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RootsMagic vs. Family Tree Maker

RootsMagic and Family Tree Maker are both desktop genealogy programs for Windows and Mac that work with Ancestry. Here's how they compare, and how to try RootsMagic with your own Family Tree Maker file, free.

Family Tree Maker 2024 details are from its Companion Guide and help, the US price as of October 2026, and RootsMagic’s testing of older files. Family Tree Maker is a product of Software MacKiev.
 RootsMagicFamily Tree Maker
PriceFree edition (Essentials), or the full version for $29.95, a one-time purchase with free updates to RootsMagic 12About $80, one-time purchase; TreeVault cloud services are a separate subscription
Free editionYes, RootsMagic Essentials, with no time limitNo free or trial version
ComputersWindows and MacWindows and Mac
Ancestry treesDownload and upload trees; TreeShare shares changes both ways (full version)Download, upload, and sync trees (FamilySync)
FamilySearch Family TreeDownload a starting person and the generations you choose, and share changes both ways (FamilySearch Certified; free in Essentials)One way only: download a branch, match people, and add FamilySearch records to your tree
Record hintsWebHints from Ancestry, FamilySearch, MyHeritage, and FindmypastHints from Ancestry and FamilySearch
Reports and chartsMore than 100, plus wall charts as large as you need (full version)About 40: 10 chart types and about 30 reports
Save reports as filesPDF, Word (DOCX), RTF, Excel (XLSX), CSV, EPUB, HTML, Markdown, text, and SVG images (full version)PDF, Word (DOCX), CSV, HTML, and images
DNARecord DNA matches, with Leeds Method clustering and a DNA kinship list (full version)DNA charts with the Charting Companion add-on, sold separately
Latter-day Saint featuresFind, reserve, and track temple ordinances through FamilySearchRecord and report LDS ordinances
Run from a USB flash driveYes, on Windows, Mac, or bothNo; it must be installed on the computer's hard drive
Older Family Tree Maker filesImports Family Tree Maker 3 and laterImports Family Tree Maker 5 and later
Imports files fromFamily Tree Maker (version 3 through 2024), Legacy Family Tree, PAF, The Master Genealogist, Family Origins, and GEDCOMLegacy Family Tree, PAF, and GEDCOM

Moving from Family Tree Maker?

RootsMagic reads your Family Tree Maker file directly, so your people, places, sources, and media come over without exporting first. Free RootsMagic Essentials does it too, on Windows and Mac. See how to bring your tree over.

Try RootsMagic with your own tree

Download RootsMagic Essentials free and import your Family Tree Maker file. When you're ready for more, the full version is a one-time purchase of $29.95.

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Questions

Yes. RootsMagic imports Family Tree Maker files directly, from Family Tree Maker 3 through Family Tree Maker 2024, with your people, places, sources, and media. Moving from Family Tree Maker.

Yes. RootsMagic Essentials is free with no time limit, and it imports Family Tree Maker files too. Unlock the full version later with a registration key.

Yes. RootsMagic downloads and uploads Ancestry trees, and with the full version, TreeShare shares changes both ways and shows Ancestry hints inside RootsMagic. More about RootsMagic and Ancestry.

Yes. RootsMagic runs on both Windows and macOS. More about RootsMagic for Mac.