Treemily is an online family-tree creator that allows for the quick and easy building of family trees. To begin the process, the user must register with the Treemily website using either an email address or Facebook log-in. The process is straightforward and signs you up for a complimentary subscription.
Once registered, the white and green introductory screen is clear and easy to navigate. The key menu is the myTreemily menu, which allows you to view any pre-created family charts, your library of pictures, stored family member details and Treemily designs.
Important to note is that, unlike many other family tree creator software, this database is stored securely entirely online. While this means convenient access from any desktop computer or mobile browser, the user should be aware that all personal details entered will be kept within an online database, rather than through offline software. Data is stored under standard United States privacy laws.
Once ready, users can begin creating their first family chart, with a view of building either a descendent, ancestor or dynasty tree – the latter of which, allows you to trace the lineage to a specific family member.
We encountered a few bumps when creating family trees through this platform. The process is a little fiddly (you can create trees for free, but you have to pay the company to print them.) For this reason, it doesn't rank highly in our guides to the best family tree makers or the best genealogy sites.
How it functions
Beginners to Treemily will welcome the handy demo function, which leads you step-by-step through the process of creating your first family chart. Starting with which type of tree you would like to create; you will be prompted for key information to help create the chart. If you already have created a tree using other software and have saved it as a GEDCOM (genealogy) file, this can be also imported into the system.
Family charts appear in a standard flow chart format and clearly display the family structure. The charts can be added to or edited as you develop them. Once the ‘root person’ – the person from which the tree extends – has been established, you will be offered the ability to add facts about their life. These include the date and place of birth, date and place of death, burial information and place of residence. Additional details such as education, profession, contact details and a biography can be added for each person, too. Images can be uploaded to sit beside every entry, and spouses, children, parents and siblings can be ‘connected’ once their name and details have been entered.
Currently, the basic registration allows you to create as many family charts as you’d like. Once you are happy with your chart, you are given the opportunity to transform this into a Treemily – or printable format – which can be presented as either a contemporary (linear) design or traditional tree. These can then be sent to Treemily for printing, with costs varying depending on the size of the print.
Pricing
There are two subscription options available on Treemily, a basic (complimentary) and premium service. Users can upgrade to the premium service at any time while creating their Treemily, but only register for the basic service upon registration.
The premium service costs $124.99 annually and can be set up to auto renew if needed. The major benefit of the premium service is if you intend to be a regular user, creating different family trees and printed products over time – the premium service also offers a 10% discount on all products. The premium option also allows you to download and save your family chart as a high resolution GEDCOM file offline.
Other premium features include creativity options, such as the ability to add a colour scheme to each generation or as a background. However, most of the crucial functions are included within the basic subscription.
For comparison, our top-rated family tree maker, Family Historian, only costs around $50. You can also get a subscription to Ancestry.com for $99 for six months, which comes with a huge, explorable database behind it. So in our view, Treemily seems a little overpriced.
It's also worth considering — if you're primarily using this service for a print out of a family tree — if you would be better served by one of the best photo books or the best photo cards instead, as you can create lovely family-oriented mementos using these services.
Additional features
As mentioned, those using Treemily for the first time will find the handy demo option useful, as it takes you through the chart building process step by step. The FAQ tab answers common user questions, while the subscription option compares the basic/complimentary and premium service so users can quickly identify whether they benefit from the latter.
Finally, the blog tab provides interesting extra reading around ancestry and genealogy. Articles include a list of the most common American surnames and their origins, and the lineage of Harry Potter characters such as Draco Malfoy.
Is it worth it?
Treemily is a useful tool for anyone attempting to create a basic family tree. The simplicity of the chart information and design means it’s most useful for poster or framed gifts and dedications, rather than a more complex investigations into a family’s ancestry. An example would be the dynasty chart option, which is a great feature for anyone trying to showcase the direct connection between the ‘home person’ and a specific ancestor or descendant.
However, if you are looking for a family tree maker that can create a more detailed database of extensive research, you will likely find other software – such as Ancestry.com or Family Tree Maker – better designed for a deeper dive. This is because they offer more space for information input and allows the user to choose how much detail appears on the final tree itself.
Once again, it’s worth bearing in mind that Treemily stores all information online, while Ancestry.com and Family Tree Maker offer stand-alone software that can be used offline.
