Question 1

What is famband?

Accepted Answer

famband is an interactive platform where you build your family tree, add members with photos and biographies, generate AI-powered portraits in various styles, and finally order your work as a high-quality print product (poster, canvas, photo book). The entire platform is built on a one-time, transparent prepaid model – no subscription, no hidden costs.

Question 2

Who is famband for?

Accepted Answer

famband is for anyone who wants to preserve and visualise their family history – whether as a personal project, an anniversary gift, or a keepsake for the next generation. No prior knowledge is required: the intuitive canvas editor guides you step by step through building your family tree.

Question 3

Is famband free?

Accepted Answer

Creating an account and building family trees with text content is free. Generating AI portraits requires wallet credit, which you top up as a one-off payment. There is no subscription and no automatic charges – you only pay for what you actually use.

Question 4

How does famband differ from other family tree apps?

Accepted Answer

Three things set famband apart: First, the visual canvas editor that presents your family tree as an interactive diagram instead of dry tables. Second, the AI image generation, which lets you create historically inspired or creative portraits in styles like Retro, 80s, Comic Art, or Minecraft. Third, direct print integration – from the digital template to a finished wall print in just a few clicks.

Question 5

In which languages is famband available?

Accepted Answer

The platform is currently available in German and English. German is the default language. You can change the language at any time in your account settings.

Question 6

Is there a mobile app?

Accepted Answer

famband is currently designed as a progressive web application (PWA) and can be used via any modern browser on desktop, tablet, and smartphone. A native iOS and Android app is planned for a later date. Via the browser, you can already save famband as an app icon on your smartphone's home screen today.

Question 7

How do I create an account?

Accepted Answer

Click 'Get Started' or 'Sign Up' on the homepage and enter your email address and a secure password. You will then receive a confirmation email – your account is only active after clicking the link it contains. Alternatively, you can sign in with your Google or GitHub account, which skips email confirmation.

Question 8

Which sign-in methods are available?

Accepted Answer

famband supports classic sign-in with email and password as well as OAuth sign-in via Google and GitHub. All methods are equivalent; after registration you can link additional providers to your account in the settings.

Question 9

How do I change my password?

Accepted Answer

Go to Settings → Security and click 'Change Password'. You will receive an email with a reset link. If you are already signed in, you can update your password directly in the security section of the settings. The new password must be at least 8 characters long.

Question 10

Can I activate two-factor authentication (2FA)?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Under Settings → Security you can set up 2FA with an authenticator app (e.g. Google Authenticator, Authy or 1Password). After setup, the app generates a one-time code every 30 seconds, which is requested in addition to your password. You also receive 8 backup codes in case you lose your device.

Question 11

Can I delete my account?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Under Settings → Account → Danger Zone you'll find the option 'Permanently delete account'. This action is irreversible: all your family trees, members, uploaded photos, and generated images will be permanently deleted. Remaining wallet credit cannot be refunded. We recommend exporting all important content before deletion.

Question 12

What is wallet credit?

Accepted Answer

Wallet credit is famband's currency for paid features. One AI image generation costs a certain Euro amount (depending on the chosen style and model). Wallet credit is not consumed for creating family trees or members – only for AI generations, additional family trees, and print products.

Question 13

How do I top up my wallet credit?

Accepted Answer

Go to 'Wallet' in the navigation or directly to /billing. Select a top-up amount and click 'Top up'. You will be redirected to the secure Stripe checkout page. After successful payment, the amount is instantly credited to your account and usable without any waiting period.

Question 14

Which top-up amounts are available?

Accepted Answer

We currently offer three top-up amounts: €5, €10, and €25. You can top up your wallet credit at any time.

Question 15

Is there a subscription or recurring payments?

Accepted Answer

No. famband is a pure prepaid model. You top up wallet credit as a one-off when you need it. There is no subscription, no automatic renewals, and no monthly fees. You will never be charged without your consent.

Question 16

Which payment methods are accepted?

Accepted Answer

Payments are processed via Stripe, the world's leading payment provider. Accepted methods include all major credit and debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express), SEPA direct debit, Klarna, PayPal (region-dependent), as well as Apple Pay and Google Pay on supported devices.

Question 17

Does my wallet credit expire?

Accepted Answer

Wallet credit is generally valid as long as you actively use your account. After 3 years of complete inactivity (no sign-in, no activity), wallet credit may expire according to statutory limitation periods (German Civil Code § 195). Every sign-in and every transaction automatically extends the validity period. We will notify you by email before your wallet credit expires.

Question 18

Can I receive an invoice or receipt?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Stripe automatically issues a receipt by email after each payment. A formal invoice with VAT breakdown can be generated via the receipt in your Stripe payment history or requested by email from our support. Please note: pursuant to § 3 para. 15 of the German VAT Act (multi-purpose voucher), VAT liability arises at credit redemption, not at top-up.

Question 19

How does AI image generation work?

Accepted Answer

You upload a photo of a family member, choose an art style (e.g. Retro, 80s, Comic Art, Minecraft) and click 'Generate'. Our system sends the image and style prompt to an AI model (OpenAI, Replicate, or xAI – depending on the style). The model creates a new portrait in the chosen style. The process takes between a few seconds and about 2 minutes depending on the model and load.

Question 20

Which image styles are available?

Accepted Answer

famband offers a growing library of styles: Retro photography (1950s–1970s), 80s Synthwave, Comic Art, Manga, Oil painting, Watercolour, Pencil drawing, Minecraft pixels, Renaissance portrait, Art Déco, and more. New styles are added regularly. A complete, always up-to-date list can be found in the style selector when generating.

Question 21

How much does a generation cost?

Accepted Answer

Costs depend on the chosen model and style. Simpler styles with faster models cost less than complex, high-resolution renderings. The exact cost is always shown to you before submitting, so you never experience unexpected deductions.

Question 22

How long does image generation take?

Accepted Answer

Most generations take between 15 seconds and 2 minutes. During periods of high server load, it may occasionally take longer. You can leave the page during generation – the result is saved in your gallery and available once complete. We don't notify you by email, but the gallery updates automatically.

Question 23

What happens if I don't like the generated image?

Accepted Answer

You can start a new generation at any time. Since each generation is based on slightly different random parameters, you get a different result each time. Already generated images remain in your gallery until you manually delete them. Unfortunately, a refund of wallet credit for completed generations is not possible, as the computing power has already been consumed.

Question 24

Are my uploaded photos used for AI training?

Accepted Answer

No. Your uploaded photos are used exclusively for generating your own images and are not shared with third parties or used for training AI models. We place the highest importance on protecting your personal image data. Details can be found in our privacy policy.

Question 25

Can I use the generated images commercially?

Accepted Answer

For private and family use (print products, gifts, social media) the generated images can be used without restriction. For commercial purposes (resale, licensing, advertising) the terms of use of the respective AI models apply. Please read our terms of use for details. If in doubt, contact our support.

Question 26

How many family members can I add?

Accepted Answer

There is currently no fixed limit on the number of family members per tree. You can create as many generations and branches as you like. With very large trees (500+ members), the canvas editor's performance may decrease slightly – we are continuously working on optimisations for large trees.

Question 27

Can I create multiple family trees?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You can create and manage as many family trees as you like – for example one for the paternal and one for the maternal line, or separate trees for different family branches. All your trees can be found under 'Family Trees' in the navigation.

Question 28

How do I upload photos of family members?

Accepted Answer

Click on a member in the canvas and open the detail panel. There you'll find the 'Upload photo' button. Supported formats are JPEG, PNG, and WebP up to a file size of 10 MB. The uploaded photo is automatically cropped and optimised for the tree view. For AI generation, we recommend a clear, front-facing portrait.

Question 29

Which relationship types can I create?

Accepted Answer

famband supports parent-child relationships (biological, adopted, step-parent) as well as partner/marriage relationships. This lets you map classic and blended family structures. Relationships are visualised as lines in the canvas editor and can be edited or deleted at any time.

Question 30

Can I share my family tree with others?

Accepted Answer

A sharing function (read-only link or collaboration invitation) is under development. Currently all trees are private and visible only to you. As a workaround, you can export screenshots of the canvas or share the print product as a beautiful physical gift.

Question 31

Can family trees be exported?

Accepted Answer

You can export the canvas as a high-resolution image (PNG/SVG). A GEDCOM export (the standard format for genealogy software like Ancestry or MyHeritage) is planned. If needed, contact our support – we review individual export requests.

Question 32

Which print products can I order?

Accepted Answer

Via our integration with print-on-demand provider Gelato, you can order your family tree as a poster (various formats from A3 to 100×150 cm), canvas print, framed image, or photo book. All products are produced in professional print quality on sustainable materials.

Question 33

How does a print order work?

Accepted Answer

In the canvas editor, you open the print assistant. There you choose product, format, paper, and quantity. A preview shows you how your family tree will look printed. After entering the delivery address (with optional autocomplete), you see the price and estimated delivery time. Payment is made directly via Stripe.

Question 34

How long does delivery take?

Accepted Answer

Production time is typically 2–4 business days. Add shipping time depending on the destination country: within Germany 1–3 business days, to other EU countries 3–7 business days, internationally 7–14 business days. The exact estimate is shown at checkout. Once your order has been dispatched, you will receive an email with a tracking link.

Question 35

Which countries does famband deliver to?

Accepted Answer

Gelato produces and delivers worldwide – to over 30 countries directly. Shipping is available for most European countries, the USA, Canada, Australia, and many other markets. The exact availability for your delivery country is checked during checkout.

Question 36

Can I cancel or change an order?

Accepted Answer

Orders go into production at Gelato immediately. Cancellation or modification is only possible within a few hours of placing the order. In this case, contact our support as quickly as possible. Once production has started, cancellation is unfortunately no longer possible.

Question 37

What happens if the print product arrives damaged or incorrect?

Accepted Answer

If your product was damaged during transport or there is a technical printing error (e.g., streaks in the print, wrong format), please contact us within 14 days of receipt with photos of the defect and the packaging. We will then organize a free reprint. Please note: Since we print exactly what you see and approve in the preview, content errors (e.g., typos in names or dissatisfaction with the generated AI face) are excluded from free complaints. Slight color deviations between the screen (illuminated) and paper print are technically necessary and do not constitute a defect.

Question 38

Where is my data stored?

Accepted Answer

All family tree data, member information, and transaction data are stored in a MongoDB database (via Prisma ORM) hosted on servers within the European Union. Uploaded photos and generated images are stored in encrypted cloud storage also within the EU. Payment data is processed exclusively by Stripe and is never stored on our servers.

Question 39

Is my family tree publicly visible?

Accepted Answer

No. All family trees are private by default. Only you can see and edit your own family tree. An optional sharing function that you must explicitly activate is under development. Without your explicit release, no part of your family tree will be made publicly accessible.

Question 40

How secure is my payment data?

Accepted Answer

famband stores no payment data whatsoever (card numbers, IBANs, etc.) on its own servers. All payment processing is handled exclusively by Stripe, a PCI DSS Level 1 certified payment service provider – the highest security standard in the payment industry. Your payment data is never visible to us.

Question 41

Does famband use cookies or tracking?

Accepted Answer

famband uses only technically necessary cookies for session management and authentication. We do not set advertising cookies or cross-site tracking pixels. For anonymised usage analysis (e.g. page views), a privacy-friendly tool without personal identification may be used. Details can be found in our privacy policy and cookie policy.

Question 42

What happens in case of a data breach?

Accepted Answer

In the unlikely event of a data breach, we will inform all affected users within 72 hours in accordance with GDPR requirements. We also report the incident to the competent data protection authority. You have the right at any time to access, rectification, erasure, and data portability of your personal data under Articles 15–20 GDPR. Direct such requests to our data protection officer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Allgemein & Über famband

Konto & Registrierung

Guthaben & Zahlung

KI-Bildgenerierung

Stammbaum & Mitglieder

Druckprodukte

Datenschutz & Sicherheit

Noch offene Fragen?

Allgemein & Über famband

Was ist famband?

Für wen ist famband gedacht?

Ist famband kostenlos?

Wie unterscheidet sich famband von anderen Stammbaum-Apps?

In welchen Sprachen ist famband verfügbar?

Gibt es eine mobile App?

Konto & Registrierung

Wie erstelle ich ein Konto?

Welche Anmeldemethoden gibt es?

Wie ändere ich mein Passwort?

Kann ich die Zwei-Faktor-Authentifizierung (2FA) aktivieren?

Kann ich mein Konto löschen?

Guthaben & Zahlung

Was ist Guthaben?

Wie lade ich Guthaben auf?

Welche Aufladebeträge gibt es?

Gibt es ein Abonnement oder wiederkehrende Zahlungen?

Welche Zahlungsmethoden werden akzeptiert?

Verfällt mein Guthaben?

Kann ich eine Rechnung oder Quittung erhalten?

KI-Bildgenerierung

Wie funktioniert die KI-Bildgenerierung?

Welche Bildstile stehen zur Verfügung?

Wie viel kostet eine Generierung?

Wie lange dauert die Bildgenerierung?

Was passiert, wenn mir das generierte Bild nicht gefällt?

Werden meine hochgeladenen Fotos für KI-Training verwendet?

Kann ich die generierten Bilder kommerziell nutzen?

Stammbaum & Mitglieder

Wie viele Familienmitglieder kann ich hinzufügen?

Kann ich mehrere Stammbäume anlegen?

Wie lade ich Fotos von Familienmitgliedern hoch?

Welche Beziehungstypen kann ich anlegen?

Kann ich meinen Stammbaum mit anderen teilen?

Lassen sich Stammbäume exportieren?

Druckprodukte

Welche Druckprodukte kann ich bestellen?

Wie läuft eine Druckbestellung ab?

Wie lange dauert die Lieferung?

In welche Länder wird geliefert?

Kann ich eine Bestellung stornieren oder ändern?

Was passiert, wenn das Druckprodukt beschädigt oder falsch ankommt?

Datenschutz & Sicherheit

Wo werden meine Daten gespeichert?

Ist mein Stammbaum öffentlich sichtbar?

Wie sicher sind meine Zahlungsdaten?

Verwendet famband Cookies oder Tracking?

Was passiert bei einem Datenschutzverstoß?

Noch offene Fragen?