The 16 Best Interactive Timeline Software in 2024: Free and Paid

A timeline is great for putting ideas, events, and facts in order. They are used widely in helpful tutorials, product designs, customer service, case studies, etc. Digital timelines are easy to create – you only need to have the proper software at hand. However, your purposes for making a timeline may vary, and so does the software. Do you want to make an interactive timeline to engage learners or manage your project? Or are you looking for a particular template? Or perhaps you need a tool with greater export and embedding capabilities.

In this article, we’ve compiled a list of the best timeline makers in five categories:

• Tools for interactive timelines in education
• Project planning tools
• One-stop-shop timeline makers
• Free timeline makers
• Timeline apps for smartphones

Check them all out and find the one that suits you best. 

What Is a Timeline?

A timeline is a linear organizer that illustrates the passage of large blocks of time. It can take various forms and look different depending on its intended purpose. These are the most common types:

• Horizontal
• Vertical
• Historical/Chronological
• Roadmap
• Linear Graph
• Gantt Chart

It’s best to have some idea of what type of timeline you’re going to make. This will help you identify which tool can match your needs.

The 3 Best Interactive Timeline Software for Educational Purposes

These timeline makers enable you to craft not just a timeline but an entire interactive presentation. This approach to timelines enhances education by introducing interactivity and engagement. Learners can click on specific points on the timeline to reveal slides that contain greater detail. Below are three recommended timeline software options for students, educators, and course developers.

Also read → How to Convert PowerPoint to MP4 Video on Windows and macOS

1. iSpring Suite

iSpring Suite is an all-in-one authoring toolkit for educators and instructional designers. As well as being able to create intricate timelines, you can also design entire courses, quizzes, role-plays, video lectures, and more.

iSpring Suite allows you to add an extensive selection of interactions, one of which is the timeline. With this interaction, you can add a custom number of periods and events, and customize the visuals and interactivity.

Check out iSpring Suite and start creating amazing timelines right now.

2. Sutori

Sutori is a web-based timeline creation tool designed to aid teachers and students alike in making interactive timelines for educational success. The software is simple and professional looking, all while being confined to a web browser.

3. Tiki-Toki

Tiki-Toki is a custom chronology generator that specializes in making history come to life in 3D. This online tool is great for use in schools and can be used very easily by both teachers and students. While the app is simple and visually impressive, its options for customization are limited.

The 3 Best Timeline Software Makers for Planning

These tools are commonly used by project managers and feature planning capabilities that facilitate team collaboration on visual data. They offer users enhanced ways to employ timelines in a business context, such as showcasing project timelines, and refining how ideas are presented to colleagues.

4. Lucidchart

Lucidchart is an online software that, as well as making Venn diagrams, mind maps, and flowcharts, can be used to create timelines. The tool is intuitive with its drag-and-drop functionality and offers a wide range of integrations. Lucidchart projects can be shared on Slack, Microsoft Teams, Excel, Jira, and applications such as OmniGiraffe and Viso.

5. Office Timeline

Office Timeline is a project management software that’s excellent for business communication. It offers two tools: an online timeline maker, and an offline PowerPoint add-on. The online platform is user-friendly, with multiple templates and export options, while the offline option provides an automatic Gantt Chart feature that uses data from an MS Excel spreadsheet.

6. TimelineMakerPro

TimelineMakerPro is an offline organizational tool that is easy to use, thanks to its Microsoft Office-like functionality. It uses an intuitive drag-and-drop feature that allows users to create timelines quickly for effective project management. The tool stands out for its multiple visual design options and visual styles.

The 3 Best One-Stop-Shop Solutions

Sometimes it makes sense to opt for a tool that can cover a number of different functions and be the go-to platform for all of your timekeeping needs. We selected our top picks for the best online timeline generators that offer great customization and visual design for a wide range of applications.

7. Preceden

Preceden is an online timeline editor with a simple drag-and-drop system for creating a wide range of chronological presentations with ease. The product offers both a free and premium version, which supports a range of customization features and export options.

8. Venngage

Venngage is an online infographic design tool that can be used for a wide range of functions, but one of its most useful applications is a timeline maker. Even if you have no design experience, this tool makes it easy to create visually stunning graphics from a wide selection of templates. You can also add a selection of media and customize the design before exporting.

9. Visme

Visme is a multipurpose online tool for creating presentations, graphics, and timelines. Virtually anything made with Visme comes out looking professional, clean, and unique, even with the free version. The online graphic creator offers a range of pricing plans for businesses, educators, and individuals.

The 3 Best Free Timeline Tools

For occasional or personal use, you might be on the lookout for timeline creation tools that are not only free but also don’t place a watermark on your projects. We have curated a list of the top three timeline software options that offer free versions below. Although these free online timeline tools do require you to register, they assure the production of clean, watermark-free timelines.

10. Google Sheets

Google Sheets is actually a great free tool for generating timelines on the Internet. However, it can take some time to get used to and may look a little basic compared to some paid options. It comes with a number of simple templates, so if you aren’t fussy about design choices, you can get what you need quickly.

Here’s how to access the tool:

1. Log in to Google Drive and click New.
2. Hover over More and select Connect more apps.
3. Type in Drive Template Gallery and connect it. Click Yes when the prompt window appears.
4. Now you have access to the additional templates. Click on New again, hover over Google Sheets, and select From a template.
5. Scroll down to the Project Management section — there are 4 new chart templates available, so you can simply pick one!

11. TimeGraphics

TimeGraphics is a web-based free timeline builder that integrates with a number of Google services, such as Google Analytics and Google Sheets. One of its other standout features is the option to embed various interactable elements from other sites.

12. TimeToast

Timetoast is a very simple project timeline tool that’s quick to use and allows you to export your projects as images directly embedded into your website. This is a handy feature for simpler or slower sites. TimeToast is a little lacking in the customization department, but if you like their minimalist design, then you really can’t go wrong.

The 4 Best Timeline Software Apps for Mobile

Making digital content on the go has become a mainstay in the modern world, and this is no different when it comes to making timelines. There are options for both Android and iOS phones for creating, editing, and sharing. We selected 4 of the best timeline-making apps for mobile.

13. SimpleMind

SimpleMind is an innovative mind-mapping tool that provides a selection of style sheets and templates that allows you to create a wide range of interactive diagrams. The app has a free and a paid version, but both are capable of creating fantastic-looking timelines for project management or education.

14. EdrawMind

EdrawMind is an app from Wondershare that makes it easy to create professional-looking data layouts. You can use the app to design timelines that are scalable and have different connection styles, images, and summaries. Your projects can be exported as images or PDFs, and it has integration with Dropbox.

15. XMind

XMind is a great app if you want to create minimalist timelines. Here, simplicity and clarity go hand in hand to produce digital chronologies that look clean and informative. The app has plenty of ready-made resources to get you started, and projects can be exported in various formats.

16. MindMeister

MindMeister makes it easy to share your projects and receive feedback on them with the commenting and voting features that are included in the app. This timeline design software is great for sharing and demonstrating your ideas with its intuitive creator and sharing options.

4 Tips on How to Create a Timeline

When you decide on a tool to make your timelines, it’s time to think about their structures and how you will present the information.

Whatever type of timeline you make, working on it starts with a clear conceptualization. You need to complete these four steps to get from idea to realization:

1. Define what you’ll cover with your timeline. Set timeframes for it and come up with a clear, eye-catching title. 

2. Consider how detailed it will be. Research the data and prepare it carefully. 

3. Plan the layout of information ahead of time. Arrange the facts or notions in sequence. Ensure that you follow a logical order. 

4. Make your timeline look neat. The texts should be short and concise.

Following is the technical side of timeline creation. We’ll show how to make it in iSpring Suite and use a historical timeline as an example. Check it out!

How to Make a Timeline in iSpring Suite

In iSpring Suite, timelines are interactive and slide-based. This implies that learners will click on the appropriate node (period or event) and pass to the relevant slide to read more. As a creator, you can enrich every slide with multimedia: images, videos, characters, backgrounds, and even narration. 

So, here’s how to create your own timeline:

1. Install a fully functional free trial version of iSpring Suite.

2. Open iSpring Suite and then click on the Interaction tab on the panel.

3. Here you can see the iSpring Visuals menu, which contains 14 types of interaction for your courses.

4. Select Timeline from the list of interactions, as shown in the screenshot.

5. To add a new period or event, click on the Add Period and Add Event buttons
on the toolbar.

6. Add an introduction/summary to your timeline. To do that, select the Introduction and/or Summary boxes.

7. Choose a slide and click Insert on the upper panel. Select the desired multimedia type to add it.

8. To change fonts and text size, click Format text near the Insert tab.

9. Customize the slide in Properties. Here, you can adjust the color scheme as desired.

10. Once your historical timeline is ready, click the Publish button.

11. Choose a destination to allocate your timeline to. You can save it on your computer in HTML5 format and then send it via email, upload it to FTP, or download it as a Zip archive for further sharing.

Note: iSpring Suite enables you to share interactions on any LMS. Just select the format you need from the drop-down list of available formats.

FAQ on Timeline Software

How can I create a project timeline using Gantt charts in the timeline tools?

Most interactive timeline makers, such as Office Timeline, GanttPRO, Instagantt, Lucidchart, and Venngage, offer features that allow the creation of a project timeline using Gantt charts. These tools allow you to plot tasks, durations, and dependencies on a timeline, providing a clear visual representation of your project.

With the drag-and-drop interfaces that many of these tools provide, you can adjust and organize your tasks quickly. This makes it easy to update your project timeline as needed. 

Is there any timeline software that supports date ranges for long-lasting events?

Yes, this is a fundamental feature for creating detailed and accurate timelines. Any interactive timeline software (at least Tiki-Toki, Timeline JS, Office Timeline, and Preceden) typically supports date ranges for events.

Conclusion

Timelines are an easy and effective way to illustrate a series of facts, events, or ideas and understand how things change over time. There are several types of timeline software that enable smooth creation and sharing. Some of these tools are free timeline makers, accessible online (a web tool), or mobile apps, which might be useful for making timelines quickly. Others are perfect for interactive timelines in education and training. Some timeline makers focus on project management and take data visualization to the next level. We hope our research will help you choose the best software for your needs.   

Which timeline program would you like to add to this list? Feel free to share in the comment section below!