What's included for free?
You start with around 290 curated entries across nine collections, included for free:
- Important Events
- Empires & Eras
- Rulers & Politicians
- Painters & Sculptors
- Classical Music
- Philosophy & Religion
- Science & Technology
- Literature
- Buildings
Every entry links to its Wikipedia article for deeper reading. You also get a personal collection with up to 15 entries and all filters. A prepared sample collection, Ancient Rome, is free as well. You can load it into the app and keep it.
With Pro you unlock:
- Unlimited collections
- Unlimited entries
- Import your own collections
- Export the timeline as a PDF
- Copying and customizing entries and collections
There are also optional premium packs that expand individual collections with more curated entries (see below).
Why is a certain name or epoch missing?
The built-in collections are carefully curated rather than exhaustive. I chose depth over breadth so every entry tells a meaningful story in context. If someone important to you is missing, you can add them yourself: create a personal collection, or import a CSV file with Pro. Pro also lets you copy a built-in collection and customize your copy.
Will more content be added?
Yes. Premium packs expand the built-in collections with additional curated entries. The new entries merge into your existing collection and are marked with ✨. Each pack is a one-time purchase, researched and assembled by Anatol.
What do the colors mean?
Colors help you spot patterns at a glance. Each collection has its own color, so you can tell where an entry comes from.
And each entry type has its own color too, so people, eras, events, dynasties, conflicts, places, movements and works are all easy to tell apart. In mixed collections like "Empires & Eras", the different kinds of entries are easy to tell apart by color.
How do I find contemporaries?
Double-tap any entry on the timeline. Parallel instantly highlights everyone who lived at the same time across all your collections.
What does the blur at the edges of some bars mean?
Some historical dates are uncertain. When an exact birth or death year isn't known, Parallel shows a soft gradient at the edges of the bar. The wider the gradient, the greater the uncertainty.
For example, Homer's dates are estimated around 800 to 750 BC with an uncertainty of about 50 years in each direction. Sappho's birth year is uncertain by about 15 years, her death year by about 10.
When creating your own entries, you can set this in the entry editor: the "Fuzziness ±" field next to the start and end date lets you enter the uncertainty in years.
How do I create my own collection?
Your personal collection is ready from the start.
For more collections, go to the Collections tab and tap "Your own collection". Three ways are offered there: "Add them yourself" for an empty collection, "From a file" for a table you already have, and "From copied text" if you would rather paste a table straight in as text.
When you add them yourself, you choose a name and a color and start right away.
Additional collections require Parallel Pro.
Why can’t I edit the built-in collections?
The built-in collections are curated and fact-checked. They stay unchanged so that an app update can refresh them with new and corrected entries. If you worked in them directly, your changes would be gone after the next update.
If you want your own version, swipe left in the collection list and tap "Copy". The copy belongs to you and can be changed, renamed, recolored and extended freely. The original stays next to it, and you can hide it at any time.
If you only care about individual people or events, you do not need a whole copy. Open the entry and tap the copy symbol at the top right, and it lands as an editable copy in one of your own collections.
Copying collections and entries requires Parallel Pro.
How do I import my own data?
You do not need a file for this: a copied table can be pasted straight into the app as text. If you prefer working with a file, that works just the same. Then create a CSV file in any spreadsheet app (Numbers, Excel, Google Sheets). You only need two columns: title and startYear. Everything else is optional. Use semicolons as separators.
All available columns:
A simple example:
Save as CSV, open it in Parallel via "From a file", and your timeline appears instantly.
If you want a detailed guide, ready-made templates or a suggestion for drafting a first version with an AI, take a look at this page.
Every collection import requires a one-time purchase of Parallel Pro.
Can I back up my collections?
Yes. Go to Settings, scroll to "Manage Data" and tap "Export Backup". This saves all your collections and entries as a file you can store or transfer. Your data always belongs to you.
Can I export my timeline?
Yes. Go to Settings, scroll to "Manage Data" and tap "Export Timeline". The export renders your full timeline as a high-resolution PDF. Single sections work too: the focus view of an entry can be shared or saved straight to your photos, in different image formats if you like.
Timeline export requires Parallel Pro.
Are my collections synced across devices?
No. Your personal collections are stored locally on your device. You can use the backup export to transfer your data manually.
Does Parallel work on iPad or Mac?
Right now Parallel is made for iPhone. I would love to bring it to iPad and Mac later.
Do I need an account? Does it work offline?
Parallel works entirely on your device. There is no account and no sign-up, and it runs offline. Only the Wikipedia links open in your browser and need an internet connection.
I found an error. How can I report it?
Send an email to [email protected]. Every correction helps make Parallel better for everyone.