Family Tree Maker Review – Is It Worth Your Time & Money?

When you’re considering a tool like Family Tree Maker, it’s vital to weigh its robust features against its potential pitfalls. You’ll find an impressive array of tree-building tools and seamless integration with popular genealogy sites, making it a favorite among enthusiasts.

However, reports of customer support issues and technical glitches—like data loss and syncing problems—can’t be ignored. It’s an investment that requires careful consideration. Are the features enough to outweigh the inconsistencies, or should you explore alternatives? Let’s explore the essential aspects to help you make an informed decision.

Family Tree Maker – Overview and Compatibility

Family Tree Maker is a notable genealogy software due to its compatibility with Windows (version 7+) and Mac (OS 10.10+), catering to a broad user base.

Known for its strong family tree-building features, it integrates with major genealogy sites like Ancestry, simplifying historical record exploration. Its user-friendly interface is ideal for both new and experienced genealogists, offering smooth navigation and data management.

Family Tree Maker’s adaptability extends beyond operating systems, reflecting its strength in genealogy software. The one-time download cost of $79.95 may seem high but it offers long-term value without subscription fees.

While there is no free trial or refund policy, the software’s features and historical context awareness justify the investment, allowing unrestricted ancestry exploration. For those preferring physical media, DVD and USB options are available, though at higher costs.

Key Features

Family Tree Maker stands out with its impressive range of features designed to enhance genealogical research. Key highlights include its extensive collection of charts and reports, integrated web search functionality, interactive mapping tool, and more. These features make it an essential tool for genealogy enthusiasts.

• Over 25 visually compelling charts and reports for presenting complex family data.
• Integrated web search provides research hints from top genealogy websites.
• Interactive mapping tool with a database of over 3 million place names for accurate ancestor migration tracking.
• Photo Darkroom tool for restoring and enhancing aged photographs.
• TreeVault Cloud service for continuous family tree backup and data protection.

Media Organization

Family Tree Maker’s media organization is designed to enhance genealogical research with ease and efficiency. The software’s intuitive interface allows for seamless management of various media types, including photographs, audio, and video files.

Users can incorporate media directly from their devices or scan them into their family tree, making file organization straightforward. The profile picture cropping tool automatically detects faces for ideal cropping, ensuring historical accuracy in family profiles.

Additional features include the Photo Darkroom tools, which help restore and enhance old photographs. These tools are essential for revitalizing faded images, preserving family history in vivid detail.

Family Tree Maker also supports creating slideshows, providing an engaging way to showcase your family’s legacy as dynamic visual narratives. Overall, its media organization capabilities make the past accessible and visually engaging.

Cost and Subscriptions

Family Tree Maker provides various purchasing options to accommodate different user preferences. The software’s base cost is a one-time download fee of $79.95 for a single computer license. For those who prefer physical media, a DVD is available for $89.95, and a USB version costs $99.95, each with a $5.95 delivery fee. For families or multiple users, a Family Pack Upgrade allows installation on multiple devices for an additional $20.

TreeVault Cloud Services offers a three-month free trial for data backup, with a subsequent subscription fee of $1.99 per month. Accessing Ancestry records requires a separate subscription. Existing users can upgrade for $59.95, with a special offer of $49.95 for enhanced software features.

Customer Support

When considering the purchase options and subscription plans for Family Tree Maker, it’s crucial to evaluate the customer support provided by Software MacKiev. Users have highlighted several areas of concern regarding the support experience.

• The knowledge base, while available, often lacks depth in troubleshooting and assistance.
• Live chat support provides prompt initial responses, but follow-up can be inconsistent, causing delays in problem resolution.
• Email support is also a challenge, with response times extending over four days, which can be frustrating for urgent issues.
• Communication about software updates and pre-orders frequently lacks transparency, leading to user dissatisfaction.
• Users expect clear and timely updates, but often face ambiguity, impacting their experience negatively.

Enhancing these areas is essential to improve user satisfaction and meet the expectations of a reliable genealogical tool.

Technical Limitations

Family Tree Maker 2019 presents several technical limitations that may impede genealogical research. Users may encounter issues related to GEDCOM 5.5.1 standards compliance, Mac user connectivity, and unresolved bugs from previous versions. These challenges can affect data integrity, usability, and overall efficiency.

• GEDCOM 5.5.1 partial compliance risks data loss during file imports and exports, compromising data integrity.
• Mac users experience random logouts from Ancestry.com, disrupting research continuity.
• Persistent bugs from earlier versions lead to syncing issues and inefficiencies in media processing.
• The media workspace search functionality is inadequate, making it difficult to locate specific files.
• The TreeVault mobile app lacks media display capabilities, limiting its utility compared to other apps.

These limitations highlight the need for enhanced development and support in Family Tree Maker 2019.

User Experiences

Family Tree Maker has received mixed reviews from genealogists. While its user-friendly interface appeals to newcomers, significant issues persist. Data loss during tree transfers raises serious concerns about data integrity, a vital aspect for genealogists.

Long-term users often express frustration over inadequate customer support, particularly around unclear upgrade paths and software functionality. Syncing issues further undermine confidence, with reports of data corruption and glitches following updates.

Many users favor older versions like FTM 2006 for their stability. Despite the software’s evolution, these recurring issues lead some to explore alternatives, questioning whether newer versions address past technical shortcomings.

For genealogists, choosing the right software is crucial, and experiences with Family Tree Maker highlight the need for robust customer support and reliable updates to ensure data integrity and user satisfaction.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Family Tree Maker Being Discontinued?

You’re wondering if it’s discontinued. Family Tree Maker isn’t officially discontinued, but it faces challenges. Software updates are sparse, technical issues persist, and its user interface lacks modern features. Data privacy, family history, and genealogy research remain priorities.

Does Family Tree Maker Require a Subscription?

Family Tree Maker doesn’t require a subscription for genealogy research. Its one-time purchase offers a robust user experience, with features like data privacy, cloud storage, and family collaboration. Optional integration options enhance family history and technical support access.

What Is the Best Alternative to Family Tree Maker?

Explore RootsMagic 10 for its Ancestry software integration and extensive genealogy tools. It excels in online family trees and family history research methods, with user-friendly features, efficient data management, and collaborative projects enhancing historical records and DNA testing.

Is Family Tree Maker Free?

Family Tree Maker isn’t free. As a genealogy software for ancestry research, it requires a purchase. It offers features like data backup, family trees, software updates, and mobile access, enhancing your family history exploration and user interface experience.

Conclusion

In evaluating Family Tree Maker, you recognize its robust genealogy tools and integration capabilities with platforms like Ancestry, enhancing historical research. It efficiently organizes media and offers diverse presentation options.

However, you should be cautious of its technical limitations, such as data loss during imports and syncing issues, which can disrupt your genealogical work. At $79.95, it’s a valuable investment if you’re prepared to navigate its customer support challenges and occasional software inconsistencies.