Family Tree Builder Review by Leslie Ann,  2 days ago

It’s useless. There is no pedigree view. When importing my gedcom file, it did not import the notes. It said there were issues with the tree and I could look at it, but could not save anything if I made changes.

Biggest Pro: None
Biggest Con: poor layout design

Family Tree Builder Review by George,  Apr 14, 2013

If your tree is small fine. But if it goes over 30000 it is too slow to be uefull.

Biggest Pro: design
Biggest Con: slow

Family Tree Builder Review by Christa,  Feb 9, 2013

Easy to use online. Great for everything if u don’t mint sharing without being ask

Biggest Pro: Loved it until….
Biggest Con: they sell ur Dates

Family Tree Builder Review by Angela,  Mar 25, 2012

Very easy to use and the “smart matches” that popped up were fun to look at (although a lot were “private” since I was not a paying member and only using the freebie). It took me a little bit but I figured out how to go back and correct/make additions to lineage.
The biggest let down was that when I was just beginning to really move along with entering data, I got the dreaded pop up; “Sorry, you’ve reached your limit”.
Even though, this is a great site!

Biggest Pro: Easty to use
Biggest Con: Limits number of family you can add to the tree

Family Tree Builder Review by Bill Keene,  Sep 18, 2011

It is a deception. Period.
You’ll see………

Family Tree Builder Review by Rob,  Jun 11, 2011

I have not used many family tree programs before using Family Tree Builder, but I can say I find it very intuitive easy to use. Graphically it has a nice display, and interfaces well with the myheritage.com website. I also like how it automatically backs up your work. The photo features, and ability to track people in photos thru face recognition functions is very slick. Also, the ability to share info across the world in several languages is equally helpful. One feature I really like is the smart match function, and ability to compare several other family trees at one time, and confirm information before you load it into your family tree. I am now using it to keep in touch with relatives, share photos, and stories. Not sure how well it interfaces with other programs, although the ones I have downloaded my gedcom file onto seem to work ok. I also like the customer service (prompt and helpful.) overall a great deal, whether you go with the free program or subscribe.

Biggest Pro: Ease of use
Biggest Con: Limitation of 250 names on free program.

Family Tree Builder Review by EJ,  Jun 3, 2011

Family tree builder is great if you are not going to publish to http://www.myheritage.com and will just use as a standalone product
Program is free, easy & intuitive to navigate.

Biggest Pro: Ease of use
Biggest Con: myheritage.com manages to f..k it up.

Family Tree Builder Review by Klaus Grande Øeegårdstuen,  Aug 6, 2010

I realy like this program

Biggest Pro: Easy to use and expand
Biggest Con: Needs a lot of memory

Family Tree Builder Review by Kristi,  Aug 4, 2010

LOVED IT…until I reached the 250 maximum person limit (Free Version) and couldn’t merge files unless I pay. Really have a lot of info loaded so far so don’t want to have to start over with different software but I also don’t consider $75 “inexpensive upgrade”.

Took a little bit to figure out how to make edits (children with multiple partners, divorces, etc) but easy enough once I figured it out.

Overall, very easy to use but unless you want to pay, you better plan to keep your tree small…

Biggest Pro: Very easy to use
Biggest Con: 250 person limit and no merge of data unless you upgrade to premium

Family Tree Builder Review by Alan,  May 14, 2010

Pretty easy to use program with a really useful ‘close family’ chart option (if tweeked).
Better than some programs costing £30+.
And it’s FREE!
Try out the commmercial ones before you buy one, I did and found FTB to be better than nearly all of them. Recommended.

Biggest Pro: Pretty good and FREE.
Biggest Con: Would be nice to have ‘all relatives’ chart option and be able to merge trees - but did I mention it’s FREE??

Family Tree Builder Review by Martin,  Apr 30, 2010

Pros:
+ Nice graphs.

Cons:
- No response from customer support in 2 weeks since requested.
- Some Czech characters (e.g. ř, č, ě) are not supported at all, although MyHeritage.com claims Family Tree Builder is fully localized into Czech language.
- Graph output into JPG file is only 72 DPI - far too little for large prints.
- Can have more graphs and reports built in (such as “All blood relatives” graph found in other programmes).
- No information on MyHeritage.com about what´s planned to be improved in the next version of Family Tree Builder and when

Biggest Pro: Nice graphs.
Biggest Con: Bad customer support - 2 weeks since I requested feedback to few questions (sent through their web form), I received no response.

Family Tree Builder Review by Arnold Buys,  Jan 28, 2010

After using a few other programs this one is absolutely the most complete and the most friendly to use.
A few technical problems at the start are cleared thanks to prompt, useful and adequate help via e-mail from and with the support team.

For my one use i would like to see more type’s of reporting possible. For example i would like to print out a list of all persons within a tree by alfabetical order. Other type’s of reporting using criteria defined by the user would be welcome.

(P.S.: sorry if i made some mistakes but english is not my home language)

Biggest Pro: Easy to use
Biggest Con: more reporting types would be welcome

Family Tree Builder Review by Michelle,  Jan 8, 2010

Very user friendly.

Biggest Con: Needs other ways to add other members of family to tree such as step parents and/or members who have children with more than one person.

Family Tree Builder Review by Angela,  Dec 17, 2009

This program is easy to use for a beginner. However, it crashes often and is sometimes very slow. Also, if you make a blunder in your lineage you CANNOT go back and edit. It is there for all eternity. Huge problem with the program if you ask me.

Biggest Pro: easy to use
Biggest Con: cannot edit lineage info. once it is put in.

Family Tree Builder Review by Paul,  Nov 6, 2009

Without a doubt, the best free software available.

Its one weakness is that additional facts are difficult to add and give the same status as the preset facts. If you want to add genetic information, such as yDNA haplogroup, or phenotypic information, such as eye colour, it gets hidden in the back.

On the other hand, the online publishing is better than for most if not all paid sites. The visuals are wonderful, with two separate types of viewing. It is east to navigate. The data can be manipulated to form different charts containing different data. I can share with others efficiently. It is a real gem. But, you are limited to only 1000 family member unless you pay for the service, but it is still probably worth it for the online publishing alone.

The reasearch tools that come with a paid service are heavily other user based and so lacking somewhat in relaibility.

If I had the choice, I would do my research on ancestry.com (which has LDS dedicated software that is not designed for those of us who are not LDS or who are interested in genetic genealogy), build my tree with RootsMagic4 (which does not have a dedicated publishing site) and publish online at myheritage.com (the home site for Family Tree Builder).

Biggest Pro: Online publishing is the best out there.
Biggest Con: Not designed for those of us interested in genetic and phenotypic genealogy.

Family Tree Builder Review by Colin Rout,  Nov 4, 2009

I think it is fantastic very user friendly and member friendly with all the features, I went on to a previous site the other day to check something and I now realise how limited that site is and how members cannot join in with anything on the site and how even as a member of someone else’s tree you cannot see some of the relatives.

Having read some of the other comments about the site and how we are sock puppets I completely disagree with that comment.

I have notice the date on them, they are prior to the new updated program which have a lot of new features, I will say if you have used this program before and found it not to your liking I would suggest you “TRY IT AGAIN”.

Biggest Pro: very user friendly and member friendly with all the fantastic features
Biggest Con: makes you want to use it more.

Family Tree Builder Review by Steve Woody,  Mar 3, 2009

The program is not entirely free. If you want to add documents such as Word, PDF, or text files, you have to pay for a subscription. The free part is very misleading. I played with the program for a while, then erased it.

Family Tree Builder Review by Tammy,  Feb 25, 2009

Probably the best free genealogy software out there. Excellent, intuitive entry of information. Amazing features for growing the tree like smart matches and smart research. Face recognition and tagging makes the use of photos much friendlier than other genealogy programs. And I love the publishing of the tree to the myheritage site to share with my family members. Warmly recommended!

Family Tree Builder Review by Mark Baldin,  Oct 9, 2008

A great way to broadcast your family history.
Keep up with family events (birthdays, Anniversaries etc)
The free membership allows 1000 tree names and 15 family members to join (sufficient for most families)
Publish to your webspace with one click.
Stores you tree online and on your PC.
Uses GEDCOM file format for easy transference to other programs.

Biggest Pro: Allows family members to view your tree & site thus encourages correspondence
Biggest Con: Slower computers will chug along when displaying your tree (uses Flash)

Family Tree Builder Review by Michal,  Oct 6, 2008

Great Software!