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Genealogy comprises one of the largest categories of Internet resources, and it's a popular pastime with millions of people around the world, and more every day. MyHeritage's Family Tree Builder is a free genealogical tool that makes it super-easy to get started mapping out your family history using a variety of resources. It includes many up-to-date features, such as Face Recognition Technology for identifying ancestors in old photographs and the ability to publish your family tree online so others can compare their research to yours. It can import GEDCOM data, too.
We've seen many genealogy tools, but Family Tree Builder is one of the most complete freeware tools we've seen. The program's setup wizard requires registering for the free online database and publishing services, but it's quick and unobtrusive, and much of the information is optional. A Greetings message, Quick Start Wizard, and other assistance made getting started with Family Tree Builder a cinch, and we had no trouble accessing our new account, though we opted not to publish our test account online at MyHeritage's site. Family Tree Builder is centered on Projects, each of which can have a primary and secondary language. Its Immersive 3D Trees give it an up-to-date look and feel. Like many such tools, it uses wizards for adding family members and other data. We barely scratched the surface of this free tool's capabilities, but there's also a premium version that offers more features for users who outgrow it, including improved map support and advanced searches. We recommend starting with the freeware to see how you like Family Tree Builder, since you can save and export your data for use in other programs. We agree with Family Tree Builder's publisher that many users will like their tools.
Part of the fun of genealogy is the way your research and contacts tend to multiply, such as when you find a distant cousin who has researched your family from another starting point. It can bring families closer even as it makes them much, much bigger. With Family Tree Builder, small acorns can grow into mighty oaks more quickly than you'd think.
Publisher's Description
From MyHeritage:
Family Tree Builder is a brand new, free, and original program for amateur and professional genealogy fans. Packing the most innovative features developed for genealogy in the past decade, such as Face Recognition Technology, Visual Data Entry, Immersive 3D Trees, and Online Family Tree Publishing, it is highly intuitive and a pleasure to use. Create your family tree easily or import GEDCOM, print great charts and reports. Family Tree Builder supports 12 languages.
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All versions:
3.2 starsout of 91 votes
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Current version:
3.0 starsout of 16 votes
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My rating:
Write review
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"Works enough we need."
Version: Family Tree Builder 6.0.0.5634
Pros
Has all features we need to make our posts to keep our family connected.
Cons
Premium version could be a little bit cheaper
Summary
Works.
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"Useful, but a work in progress"
Version: Family Tree Builder 6.0.0.5634
Pros
Good basic genealogy program with all necessary features. Easy to use and understand. Gives some decent basic charts quickly and easily. Smart Matches (tm) link with amazing facility to other family trees. Support team friendly, responsive. I particularly like the Consistency Checker, which checks for sibs born too close together, child marriages, misspellings, etc. Record Matches (tm) offers real promise once they get it working properly.
Cons
New software still under development. Perfectly good for beginners and hobbyists.
Some glitches (that do not affect basic function but that drive me nuts): not enough control over Smart Matches; filters don't work for Record Matching (to World Vital Records); Charts are useless; won't show multiple spouses in one view; needs better templates for citing sources.
The ability to publish a tree online is useful for sharing with family and other researchers -- you have the ability to control to some extent what information from an individual's record is displayed online. However, the serious user has too little control over the setup of the home page for the tree and useful features such as the Guestbook and Announcements are impossible to find when they should be right up front.
And a big flaw -- you may mark certain individuals as "Private" but a Smart Match can link right to them in somebody else's tree. There's NO privacy on the Internet.Summary
Used Family Tree Maker since back when Broderbund released it. I have worked with FTB for over a year now; prefer it to FTM in many ways. Purchased a Premium subscription and plan to continue it.
You can probably tell I have a love-hate relationship with FTB V6.0 and I look forward eagerly to V7 -
"Easy-to-use and organise"
Version: Family Tree Builder 6.0.0.5634
Pros
This software is very easy to use, especially for those who have not had the opportunity to use genealogy software before. With it you can create a variety of useful reports, family trees in various styles, posters, etc. This software automatically links to your genealogy project, too, which you can update using directly from this program. You can opt to get Smart Match alerts emailed to you which can be very useful in helping you research your family tree. This is a great piece of software.
Cons
None that I can think of.
Summary
I meant to say that this software automatically links to your "online" genealogy project.
Updated on Nov 30, 2012 -
"Great Product"
Version: Family Tree Builder 6.0.0.5634
Pros
Easy to Use for First Time User
Cons
did not find any
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"Tracks your family tree"
Version: Family Tree Builder 6.0.0.5634
Pros
This program will manage your family tree - that is, it will store it and manage the information. It's easy to use
Cons
This is NOT a search engine, nor does it claim to be. You have to find the information or pay a service to find the information for you. A good place to look for information is FamilySearch.org. It is totally free to retrieve information, but if you want to see original documents, sometimes you have to go to an outside, paid service.
Summary
This programs is not magic. It does not wave a wand and trace your family all the way back to Adam and Eve for you. It can only store information you put in. If you don't want to do the leg work in finding the information to input, hire a service to do it for you.
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"I tried to download this software, forget it."
Version: Family Tree Builder 6.0.0.5634
Pros
There is not one that I can give you thank you.
Cons
Con do you want a list download didn't happen, virus I got, that's what happen when I tried this program. No thank you.
Summary
I do not recommend this product of Windows XP.
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"Really lacking as a Tree maker"
Version: Family Tree Builder 6.0.0.5634
Pros
Ideal family tree management
Cons
LOUSY in its freedom to be used without a paid membership at MyHeritage.com
Although they advertise they allow free access, it is quite limited to only 500 family members (I have 780), Although they SAY I have 35 matches, they do not allow you to access any of the matches with out a paid membership. Since it is so limited I will be removing my 510 person family tree. I dont see letting them use it freely with out me being able to use theirs fresly.Summary
Useless without a membership and it therefore NOT FREE!!
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"Waste of time"
Version: Family Tree Builder 6.0.0.5634
Pros
Can't think of any
Cons
Read my database and said I was not related to my mother; go figure
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"Great Program"
Version: Family Tree Builder 6.0.0.5634
Pros
Easy to use. I started using it right away without using the help manual. Easily customized. It is easy to enter information and has customizable fields to show different information.
Cons
Unable to show ex-spouses and current spouses at the same time. Can't re-size the boxes to show more or less information about the people. I wish I could change the size of printouts.
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"Limited software"
Version: Family Tree Builder 6.0.0.5634
Pros
The organization seems to be OK. Built-in error checker. Loads gedcom files.
Cons
That 250 person limit on the free version will kill you. The family members are spread out too far on the screen. It appears that printing a family tree is only available on the paid version.
Summary
It has all of the whistles and bells, but most of them are only available on the premium version.
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