Family Tree Research and Tools recommendations?

[daragon24]

Hello everyone. I've been researching my family tree for a litte while now, and I mostly have been using Ancestry. Here lately it seems I am getting hints which are not reliable and the price is just a little bit outrageous for what you get. So I am looking for a new home to do my family tree research and development. If any of you have any recommendations please let me know. I was also curious about Myheritage and Mocavo are they any good?
Thank you all.

[McBlzr]

I have been most comfortable with Ancestry since 1999.
My Heritage never impressed me with their format.

[daragon24]

My only problem with Ancestry here lately is the matches and hints seem to be way out in left field. The soundex also seems to not be working as well as it used to. This might also be something to do with the recent updates. I like the new feel of the updates, but something over there is screwy. Also been debating if the cost is worth what documents you get access to compared to say a Mocavo or some other site. Especially considering half the documents seem like someone can't read or is in a hurry and writes in garbage names instead of the real names lol. But yeah, I find a lot of info on Familysearch.org, definately wanna keep the Fold3.com, I am leaning more towards Mocavo though.

[jsarnacki]

I like MyHeritage. For both, most offerings overlap. I did add ancestry again to get some of their search engines that MyHeritage does not have, but I think I will ultimately keep my main tree at MyHeritage. I will use Ancestry and Family Search while I am utilizing their resources (I like church records I have found at Family Search) but go back to MyHeritge in the end once I have printed/saved everything I want off of their sites. I don't use the family tree feature with Family Search anymore because I don't like how people can be merged and if you add someone already in existence, you can accidentally change your entire tree of ancestors that are attached to that person.

[hansonrf]

Ancestry, hands down...

The 'full' version includes Fold3 and newspapers.com membership. Not too impressed with Fold3 but newspapers.com has proven to be awesome.

The best benefit is using Family Tree Maker [FTM] on your local machine and keeping the trees in-synch automatically. FTM is awesome for reports, charts, and more complex manipulations [pruning/grafting, and creating sub-trees]

Pricey. I've looked at switching many times but can't find anything even close. Only wish they would accept as-DNA uploads, or buy GedMatch... They could OWN the market if they did... [IMHO]

[McBlzr]

@hansonrf

What version of Family Tree Maker are you using ?

[daragon24]

That's another thing I was curious about is family tree software. I was actually looking at possibly getting that Heredis 2015 looks like it has some pretty decent features. But also Family Tree Maker does seem enticing. I am curious, does a DNA test at Ancestry link to FTM?

I think as far as websites, I think I will stick with Ancestry even though it is frustrating from time to time. I'll Probably Get as far back as I can with the documents and DNA matches that I can. Once that's done I will probably copy my tree over to Myheritage. That World tree that started on Geni seems pretty intriguing to me personally.
As far as Fold3, I kind of like it, but it seems to have a lack of military records. Is there a better site with more military records?
Newspapers.com is one I wasn't so impressed with. But most of my family settled in rural areas so they probably just haven't added newspapers from those areas yet.

[hansonrf]

@hansonrf

What version of Family Tree Maker are you using ?

FTM 2014. They run specials every now and then for $30-$35...

Bob H.

[McBlzr]

FTM 2014. They run specials every now and then for $30-$35...

Bob H.

Thanks, I need to upgrade from my FTM 2011 version.

I think I originally started with FTM v-6 or V-7 back in 1999.

[Bartot]

I gave away wikitree and ancestry ( awful systems )and now use MyHeritage with Familysearch. These 2 combined have doubled my family tree within 6 months.

Just upload your MyHeritage tree in familysearch and then compare within familysearch the 2 trees.

Once finished, within a week , in MyHeritage you will receive links to people in familytree that you do not have in MyHeritage

I also use geneanet for my continental European ancestors

[georgian1950]

Family Tree Maker being dropped by Ancestry.com

Any recommendations about what to use for making family trees now that FTM is on its way out?

Jack

[Time Traveler]

I've been using Legacy Family Tree since its inception. Transferred from FTM. You can download a free standard edition and try it out. You need to purchase the regular edition to get all of the wonderful bells and whistles. They do not charge you when they fix bugs and stuff. FTM always copied Legacy's features. Give it a try. http://www.legacyfamilytree.com/

[John McCoy]

I have used Brother's Keeper for years, because of it has always been easy to use. Roots Magic is also easy to learn and very widely used. Either one should be able to import a GEDCOM file that you export from Family Tree Maker.

[jsarnacki]

Ancestry just announced that they will no longer have Family Tree Maker. Support for current users are only guaranteed support until 2017.

[Jim Barrett]

Any recommendations about what to use for making family trees now that FTM is on its way out?

Jack

FTM isn't on the way out, only the support from Ancestry. I'm still using my 2005 version.