Archion
Digitised German church books from Kirchenbuchportal GmbH in Stuttgart
Key data
| Company | Kirchenbuchportal GmbH |
|---|---|
| Category | Genealogy Software |
| Headquarters | Stuttgart, Germany |
| Founded | Not stated |
| EU Presence | Yes - Germany (EU) |
| Data Location | Not stated on the pages we read |
| Open Source | No |
| GDPR Compliant | Yes |
| Self-Hosting | No |
| Main Features | Church book images by place and period, transcriptions for millions of pages, on-demand text recognition, downloads, forum, new records added daily, free example from an archive |
| Pricing | Access passes for a month or a full year, not renewed automatically; no price shown on the pages we read. |
| Best For | Researchers with German ancestors who need original church book entries |
| Replaces | Ancestry (record collections) |
Full review
Archion is operated by Kirchenbuchportal GmbH, Balinger Str. 33/1, 70567 Stuttgart, HRB 746037 at Amtsgericht Stuttgart, managing director Judith Sutter. The imprint names a supervisory board chair, Christina Neuß.
Archion publishes images of church books from partner archives and says new records are added daily. Millions of pages already carry a transcription.
What records does Archion hold?
Archion holds digitised church books that record baptisms, marriages and burials. Users find books through a location search or an all-archives overview.
Text recognition makes handwritten entries easier to read next to the original image. For pages without a transcription, users can start the recognition themselves and get a result a few minutes later.
How does Archion charge?
Archion sells access passes for a month or a full year. All passes expire automatically after the chosen period and do not renew.
The homepage promises clear prices with no hidden costs and full access including downloads. The prices themselves are not shown on the pages we read.
Where is Archion weaker than Ancestry?
Archion is a records portal and has no tree editor or DNA test. The collection is church books from partner archives, so civil registration and census records are outside its scope.
The pages we read do not state a server location. The terms of use are in German, and the interface is offered in German and English.
Points against
Archion covers church books only, offers no tree editor or DNA service and shows no prices on the pages we read. Pair it with Ahnenblatt or Der Stammbaum for the tree.
Who Archion fits
Researchers who trace German families back through parish records and accept paying per time period.
What works, what does not
Pros
- Original church book images
- Text recognition on demand
- Passes do not renew automatically
- Free example available
- Imprint with register number
Cons
- Church books only
- Prices not shown on the pages we read
- No tree editor
- Hosting country not stated
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Original church book images
- Text recognition on demand
- Passes do not renew automatically
- Free example available
- Imprint with register number
Cons
- Church books only
- Prices not shown on the pages we read
- No tree editor
- Hosting country not stated
Alternatives to Archion
Further European genealogy software to compare:
See all European genealogy software or compare them directly against Ancestry (record collections) on our alternatives page.
FAQ
Archion is operated by Kirchenbuchportal GmbH, Balinger Str. 33/1, 70567 Stuttgart, HRB 746037 at Amtsgericht Stuttgart.
Archion sells access passes for a month or a year that expire automatically and are not renewed. The prices are not shown on the pages we read.
Archion offers text recognition, and millions of church book pages already have a transcription shown next to the original.