program matters. The question worth asking first is where your data lives and whether you can take it with you.
Below are ten programs and services in no particular order, listed alphabetically, from free desktop software and a self-hosted option to collaborative online trees and a records service. Each description comes from the tool's own website, re-checked today. A few big-name sites are missing simply because their own pages didn't state clearly whether a free version exists.
Family tree programs at a glance
Yes means the site describes a free version, free download or free account, Trial only means a time-limited trial or a try-first demo, and No means neither is stated. A free older version or demo may lack features of the current release.
| Tool | Type | Good for | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ahnenblatt | Desktop family tree program | Long-running program with a free version | Yes |
| Ancestris | Open source genealogy software | Free desktop tree with no size limit | Yes |
| Family Historian | Desktop family tree software | Detailed trees and charts on Windows | Trial only |
| Findmypast | Records and family tree service | British and Irish record searching | Trial only |
| Gramps | Open source genealogy software | Private research on your own computer | Yes |
| Heredis | Desktop family tree software | Research tools with a try-first demo | Trial only |
| Legacy Family Tree | Desktop genealogy software | Reports, charts and record hints for free | Yes |
| RootsMagic | Desktop family tree software | Keeping your tree on your own computer | Yes |
| webtrees | Self-hosted online genealogy | Sharing a tree with family on your own site | Yes |
| WikiTree | Collaborative family tree community | One free shared tree built by volunteers | Yes |
Ten genealogy programs and services
Ahnenblatt
Best for: German-speaking family historians wanting a long-running program, with a free unrestricted older version and a demo of the current release.
Ancestris
Best for: Hobbyists after volunteer-built freeware with no limit on tree size that runs on Windows, Mac or Linux.
Family Historian
Best for: Serious hobbyists who want detailed desktop family tree software with strong charting and a free 30-day trial.
Findmypast
Best for: Anyone tracing British and Irish ancestors who wants historical records alongside a family tree, with a seven-day free try.
Gramps
Best for: Built by its community for hobbyists and professionals who want free genealogy software that keeps their data on their own computer.
Heredis
Best for: Family historians who'd like a full desktop program with research help and an assistant, starting with the free demo.
Legacy Family Tree
Best for: Genealogists from novice to professional who want a free desktop program with many reports and automated record hints.
RootsMagic
Best for: Researchers who like their tree stored locally while still working with Ancestry and FamilySearch, starting on a free version with no time limit.
webtrees
Best for: Families collaborating on a tree online who want control of their data and can run it on their own web server.
WikiTree
Best for: Researchers who'd rather collaborate on one global free tree with sourced profiles and DNA connections than keep a private tree.
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The 72-year census rule from the US National Archives
If you're researching American relatives, here's a limit no software can get around. The US National Archives says that because of a 72-year restriction on access to the census, the most recent census year available is 1950, and that census was released in 2022.
That means record hints and searches in any program will run dry for US census records after 1950. For more recent branches you'll lean on family papers, letters, photographs and conversations with living relatives, so capture those while you can. Other countries have their own release rules, so check the national archive for each country in your tree.
What to look for in family tree software
- Clean exports: GEDCOM is the standard file format for moving trees between programs, so check it imports and exports both ways.
- Where your data lives: desktop programs keep it on your computer, online trees keep it on someone else's server, and self-hosted tools put it on yours.
- Sources and citations: good software lets you attach a source to every fact, which saves redoing research later.
- Charts and reports: handy for sharing with relatives who'll never open the software.
- Collaboration: decide whether you want relatives to edit, view only, or not see it at all.
Starting or moving a family tree
- Write down what you already know about yourself, your parents and grandparents, with dates and places.
- Choose desktop, online or self-hosted based on where you want the data kept.
- Try the free version or demo with your first three generations.
- Attach a source to each fact as you add it, even if it's simply 'Aunt Rose told me'.
- Export a GEDCOM file and keep a backup somewhere else.
- Only then add more distant branches and invite relatives in.
Habits that keep years of research safe
- Back up off the computer. One failed drive shouldn't take decades of research with it.
- Scan originals. Certificates and photos fade, and scans can be shared with relatives.
- Record living relatives' memories now. They fill the gaps that records leave.
- Mark guesses as guesses. An unproven link copied by others spreads fast.
A simple cloud storage setup keeps a copy of your tree file and scans safe if your computer fails, and turning scans into searchable text can make old typed letters and documents far easier to search.
Do you make genealogy or family tree software? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
My advice for family historians picking software
Start free. Plenty of capable desktop programs and shared trees don't charge anything, and a free tool will carry your first few hundred people comfortably. Choose based on where you want your data to live, then check it exports a clean file before you type in a single name.
If most of your ancestors are British or Irish, a records service alongside your own software makes sense, because records are what move research forward. And keep the master copy of your tree somewhere you control, whatever online services you also use.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best free genealogy software?
There are several good free options, from open source desktop programs to free versions of commercial software and collaborative online trees. Pick by where you want your data kept.
Should I keep my family tree online or on my computer?
Desktop keeps it private and in your control, while online makes sharing and collaboration easier. Many people keep a desktop master and share a copy.
What is a GEDCOM file?
It's the standard file format for family tree data, used to move a tree between programs. Export one regularly as a backup.
Why can't I find US census records after 1950?
The US National Archives says a 72-year restriction on access applies, so 1950 is the most recent census available.
Can I move my tree from one program to another?
Usually, by exporting a GEDCOM file and importing it. Some notes, media links or custom fields may not carry over, so check after the move.
Can genealogy software handle DNA results?
Some tools and shared trees link DNA connections to profiles. The DNA testing itself happens through separate testing companies.
