- MyHeritage: best genealogy app for quickly creating your family tree, finding your ancestors, and bringing old photos back to life
- Ancestry: genealogy app for accessing a European historical database and a collection of American historical documents
- FamilySearch Family Tree: best completely free genealogy app for creating and managing your family tree
- FindMyPast: best genealogy app for exploring your English origins
- Heredis: best genealogy app for conducting genealogical research in France and Europe
Want to create your family tree or conduct genealogical research without wasting time? No need to try out dozens of genealogy software programs. After extensive testing, here is our selection of the most effective and powerful genealogy applications.
MyHeritage: the comprehensive app for exploring your family tree in Europe
The MyHeritage mobile app allows you to explore your roots and create your family tree. It includes over 30 billion historical documents, 81 million family trees, and, most importantly, intelligent matching technologies. With its Smart Matches™ and Instant Discoveries™ features, the tool works for you.
It compares your tree to thousands of others and can add entire branches or photos with a single click. You can browse historical archives or collaborate with other users. The app also includes image processing tools such as Deep Nostalgia and LiveMemory, which allow you to animate your old photos using artificial intelligence.
You can use it to view the results of your DNA tests. What’s more, all your data is easily synchronized across your various devices and can be shared with your loved ones.
Feel free to read our review of MyHeritage to learn more about its genealogy tools.
- Storage and organization of family photos
- Ability to upload and share photos
- AI features to animate images and create souvenir videos
- Automatic translation of names into more than 15 languages
- Multi-device synchronization
- Easy sharing of information
- More limited features than on the website
- Limited storage in the free version
Ancestry : The mobile app with a large database to discover your origins in the Americas
Easy to use, modern, and collaborative, the Ancestry app lets you create your family tree, add family members, and import photos. You have access to over 30 billion historical records to help you grow your tree faster.
As soon as you add an ancestor from your phone, the system searches through censuses, birth records, and military files to offer you new documents. From the mobile app, you can access your Ancestry DNA test results, view matches, and learn about the personal traits linked to your genes.
Check out our detailed analysis of AncestryDNA to better understand what it has to offer.
- Access to over 30 billion historical documents, photos, and records
- Integration of DNA matches and clues
- Simplified family tree creation and management
- Collaborative features for easy information sharing
- Photo scanning
- Automatic synchronization with online data
- Full access to features requires a paid subscription
- No offline mode
FamilySearch Family Tree: the completely free app
FamilySearch is unlike any other app in this selection. Managed by a nonprofit organization, it offers access to the world’s largest family tree. When you add a deceased ancestor, the system instantly scans billions of documents to automatically connect you to branches already created by other users.
The app allows you to capture and preserve the essence of your family. You can record audio testimonials, write anecdotes, and scan souvenir photos directly from the interface. Thanks to the interactive mapping feature, you can visualize the major events in your ancestors’ lives.
Your research is accessible anywhere, and you can collaborate in real time with other members via the built-in messaging system.
- 100% free access
- Explore billions of archival documents
- Integrated messaging to communicate with other users
- Add photos, anecdotes, and documents to personalize your tree
- Discover family ties with nearby users
- No offline mode to access key features
- Limited customization for creating complex trees
- Requires Android 10 or later
FindMyPast: the genealogy app for discovering your British roots
For genealogical research focused on the United Kingdom and Ireland, Findmypast is the go-to application. Where other software programs aim to be generalists, Findmypast shines with the accuracy of its transcriptions and archives that cannot be found elsewhere.
You can perform a search with a simple surname, create and synchronize an intuitive and fluid family tree. You can also consult the British censuses from 1841 to 1921, the 1939 register, military records, and a collection of old newspaper clippings.
In addition, the Findmypast app instantly notifies you (via push notification) as soon as a new clue or relevant document is discovered for one of your ancestors.
- Create and edit family trees
- Customized hint notifications
- Access to original transcripts & images of historical records
- Access to UK civil records and other historical documents
- Unable to create an account from the app
Heredis: the genealogy app that can be used offline
The mobile version of Heredis can be used without having to install the software on your computer. You can create family trees with an unlimited number of individuals in printable PDF format or import GEDCOM files. Its intuitive interface guides you from creating your first ancestor to structuring your tree with great flexibility.
But the real strength of Heredis lies in its ability to work in mobile mode. You don’t need an internet connection to view or add to your tree. So, during a family event or a visit to the town hall, you can capture documents with your device’s camera and link them directly to your ancestors’ records.
The application supports the entry of surnames according to French and Spanish legal standards. It also offers a tagging system to quickly categorize and identify branches or groups of individuals within the dynamic tree.
Read our review of Heredis to learn more about its features.
- Create and edit family trees that are accessible even to beginners
- Offline use
- Instant scanning of portraits, deeds, or archives
- Access to civil registry archives and other French historical documents
- Easy sharing of information in PDF format via email
- Purchasing the app and software can be a significant investment
- Only works with iOS 14 to 26 and Android 9 to 14 systems
- Less focused on DNA matches or international databases
Comparison of the best genealogy apps
| Application | Highlights | Number of downloads | User ratings/reviews |
|---|---|---|---|
| MyHeritage | Advanced genealogy tools | + 10 million | Playstore: 4.4/5 based on 251,000 reviews App Store: 4.8/5 based on 860 reviews |
| Ancestry | Large genealogy database | + 10 million | Playstore: 4.6/5 based on 172,000 reviews App Store: 4.6/5 based on 41 reviews |
| FamilySearch | Completely free | + 10 million | Playstore: 4.5/5 based on 52,000 reviews App Store: 4.6/5 based on 41 reviews |
| FindMyPast | Exclusive British archives | + 100,000 | Playstore: 4.5/5 based on 2,300 reviews App Store: 4/5 based on 630 reviews |
| Heredis | Offline use | + 1 000 | Playstore: 4/5 based on 59 reviews App Store: 2.6/5 based on 7 reviews |
What is the difference between an application and genealogy software?
Genealogy software is a comprehensive program installed directly on your computer (PC or Mac). It facilitates the management of more complex data and, above all, offers total confidentiality, since the data is stored on your hard drive without an internet connection.
Conversely, the application is the mobile version (smartphone or tablet) or a web interface linked to an online genealogy site. Lighter and more intuitive, it focuses on real-time synchronization, mobile access, and community sharing.
Why use an app for genealogy research?
The genealogy app centralizes all your research. No more need to open multiple tabs or switch between scattered Excel and PDF files. From your smartphone, you can access your family tree, archival documents, photos, and genetic matches.
What’s more, you’ll have access to millions of historical records to enrich your discoveries, wherever you are. Some tools even allow you to automatically integrate photos taken with your device directly into your data to expand and complete your research.
What features should you look for when choosing the best genealogy mobile app?
To choose the best genealogy app, several criteria must be taken into account. Here are the different features you should look for in a genealogy mobile app
- An extensive database with access to historical archives and official records.
- Cross-platform synchronization (computer, tablet, smartphone).
- Compliance with the GEDCOM standard for easy data import/export.
- Ability to create and customize visual family trees.
- Addition of photos, documents, and notes to enrich each individual record.
- Smart search with automatic suggestions based on your entered data.
- Offline use.
- Regularly updated application
Finally, depending on your objective (local or global research), choose an application that specializes in databases corresponding to your region of interest.
Free or paid versions of genealogy applications: which to choose?
Free versions of mobile apps are an excellent starting point for your genealogical research. They allow you to lay the foundations of your family tree, access key data, and familiarize yourself with the tool, without any financial commitment.
However, to go further and break down “genealogical walls” upgrading to paid versions is essential. These unlock premium features, such as access to comprehensive international archives and advanced customization tools.
The challenges of new technologies for genealogy
The integration of new technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, marks a turning point for genealogy. AI excels at deciphering handwriting and cross-referencing data. It can also instantly connect trees and correct inconsistencies. The future of genealogy looks set to be rich in innovation.
We can expect to see the emergence of specialized virtual assistants to guide research. In addition, cross-referencing DNA test data with medical information will pave the way for the creation of highly accurate heredity profiles. These advances will be a valuable aid to modern medicine, particularly in the diagnosis of certain genetic diseases.