Family stories are an essential part of our family history, heritage and culture. They provide a window into our past and a way for future generations to connect with those who have gone before them. Unfortunately, these stories can easily be forgotten or lost over time. Luckily, there are plenty of apps and tools available to help us capture and preserve our family stories for future generations. From photo journals to family tree apps, read on to discover the seven best tools for recording your family history and capture family memories!

1. Remento - Best all-around way to record family stories

Remento makes it easier than ever to better understand and more deeply appreciate your family story through recorded conversations with a family member.

The Remento iOS mobile app recommends conversation prompts crafted by professional storytellers, neuroscientists, and memory researchers designed to uncover precious memories of a loved one’s past.

Once recorded, stories from these sessions are showcased directly in a private Remento library, from where they can be easily shared without any fancy editing or processing. Whether it's reflections on monumental moments or the joys of everyday life, Remento helps break down barriers across generations, breed connection through curiosity, and remind us that understanding our own story starts by listening to the stories of others.

Pros:

• Completely free to use.
• Supports in-person or remote recording.
• Access to hundreds of questions developed by professional storytellers and memory scientists.
• Upload photos to collect the stories behind the images.
• One tap export for easy sharing and preservation.

Cons:

• Currently available on iOS only.

2. Storyworth - Best for capturing written family stories

Storyworth is an online storytelling platform that helps families capture and preserve memories through stories. Users create a Storyworth account, then invite family members to join. Each week, family members receive a story prompt via email, which they can answer in a few sentences or paragraphs. At the end of the year, Storyworth compiles all the stories into a beautiful keepsake book that can be shared and enjoyed. Storyworth also allows users to upload photos and videos, as well as connect with other family members to share stories and keep in touch.

Pros:

• Offers weekly prompts to help loved one stay on track.
• Customize questions to personalize the experience.

Cons

• Writing stories can feel like a “homework assignment” to older family members.
• Cost of subscription can be expensive for some families.
• Can be difficult to capture stories from older family members who are not tech-savvy.
• Limited support for non-English languages.

3. Ancestry.com - Best for adding stories to genealogical records

Ancestry.com is a genealogy platform used by millions of people to research their family history and discover new relatives. It offers users access to billions of historical records and family trees, as well as powerful search and analysis tools.

Pros:

• Offers access to historical records and documents.
• Allows customers to build a family tree.
• Offers DNA testing to help customers connect with distant relatives.

Cons:

• Subscription plans can be expensive for those who are only interested in a few features.
• Limited access to DNA testing for people outside the US, UK, Canada, Ireland, Germany and Australia.
• No easy way to capture family stories.

4. Storied - Best for adding stories to archival documents

Storied is a new family history site that lets users build a family tree, search historical records and newspapers, craft stories, relive memories, collect photos, and pull it all together by collaborating with groups of family and friends.

Pros:

• Allows multiple users to work together on stories.
• Promotes collaboration and creative expression.
• Access to a robust collection of historical records and newspapers.

Cons:

• Requires export of content from other family tree services, like Ancestry.com.

5. LegacyBox - Best tool for digitizing family photos and videos

LegacyBox is a popular platform that allows users to digitize their old photos, videos, and film reels, preserving memories in digital form. With LegacyBox, users can quickly and easily transfer, organize, and store their memories. The platform also offers different print sizes and items available for purchase, such as photo books and calendars.

Pros

• Easy and convenient way to digitize and preserve home movies and photos.
• Simple and straightforward process.
• Excellent customer service and a customer satisfaction guarantee.

Cons

• More expensive option for digitizing and preserving home movies and photos.
• Requires putting precious family artifacts in the mail.
• Digitized content arrives disorganized and in a format that’s difficult to share.

6. Shutterfly - Best tool for creating printed photo books

Shutterfly is an online photo and video sharing platform, allowing users to store and share their memories through photos, videos, and other digital media. It also offers a range of services to help users turn their photos into prints, cards, and other customizable items.

Pros:

• Offers a range of customization options, enabling users to create their own photo albums and memory books.
• A wide selection of designs and templates to choose from.

Cons:

• The service can be expensive.
• Manually sorting through large volumes of photos can feel cumbersome.
• No easy way to share the final product digitally.

7. Aura - Best digital picture frame

Aura Frame is a digital photo frame that allows users to easily share their photos with friends and family. It has an app that can be downloaded to any device, allowing users to upload their photos, videos and other digital content to the frame. With Aura Frame, users can also create custom photo albums and slideshows of their favorite memories.

Pros:

• App allows for easy sharing of photos directly to a frame.
• A great way for non-tech-savvy older relatives to enjoy digital photos.
• Great customer support.

Cons:

• The hardware is expensive
• The app does not sync with other photo-sharing platforms.
• Does not support video streaming.

Conclusion

Preserving family stories is important for keeping your family's history alive. With these 7 tools, you can easily preserve and share your family's stories with future generations. Choose the one that best suits your needs and start preserving your family's legacy today.