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For an explanation of how we rank reviews, see our ratings criteria page.
by Rick Crume
Family Tree Magazine's website includes an archive of reviews from the magazine. Reviewer Rick Crume rates 11 titles for Windows and five for Macintosh in several areas. Crume says the "the best choice for… you depends on your personal preferences" but overall, he favors RootsMagic and Legacy Family Tree. This site also has loads of tips and tricks for genealogy research along with an active user forum.
by Editors of TopTenReviews.com
This side-by-side comparison is the most comprehensive review of genealogy software we have found. Although a full editor's review is included for each software title, the reviews don't compare the various… programs as much as we'd like. Legacy Family Tree Deluxe 7.0 and Family Tree Maker 2009 Essentials are the highest rated. The editors feel that both are quality products with good features and options. RootsMagic 3 is rated number three on the list. Though the editors say it is easy to use with lots of reporting and publishing options, they point out that it isn't as "innovative" or "intuitive" as higher-ranked software. Ancestral Quest 12 is called a simple program for anyone wanting to get started in genealogy. The Master Genealogist is a "complex program" for people who are as serious about genealogy as the professionals are, but it might be overwhelming for a beginner.
by Kimberly Powell
Kimberly Powell, author and About.com's guide to genealogy, reviews and ranks her favorite genealogy software, noting that the ratings are relative because "the best software program is really a matter of… personal choice." She lists pros and cons for each program and assigns general ratings of 1 to 5 stars. Powell's top pick is RootsMagic 3.0, which she says is the easiest to use without running to the manual. The Master Genealogist 6.0 has the most sophisticated features, but it also has the steepest learning curve. Legacy Family Tree 6.0 is intuitive, and the basic version is free. Recommendations for Mac users include Reunion 9 and Heredis Mac X.2. We wish this review was more up to date, as newer versions of these programs are available. (ConsumerSearch and About.com are owned by the same company but are independent editorially.)
by Editors of Choice
This article, though severely dated, provides a good comparison review of several popular genealogy software programs. Eleven programs in all are tested for ease of use, performance and range of features.… Though Personal Ancestral File 5.2 ranks third in overall scores, it gets the editors' highest recommendation because it is free and simple to use. Other programs with high scores are RootsMagic 3.0 and Family Tree Maker Deluxe 13.0.
by Kylee Dickey
In this comparison between RootsMagic 3 and Personal Historian, reviewer Kylee Dickey says RootsMagic has been a favorite of hers because of its excellent features. The current version is even more… comprehensive, with the ability to import GEDCOM files and create shareable CDs. This review is mostly informational, but Dickey does offer the opinion that "RootsMagic is one of the most advanced programs that is still easy to use."
by Lisa Ruefenacht
Lisa Ruefenacht gives Family Tree Maker 2008 an overall rating of four out of five and labels it as a Editors Choice. Ruefenacht says that the program is "wonderfully simple" and "almost does your genealogy… for you," Readers, however, are not as impressed. Though there are only three reader reviews, each of them, who claim to have used Family Tree Maker for years, is disappointed by the new version. Readers say that the updated software is not user-friendly and is very slow.
by Jeffery Battersby
This latest version of Reunion was four years in the making. Jeffery Battersby writes, "The latest version adds dozens of new features and enhances dozens more, resulting in more than 100 updates to an… already excellent program." Some of the new features include exporting web pages and exporting records to iPods. This application is "beautifully designed, easy to use, and a pleasure to work with," according to Battersby.
by Jeffery Battersby
by Jeffery Battersby
by Kylee Dickey
Legacy Family Tree 5 (now updated as version 7) and The Master Genealogist 6 (now updated as version 7) are discussed in this review. However, Dickey offers up more product information than critique. She… does comment that "if you're new to genealogy software, you'll be more comfortable with Legacy." The Master Genealogist is said to have a "steep learning curve," which is fine if you're already familiar with this type of software.
by Contributors to Amazon.com
by Contributors to GenSoftReviews.com
by Kylee Dickey
This article spotlights RootsMagic Family Atlas, a software program that creates maps of the areas where your ancestors' lived. Kylee Dickey says that this is especially useful in helping to locate records… for your ancestors, since state, county, city, and township lines are not always constant. Dickey also claims that the program is useful in allowing readers of your family history to visualize the areas that ancestors lived. The software is not, however, a genealogy program.
by Jim Dalrymple
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Personal Ancestral File 5.2: Software For Recording, Managing and Sharing Your Genealogical Information (CD-Rom for Windows 95 or later)
 from Amazon.com New: $6.74 In Stock.
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Reunion 9, Genealogy and Family Tree Software for Macintosh
from Amazon.com New: $99.00 In Stock.
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