Believe it or not, there are some extremely high-quality, fully-featured, free genealogy programs out there, and I’ve collected a list below. Some things to note:
- I’m not including free online services such as FamilySearch.
- I am NOT including demo/trial programs with a few exceptions (listed below) – the software must be fully usable (or useful in a demo mode)
- There are a lot of free genealogy-related apps for Google Android (phones/tablets) and Apple’s iOS/iPadOS (iPhone/iPad) platforms as well as browser add-ons. I’m only including a small selection, and will be expanding this later.
- Finally: All genealogy software and apps listed below are currently supported. I’m not going to include software that is no longer supported, such as Personal Ancestral File 5, even if it was free and still widely used. I may update this list with unsupported software later on. Because somebody will ask me about PAF.
Scroll down past this table for more free genealogy software, and spreadsheets and databases.
Free genealogy software, both database and utilities, for Windows, Mac, and Linux platforms.
Last updated: 26 September 2024 (changelog)
| Name | Win | Mac | Linux | Download / Notes | |
 | Ancestral Quest Basics | Download: AncQuest.com Free version of Ancestral Quest | |||
 | Aldfaer 11 (Dutch) | Download: Aldfaer.net | |||
 | Ancestor Tree Manager (Java) | Download: AncestorTreeManager.sivworks.nl | |||
 | Ancestris (Java) | Download: Ancestris.org Developed since 1998 | |||
 | Familienbande “Family Ties” | Download: familienbande-genealogie.de | |||
 | FTAnalyzer Family Tree Analyzer | Download: http://ftanalyzer.com Utility that analyzes family trees / GEDCOMs | |||
 | Family Tree Builder | Download: https://www.myheritage.com/family-tree-builder Owned by MyHeritage.com | |||
 | GEDCOM Validator | Download: GEDCOM Validator (chronoplexsoftware.com) Validates a wide range of GEDCOM files. | |||
 | GEDitCOM II | Download: GEDitCOM.com Limited to only reading GEDCOM files. | |||
 | Gramps | Download: https://gramps-project.org/ Open-source Project, since 2001 | |||
 | Legacy Family Tree 10 | Download: https://legacyfamilytree.com Fully free (previous versions were paid) Owned by MyHeritage.com | |||
 | My Family Tree Chronoplex | Download: My Family Tree™ (chronoplexsoftware.com) | |||
 | Relatives LIGHT | Download: GenealogySoft.com | |||
 | RootsMagic 10 Essentials | Download: RootsMagic.com Free version of RootsMagic 10 Some limitations, but not many. | |||
 | XY Family Tree | Download: https://xyfamilytree.com/ |
Free Online Genealogy Software (Requires Web Hosting)
- Genealogica Grafica – Website – Windows/online output
- Geneotree – GeneoTree download | SourceForge.net
- Gigatrees – https://gigatrees.com – Online family tree website generator
- Hirtius A Historical Research Assistant – https://hirtius.sourceforge.io/ (see this write-up for details – it’s not a full-fledged genealogy program, but more of a basically historical/genealogical site)
- HuMo-genealogy – https://humo-gen.com/wp/ – Online family tree
- MemoryKeeper – Personal Research – Memory Keeper — (clsturgeon.github.io)
- webtrees – PHP/based webtrees.net – Online family tree
Free Mobile Genealogy Apps and Utilities
Note: Search for these in the respective app stores.
- BillionGraves (Google Android and Apple iOS)
- Consanguinity (iOS, Mac, Cousin Calculator)
- Family Tree Photo (Apple App Store) – Multimedia
- FamilySearch Africa (Google Android)
- FamilySearch Get Together (Google Android and Apple IOS)
- Find A Grave (Google Android and Apple IOS)
- iMeUsWe: Famliy Tree & Stories (Google Android and Apple IOS) – Indian Social Media+Genealogy
- MyHeritage Family Tree and DNA (Google Android and Apple IOS)
- Quick Family Tree (Google Android and Apple IOS)
- RootsTech 2024 (Google Android and Apple IOS)
- Together by FamilySearch (Google Android/Apple IOS) – Social Media for Genealogy
GEDCOM/Research Utilities
- CoreGen3 Genealogy Analysis Workbench (Windows) (Mac US Store)
- GEDCOM Lexer Plugin for Notepad++ (write-up here on GenealogySoftware.net)
- Windows + Notepad++
- GenScriber (Write-up here on GenealogySoftware.net) – Mac, Windows, Linux
- Oxy-Gen – Convert GEDCOM Files (HTML, XL, etc.) (Website)
Free Apple Watch Genealogy Apps
- FamilySearch Tree 5.0.0 (Apple App Store)
Free Apple Vision Genealogy Apps
- Family-Tree App (Apple App Store) – Database
- GravFoto (Apple App Store) – Swedish, Cemetery
- iMeUsWe: Famliy Tree & Stories – Indian Social Media + Genealogy
- Quick Family Tree (Apple App Store) – Database
Free Browser Extensions/Add-Ons
Note: Search for these in the respective browser add-ons.
- Family Tree Validator Browser Extension (Chrome)
- WikiTree Browser Extension (Safari, Chrome, Firefox)
- WikiTree Sourcer Extension (Safari, Chrome, Firefox)
Using Spreadsheets as Genealogy Software
- Excel2GED
- Free Genealogy Tool for Analyzing Census Data (youtube.com)
- How To Create A Drag & Drop Family Tree Maker In Excel – YouTube
- Excel Has A Family Tree Generator – It’s A Bit Odd! (youtube.com)
- How to make a Family Tree using Excel, Numbers, Sheets (youtube.com)
- Family TreeXcel – Create, Organize, and Display your family tree and ancestry data using Excel & VBA (youtube.com)
Using Microsoft Access for Genealogy Research
- Microsoft Access Genealogy Database. Track Ancestry. Build a Family Tree. Self Join. (youtube.com)
- Microsoft Access – Genealogy Database (youtube.com)
- Microsoft Access for Genealogy: DNA Cousin Matches (youtube.com)
- Microsoft Access for Genealogy: Research Logs – YouTube
Free OS/2 Genealogy Software
- Web Family Tree (display online) Web Family Tree (pmoylan.org)
Changelog – Added Genealogy Software
- 6 Oct 2024
- GenScriber (Utility, Win, Mac, Linux)
- 26 Sep 2024
- Consanguinity (Utility, iOS/Mac)
- Genealogica Grafica (Online, Win)
- 24 Sep 2024
- Oxy-Gen (GEDCOM/Utility, Win)
- Relatives LIGHT (Database, Win)
- XYFT (Database, Win)