This comparison is written by Generation Archives, so we're not a neutral party. We've described Family Tree Maker using its publisher's own pages and linked them so you can check. Prices and versions change, so confirm on Software MacKiev's site.
Generation Archives vs Family Tree Maker: desktop research software or a free tree in your browser?
Family Tree Maker is long-running genealogy software from Software MacKiev that you install on a Mac or Windows computer and buy as a license. Generation Archives is a free family tree that runs in your browser and on your phone, with nothing to install. Both can hold a whole family, and both work with GEDCOM, so you don't have to choose forever.
The short version
- Choose Family Tree Maker for in-depth research on your own computer: hints from Ancestry and FamilySearch, syncing with an Ancestry tree, and a wide range of charts and reports.
- Choose Generation Archives for a free tree you can open anywhere in a browser, with photos tagged to each person, drag-anywhere layouts, and private sharing with invited relatives.
- Use both. Keep researching in Family Tree Maker and export a GEDCOM file to share a clean, photo-friendly tree with family.
Where Family Tree Maker shines
Family Tree Maker has been around since 1989 and is built for serious research. It syncs with an Ancestry online tree, shows hints from Ancestry and FamilySearch, and includes many charts (pedigree, descendant, bowtie, fan) and dozens of reports. It also has photo repair tools and a companion app, FTM Connect, so relatives can view a tree you share with them.
Where Generation Archives fits
Generation Archives has nothing to install and no license to buy. The app is free to use. Media uploads are limited: new accounts get 100 MB-years of free upload credit, and hosting beyond that is $1 per GB per year. Linking photos you already store elsewhere is free. Trees are private by default, visible only to you and invited relatives unless you share a public link. You can arrange people anywhere, keep several named layouts, and add any number of parents per person.
Side by side
| Family Tree Maker | Generation Archives | |
|---|---|---|
| Runs on | Installed desktop software for Mac and Windows | Browser and phone, nothing to install |
| Cost | Paid license (see Software MacKiev for current prices) | Free to use. Media hosting beyond 100 MB-years of free upload credit is $1 per GB per year |
| Research tools | Ancestry and FamilySearch hints, Ancestry tree sync | None. Generation Archives is not a records service |
| Charts and output | Many charts and reports | PDF, PNG or JPEG image of the tree canvas |
| Sharing | Ancestry tree sharing and the FTM Connect app | Invite relatives, or share a public link |
| Layout | Chart and tree views | Drag-anywhere, auto-arrange, several named layouts |
| Import and export | GEDCOM | Import: GEDCOM 5.5.1, GEDCOM 7.0, GEDZIP and Family Echo HTML. Export: GEDCOM 5.5.1, GEDCOM 7.0, GEDZIP, and PDF, PNG or JPEG (an image of the tree) |
Moving a tree from Family Tree Maker
- In Family Tree Maker, export your tree as a GEDCOM file.
- In Generation Archives, open Import / export and import it.
- Add photos. GEDCOM files don't contain pictures, so upload them or link photos you already store elsewhere.
- Auto-arrange, then drag people where you want them and save a named layout.
What the table means in practice
- "Installed desktop software." Your tree lives in a file on one computer, which has advantages: it works offline, and you hold the file. It also means sharing takes extra steps, and a lost or broken computer is a lost tree unless you have a backup.
- "Paid license." Family Tree Maker is sold as a license rather than a subscription to a hosted tree, and the license applies per computer, according to the publisher's own page. If you use more than one computer, check the license terms before you buy.
- "Research tools." Hints and syncing with an Ancestry tree are the main reason to use it. If you are not using Ancestry, some of that value does not apply to you.
- "Charts and output." FTM produces many chart types and reports. Generation Archives produces one picture of the tree canvas as PDF, PNG or JPEG. If you need a formal descendant report for a book, desktop software is better. If you need one big poster for a reunion, a canvas export may be simpler.
- "Sharing." In FTM, sharing runs through Ancestry or the companion app. In Generation Archives, you invite relatives by email with view or edit access, or turn on a public link.
- "Import and export." Both use GEDCOM, and neither carries pictures inside the file. This is the same limitation described in what is GEDCOM.
A fuller migration plan
If you have used Family Tree Maker for years, the first thing to do is not export. It is a backup.
Step 1: Back up the original
Before you touch anything, make a backup of your tree file using the program's own backup feature, and copy your media folder somewhere safe. If something goes wrong in a later step, you can start again from here. How to back up a family tree explains a simple routine.
Step 2: Tidy before you export
Desktop trees collect clutter. Look for duplicate people, unlinked individuals, and notes full of working text. It is easier to fix those in the program you know. How to merge duplicate people has a safe order of steps that works in any program.
Step 3: Export a GEDCOM
Use the export command and choose GEDCOM. If you are offered a version, choose 5.5.1 for the widest support. Some programs let you decide whether to include private or living people; decide before you click.
Step 4: Import and compare
In Generation Archives, open Import / export and import the file as a new tree. Compare the number of people with your original. Spot-check some branches. How to import a GEDCOM lists the things that most often change.
Step 5: Rebuild what GEDCOM cannot carry
- Photos and documents. Upload them again, or link ones that already have a public web address. Your original media folder is the source.
- Custom facts and tags. These may arrive as notes or may be dropped. Look at a few people who had them.
- Charts, reports, and layouts. They do not travel. Use auto arrange as a starting point, then drag people where you want them and save a named layout.
- Ancestry sync. If your tree was linked to an Ancestry tree, that link is a feature of the desktop program. It does not come across.
Step 6: Keep both for a while
If you continue to use Family Tree Maker for research, you now have two versions of your tree. Choose one as the master and re-export on a schedule. Many people do research in the desktop program and update the shared tree a few times a year.
When to stay with desktop software
Stay if you need its charts and reports, if your research depends on hints and sync, or if you prefer your data on your own computer. Consider adding a hosted tree if relatives keep asking for a copy, or if you want a place to keep photos and stories where everyone can see them without installing anything. If you do add one, read how to share a family tree safely before inviting anyone.
For other free options, see free family tree websites compared.
Frequently asked questions
Is Generation Archives free?
Yes. The app is free to use; it isn't a trial. Media uploads are limited: new accounts get 100 MB-years of free upload credit, and hosting beyond that is $1 per GB per year.
Do I need to install anything?
No. Generation Archives runs in your browser and on your phone.
Can I keep using Family Tree Maker too?
Yes. Many people keep their research software and use Generation Archives as the shareable family version. GEDCOM moves people and relationships between them.
Will my photos come across from Family Tree Maker?
Not in a GEDCOM file, which holds people and relationships but not pictures. You can upload photos or link ones you already store elsewhere.
Should I back up before I export?
Yes. Make a backup of the tree file and copy your media folder first. Exporting does not change your tree, but a backup means you can always start again.
What if my tree is linked to Ancestry?
The link is part of Family Tree Maker and does not travel in a GEDCOM. You can still export the people and relationships and import them into Generation Archives. Your Ancestry tree stays where it is.
Can I go back to Family Tree Maker later?
Yes. Export GEDCOM 5.5.1 from Generation Archives and import it. As always, photos and some app-specific details will need to be re-added. See how to export a family tree as GEDCOM.
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Related
- Generation Archives vs Gramps: open-source desktop power or a simple free tree online?
- Generation Archives vs Ancestry
- What is GEDCOM? A plain-English guide to moving family trees between apps
- Family tree software with no subscription
- Free family tree websites compared (2026): limits, privacy, and trade-offs
- How to import a GEDCOM file, and what usually breaks
- How to export your family tree as GEDCOM, and make it a real backup
- How to back up your family tree: a 3-2-1 plan