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History Timeline
What it is
History Timeline is desktop software for creating and exploring interactive timelines on Windows and macOS. Its time-zoom view can move from extremely long historical spans to events measured in yoctoseconds. Users can build timelines with an Excel template, import CSV data, and add events, icons, hyperlinks, styles, and event hierarchies. Timeline items can connect to online articles and original documents. The site provides timelines covering world and United States history, geology, science and technology, biographies, and art history. Finished timelines can be saved as JPG or PNG files, or printed across multiple pages with configurable paper size, orientation, and margins. Online display and website embedding, including customized timelines, are available by request. A free version has limited features and content; paid plans start at $24.50 a year. System requirements include Windows 11, 10, or 8, or macOS 10.15 or later, 2 GB RAM, and 400 MB storage.
For and against
For
- Interactive timelines with broad time ranges
- Excel and CSV timeline creation
- Links to articles and original documents
- JPG, PNG, and multi-page printing
- Free plan available
Against
- Free version has limited features and content
- Online embedding requires a request
- Commercial redistribution of timeline files requires permission
- Desktop support only for Windows and macOS
The verdict
History Timeline combines timeline creation, historical collections, source links, and export tools. Its free tier supports exploration, while paid plans add creation and professional or teacher-oriented use.
Who it suits
History Timeline suits researchers, learners, historians, educators, and digital humanities projects. It is useful for people creating, exploring, exporting, or printing interactive timelines.
Plans and prices
Free Version
1 user · no activation required · free timelines only · install and use free
Read 15 Oct 2026 · historytimeline.com
Personal
1 user · 1 activation · free and premium timelines · support and updates
Read 15 Oct 2026 · historytimeline.com
Professional
1 user · 2 activations · free and premium timelines · timeline creation
Read 15 Oct 2026 · historytimeline.com
Perpetual
1 user · 2 activations · free and premium timelines · timeline creation
Read 15 Oct 2026 · historytimeline.com
On the record
- API and SDK
- The reviewed maker pages describe no public API, SDK or developer documentation.historytimeline.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Company founder
- A History Stack Exchange profile identifies James Noguera as founder of HistoryTimeline.com and places him in Barcelona, Spain.history.stackexchange.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Company founding record
- SourceForge lists HistoryTimeline as founded in 2018 and headquartered in Barcelona.sourceforge.net · read 15 Oct 2026
- Company legal information
- The maker identifies itself as HistoryTimeline.com with Spanish tax number ES-47854736-Q and an address on Av. Republica Argentina in Barcelona.historytimeline.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Custom timeline creation
- Professional and Perpetual licenses allow unlimited timeline files and events, icons, hyperlinks, multiple dates, styled lines and event hierarchies.historytimeline.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Documentation
- Support provides FAQs and says a user guide is forthcoming; the release-history section lists an upcoming major update and older releases.historytimeline.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Dynamic zoom
- Its canvas supports live zooming from extremely long timespans to subsecond units, with a continuously visible time ruler and grid.historytimeline.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Export and print
- The software can save timelines as JPG or PNG images and print multi-page timelines with configurable paper size, orientation, and margins.historytimeline.com · read 8 Oct 2026
- Installation limitation
- The FAQ warns that Windows SmartScreen or antivirus software may block the installer and may require bypassing the warning or administrator permissions.historytimeline.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- The maker documents links from timeline items to external articles and primary sources, but does not list named third-party software integrations.historytimeline.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Intended users
- The maker describes its audience and goals in terms of researchers, learners, historians, educators, and digital humanities work.historytimeline.com · read 8 Oct 2026
- Known bug
- The maker acknowledges that the time ruler incorrectly displays a year zero between 1 BCE and 1 CE.historytimeline.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Licence
- The EULA grants non-exclusive, non-transferable proprietary rights; it is not an open-source licence, although bundled components include Python, PySide2, Qt, OpenSSL, Boost, GMP, MPFR, MPIR and Howard Hinnant Date Library.historytimeline.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Licence restrictions
- The EULA limits simultaneous use, restricts commercial distribution of timeline files without written permission and provides a five-year update and support period for perpetual purchases.historytimeline.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- License limits
- The maker says Timeline Files may not be distributed commercially without its express written permission.historytimeline.com · read 8 Oct 2026
- Limit: Google Play language and zoom
- Reviewers request Spanish or other language support and touch-based pinch zoom for the timeline scale.play.google.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Limit: SourceForge integrations
- SourceForge lists no integrations and marks collaboration tools, project-management use and percent-complete tracking as unsupported.sourceforge.net · read 15 Oct 2026
- macOS status
- A macOS beta is available, while the site describes the full Apple version as forthcoming.historytimeline.com · read 15 Oct 2026
