So now we know about some of the free options for building your tree, but what if you want a tool that will incorporate your family tree with some advanced research tools? Not to say that there aren’t some great free research tools out there (like the 1880 census and LDS) but using a tool that offers up all public records can make research much easier.
Standalone Options:
Even though these options don’t require an internet connection, all come with the ability to connect on an as needed basis to lookup records and other public trees. This works out well for anyone who is going to be carting around a laptop to grandma’s house where an internet connection is not available.
Family Tree Maker 2008 - $40
Ancestry.com makes this software, so it allows you to manage your tree locally and sync to your online tree, as well as take advantage of ancestry’s research tools (which of course, are more plentiful if you subscribe). The user interface is very friendly and beyond the basic tree building functionality it also has integrated maps to illustrate where your ancestors came from, a web clipper to help gather information from other sites and timelines. The one draw back of the 2008 version is it does not come with a nine month subscription to ancestry.com like Family Tree Maker 16. If that is something you’re really interested in (and you should be considering the price of subscription) you can still find version 16 on Amazon.
Legacy 6 - $30
Legacy is probably the best piece of software to use if you’re just starting out. Not only does it let you build and research your tree, but it actually walks you through research step-by-step by analyzing information about each family member and suggesting the best places to look. Another great feature is a full fledged publishing tool that allows you to create a family tree book (a big advantage over FTM that requires you purchase an add-on). Legacy has a basic version that you can try out for free here, then upgrade later if you’d like.
Web Options:
Ancestry.com - $150/year for U.S. & $300/year for World
This is what I use, so I’m probably a little biased, but I’ve yet to see another online tool that offers as much research functionality with a great tree builder. You have access to all of these records for the US or World, depending on your subscription: Census, Birth, Marriage, Death, Military, Immigration, Directories, Court, Land, Probate. Also you have access to a huge collection of other family trees, pictures, maps, stories, and publications. It’s worth every penny.
World Vital Records - $6/month - $80/2 years
I’m cheating a little here, because worldvitalrecords is not known for tree building functionality, but I want to take into consideration those of you who already have the tools to build the tree, but now need a service that will offer up extensive records for your research. WVR is extremely economical considering what you get, which is every record ancestry offers (with the exception of ancestry family trees, and member submitted stories & photos) plus the Quintin CD Library, World Gazetteer Collection, and you have access to international records for the same price. A nice little bonus for purchasing the 2 year membership is you get free tree building software.
I hope this helps if you’re looking to make a decision on purchasing software or a service to aid your research. This is just a starting point though, if you are interested in seeing a comparison of features for more applications check out a report card here.