What free Family History Tree builder software would you recommend?

[Biggles50]

You get what you pay for.

Roots Magic 9 @ £36 for a fully working family tree building and usage software is hardly expensive.

It has the advantage of being able to download your full Ancestry family tree together with all the media via a few simple actions.

This is far better than using a Gedcom file.

[Leon47]

Thank you.

I've now downloaded the free version of RootsMagic and have had a play (and watched a couple of videos). I used a Gedcom file - I haven't used ancestry to build a tree, only to do some searches.

RootsMagic is looking good, although without the full features I can't actually see a view showing literally everyone in the tree. That is, I can't see all the brothers and sisters along with parents in one tree view. Would 'Descendants View' do that I wonder? It's not available in the free version so I can't tell.

Also a bit odd is that it shows 'age 0' for each person against their birth date but doesn't show an age for those that are still alive. It only shows an age against marriage or death.

I'll probably go ahead an buy the full version.

[Biggles50]

Alas Charting is not in my experience a useful feature of Roots Magic, it is by a country mile the worst software that I have with regards to said feature.

I have Roots Magic, Family Historian, Family Tree Maker, MacTree (Apple Mac only), & Reunion (Apple Mac only) and non of them does precisely what I want but Reunion is closest with the best Pedigree Chart.  Best not to ask why I seem to have accumulated so many different Apps.

I have not tried it myself but there are standalone Charting software available, the S&N Genealogy website has Charting Companion listed, this may give you what you seek.

BTW, a descendent chart goes from a specific predecessor forward in time and lists their descendants for as many generations as selected.  To clarify your kids and grandkids are your descendants, your parents, grandparents, GGP’s etc are your predecessors.

[california dreamin]

Try 'Legacy' it's a free download, very easy and intuitive to use.  I think there are also training videos which will help you.  I'm sometimes asked by the system if I want to pay and 'upgrade' but I've never needed to. You do not need to link to FamilySearch.

https://legacyfamilytree.com/

CD

[Spelk]

Leon, If you want to show both Ancestors and Descendants in a chart then that is what is usually called an Hourglass Chart and the chart I posted is one of those.
I have a copy of RootsMagic and (if the version you have is similar) then in the menu on the left is a "button" called "Publish" which will bring up a screen as attached. On that screen clicking on the All Reports and Charts will bring up the full list of all the different Reports and Charts which can be generated.
On the main working view which you use to input data (see attached) you can easily switch between different views such as Family, Ancestors, Descendants (list not chart), etc.
You may have already seen this for yourself if you have been trying it out.

[Leon47]

Thanks everyone for the replies. I had no idea that people used multiple types of Genealogy software.

Thanks for the explanation Biggles50 and for the suggestion California. I'll try Legacy next.

Yes, I see the 'hourglass' type of chart Spelk - that's the sort I mean. Unfortunately the free version of RootsMagic doesn't allow me to see that one, so I'd no idea that it was available. It's a pity the developers haven't actually supplied sample views of each of the charts - I've looked on the website and in various videos - no Chart samples.

Thanks again everyone.

[Leon47]

I just thought I'd mention (for anyone else who has this problem) that I've just had a quick response to my contact with the support people at 'My Family Tree' about the Reports not working.

They suggested that I check that my PC had the latest version of WebView2 runtime and if it did, to try disabling it in the 'My Family Tree' program, so that it "will revert to using the obsolete Internet Explorer rendering engine."

My PC did have the latest WebView2 runtime version, so I disabled it in the program, closed and then reopened it and all of the Reports now work fine.

[olives]

I'm reading this chat out of interest.

Brothers Keeper sounds interesting!

Years ago I used a software programme called Family Tree Legends (around the early 2000's I think it was).  It was brilliant.  You could easily see a Pedigree view, etc. 

But, alas, technology moved along and it is not compatible with Windows 10.

I'm now looking for something similar, preferably free until I know I'm happy with it.

[Biggles50]

I'm reading this chat out of interest.

Brothers Keeper sounds interesting!

Years ago I used a software programme called Family Tree Legends (around the early 2000's I think it was).  It was brilliant.  You could easily see a Pedigree view, etc. 

But, alas, technology moved along and it is not compatible with Windows 10.

I'm now looking for something similar, preferably free until I know I'm happy with it.

Roots Magic Essential is free, it is a limited feature of the full version

Family Historian has a 30 free trial

Legacy is free for the standard version

Heredis is free but limited to a tree of 50