The Software Mackiev Company Reviews

Somehow, FamilySearch and my Ancestry (on my computer only) were corrupted, and I cannot get into my FamilySearch tree on my computer to add or receive hits through FamilySearch. Some females at FamilySearch did get a tree on my computer, but I still cannot send my tree info to you and receive hits from you. All I want to be able to do on my new computer is receive hits from FamilySearch and send new information that I was able to find to my tree.

I have Windows 2019. On my new computer, I put in the disc 2019 because my old computer was corrupted. But even with this disc used, it tells me I am corrupted and I cannot share any of my trees and cannot receive information from you and FamilySearch.

In October 2025 I forwarded to MacKiev that I did not wish to renew my membership in FTM,

I received 2 emails from MacKiev that the matter had been received & I would receive a reply...such was the situation/no replies.

Further I received an email that 'Tree Vault' had been renewed and I do not want this program.

I feel awful. Could not reach anyone. Need to discuss annual subscription payment for Tree Vault Cloud storage

Lets be honest herethis isnt just trying to do too much or not pre-announcing ship dates. This is a pattern.

MacKiev has made a habit of overpromising, underdelivering, and then spinning delay after delay into some self-congratulatory ode to "quality control." Enough.

This was marketed as a 2023/2024 release. Were nearly halfway through 2025. Youve taken pre-order money from loyal users and strung them along with vague timelines and patronizing platitudes like you want it when its ready. No, what customers wanted was transparency and respect.

What they got was smoke and mirrors.

If this is how you handle development cycles, maybe the next release date you announce should come with an asterisk: Delivery subject to creative storytelling and time dilation.

Ill take my refund. Immediately.

Disappointed (but unfortunately not surprised)

I appreciate the update and all the work thats going into FTM 2024. As someone who has been using Family Tree Maker since 2014, Ive been a loyal supporter of the product and was excited to pre-order the upgrade over a year ago in February 2024.

However, this delay is becoming increasingly frustratingnot just for me, but for many other longtime users who planned their genealogy research around the new release.

Many of us also took out 12-month subscriptions to services like Ancestry, Newspapers.com, and FTM-related extras to maximize the new features, spending upwards of $500 AUD based on the expectation that FTM 2024 would be delivered within a reasonable timeframe. Now, many of those subscriptions are expiring, and we still dont have access to the product we paid for.

I completely understand that software development takes time, and I appreciate your commitment to delivering a polished product. That said, under Australian Consumer Law (ACL), businesses are required to supply goods within a reasonable timeframe. Taking payment for a product without providing clear communication or a firm delivery date may fall under misleading sales practices, which is why Im reaching out for more transparency.

I would appreciate:

A firm and realistic release datenot just another almost ready message.

A goodwill gesture in recognition of the prolonged delay.

Given the impact on customers who pre-ordered early, a discount, an extended support period, a subscription credit, or an additional feature would be a fair way to acknowledge the inconvenience.

I genuinely want to continue supporting FTM, but I also believe that after waiting for over a yearespecially after investing in subscriptions to complement the new releasecustomers like me deserve clear communication and fair treatment.

Laura

11:59

Hi, I see you are already in a chat with my co worker, let me let him know you are over here now.

Quinn

11:59

Welcome back again, one moment while I read your message

12:00

Quinn

12:05

FTM 2024 still does not have a set release date currently, and I'm also not allowed to give time frames that have not been publicly announced just yet, I'm afraid.

I certainly understand the lack of a specific time frame is frustrating, and we can certainly cancel and refund the pre-orders at any time before the new edition is released, if you like. I'll pass your feedback along, as well.

Date of experience: March 16, 2025

I pre-purchased Family Tree Maker 2024 (FTM2024) in February 2024. This company has zero communication with their customers and offers no explanation as to why it still has not been released. They have been saying 'soon' for 9 months.

Someone should have contacted me - I have been a long time customer!

It would be nice if you had a phone number!

Regards

Sharon Deffebach

I have Print Shop for MacP2 Version Mac OS X Edition 2.0.12 (700) which I am using on an old MacOS Mojave (32). However I purchased a newer Mac (64) Mac OS Sonoma 14.5.

The new Mac does cannot use my existing copy of Print Shop (32).

I am going to keep my old Mac so I can use your old version.

Is there any chance that at in the future I will not be able to use your old version? Can it be discontinued from use on Mojave without notice? That is the only program that is easy to use.

1.

I've purchased competitor programs and they are too hard to learn.

2. Is there any chance you will update the old Print Shop2 to be compatible with a 64 computer?

Need to talk to someone. Unable to sync desk top app with Ancestry.com. Is there not help for technical issues

Need to talk to someone. Unable to sync desk top app with Ancestry.com. Is there not help for technical iissues

They don't answer or call back callers on the phone. It's impossible to reach them. They discontinued Print Shop 2 for 664 and I'm trying to find out if they will update the product.

placed an order for three items 1/2/2024

one was a download I received

the two other were to be shipped to me

I never received the other two

please send the books I ordered

The whole reason Family Tree Maker was created by Ancestry.com was to use with your Ancestry.com family tree, and syncing your Ancestry.com tree to your Family Tree Maker software tree.has always been a huge part of what most users have bought this software for (including me). When MacKiev took over Family Tree Maker, they were already aware of the numerous complaints from users regarding the SYNC feature being unreliable, even faulty, corrupting tree data about half the time, so the user, if smart could restore their tree by downloading their tree from Ancestry.com into the Family Tree Maker software (again), then uploading same tree back to Ancestry to re-establish the tree links, and with no clear instructions in doing this, so very nerve racking to have to go thru this procedure every other month!

And when they finally released ( although months later than they'd said it would be ready, It seemed all the sync nightmares were gone, and in 1 years time, I only had to restore my tree 1 time. OF course, to get there you had to buy 2019 ver, which I did, gladly. Then, in April 2023 I noticed when I tried to do my montly tree backup and sync, I noticed the sync feature was not functioning properly, and IF you were to use it, you'd be back to every other month it corrupting your tree data - so it now was back to sync not working (again) with any measure of reliability. So, in May, when I tried to do my (what used to be) monthly backup and sync of the 2 trees and found it still advising customers NOT to sync trees at that time, and nothing else.

I went to their website and chatted with one of their service reps, as this was the 2nd month now I could not sync my tree, and I was starting to panic. My chat did not help this, but made it worse, as they said they were aware of the problem and were working to resolve the issue, but no, they had no idea when this would happen. June, same thing; Sync still not advisable to do, so today I again chatted with rep from their website, asking how long they expected customers to be unable to use the software for the very features that now, made it unoperable, to which they said 'no, this is NOT a key feature of the software (being able to keep both trees (software tree, and Ancestry.com tree in same exact place, so no matter whether you work on your tree from Ancestry.com website, or from within Family Tree Maker software, your tree would always be the most current version, from either place. I told them 3 monthsof this not happening was not acceptable - I purchased their new 2019 ver specifically to be able to do this.

My Ancestry tree (After 3 months) not being synced has 9500 individuals, but my Family Tree Maker tree only has 8700 individuals. So short of entering every source, person, and every thing twice (both in my Ancestry tree, and again in my Family Tree Maker Tree) which I did not, as I assumed they would fix the problem in a timely manner but have not, the two trees are now no where near the same. And every month that goes by, the gap of differences in the 2 trees grows. 3 months of not being to do backups and syncs of my tree data, while they still market and sell the software as being able to do what it in fact can not do, has left me feeling Family Tree Maker software is to me, a giant paperweight and nothing more.

And when you chat with them, they really could seem to care less about their customers being unable to use software they sold them, saying to just go ahead and sync if you must, and if it fails (which it will) you can restore your tree from a backup. No, that's not what I purchased THEIR their new 2019 ver to have to go thru again. It truely seems, after waiting 3 going on 4 months for this fix, that they have no intentions of making this ver work again. Doesn't make sense, them acting as though they have no obligation to those who bought their software specifically to do a task that they still today say it will do but does not.

As such, I feel they should provide refunds to all of us who bought their new improved version from them to be able to do the same things this software has always done, yet for 3 months now does not. Especially because they have no idea (after 3 months already) when their software will have functionability restored. They have had soo many complaints (BBB/rated F) about this, but they just ignore all complaints and do not respond at all (most likely due to the fact that they seem to have no intention of actually making it usable again. They are worse now, than Ancestry.com ever was regarding fixing problems with this software, as they will still today sell you the software for about $80 and claim it will sync, when, in fact, it does not.

They're out to grab as much profit from sales of their faulty, problematic software, after which they will most likely, when no more sales can be made, just toss it out.

Unless you want software that does not do what they say it will, do not buy Family Tree Maker from MacKiev. They are truly software pirates that will steal your money from you while lying to you about the software's capabilities, which are best summed up as I said, it being a giant paperweight - useless.

I ordered 1 book in February, 2023 received it, paid $38.28. I received another same book in Sept 2023 which I did not order.

Paid through my account. I RECEIVED AGAIN THE SAME BOOK, I DID NOT ORDER about the 1st of February.

I'm sending it back. Sorry not good and will never use your company again.