Software

Software comes in many different varieties and types. We have listed some of the most commonly used software in two categories below, by the computers on which they will operate. We have listed them in the order of our preference, but as can be seen, there is quite a price range and variety of capabilities. However, it should be easy for the student to purchase good software for under $100. We have shown the list price on each software application; often the student may find a better price at the discount stores or online at a web site such as Amazon.Com.

Many of the programs listed below have free demonstration software available at their web site. Only Family Tree Maker provides software for both the MacIntosh and the PC. With each software program listed below there is a Link to the web site of the company that produces the product.

MacIntosh Genealogy Software

The list below is some of the Genealogy Software available for the MacIntosh computer.

• Reunion 10 Software is the software we have used for the past 20 years to compile our data and build our Genealogy Web Site. It is simple to use and has the most complete set of features. This software also works with the iPad and iPod. We would recommend Reunion to everyone. $99. Download a free demo version of this software.
  


• Family Tree Maker has many easy-to-use features that any family historian will be comfortable tracking. $69.99


• MacFamily Tree features multiple display options and data reports, including a 3D tree. This is a solid value even though it lacks a few features. $49


• iFamily is for a users on a budget who want a good value. $29.95


• Heredis The best selling Genealogy program in Europe with many innovative features not seen in other programs. You can synchronize your files on several devices: a PC or a Mac but also with your iPhone or your iPad. $54.99


• GenealogyPro offers web publishing options, but A lack of chart format types and other features makes this software less useful than other products. $20


• GEDitCOM is a new genealogy application for Mac OS X that sets the standard for ease-of-use, for editing genealogy files, for a customizable user experience, and for power features allowing the greatest access to your genealogical data

A review of the most common Genealogy software for the MacIntosh can be found on the internet at Software Review.

PC Genealogy Software

The list below is some of the Genealogy Software available for the PC.

• Family Tree Maker has many easy-to-use features that any family historian will be comfortable tracking. $39.99


• Legacy can directly search Ancestry.com, Family Search, Genealogy.com and many other online services. $29.99


• Heredis The best selling Genealogy program in Europe with many innovative features not seen in other programs. You can synchronize your files on several devices: a PC or a Mac but also with your iPhone or your iPad. $39.90


• RootsMagic is a simple inexpensive software tool. $29.99


• Ancestral Quest is a good starting level software with some automatic
  features. $29.95


• Family Historian is a good starting program that works well with photos. $46.50


• The Master Genealogist is a powerful product that will work well for certain
  users. $59


• Genbox Family History is best suited to a professional researcher, not the average user. $29.95


• WinFamily lots of features, but needs to be more user-friendly to be useful for a beginner. $119


• Famtree purchase software only if you can live with the most basic features. $20

A review of the most common Genealogy software for the PC can be found on the internet at Software Review.

There are many choices for Genealogy Software to use on a computer. One big advantage is which ever software a student selects today, it will not require that they use it forever. Most Genealogy software allows a user to save the data as a GEDCOM file. GEDCOM files can be imported by most other Genealogy software programs. So, a student could start with one software program today, and switch to a different program in a few years, and most likely never loose any of the compiled data.

If you are tracing your family’s history for eventual submission to the LDS church you will want to use software that supports the special fields needed to document the rites of the church. Check with your local Family History Center for suggestions.

We started collecting Genealogy information in the 1960's with data that was handed down from my Great Grand Mother. We started using Genealogy software in the 1980's with a program titled "Roots" for the Apple 2E Computer. A few years later we used a GEDCOM file to move our data to a different software program, and in the 1990's transferred everything to Reunion once again using a GEDCOM file..