BackThen

What BackThen is

BackThen is a private family journal for keeping children’s photos, videos, milestones and stories together and sharing them with relatives and friends. It organizes memories into a chronological timeline for each child, with scrolling and search for finding earlier entries. Photos of any size and videos of any length can be saved without compression. Timeline owners choose who to invite and set individual permissions; invited family and friends can view, comment and add memories. BackThen says timelines have no ads or data-sharing, and its privacy policy says uploaded content is not processed by people.

The service is available on Android, iOS and the web. Its Free Starter Pack includes 1GB of storage and all features, and invited family and friends can use a timeline for free. VIP plans offer up to 200GB of family storage, multiple child timelines and unlimited sharing. The monthly VIP plan is billed through the app store provider at £4.99, $6.49 or €5.99; the annual VIP plan is billed through backthen.com at £49.99, $64.99 or €59.99. BackThen also creates weekly photo treasures and offers time-lapse and age comparisons for siblings and cousins. Users can order photo books, calendars, cards, prints and montages from photos in the app. VIP exports can be requested for each timeline every 30 days, and packaging can take up to 24 hours.

Who it suits

BackThen suits parents who want a private place to preserve their children’s stories and share memories with selected relatives and friends. It also fits families who want multiple child timelines, original-quality storage and options for turning app photos into printed items.

Limits

The Free Starter Pack includes 1GB of storage. VIP exports can be requested for each timeline every 30 days, and packaging can take up to 24 hours.

Getting started

1. Open the BackThen website or use the Android or iOS app.
2. Start with the Free Starter Pack, or choose a VIP plan.
3. Create a timeline for a child and add photos, videos, milestones or stories.
4. Invite family and friends and set their individual permissions.

Verdict

Choose BackThen if you want a family timeline for children’s memories, with permission controls and sharing for invited relatives. The free pack includes all features but is limited to 1GB; families needing more storage can consider VIP, which offers up to 200GB.