Updated on - Jan 29, 2022
With the advent of internet and advancement in DNA testing technology, now there are a lot of tools available for genealogy research. But not every tool is suited for you and your needs. To understand and choose each tool would help you make the most out of your endeavour of family research.
To choose the best genealogy tool for you, you must know what exactly is your ultimate goal. Whether you want to do historical research, trace medical backgrounds or just give yourself and your fmaily a fun onding activity. Based on your needs and the time constraints, you can opt for a different tool to suit that purpose.
According to the experts in genealogy and their experience, there are some key features that you should look for in a tool which are:
We'll present to you reviews on different platforms and make it easy for you to choose the best platform for you.
MyHeritage is the only online genealogy platform to present any serious challenge to Ancestry. MyHeritage offers more than 6 billion searchable documents, a clean site design, and some of the best genealogy research and presentation tools on the internet. The platform is available in 42 languages and has unique tools that translate surnames into different languages for more complete searches.
Ancestry offers a hard-to-beat mix of historical databases, family tree building tools, research assistance hubs, and matching technology that together make it one of the top destinations for budding genealogists. You can explore billions of historical records to suss out far-reaching relatives and ancestors and then chart your findings on an easy-to-use family tree builder that comes equipped with ancestor discovery features that utilize its enormous network of users to automatically connect you to other relatives. Though others in the field have begun to catch up, Ancestry is still a go-to source for millions of users across the globe.
A unique approach to genealogy, One Great Family is a global project that combines collective research into an enormous, worldwide database of genealogical information that has proven helpful to many embarking on their own research. The project’s database currently features more than 200 million entries, as well as smart algorithms that expedite the process by removing duplication errors, making it a huge yet accessible resource for people from all over the world to discover their family’s origins.
FindMyPast is a very solid genealogy platform for those with an interest in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and the United States. Offering more than 8 billion digitized records, FindMyPast has particular strength with UK and Irish records, including the 1939 British census. Irish, Welsh, and Scottish resources stretch back as far as the year 1200. It also offers good records resources for the U.S. and Australia/New Zealand. Unlike other genealogy sites, FindMyPast allows users to purchase access to individual documents.
Genes Reunited offers a wealth of genealogical tools and resources for those with British, Welsh, and Irish ancestry. Users have access to more than 515 million records that stretch back centuries and run the gamut of general censuses, military records, birth and death records, and more. Additionally, Genes Reunited offers easy family tree building tools and an active online community of users who share research tips, compare findings, and take advantage of the site’s quizzes, games, and genealogy-based hobby and craft rooms.
If you’ve hit a wall in your research, don’t have time to commit yourself, or need an expert to comb through the perplexing web of your family’s origins, Legacy Tree offers research services for hire from expert genealogists. Unlike other sites, Legacy Tree will do the work for you, and while it costs more than the other sites, and takes away the fun from making your own discoveries, it can yield some serious finds due to its experienced researchers and their access and research skills. Legacy Tree is a serious research service that will likely yield tons of ancestral and family history which you can take and integrate into your own family tree project.
Just as every family is different, every genealogy journey is different. It mainly depends on your preferences and level of commitment. First decide whether you enjoy sifting through documents yourself or if you’d rather hire someone else to do it. Some sites offer billions of historical documents for you to access, while others staff professionals who do it for you. It’s also helpful to think about what you’d like to do with your findings. If you want to build a family tree, you can use tree-building software that automatically matches you with relatives. If you want to scrapbook on your own, you may prefer a community-based site where you can compare notes and forge a more individualized path. Either way, there are many options open these days, and once you find the one that’s right for you, you can dive in. Good luck!
