Which Type of Family Chart Is Right for You?

Your family history is a legacy, a story that spans generations. It deserves to be presented in a way that’s beautiful, meaningful, and uniquely yours. At Family Chartmasters, we do more than just “print a tree” — we help you transform your genealogical data into works of art that can be passed down for generations.

Below, you’ll find a deep dive into all of our chart types, with a special emphasis on our custom chart packages (Researcher’s Rollout, Reunion Wall, Heirloom Showcase) as well as our design-ready and self-designed options. We want you to understand the possibilities, so you can choose the perfect format to share your family’s story.

Custom Charts: From Data to Heirloom

When you want a chart that’s truly a one-of-a-kind creation — something tailored to your family’s story, preferences, and aesthetic — our Custom Charts are the ideal path. You’re not just getting a chart — you’re collaborating with a designer who will bring your family’s narrative to life.

The Three Base Custom Chart Packages

To make the process easier and transparent, we’ve organized our custom designs into three base packages. Each is a starting point; you can then upgrade features (more generations, more photos, premium printing, extra copies, etc.). Here’s how they break down:

 

After selecting your base, you can add upgrades such as:

• More generations
• More photos
• Upgraded paper, vinyl, or canvas
• Extra copies (often at ~75% off)
• Special layout requests, rush delivery, and additional proofing

We begin with a free consultation to understand your goals, review your data, and recommend the best package and layout. From there, you'll work with a designer to review proofs, provide input, and finalize your genealogy heirloom chart.

Why go custom? Because it offers total personalization — from branch emphasis, design aesthetic, photo placement, story integration, and unique layout tweaks. A custom chart is your family’s history turned into a lasting work of art.

Design-Ready Charts: Accessible Elegance You Can Own Quickly

If you don’t need (or don’t want to wait for) a fully custom design, our Design-Ready Charts offer a powerful alternative. The idea is to give you beautifully crafted templates with flexibility: you can fill them by hand, or upload your data and let us format them for you. The result is a polished, professional chart without the full custom design process.

What the Design-Ready Collection Offers

• 30+ Professionally Designed Templates: You can choose from more than 30 templates, each offering a different visual style, layout, or “flavor.”
• Two Modes: Fill-in or Pre-Filled: Fill-in-the-blank charts: You receive a blank template printed beautifully and fill in names, dates, and places by hand. Pre-filled charts: You upload your family data (GEDCOM or similar), and our team formats and fills the template for you.
• Price Ranges to Suit Your Needs: Fill-in-the-blank charts typically range from $30-$40. Pre-filled charts typically range from $90-$120.
• Variety of Generations & Sizes: You'll find templates supporting 4 up to 15 generations.  Sizes vary widely too: 18" x 24", 20" x 24", 24" x 36", 24" x 74", 36" x 36", 42" x 42", 42" x 60", and 42" x 96" among others. 

This flexibility helps match the chart’s scale to your family size and display space.

Why Design-Ready Works (and When You’d Choose It)

• Speed & Simplicity: Because the template design work is already done, you can get a chart quickly—either by filling it yourself or having us format it for you. 
• Affordability: The cost is lower than custom design, because you’re leveraging a ready template. 
• Flexibility: You still get professional design aesthetics, just without the full custom process.
• Gifting & Reunions: These charts are perfect for giving to family members, placing on reunion walls, or simply getting your research onto a display in a polished format quickly.
  

Common Formats in Design-Ready

• Pedigree / Ancestor Charts: Many templates focus on showing parent/ancestor lines for a certain number of generations.
• Fan Charts (radial or semi-circular): These are visually compelling and often suitable for mid-range generations (eg. 6-10).
• Compact Layouts: Some templates focus on efficiency—fitting more generations in a tighter space.

Because these designs are built ahead of time, you don’t have to reinvent the layout or worry about alignment or spacing. Just choose a template that matches your family’s size and style preference, then decide whether to fill it or let us process your data.

 

Choosing Between Custom and Design-Ready

 

Again, we’re here to help — if you’re unsure which direction to choose, our team is happy to walk you through template options, matching generation count, and display size to your needs.

How the Process Works (Both Paths)

1. Free Consultation / Selection – We chat through your goals, data, and aesthetic preferences.
2. Pick Your Path - Custom package, or select a template from the Design-Ready collection.
3. Submit Data (if using pre-filled or custom otions) - GEDCOM, family tree file, or spreadsheet.
4. Design, Proofing & Review - You work with a chart designer, get previews (if you choose a custom option), and work with them to create perfection.
5. Finalize and Print - We only print after your approval.
6. Ship and Display - Choose your paper type and have it delivered, ready to hang!

 

Brighten Your Family’s Legacy

Whether you go full custom or choose a design-ready option, your family history deserves to be more than a digital file. It deserves to be displayed, admired, and passed along. With Family Chartmasters, you can turn your hard work into something tangible, beautiful, and meaningful.

👉 Check out our Design-Ready Charts collection to see current templates, generation options, and pricing.
📞 Contact us for help matching your tree to the right design.
🎨 Explore our gallery to see how others have used custom and design-ready charts in their homes and events.

Let your ancestors be seen. Let your family story be heard.