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Last Updated: Oct 2024

Best Family Tree Builders of 2024
Reveal your family history

Choose one of the top providers listed below to discover lost relatives and build your family tree.

Our Top 3 Providers
Our Top Choice
MyHeritage
MyHeritage
exceptional
9.9
Over 20 billion historical records
Get Started
Ancestry
Ancestry
excellent
9.3
Over 2 million records per day
Get Started
BeenVerified
BeenVerified
very good
8.9
Extensive people search & family tree tool
Get Started
Trusted by Millions
1
46,665 reviews
by
MyHeritage -Best for global database & family matching
  • Over 20 billion historical records
  • 5.7 billion profiles
  • Trace your origins to 2,100+ regions
  • 14-day free trial & 50% off
Voicebot.aihighlights MyHeritage

“MyHeritage employed generative AI to create tools for finding records and stories of family history... AI Record Finder and AI Biographery.“ (Jan 2024)

exceptional
9.9
Visit Site
2
Ancestry -Best for reading through historical records
  • 4th of July 50% Off
  • Over 100 million family trees
  • Trace your origins to 1,000+ regions
excellent
9.3
3
BeenVerified -Best for searching for your relatives and family history
  • Extensive people search & family tree tool
  • Search for obituary records
  • Explore historical family data
very good
8.9
4
Findmypast -Best for English or Irish ancestry
  • Get a 2-week trial
  • Over 80,000 years of records
  • Maps ancestry across 150 regions in the UK
very good
8.9
5
Genes Reunited -Best for English, Irish, or Welsh ancestry
  • Get a 14-day trial
  • 3 membership options
  • Over 500 million historical records
good
8.4
6
Legacy Tree Genealogist -Best for hiring trained genealogists for custom projects
  • Request a free quote
  • Onsite researchers in 100+ countries
  • Save $50 USD on select projects with: SAVE50
very good
8.5
7
JustAnswer -Best for research advice from experts
  • Enjoy a one-week trial for $1
  • Over 12,000 genealogy experts
  • Unlimited chat available 24/7
very good
8.6
8
OneGreatFamily -Best for uncommon roots
  • Get a 7-day trial
  • Over 250 million pedigree-linked entries
  • Over 500 million historical records
Coming Soon

Looking to do a background search on a relative?

Trusted by Millions
1
2,078 Reviews
by
BeenVerified -Search detailed and up-to-date records on almost anyone, anytime
  • "People Search" with detailed reports
  • Affordable access to information
  • Highly-rated customer support
exceptional
9.8
Search Now

What You Need to Know About Genealogy and Family Tree Building Tools

If you’re one of the millions of people who’ve caught the genealogy bug and are itching to learn more about your family’s ancestry, you’ll want some resources to help you out in your genealogy research. After all, the ancestry journey to "find my ancestors" requires navigating the multigenerational web of births, marriages, migrations, and milestones that have made you uniquely you.

Luckily, growing interest in genealogy and DNA testing has made it easy for amateur genealogists to uncover deep insights about where they came from and their ancestors. With genealogy and family tree building tools, you can sleuth out your long-ago origins and discover more about who you are and where you came from and find your ancestors, all from the comfort of your computer.

Why do I need genealogy and family tree building tools?

Interviewing a grandparent can only take you so far. To truly learn about your family history and ancestors or build a family tree, you’ll have to go back hundreds of years or more.

Before family tree building tools, genealogy research typically included hours spent digging through government records, archival materials, newspaper clippings, and other resources that are likely hard to track down—or may even be in a different language.

This is where genealogy research and family building tools come in. Using vast historical databases and interactive tools, they do all the hard work for you by automatically retrieving even the oldest or most obscure pieces of information that can shed new light on your family’s history to build the most extensive family tree that looking for a free ancestry search or looking at free ancestry records couldn't provide.

And with state-of-the-art matching technology, they can even automatically match your family tree with others who share similar ancestors, connecting you to others who have important pieces of the puzzle—and perhaps even share your DNA.

What should I look for in a genealogy and family tree building tool?

Every family tree building tool is a little different. But hey—every family is a little different too. So finding the right one means making sure its features meet your personal needs and ancestral origins. Here are a few key things to keep in mind when shopping for a good genealogy tool for family tree and ancestry searches.

A large database of historical records

Having access to a large database of historical records is the best way to ensure a successful genealogical search. Most genealogical tools will give you access to some sort of database, but they may differ in size and scope. Some of the larger companies, such as Genes Reunited and OneGreatFamily, give you access to millions of documents, records, and archived information that can instantly and infinitely propel your search forward and give you much more than free ancestry records.

A relevant geographic focus

It’s important to make sure that the tool you choose can serve your ancestors’ geographic location. FindMyPast, for example, is a treasure trove for those with British and Irish ancestry, though it may not be ideal for those whose branches extend into, say, Russia or Asia. Some family tree building tools will have a general focus and draw from databases all around the world, while others are specific to certain countries or continents. It’s important to consider your background and make sure the tool you choose can access the right historical records.

DNA test or compatibility

This isn’t vital, though it may be important if you’ve taken or plan on taking a DNA test. Some companies offer tests and family tree building tools in one. Others may only offer the family tree software, so if you choose one of those and are interested in DNA tests, you may want to check whether you can upload the results from that DNA test company into the site.

Community forums

Genealogy searches are an exciting, invigorating, but sometimes frustrating experience. There’s no doubt that when you’re tracking family clues across centuries and continents you’re likely to run into some false-starts or dead-ends. This is why genealogy forums tend to be so active—discussing common obstacles and solutions with other, more experienced genealogists is a great way to improve your family tree. Many sites offer community chats and forums, and it may be worth it to find one with an active community and other helpful resources.

Get Building

The number of tools available for building a family tree and learning about your ancestry is rapidly growing. That’s good news. If you’re interested in finding out more about your family’s history and researching the best genealogy sites, you have many options to choose from. The tips above can help you narrow down your search and find the best one for nourishing the branches rather than stunting their growth. Then you’ll be well on your way to the exciting discoveries and connections that come from building your own family tree.

  • Make sure it supports your heritage (i.e. some are better for British/Welsh heritage, some focus on this or that place, etc)

  • Access to historical records - cross-referencing with other databases

  • Chat rooms and community to help you navigate common roadblocks

  • Matches your family tree with others who have similar branches

  • Interactive family tree builder

  • DNA test included? Can it accommodate results from other test companies?

Our Top 3 Picks

  • 1
    MyHeritage
    A large database of genealogical resources Visit Site
    • Exploring your genetic ethnicity and ancestry
    • Over 20 billion historical records
    • 5.7 billion profiles
    A large database of genealogical resources
    Visit Site

    MyHeritage is a name you’ve heard of if you have done any type of family research before. That’s because it is a major player in this field. MyHeritage currently has over 20 billion records, 5.7 billion profiles, 96 million users, and 82 million family trees under its belt. Those are impressive numbers. With an online tool that can be used on tablets, mobiles, and desktops, MyHeritage is a convenient option for research from everywhere.

    Read MyHeritage Review

    MyHeritage Pros & Cons

    PROS

    Huge database of users
    Website provides free basic family tree and photo features
    Access to vast record library

    CONS

    Health risk report requires paid upgrade
    Full-featured family tree services are expensive
    myheritage logo
    MyHeritage
    Visit Site
  • A large database of historical recordsVisit Site
    • Learning ethnic origins and researching ancestors
    • Over 100 million family trees
    • Trace your origins to 1,000+ regions
    A large database of historical records

    Ancestry has billions of public records on file. It offers a useful online family tree builder, making Ancestry a good option for anyone doing genealogical research into their heritage. The system is user-friendly, offers suggestions for possible matches, and has a 2-week free trial to test it out.

    Read Ancestry Review

    Ancestry Pros & Cons

    PROS

    Huge database of over 15 million people
    Adds family tree connections based on DNA
    Vast research library of billions of records

    CONS

    More expensive than other tests
    Saliva sample is less convenient
    ancestry logo
    Ancestry
  • Easy family tree connectionsVisit Site
    • Discover your roots and honor your loved ones
    • Access millions of records on the go
    • Explore historical family data
    Easy family tree connections

    BeenVerified offers a robust platform for genealogy enthusiasts, providing extensive access to public records, vital for tracing family history. Its user-friendly interface simplifies searching birth, marriage, and census records, making it easier to build family trees. A valuable tool for anyone delving into their ancestry, BeenVerified bridges past and present, bringing family stories to life.

    Read BeenVerified Review

    BeenVerified Pros & Cons

    PROS

    Huge database of information and records
    Competitive pricing plans
    Extensive public records search

    CONS

    Product requires a subscription
    Limited international records
    beenverified logo
    BeenVerified