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Genealogy Software for Windows

By Family Tree Editors Premium

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Price: $29.95
Manufacturer: Incline Software

Biggest draws: Compatible with Personal Ancestral File (PAF) and expands on PAF’s capabilities; fields to record DNA test results; many reporting options, including pedigree charts with sources and notes; PDF output; research logs
Drawbacks: Poor family view, add-on needed for a wide selection of graphical charts

Price: $14.95

Manufacturer: Sherwood Electronics Laboratories
Biggest draws: Google Earth-style interface, ease of use
Drawbacks: no wall chars, imprecise GEDCOM file creation

Price: $45 with manual, $20 upgrade

Manufacturer: John Steed
Biggest draws: charts and reports, to-do lists
Drawbacks: navigation, no HTML descendant report

Price: $69.99

Manufacturer: Calico Pie (UK)
Biggest draws: navigation by graphical family tree, automated source citations, customizable charts
Drawbacks: price, no letter-size pedigree charts, awkward steps for documenting sources and creating Web reports

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Price: $39.99; includes two-week subscription to Ancestry.com US Deluxe collection. You can install two copies of the program on computers within the same household.

Manufacturer: Ancestry.com, (800) 262-3787
Biggest draws: Wall charts, searching Ancestry.com, synchronizing online and offline family trees
Drawbacks: GEDCOM file sharing, documenting sources, book publishing

* NOTE: Ancestry.com has announced that Family Tree Maker will no longer be available after 2015, and support will end Jan. 1, 2017.
Price: $19.95

Manufacturer: Individual Software
Biggest draws: Easy to use, good family group sheets and pedigree charts, PAF compatibility, toll-free help number
Drawbacks: It’s essentially an old version of Ancestral Quest

Price: $29.95

Manufacturer: Thoughtful Creations
Biggest draws: Wide selection of printed reports, including excellent narrative reports for creating a book with a place-name index; many options for publishing your family history online; ease of use
Drawbacks: Overwhelming array of graphical chart options could benefit from some streamlining

Price: $10.99

Manufacturer: Individual Software
Biggest draws: Easy navigation, outstanding printed reports, toll-free help number, comes bundled with Progeny Software’s Charting Companion
Drawbacks: Essentially an old version of Ancestral Quest

Price: Free standard version, $29.95 download, $39.95 on CD with printed manual, $21.95 upgrade from version 6

Manufacturer: Millennia Corp.
Biggest draws: Ease of use, research guidance, charts and reports
Drawbacks: Pedigree view doesn’t show exact dates and places

Price: Free standard version, $29.95 download, $39.95 on CD with printed manual, $21.95 upgrade from version 7

Manufacturer: Millennia Corp.
Biggest draws: Ease of use, charts and reports, searching in your file
Drawbacks: Unintuitive icons for reusing sources

Price: $59 download, $69.95 on CD

Manufacturer: Wholly Genes Software
Biggest draws: Unlimited flexibility and customization; unique power-user features
Drawbacks: Steep learning curve
Free 30-day trial

Price: free download, $8.25 on CD with PAF Companion

Manufacturer: FamilySearch
Biggest draws: Ease of use, excellent help files, price, foreign language versions, well-designed print and Web reports, good graphical charts with PAF Companion

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Drawbacks: Reports don’t include alternate personal names; FamilySearch is no longer upgrading PAF

RootsMagic 4

Price: Free trial, $29.95, $19.95 upgrade
Manufacturer: RootsMagic, Inc.

Biggest draws: Ease of use, documenting sources, charts and reports
Drawbacks: Nothing major

RootsMagic 6

Price: Free trial, $29.95, $19.95 upgrade
Manufacturer: RootsMagic, Inc., (800) 766-8762

Biggest draws: Ease of use, data entry, documenting sources, reports
Drawbacks: Nothing major

Price: Free trial, $29.95, $19.95 upgrade

ManufacturerRootsMagic, (800) 766-8762
Biggest draws: ease of use, data entry, documenting sources, reports, publishing your tree online
Drawbacks: nothing major

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