Here at Software Selection we are impartial as we no allegiance to any manufacturer or retailer. 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.
| This table offers the following table of features as a guide to help you choose the right genealogy software for your needs | ![]() |
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| Software title | RootsMagic Edition 4 |
Family Tree Maker 2006 | Family Tree Maker 2008 v2 (All editions) | Family Tree Builder 4 |
Family Historian v4 | Family Tree maker 2010 |
| Price | ||||||
| Amazon UK | Awaiting details | Awaiting details | Awaiting details | £not available | Awaiting details | £19.99 |
| My History | £24.90 | from £12.45 | from £14.95 | not available | £35.50 | From £18.95 |
| My History US(free delivery) | $29.95 | from $14.95 | from $38.95 | not available | $55.95 | From $29.95 |
| S&N/Genealogy Supplies | Awaiting supplier details | Awaiting supplier details | Awaiting supplier details |
£not available | Awaiting supplier details | Awaiting supplier details |
| TWR Computing (Free delivery) |
£25.50 | £9.95 | from
£9.95 |
£not available | £35.90 | £19.95 |
| Price Direct from author | £25.50 | £9.95 | from
£9.95 |
Free - £54.00 | £35.90 | £19.95 |
| Most recent edition | 2009 | .Aug 2005 | .Nov 2008 | 2009 | May 2009 | September 2009 |
| Operating System | W95-V7 | W98-Vista | XP/Vista | W98-v7 | W98-V7 | WXP-V7 |
| Evaluation Rating | ||||||
| Complexity (1-5) | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 3 |
| 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 computing and 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/Online | Home Computer | Home Computer |
| Instuctions | ||||||
| Getting Started Guide - Printed | ![]() |
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Deluxe & Platinum only | ![]() |
48 pages | Deluxe & Platinum only |
| Getting Started Guide - On disc | ![]() |
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| Main Manual - Printed | Available separately | Available separately | Available separately | ![]() |
Available separately | Available separately |
| Main Manual - On disc & printable | ![]() |
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downloadable Printable |
Yes 200 pages | ![]() |
| On-screen Help | ![]() |
Excellent | Excellent | ![]() |
Excellent | Excellent |
| Data Storage/Sources | ||||||
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| Multiple dates for a single event | ![]() |
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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 | Place names only | Places, Occupations, + more | 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 | premium only |
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Ancestry |
| Create Map Coordinates and link to Microsoft 3D Maps | ![]() |
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| Create a 'To-Do' list | ![]() |
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Excellent | Excellent | ![]() |
| 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 | 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Ancestor Tree/Pedigree | ![]() |
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| Standard Pedigree | ![]() |
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| Descendants | ![]() |
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| Hourglass | ![]() |
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| All Relatives Diagram/All-in-one | ![]() |
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Expected on free update in 2008 | premium only |
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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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| 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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| 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 | ![]() |
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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) | ![]() |
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Family & National(USA bias) |
| Multimedia Facilities | ||||||
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| Add Photos | ![]() |
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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 | Good | Excellent | ![]() |
| Create PDF documents from Reports | ![]() |
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No * | No * | ![]() |
| Family History Book Publishing | Excellent | Excellent | To be re introduced in a future update | ![]() |
Good | ![]() |
| Preview before Publishing | ![]() |
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Good | ![]() |
| Create publishers files from Diagrams | ![]() |
No * | Bitmap, JPEG,PNG, TIFF and more * | ![]() |
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| Create Ahnentafel report/book | ![]() |
Detailed Report | ![]() |
Book Format | Outline Report | ![]() |
| 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 | ![]() |
| Create a website to publish on the internet | ![]() |
Yes On Ancestry server only | ![]() |
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Yes Advanced | ![]() |
| Create website for publishing on a CD | ![]() |
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Yes Advanced | ![]() |
| 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) | ![]() |
| View/Compare two open files | ![]() |
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| Export part of a tree to a GEDCOM file | ![]() |
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| Utilities/Backups | ||||||
| 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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Francis Frith Photo Archive | ![]() |
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| Free Trial/Subscriptions | ![]() |
Yes - 14 day Ancestry.co.uk | Yes - see packs for duration | ![]() |
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Yes - see packs for duration |