Software · head to head
Brightwheel vs Net Nanny
The short version
- Only Brightwheel has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Brightwheel pricing is quote-only, driven by enrolment capacity and number of locations, and requires filling in a multi-step form to obtain; Net Nanny 1 Desktop plan is $49.99 USD per year (promotional $39.99), the 5 device Family Protection Pass is $79.99 USD per year (promotional $54.99), and the 20 device pass is $129.99 USD per year (promotional $89.99)
- They diverge on capability: Brightwheel covers Daily activity reports, Net Nanny covers AI-powered content filtering.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Brightwheel and Net Nanny actually diverge.
| Attribute | Brightwheel | Net Nanny |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | $39.99/year |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Web, Ios, Android | Ios, Android, Windows, Mac, Chromebook |
| Founded | 2015 | 1996 |
Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Brightwheel
- Daily activity reports
- Parent messaging
- Photo and video sharing
- Attendance tracking
- Billing & invoicing
- Staff time tracking
- Learning assessments
- Check-in/check-out
Only in Net Nanny
- AI-powered content filtering
- Screen time management
- App blocking
- YouTube monitoring
- Profanity masking
- Location tracking
- Social media alerts
- Real-time reporting
Both cover
- Cloud deployment
- Ios support
- Android support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Brightwheel
- Childcare centre attendance and check-innot Net Nanny
- Parent communication with photos and daily reportsnot Net Nanny
- Billing and tuition collection from familiesnot Net Nanny
- Staff scheduling and ratio trackingnot Net Nanny
- Learning assessments and developmental recordsnot Net Nanny
Net Nanny
- Content filteringnot Brightwheel
- Screen time limitsnot Brightwheel
- Online safetynot Brightwheel
- App controlnot Brightwheel
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Brightwheel
- Pricing is quote-only, driven by enrolment capacity and number of locations, and requires filling in a multi-step form to obtain
- No transaction or payment processing fees are disclosed anywhere on the pricing page
Net Nanny
- 1 Desktop plan is $49.99 USD per year (promotional $39.99), the 5 device Family Protection Pass is $79.99 USD per year (promotional $54.99), and the 20 device pass is $129.99 USD per year (promotional $89.99)
Pricing, plan by plan
Brightwheel
Free- FreeFree
- Messaging
- Daily reports
- Photo sharing
- Plus$100/month
- All Free features
- Billing & payments
- Staff management
Net Nanny
$39.99/year- 1 Device$39.99/year
- Web filtering
- Screen time
- App blocking
- 5 Devices$54.99/year
- All 1 Device features
- 5 device protection
- Family feed
- 20 Devices$89.99/year
- All 5 Device features
- 20 device protection
- Priority support
Which should you pick?
Choose Brightwheel if
- You need daily activity reports.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android.
- You also want parent messaging.
Choose Net Nanny if
- You need ai-powered content filtering.
- You work on Ios, Android, Windows, Mac, Chromebook.
- You also want screen time management.
Questions people ask
- Is Brightwheel or Net Nanny better?
- Neither clearly leads. Brightwheel starts at Free and Net Nanny at $39.99/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Brightwheel or Net Nanny?
- Brightwheel has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Brightwheel and $39.99/year for Net Nanny.
- Does Brightwheel or Net Nanny run on more platforms?
- Brightwheel runs on Web, Ios, Android. Net Nanny runs on Ios, Android, Windows, Mac, Chromebook.
- Can I use Brightwheel for free?
- Yes. Brightwheel has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Net Nanny starts at $39.99/year.
- What is Brightwheel best used for?
- Brightwheel is most often used for childcare centre attendance and check-in, parent communication with photos and daily reports, billing and tuition collection from families, staff scheduling and ratio tracking. Of those, childcare centre attendance and check-in and parent communication with photos and daily reports are not what Net Nanny is typically brought in for.
- What can Brightwheel do that Net Nanny cannot?
- Brightwheel covers Daily activity reports, Parent messaging, Photo and video sharing, Attendance tracking. Net Nanny covers AI-powered content filtering, Screen time management, App blocking, YouTube monitoring. Both handle Cloud deployment, Ios support, Android support.
Related pages
More on Brightwheel
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