5 Free Genealogy Software Tested (2026)

Building a family tree is one thing. Doing it in an Excel spreadsheet is another — and not a good idea beyond the third generation. Genealogy software exists precisely for that: structuring individuals, events, sources, and relationships in a format that remains readable ten years from now.

The problem? The options are vast, and the terms "free" and "freemium" cover very different realities. I spent several weeks testing the main options to cut through the noise.

What Good Genealogy Software Must Do

Genealogy software isn't just a tool to display a tree. At minimum, it must do three things:

Store individuals and their relationships. Names, dates, places, photos, notes. Without arbitrary limits on the number of people.

Manage sources. Every fact must be attachable to a document (civil record, census, photo). A tree without sources is fiction.

Export to GEDCOM. This universal format lets you switch software without starting over. If software doesn't support GEDCOM, walk away.

Everything else — cloud sync, archive access, AI recognition, collaborative trees — is a bonus that may or may not justify a subscription.

FamilySearch — The Best Starting Point, 100% Free

FamilySearch (familysearch.org) is managed by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Whatever your view on religion: their database is the largest free genealogical archive in the world. Billions of digitized records, accessible without a subscription.

The "Family Tree" feature lets you build your tree directly online, no download needed. The interface is clean, in English, and the automatic "Hints" connect you to documents matching your ancestors.

The key strength: the FamilySearch tree is collaborative on a global scale. Other users can complete or correct your branches. That's both a strength and a weakness: incorrect connections exist and require verification.

The limitation: if your family is primarily from a specific region or country, coverage may be thinner. US, UK, and Scandinavian archives are exceptionally well covered; other regions vary.

For beginners, this is the best free choice, full stop. If you've never done genealogy and aren't sure you'll stick with it, start here.

Geneanet — The French and European Community Platform

Geneanet is a French company founded in 1996, acquired by Ancestry in 2021. It remains the reference platform for French-speaking genealogists, with over 7 million trees online and a very active community.

The free version allows you to create a tree, add photos and documents, and search through other users' trees. Access to digitized archives (parish registers, censuses) is limited or paid depending on the collection.

What distinguishes Geneanet: the community dimension. If your ancestor appears in another user's tree, you can contact them. The "cousinages" — connections with genealogists who have worked the same villages — are often the source of the biggest breakthroughs.

Premium pricing: approximately €60–80 per year for broader archive access. For someone actively searching records, this pays for itself in a few hours of research.

Geneanet also offers a mobile app and synchronization between its online tree and the Heredis desktop software (both belong to the same group since 2016).

Heredis — The Most Comfortable for Mac and PC

Heredis is a desktop application developed by BSD Concept, a French company. It has existed since the 1990s and is one of the rare genealogy applications to offer a quality native app for both Mac and PC.

The free version (Heredis Online, accessible from heredis.com) allows you to create and manage a tree online. The downloadable desktop software is paid (approximately €60–80, with regular promotions).

Where Heredis excels: the interface is clearly designed to be approachable. Shortcuts are logical, data entry forms are well-organized, and the dashboard quickly shows you where information is missing. If you don't want to spend three hours learning software before starting, Heredis is the most accessible option.

Geneanet integration: if you're a Geneanet subscriber, synchronization between the two platforms is smooth. That's an advantage if you use both.

The family tree you build in Heredis exports to GEDCOM — your data is never locked into the software.

Gramps — Open Source, 100% Free with No Limits

Gramps (gramps-project.org) is the only genealogy software on this list that is entirely free, without a premium version, without a subscription, and with public source code.

It's a desktop application (Windows, Mac, Linux) that needs no internet connection to function. Your data stays on your computer — you manage the backups yourself.

Where Gramps excels: source management. If you like attaching a scan of every birth certificate to each event and citing the register and page number precisely, Gramps is built for that. Reporting functions are also very comprehensive — you can generate printable documents, timelines, and statistics.

The limitation: the interface looks dated. Gramps is developed by a volunteer community, and the result is functional but not always intuitive. The learning curve is longer than for Heredis or FamilySearch.

The family tree you build with Gramps can be exported to GEDCOM, shared on Geneanet or FamilySearch, and imported into any other software. Gramps is the natural choice for anyone who wants complete independence from commercial platforms.

MyHeritage Family Tree Builder — For AI Integration

MyHeritage Family Tree Builder is the free desktop software from MyHeritage, one of the world's largest genealogy platforms. The download is free, but access to archives and AI features requires a MyHeritage subscription (starting at around $10/month).

This software makes sense if you're already a MyHeritage subscriber, or if AI features — photo colorization, Deep Nostalgia animation, automatic tree suggestions — are priorities for you.

What distinguishes MyHeritage: the AI integration is the most advanced on this list. Automatic matching with other trees, "Record Matches" technology for finding records matching your ancestors, and photo restoration features are better integrated than competitors.

The watch point: the free software is a showcase for the MyHeritage subscription. Without a subscription, archive access features are very limited. If you don't plan to subscribe, FamilySearch or Geneanet will be more useful.

Comparison of the 5 Free Genealogy Software

Software	Fully free	Installation	Free archives	Community	GEDCOM export
FamilySearch	✅ Yes	No (web)	✅ Billions of docs	✅ Worldwide	✅
Geneanet	Freemium	No (web)	Limited archives	✅ Europe+	✅
Heredis	Freemium	Yes (PC/Mac)	Via Geneanet	Via Geneanet	✅
Gramps	✅ 100% free	Yes (PC/Mac/Linux)	❌ None	❌ None	✅
MyHeritage FTB	Free software	Yes (PC/Mac)	Subscription required	✅ Worldwide	✅

What the table doesn't say: the quality of experience also depends on your profile. Complete beginner → FamilySearch. Focused on European archives → Geneanet. Methodical researcher → Gramps. Mac user who wants comfort → Heredis.

After the Software: Bring Your Ancestors' Photos to Life

Genealogy software stores data. But the photos — sepia portraits, 1940s wedding photos, black-and-white school pictures — often remain frozen in a folder or album.

Once your tree is built and your documents organized, the natural next step is to bring those portraits to life. Over 12,000 photos have already been animated on Incarn — grandparents, great-grandparents, children grown into adults.

The animation works on old portraits: black-and-white photos, sepia, poor quality, partially blurred faces. The Seedance algorithm generates natural movement (breathing, blinking) from a still image. The result is ready in under two minutes, at $1.99 per photo, with a first credit free at sign-up.

It's the kind of gift that circulates through the family long after the reunion. Free trial on Incarn — no credit card required.

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To go further in your genealogical research:

• Start with FamilySearch — free access to billions of historical documents
• Upgrade to Geneanet for European and French community archives
• Use Gramps if you want full offline control with no subscription