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Top 10 Best Daycare Accounting Software of 2026

Discover the top 10 daycare accounting software solutions to streamline operations. Find the best fit for your needs today.

Rajesh Patel

Rajesh Patel

Feb 11, 2026

10 tools comparedExpert reviewed
Independent evaluation · Unbiased commentary · Updated regularly
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Effective financial management is foundational to successful daycare operations, impacting revenue tracking, parent relations, and operational sustainability. With a range of specialized tools designed to handle tuition billing, payroll, and reporting, selecting the right software is key to streamlining processes. Explore our curated list of top solutions to find the ideal fit for your daycare’s unique needs.

Quick Overview

  1. 1#1: Procare Software - Comprehensive childcare management solution with integrated accounting, billing, payroll, and financial reporting tailored for daycares.
  2. 2#2: Brightwheel - All-in-one mobile platform for daycares offering invoicing, online payments, attendance tracking, and financial insights.
  3. 3#3: Jackrabbit Class - Childcare and class management software featuring automated billing, payment processing, and detailed financial reports.
  4. 4#4: Sandbox Software - Cloud-based childcare management with robust accounting tools for tuition billing, expense tracking, and payroll.
  5. 5#5: HiMama - Childcare app with billing, payment collection, and financial management features alongside parent communication.
  6. 6#6: Tadpoles - Early education platform providing attendance-linked billing, invoicing, and basic accounting for daycares.
  7. 7#7: Childcare Manager - Dedicated daycare software for managing enrollments, billing, payments, and financial statements.
  8. 8#8: LifeCubby - Childcare management system with integrated billing, payment tracking, and assessment tools for financial oversight.
  9. 9#9: QuickBooks Online - Cloud accounting software adaptable for daycares with invoicing, expense tracking, and payroll integrations.
  10. 10#10: Xero - Online accounting platform for small businesses like daycares, offering bank reconciliation, invoicing, and reporting.

We ranked these tools based on core functionality—including tailored accounting, billing, and payroll features—alongside ease of use, reliability, and overall value, ensuring they meet the distinct demands of childcare management.

Comparison Table

Managing daycare finances and operations effectively requires the right tools, and daycare accounting software plays a critical role in simplifying billing, reporting, and more. This comparison table highlights top options like Procare Software, Brightwheel, Jackrabbit Class, Sandbox Software, HiMama, and others, helping users compare features, pricing, and usability to find the best fit for their needs. Readers will discover key details to make informed decisions tailored to their facility’s unique requirements.

Comprehensive childcare management solution with integrated accounting, billing, payroll, and financial reporting tailored for daycares.

Features
9.8/10
Ease
8.9/10
Value
9.4/10

All-in-one mobile platform for daycares offering invoicing, online payments, attendance tracking, and financial insights.

Features
7.8/10
Ease
9.1/10
Value
8.0/10

Childcare and class management software featuring automated billing, payment processing, and detailed financial reports.

Features
8.5/10
Ease
8.0/10
Value
7.7/10

Cloud-based childcare management with robust accounting tools for tuition billing, expense tracking, and payroll.

Features
8.4/10
Ease
7.9/10
Value
7.7/10
5HiMama logo6.1/10

Childcare app with billing, payment collection, and financial management features alongside parent communication.

Features
5.2/10
Ease
8.4/10
Value
5.8/10
6Tadpoles logo7.6/10

Early education platform providing attendance-linked billing, invoicing, and basic accounting for daycares.

Features
7.4/10
Ease
8.4/10
Value
7.2/10

Dedicated daycare software for managing enrollments, billing, payments, and financial statements.

Features
8.5/10
Ease
7.8/10
Value
7.6/10
8LifeCubby logo6.8/10

Childcare management system with integrated billing, payment tracking, and assessment tools for financial oversight.

Features
6.2/10
Ease
8.1/10
Value
6.9/10

Cloud accounting software adaptable for daycares with invoicing, expense tracking, and payroll integrations.

Features
7.5/10
Ease
8.5/10
Value
7.2/10
10Xero logo7.4/10

Online accounting platform for small businesses like daycares, offering bank reconciliation, invoicing, and reporting.

Features
6.8/10
Ease
9.1/10
Value
7.9/10
1
Procare Software logo

Procare Software

specialized

Comprehensive childcare management solution with integrated accounting, billing, payroll, and financial reporting tailored for daycares.

Overall Rating9.6/10
Features
9.8/10
Ease of Use
8.9/10
Value
9.4/10
Standout Feature

The Childcare Ledger system, which automatically reconciles payments, attendance, and fees in a daycare-specific financial framework

Procare Software is a leading childcare management platform with specialized accounting tools tailored for daycare centers, handling everything from automated billing and family payments to financial reporting and tax compliance. It integrates attendance tracking with invoicing to ensure accurate revenue capture based on actual child hours and schedules. Designed for scalability, it supports multi-location operations and provides detailed ledgers for childcare-specific financial management.

Pros

  • Robust family-based billing and automated invoicing tied to attendance
  • Comprehensive financial reporting, ledgers, and childcare tax tools
  • Seamless integration with parent portals for online payments

Cons

  • Higher pricing may deter very small daycares
  • Initial setup and learning curve for advanced features
  • Some users report occasional customer support delays

Best For

Mid-to-large daycare centers and preschools needing integrated accounting with operational management for efficient financial oversight.

Pricing

Custom quotes starting at ~$149/month for basic plans, scaling with number of children/locations (typically $100-$300+/month).

Visit Procare Softwareprocaresoftware.com
2
Brightwheel logo

Brightwheel

specialized

All-in-one mobile platform for daycares offering invoicing, online payments, attendance tracking, and financial insights.

Overall Rating8.2/10
Features
7.8/10
Ease of Use
9.1/10
Value
8.0/10
Standout Feature

Attendance-driven automated recurring billing that adjusts invoices dynamically based on actual child hours

Brightwheel is an all-in-one child care management platform with strong daycare accounting features, including automated invoicing, tuition billing, and parent payment collection. It tracks attendance to generate accurate bills, processes payments seamlessly via ACH, credit card, or app, and offers financial reports like revenue summaries and aging receivables. Designed for preschools and daycares, it simplifies financial tasks but pairs them with operational tools like check-in and communication.

Pros

  • Automated attendance-based billing reduces manual errors
  • Integrated parent payments with low fees and reminders
  • User-friendly financial dashboards and reports

Cons

  • Lacks advanced accounting like general ledger or tax tools
  • Payroll is add-on and not deeply integrated with accounting
  • Pricing scales with number of children, increasing costs for larger centers

Best For

Small to mid-sized daycares needing simple, integrated billing alongside child care management.

Pricing

Starts at $0 for basic (limited features), Pro plan ~$169/month base + per-child fees, scales to Enterprise for larger operations.

Visit Brightwheelbrightwheel.com
3
Jackrabbit Class logo

Jackrabbit Class

specialized

Childcare and class management software featuring automated billing, payment processing, and detailed financial reports.

Overall Rating8.2/10
Features
8.5/10
Ease of Use
8.0/10
Value
7.7/10
Standout Feature

Family Portal with sibling discounts and automated prorated billing for multi-child households

Jackrabbit Class is a cloud-based management platform designed for child care centers, daycares, and activity-based programs, with robust accounting tools for tuition billing, invoicing, and payment processing. It automates family billing for multiple children, tracks attendance-linked charges, and generates financial reports to streamline daycare finances. While not a standalone accounting suite, it integrates essential bookkeeping with operational management for efficient revenue handling.

Pros

  • Automated family billing handles multi-child discounts and prorated tuition seamlessly
  • Integrated online payments and attendance tracking reduce manual accounting errors
  • Comprehensive financial reporting for revenue, expenses, and profitability insights

Cons

  • Lacks advanced accounting like full double-entry bookkeeping or payroll processing
  • Pricing scales with student enrollment, which can get expensive for larger daycares
  • Customization options require setup time and may overwhelm beginners

Best For

Small to mid-sized daycares needing integrated billing and basic accounting alongside class scheduling.

Pricing

Custom pricing starts around $75/month base fee plus $2-4 per active student; additional fees for premium features.

Visit Jackrabbit Classjackrabbitclass.com
4
Sandbox Software logo

Sandbox Software

specialized

Cloud-based childcare management with robust accounting tools for tuition billing, expense tracking, and payroll.

Overall Rating8.1/10
Features
8.4/10
Ease of Use
7.9/10
Value
7.7/10
Standout Feature

Real-time attendance-to-billing automation that calculates charges based on actual hours attended

Sandbox Software is a comprehensive childcare management platform with integrated accounting tools designed specifically for daycares and preschools. It streamlines billing, invoicing, payment processing, and financial reporting by linking attendance data directly to revenue generation. The software also handles family accounts, subsidies, and customizable tuition schedules, making it suitable for operational and financial management in childcare settings.

Pros

  • Seamless integration of attendance tracking with automated billing and invoicing
  • Online parent portal for payments and account management
  • Comprehensive financial reports including profit/loss and subsidy tracking

Cons

  • Lacks advanced accounting features like full payroll integration or multi-entity support
  • Pricing scales with number of children, which can become expensive for larger centers
  • Some users report a moderate learning curve for custom configurations

Best For

Small to mid-sized daycares needing an all-in-one solution that ties daily operations to accounting without separate software.

Pricing

Starts at $99/month for up to 50 children; scales to $5+ per child/month for larger enrollments, with annual discounts available.

Visit Sandbox Softwaresandboxsoftware.com
5
HiMama logo

HiMama

specialized

Childcare app with billing, payment collection, and financial management features alongside parent communication.

Overall Rating6.1/10
Features
5.2/10
Ease of Use
8.4/10
Value
5.8/10
Standout Feature

Automatic billing generation directly from real-time attendance tracking and sign-in/out logs

HiMama is a comprehensive childcare management platform with basic accounting features tailored for daycare centers, primarily focusing on attendance tracking, invoicing, and parent payments rather than full financial accounting. It automates billing based on child sign-ins and sign-outs, integrates with payment processors, and provides simple financial reports, but lacks advanced tools like general ledger, payroll processing, or tax compliance. While excellent for operational efficiency in early childhood programs, it falls short as a standalone daycare accounting solution.

Pros

  • Seamless integration of attendance data with automated invoicing
  • User-friendly mobile app for quick financial updates
  • Parent portal for easy online payments and receipts

Cons

  • Limited advanced accounting like payroll, ledger, or tax reporting
  • No deep financial analytics or multi-location consolidation
  • Pricing scales with child count, increasing costs for larger centers

Best For

Small to mid-sized daycares seeking basic billing integrated with daily childcare operations rather than robust accounting.

Pricing

Starts at around $12 per child per month, with tiered plans based on number of children and features; annual contracts required.

Visit HiMamahimama.com
6
Tadpoles logo

Tadpoles

specialized

Early education platform providing attendance-linked billing, invoicing, and basic accounting for daycares.

Overall Rating7.6/10
Features
7.4/10
Ease of Use
8.4/10
Value
7.2/10
Standout Feature

Real-time attendance-to-invoice automation that calculates charges dynamically based on check-in/out times and schedules

Tadpoles is a childcare management platform designed for daycares and preschools, with built-in accounting tools focused on billing, invoicing, and payment processing. It automates invoice generation based on attendance tracking, supports online parent payments via integrated gateways, and provides basic financial reports for revenue tracking. While not a standalone accounting solution, it streamlines financial operations alongside daily childcare tasks like parent communication and staff scheduling.

Pros

  • Automated invoicing directly tied to attendance data
  • Seamless online payment collection from parents
  • User-friendly mobile app for quick financial oversight

Cons

  • Lacks advanced accounting like payroll processing or detailed tax reporting
  • Financial reporting is basic and less customizable
  • Pricing scales with child count, which can be costly for larger centers

Best For

Small to medium daycares seeking integrated billing within a full childcare management system rather than deep accounting specialization.

Pricing

Starts at about $3-5 per child per month, with custom quotes based on program size and features; minimums apply for small centers.

Visit Tadpolestadpoles.com
7
Childcare Manager logo

Childcare Manager

specialized

Dedicated daycare software for managing enrollments, billing, payments, and financial statements.

Overall Rating8.1/10
Features
8.5/10
Ease of Use
7.8/10
Value
7.6/10
Standout Feature

Dynamic billing engine that auto-calculates charges based on real-time attendance, schedules, and custom fee structures

Childcare Manager is a cloud-based childcare management platform with robust accounting features tailored for daycare centers, including automated invoicing, parent payments, and financial reporting. It integrates daily attendance and scheduling directly with billing to ensure accurate tuition calculations and handles subsidies, late fees, and multi-location finances. While not a standalone accounting tool like QuickBooks, it provides daycare-specific financial tools that streamline operations for providers.

Pros

  • Automated billing tied to attendance and schedules for precise invoicing
  • Parent portal for online payments and real-time balance views
  • Comprehensive financial reports including P&L, AR aging, and subsidy tracking

Cons

  • Pricing scales quickly with number of children, less ideal for very small centers
  • Limited advanced accounting integrations (e.g., no native QuickBooks sync)
  • Initial setup and customization can require support assistance

Best For

Medium-sized daycare centers (50+ children) needing integrated accounting within a full childcare management system.

Pricing

Starts at $99/month for up to 50 children; scales to $200+/month for larger centers with custom enterprise quotes.

Visit Childcare Managerchildcaremanager.com
8
LifeCubby logo

LifeCubby

specialized

Childcare management system with integrated billing, payment tracking, and assessment tools for financial oversight.

Overall Rating6.8/10
Features
6.2/10
Ease of Use
8.1/10
Value
6.9/10
Standout Feature

Automatic billing generation from real-time attendance and enrollment tracking

LifeCubby is a cloud-based early childhood education platform designed for daycares and preschools, offering integrated accounting tools like automated invoicing, online payments, and attendance-based billing. It streamlines financial tasks by linking child attendance and enrollment data directly to billing cycles, while also providing basic financial reports and parent payment portals. Though not a standalone accounting solution, its features support essential daycare financial management within a broader child care ecosystem.

Pros

  • Integrated billing tied to attendance and enrollment data
  • User-friendly parent portal for payments and invoices
  • Mobile accessibility for staff and families

Cons

  • Lacks advanced accounting like general ledger or payroll integration
  • Limited customization for complex financial reporting
  • Pricing scales with number of children, which can become costly for larger centers

Best For

Small to mid-sized daycares seeking basic accounting embedded in a full child care management system.

Pricing

Custom pricing based on number of children and features; typically starts at $5-10 per child per month with tiered plans (Starter, Pro, Enterprise).

Visit LifeCubbylifecubby.com
9
QuickBooks Online logo

QuickBooks Online

enterprise

Cloud accounting software adaptable for daycares with invoicing, expense tracking, and payroll integrations.

Overall Rating7.8/10
Features
7.5/10
Ease of Use
8.5/10
Value
7.2/10
Standout Feature

Seamless bank feed automation and reconciliation for accurate, hands-off financial tracking

QuickBooks Online is a versatile cloud-based accounting software designed for small businesses, including daycares, offering tools for invoicing, expense tracking, payroll, and financial reporting. It enables daycare owners to manage tuition payments, staff wages, supply costs, and generate profit/loss statements with ease. While not purpose-built for childcare, it excels in core accounting functions and supports custom setups for recurring billing and class-based revenue tracking.

Pros

  • Robust invoicing and automated recurring billing for tuition
  • Integrated payroll and expense tracking tailored to small operations
  • Real-time reporting and mobile app for on-the-go access

Cons

  • Lacks built-in childcare features like attendance tracking or parent portals
  • Requires custom workarounds or third-party integrations for daycare-specific needs
  • Pricing escalates quickly for advanced features not always relevant to daycares

Best For

Daycare businesses seeking a reliable general accounting solution with strong integrations rather than specialized childcare management.

Pricing

Starts at $30/month (Simple Start) up to $200/month (Advanced); 50% off first 3 months, annual discounts available.

Visit QuickBooks Onlinequickbooks.intuit.com
10
Xero logo

Xero

enterprise

Online accounting platform for small businesses like daycares, offering bank reconciliation, invoicing, and reporting.

Overall Rating7.4/10
Features
6.8/10
Ease of Use
9.1/10
Value
7.9/10
Standout Feature

Hubdoc-powered bank feeds for automatic transaction categorization and reconciliation

Xero is a cloud-based accounting software primarily designed for small to medium-sized businesses, providing tools for invoicing, bank reconciliation, expense tracking, payroll, and financial reporting. For daycares, it excels in general bookkeeping tasks like billing parents for tuition and fees, managing cash flow, and generating compliance reports, but lacks built-in childcare-specific modules. It supports integrations with third-party apps to extend functionality, making it adaptable for basic daycare accounting needs.

Pros

  • Intuitive interface with mobile app for on-the-go access
  • Unlimited users and strong bank feed automation for reconciliation
  • Robust invoicing and reporting suitable for parent billing and financial oversight

Cons

  • No native daycare features like child enrollment, attendance, or subsidy tracking
  • Payroll module limited to certain countries and requires add-ons elsewhere
  • Higher pricing tiers needed for advanced features like multi-currency or projects

Best For

Small daycare operators seeking reliable general-purpose accounting without needing specialized childcare management tools.

Pricing

Starts at $20 USD/month (Early plan) for basic features, up to $70 USD/month (Established plan); annual discounts available, varies by region.

Visit Xeroxero.com

Conclusion

In a competitive landscape of daycare accounting software, Procare Software emerges as the top choice, with its integrated tools for accounting, billing, and payroll tailored specifically to childcare needs. Brightwheel and Jackrabbit Class follow closely, offering strong alternatives—Brightwheel for its mobile-first approach and Jackrabbit for automated reporting—catering to varied operational priorities. Together, these platforms simplify financial management, ensuring daycare owners can focus on care rather than paperwork.

Procare Software logo
Our Top Pick
Procare Software

Take the first step toward efficient financial management by exploring Procare Software; its comprehensive features make it the ideal solution to streamline your daycare’s operations.