We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.

Advertiser Disclosure

Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.

How We Make Money

We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently from our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.

What is Family History Software?

By A. Leverkuhn
Updated May 17, 2024
Our promise to you
WiseGEEK is dedicated to creating trustworthy, high-quality content that always prioritizes transparency, integrity, and inclusivity above all else. Our ensure that our content creation and review process includes rigorous fact-checking, evidence-based, and continual updates to ensure accuracy and reliability.

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

Editorial Standards

At WiseGEEK, we are committed to creating content that you can trust. Our editorial process is designed to ensure that every piece of content we publish is accurate, reliable, and informative.

Our team of experienced writers and editors follows a strict set of guidelines to ensure the highest quality content. We conduct thorough research, fact-check all information, and rely on credible sources to back up our claims. Our content is reviewed by subject matter experts to ensure accuracy and clarity.

We believe in transparency and maintain editorial independence from our advertisers. Our team does not receive direct compensation from advertisers, allowing us to create unbiased content that prioritizes your interests.

Family history software or genealogy software is a software product that provides information on the family tree or other information about an individual’s family and background. These programs search public records databases in multiple jurisdictions and deliver obscure bits of information about someone's genealogy. This type of software often presents information in attractive visual formats.

Family history programs apply technology to the distant past. A genealogy software program is an intriguing combination of modern computing design and authentic historical data. Families and individuals often sign on as licensed users of these programs to see what they have to offer in shedding light on a family tree. Family history software programs can be sold for use in perpetuity, or with restricted licenses.

Some family history and genealogy programs are now sold in a software as a service or SaaS format. In SaaS, a software program is simply delivered through the Web, running on the vendor's server. Clients don't have to install and license software on their end. A software as a service system makes it much easier to sell items like family history software that users will likely want only for a limited time or periodic use. Some public systems, such as libraries, also use family history software and offer it to individuals through their web sites.

One important aspect of offering family history programs to the public is in developing a subscription model. The subscription model for this kind of product is essential for maintaining a customer base and turning a profit. Prominent financial experts have recognized that family history software companies who develop competitive subscription models are likely to lead in their industry for a long time.

Along with a good subscription model, a family history software product needs usability, or user-friendly design. Developers spend a lot of time designing an interface, which is what the customer will see when they use a family history software product. A logical and intuitive interface makes the software easier to use and understand for a wider range of customers.

Those who are looking to buy or subscribe to family history or genealogy software can pay attention to the above details for seeing how effective a software product might be on the market. From conceptual design to implementation, style and accessibility remain important. Family history software needs to be functional, but it also needs to be well presented in order to appeal to a public market audience.

WiseGEEK is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.

Discussion Comments

WiseGEEK, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

WiseGEEK, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.