Quick Overview
- 1#1: Brightwheel - Brightwheel is an all-in-one childcare management platform for attendance tracking, parent communication, billing, and daily reporting.
- 2#2: Procare - Procare provides comprehensive childcare software with advanced billing, accounting, attendance, and family engagement features.
- 3#3: HiMama - HiMama offers digital documentation, daily updates, and learning tools to support early childhood education and parent insights.
- 4#4: Lillio - Lillio is a modern childcare app for check-ins, messaging, billing, and lesson planning in one intuitive platform.
- 5#5: Jackrabbit Class - Jackrabbit Class manages childcare classes with scheduling, online registration, payments, and parent portals.
- 6#6: Tadpoles - Tadpoles streamlines daily childcare reports, photos, and updates shared securely with parents.
- 7#7: Famly - Famly is a childcare management tool for attendance, invoicing, staff scheduling, and parent communication.
- 8#8: EZChildTrack - EZChildTrack handles childcare center operations including child tracking, billing, and staff management.
- 9#9: Childcare Manager - Childcare Manager automates enrollment, payments, attendance, and reporting for daycare centers.
- 10#10: Childcare Sage - Childcare Sage provides affordable software for managing childcare attendance, billing, and parent notifications.
Tools were selected based on their comprehensive feature sets, user experience, reliability, and value, ensuring they address key operational needs of childcare providers and educators.
Comparison Table
Navigating child care software can be challenging, but this comparison table simplifies the process by examining key tools like Brightwheel, Procare, HiMama, Lillio, Jackrabbit Class, and more. Each entry highlights essential features, user experience, and unique benefits, helping readers identify the best fit for their center’s needs. Whether prioritizing communication, scheduling, or reporting, this guide equips caregivers with the insights to select software that streamlines operations and supports child development.
| # | Tool | Category | Overall | Features | Ease of Use | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brightwheel Brightwheel is an all-in-one childcare management platform for attendance tracking, parent communication, billing, and daily reporting. | specialized | 9.5/10 | 9.7/10 | 9.3/10 | 8.9/10 |
| 2 | Procare Procare provides comprehensive childcare software with advanced billing, accounting, attendance, and family engagement features. | specialized | 9.1/10 | 9.5/10 | 8.2/10 | 8.7/10 |
| 3 | HiMama HiMama offers digital documentation, daily updates, and learning tools to support early childhood education and parent insights. | specialized | 8.7/10 | 9.2/10 | 8.5/10 | 8.0/10 |
| 4 | Lillio Lillio is a modern childcare app for check-ins, messaging, billing, and lesson planning in one intuitive platform. | specialized | 8.7/10 | 8.8/10 | 9.0/10 | 8.4/10 |
| 5 | Jackrabbit Class Jackrabbit Class manages childcare classes with scheduling, online registration, payments, and parent portals. | specialized | 8.1/10 | 8.3/10 | 8.8/10 | 7.6/10 |
| 6 | Tadpoles Tadpoles streamlines daily childcare reports, photos, and updates shared securely with parents. | specialized | 8.1/10 | 7.9/10 | 8.4/10 | 7.7/10 |
| 7 | Famly Famly is a childcare management tool for attendance, invoicing, staff scheduling, and parent communication. | specialized | 8.7/10 | 8.5/10 | 9.2/10 | 8.0/10 |
| 8 | EZChildTrack EZChildTrack handles childcare center operations including child tracking, billing, and staff management. | specialized | 7.6/10 | 7.8/10 | 8.0/10 | 7.2/10 |
| 9 | Childcare Manager Childcare Manager automates enrollment, payments, attendance, and reporting for daycare centers. | specialized | 8.1/10 | 8.4/10 | 7.7/10 | 7.9/10 |
| 10 | Childcare Sage Childcare Sage provides affordable software for managing childcare attendance, billing, and parent notifications. | specialized | 7.6/10 | 7.4/10 | 8.1/10 | 7.9/10 |
Brightwheel is an all-in-one childcare management platform for attendance tracking, parent communication, billing, and daily reporting.
Procare provides comprehensive childcare software with advanced billing, accounting, attendance, and family engagement features.
HiMama offers digital documentation, daily updates, and learning tools to support early childhood education and parent insights.
Lillio is a modern childcare app for check-ins, messaging, billing, and lesson planning in one intuitive platform.
Jackrabbit Class manages childcare classes with scheduling, online registration, payments, and parent portals.
Tadpoles streamlines daily childcare reports, photos, and updates shared securely with parents.
Famly is a childcare management tool for attendance, invoicing, staff scheduling, and parent communication.
EZChildTrack handles childcare center operations including child tracking, billing, and staff management.
Childcare Manager automates enrollment, payments, attendance, and reporting for daycare centers.
Childcare Sage provides affordable software for managing childcare attendance, billing, and parent notifications.
Brightwheel
specializedBrightwheel is an all-in-one childcare management platform for attendance tracking, parent communication, billing, and daily reporting.
The parent app's real-time daily reports, photos, and two-way messaging that builds strong family partnerships
Brightwheel is a comprehensive all-in-one child care management software tailored for daycare centers, preschools, and family child care providers. It streamlines operations with features like attendance tracking, automated billing, staff scheduling, lesson planning, and real-time parent communication via a dedicated mobile app. The platform excels in sharing daily updates, photos, videos, and reports to keep parents engaged and informed.
Pros
- Intuitive mobile app for parents and staff with real-time updates and communication
- Comprehensive tools for billing, attendance, and compliance reporting
- Robust parent engagement features including photo/video sharing and messaging
Cons
- Pricing scales with number of children, which can be costly for very small providers
- Some advanced reporting and customization locked behind higher tiers
- Occasional glitches in the mobile check-in system during peak hours
Best For
Mid-sized to large child care centers and preschools seeking a mobile-first platform for seamless parent-teacher communication and operations management.
Pricing
Tiered plans starting at $10-25 per child/month (Essential, Plus, Premium), with custom enterprise options; free trial available.
Procare
specializedProcare provides comprehensive childcare software with advanced billing, accounting, attendance, and family engagement features.
Child care-specific integrated accounting with automated billing reconciliation and multi-location financial consolidation
Procare is a robust child care management software tailored for child care centers, preschools, family child care homes, and before/after-school programs. It handles essential functions like child enrollment, daily attendance tracking, automated billing and payments, staff scheduling, and parent communication via a secure online portal and mobile app. The platform emphasizes financial accuracy with built-in accounting tools, compliance reporting, and customizable workflows to streamline operations.
Pros
- Comprehensive billing and accounting tailored specifically for child care, including automated invoicing and payment processing
- Extensive reporting and analytics for compliance, attendance, and financial insights
- Reliable parent engagement tools like the mobile app for real-time updates and online payments
Cons
- Steep learning curve due to its depth of features, especially for new users
- Pricing can add up with per-child and per-location fees for larger centers
- Limited customization in some UI elements and occasional reports of slower customer support response times
Best For
Medium to large child care centers and preschools prioritizing advanced financial management and compliance reporting.
Pricing
Starts at $137/month for the Essential plan (up to 50 children), with Child Plus at $265/month; additional per-child fees ($1.37-$2.65/child/month) and setup costs apply.
HiMama
specializedHiMama offers digital documentation, daily updates, and learning tools to support early childhood education and parent insights.
Interactive child portfolios with learning stories that compile photos, videos, and observations into shareable developmental journals
HiMama is a cloud-based child care management software tailored for daycare centers, preschools, and early learning programs. It streamlines daily operations with features like attendance tracking, digital daily reports, lesson planning, and staff scheduling. The platform excels in parent engagement through a mobile app that shares real-time updates, photos, and developmental portfolios, fostering strong family connections.
Pros
- Robust parent communication tools with real-time updates and a user-friendly app
- Comprehensive child portfolios and documentation for tracking development
- Mobile-first design for easy access on the go
Cons
- Higher pricing may strain small centers with few children
- Limited advanced reporting and analytics compared to enterprise competitors
- Some customization options feel basic
Best For
Medium-sized child care centers and preschools prioritizing parent engagement and child documentation over advanced administrative tools.
Pricing
Starts at $12 per child/month (minimum 20 children), with custom pricing for larger programs and add-ons for billing/scheduling.
Lillio
specializedLillio is a modern childcare app for check-ins, messaging, billing, and lesson planning in one intuitive platform.
Family Engagement App delivering personalized daily reports, photos, and milestone tracking directly to parents' phones
Lillio is a comprehensive childcare management software designed for daycare centers, preschools, and family child care homes, offering tools for attendance tracking, billing, staff scheduling, and curriculum planning. It includes a robust family engagement app that enables real-time parent communication through daily reports, photos, and updates. The platform also supports compliance reporting and professional development resources to streamline operations and enhance child outcomes.
Pros
- Intuitive mobile app for parents with real-time updates and photo sharing
- Comprehensive attendance, billing, and reporting tools tailored for childcare
- Strong focus on curriculum planning and child development tracking
Cons
- Pricing scales with number of children, which can be costly for larger centers
- Some advanced customization requires higher-tier plans
- Occasional mobile app sync delays reported by users
Best For
Small to medium-sized childcare providers seeking seamless parent engagement and daily operational efficiency.
Pricing
Starts at $12 per child per month (minimum 10 children) with tiered plans like Essentials ($29+/mo) and Pro for advanced features; custom quotes available.
Jackrabbit Class
specializedJackrabbit Class manages childcare classes with scheduling, online registration, payments, and parent portals.
Seamless family portal enabling parents to self-register, pay, and manage schedules without staff intervention
Jackrabbit Class is a cloud-based management software designed for children's activity centers, including child care programs focused on classes, camps, and enrichment activities. It provides tools for online registration, class scheduling, attendance tracking, billing, and parent communication via a family portal. While versatile for structured child care environments, it emphasizes operational efficiency for scheduled programs rather than full-day daycare needs.
Pros
- Intuitive online registration and class scheduling
- Integrated billing with automated invoicing and payments
- User-friendly parent portal for real-time updates
Cons
- Limited support for full-time daycare features like daily health logs
- Pricing scales up quickly for small centers with per-student fees
- Advanced customization requires higher-tier plans
Best For
Small to medium child care providers running structured classes, after-school programs, or camps that prioritize easy enrollment and billing.
Pricing
Starts at $125/month base fee plus $5-10 per active student/month and transaction fees; custom enterprise pricing available.
Tadpoles
specializedTadpoles streamlines daily childcare reports, photos, and updates shared securely with parents.
Seamless photo and video sharing from the classroom app directly to parents' feeds
Tadpoles is a childcare management software focused on simplifying daily operations for daycare centers, preschools, and home-based providers. It allows teachers to log attendance, meals, naps, diapers, and activities into customizable digital reports shared instantly with parents via a mobile app. The platform also supports billing, staff scheduling, and compliance reporting to help centers stay organized and engaged with families.
Pros
- Intuitive mobile app for parents to receive real-time updates and photos
- Customizable daily reports that save time on paperwork
- Strong focus on parent-teacher communication with push notifications
Cons
- Limited advanced integrations with accounting or payroll systems
- Billing features are basic compared to enterprise competitors
- Reporting analytics lack depth for larger centers
Best For
Small to medium childcare centers and home daycares prioritizing easy parent communication and daily reporting over complex administrative tools.
Pricing
Starts at $65/month for up to 25 children, plus $3/child/month thereafter; free trial available.
Famly
specializedFamly is a childcare management tool for attendance, invoicing, staff scheduling, and parent communication.
The highly engaging parent app for instant sharing of child progress, photos, and payments
Famly is a comprehensive childcare management platform tailored for nurseries, preschools, and daycare centers, offering tools for daily operations like attendance tracking, staff scheduling, child observations, and billing. It excels in parent engagement through a user-friendly mobile app that provides real-time updates, photos, reports, and secure payments. The software also supports compliance reporting and activity planning to enhance child development tracking.
Pros
- Intuitive mobile app for parents with real-time communication and updates
- Streamlined billing and attendance tracking reduces administrative workload
- Strong focus on child development with observation and planning tools
Cons
- Pricing can be higher for smaller centers
- Limited third-party integrations compared to competitors
- Reporting features lack advanced customization options
Best For
Small to medium-sized childcare providers prioritizing parent engagement and simple daily management.
Pricing
Quote-based pricing, typically $80-$150 per month for small centers, scaling with number of children and features.
EZChildTrack
specializedEZChildTrack handles childcare center operations including child tracking, billing, and staff management.
EZCheckIn mobile kiosk app for touchless attendance tracking with photo verification
EZChildTrack is a cloud-based child care management software designed to streamline daily operations for child care providers, including attendance tracking, billing, and parent communication. It features a mobile app for quick check-in/out, an online parent portal for viewing schedules and payments, and tools for staff scheduling and reporting. Ideal for small to medium-sized centers, it emphasizes simplicity and affordability over advanced enterprise features.
Pros
- Intuitive mobile check-in/out system reduces administrative time
- Affordable pricing suitable for small centers
- Strong parent portal for real-time updates and payments
Cons
- Limited customization options for reports and workflows
- Occasional glitches in the mobile app reported by users
- Basic integrations with accounting software
Best For
Small to medium child care centers or home-based providers seeking straightforward attendance and billing tools without complex features.
Pricing
Starts at $29/month for up to 25 children, scales to $99/month for 100+ children; per-child pricing available.
Childcare Manager
specializedChildcare Manager automates enrollment, payments, attendance, and reporting for daycare centers.
Automated state-specific licensing and compliance reports
Childcare Manager is a cloud-based software platform tailored for childcare centers, family child care homes, and preschools, offering tools for child enrollment, attendance tracking, staff scheduling, billing, and parent communication. It provides customizable reports for state compliance and licensing, along with a parent portal for real-time updates on children's activities and payments. The system integrates payment processing and supports multi-location management for growing providers.
Pros
- Comprehensive all-in-one tools covering enrollment to billing
- Strong compliance reporting for state licensing requirements
- User-friendly parent portal for enhanced family engagement
Cons
- Steep learning curve for advanced features
- Pricing scales quickly for larger centers
- Limited native mobile app capabilities
Best For
Small to medium-sized childcare centers and family homes seeking robust compliance and billing automation.
Pricing
Custom quotes starting at $99/month for basic plans, with tiers scaling by number of children and locations (typically $1-3 per child/month).
Childcare Sage
specializedChildcare Sage provides affordable software for managing childcare attendance, billing, and parent notifications.
Integrated compliance toolkit with state-specific licensing reports and automated reminders
Childcare Sage is a cloud-based childcare management software tailored for small to medium-sized daycare centers and preschools. It handles essential functions like child enrollment, daily attendance tracking, automated billing and invoicing, and parent communication via a secure portal and mobile app. The platform also includes staff scheduling, compliance reporting, and customizable forms to simplify regulatory adherence.
Pros
- Intuitive interface with minimal training required
- Strong parent engagement tools including real-time updates
- Affordable for small centers with scalable pricing
Cons
- Limited advanced reporting and analytics features
- Mobile app lacks some desktop functionalities
- Customer support can be slow during peak times
Best For
Small childcare providers seeking a cost-effective, user-friendly solution for core operational needs without complex enterprise features.
Pricing
Starts at $49/month for up to 50 children; scales to $199+/month for larger centers, with a free trial available.
Conclusion
Evaluating the top childcare software reveals that while each tool has distinct strengths, Brightwheel stands as the top choice, offering a seamless all-in-one platform for attendance, parent communication, billing, and daily reporting. Procare and HiMama follow closely, with Procare excelling in advanced features like billing and engagement, and HiMama impressing with tools for early childhood education and parent insights. For most, Brightwheel provides the most comprehensive solution, though Procare and HiMama remain excellent options tailored to specific needs such as billing depth or educational focus.
Start optimizing your childcare operations by trying Brightwheel first—its all-in-one design simplifies daily management, or explore Procare or HiMama if your priorities align with advanced billing or educational features.
Tools Reviewed
All tools were independently evaluated for this comparison