What's included for free?
Parallel ships with 285 curated entries across 9 collections: Important Events, Empires & Eras, Rulers & Politicians, Painters & Sculptors, Classical Music, Philosophy & Religion, Science & Technology, Literature, and Buildings. Every entry links to its Wikipedia article for deeper reading. You also get 1 personal collection with up to 15 entries and all filters.
Pro unlocks unlimited personal collections, unlimited entries, CSV import/export, and the ability to copy and customize built-in collections.
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?
Each entry type has its own color: persons, epochs, events, conflicts, places, and movements are each visually distinct. This helps you see at a glance what kind of entry you're looking at on the timeline.
Some collections use subcategories for finer distinction. For example, in "Painters & Sculptors" painters and sculptors each get their own color. In "Philosophy & Religion" philosophers and religious figures are visually separated. The colors always serve the same purpose: making patterns visible at a glance.
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. To create additional collections, go to the Collections tab, scroll down and tap "New Collection". Choose a name and a color and start adding entries.
Additional collections require Parallel Pro.
How do I import my own data?
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 "Import CSV", and your timeline appears instantly.
CSV import requires 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 as an image?
Yes. Go to Settings, scroll to "Manage Data" and tap "Export Timeline". You can choose between PNG and PDF. The export renders your full timeline at high resolution.
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.
I found an error. How can I report it?
Send an email to [email protected]. Every correction helps make Parallel better for everyone.