Gramps: free family tree software for Windows, Mac and Linux
Gramps is a desktop program for building a family tree. The project says it is free software distributed under the GPL.
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What it is
Gramps is a program for building and keeping a family tree on your computer. The project describes it as "a free software project and community" that aims for "a genealogy program that is both intuitive for hobbyists and feature-complete for professional genealogists". It records people, families, events, places, sources and notes, and links them together. It is not an AI tool. It is a long-running desktop program: the project says it has been available since April 2001.
Is it free?
Yes. The Gramps Features page says "Gramps is freely distributed under the GPL" and that its source code is freely available. The GitHub repository lists the GNU General Public License v2.0. We saw no price, account or subscription on the download page.
What it does (per the Features page)
- Views for People, Families, Events, Places, Sources and more, plus a dashboard of small widgets (Gramplets).
- Charts: pedigree, fan chart, descendant fan chart and a two-way fan chart.
- Reports for the ancestors or descendants of a person, and a way to publish a website of your tree.
- Import and export of GEDCOM 5.5.1, the common format for swapping family tree data with other programs, and of its own Gramps XML and package files.
- Link photos and other files to people and events.
- Translations in 43 languages plus one custom language, per the page. Tamil is on the list. We did not see Hindi or other Indian languages except Tamil.
How to get it
- Open the project's Download page.
- Windows: a 64-bit installer for Windows 8, 10 and 11. The page lists version 6.0.8 for the Windows installer. Double-click to install.
- Mac: separate downloads for Intel and Apple Silicon (6.0.8). Open the .dmg and drag Gramps to Applications. The Features page lists Mac as "Community Supported", so expect less official support.
- Linux: the project recommends Flatpak (from Flathub) or Snap. Your distribution may also offer it, but the page says that version is likely out of date.
- The page shows the current stable version as 6.0.8, released 2026-04-09.
What to watch out for
- Unaffiliated app. The Download page warns that the "Gramps" app on Apple's App Store is in no way affiliated with the Gramps project. Use only the project's own downloads.
- Back up the right way. The project says to back up your family trees in Gramps XML, not GEDCOM, because GEDCOM "cannot store all the intricacies found in Gramps data". Use Family Trees, then Make Backup.
- Learning curve. It is a full research tool, so it has many screens. The project offers a Getting started page in its manual. We did not test how easy it is.
- Flatpak limit. The Download page says the Flatpak does not include the BSDDB database backend.
Privacy and data
- The Features page lists SQLite as the default database. We found no statement on the pages we read about the program sending data anywhere, and no privacy policy, so we cannot say what it sends, if anything.
- For sharing, Gramps has two privacy tools, per the Features page: hide information about living people in reports and exports, and mark items as private so they are left out of reports, exports and websites.
- Family trees hold personal details about real people. Check the privacy options before you share a file or publish a website.
India
- We saw no region limit and no price. We did not test downloads from India.
- Tamil is a listed translation.
Frequently asked questions
Is Gramps free?
Yes. It is distributed under the GPL, per the project.
Does it work on Windows, Mac and Linux?
Yes. Windows and Linux are listed as officially supported and Mac as community supported.
Can I move my tree to another program?
It imports and exports GEDCOM 5.5.1, but use Gramps XML for your own backups.
Does it need an internet connection?
The pages we read do not say. It is a desktop program with an installer.
Sources: Download, Features, Getting started, Gramps and GEDCOM, GitHub, Stable 6.0.8 release. Checked 18 October 2026.
Independent guide, not affiliated.
Scoped recheck 24 October 2026: official canonical Download wiki, features, repository and stable 6.0.8 release checked. Corrected Windows 6.0.6 and Mac/current 6.0.7 to stable 6.0.8, released 9 April 2026. Older blog/download still shows stale versions; canonical wiki and stable release agree. XML backup and private/living-person export controls remain supported. Official artwork retained. No installation, import/export, network or India download test.