Software · head to head
Care.com vs BabyCenter
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Care.com the App Store listing states Care.com Premium Membership auto renews for the same duration and price unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period.; BabyCenter babyCenter is free to use with no subscription tier of its own, monetising through advertising and partnerships rather than a user fee
- They diverge on capability: Care.com covers Caregiver search, BabyCenter covers Week-by-week pregnancy updates.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Care.com and BabyCenter actually diverge.
| Attribute | Care.com | BabyCenter |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | subscription | free |
| Founded | 2006 | 1997 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), platforms (Web, Ios, Android), 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 Care.com
- Caregiver search
- Background checks
- Secure messaging
- Job posting
- Payroll services
- Tax assistance
- Reviews and ratings
- Identity verification
Only in BabyCenter
- Week-by-week pregnancy updates
- Baby development tracker
- Milestone tracking
- Parenting tips
- Expert articles
- Community forums
- Growth charts
- Vaccine schedules
Both cover
- Cloud deployment
- Web support
- Ios support
- Android support
- English language support
- Spanish language support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Care.com
- Finding babysittersnot BabyCenter
- Hiring nanniesnot BabyCenter
- Senior carenot BabyCenter
- Pet sittingnot BabyCenter
- Housekeepingnot BabyCenter
BabyCenter
- Pregnancy informationnot Care.com
- Baby trackingnot Care.com
- Community supportnot Care.com
- Health informationnot Care.com
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Care.com
- The App Store listing states Care.com Premium Membership auto renews for the same duration and price unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period.
BabyCenter
- BabyCenter is free to use with no subscription tier of its own, monetising through advertising and partnerships rather than a user fee
Pricing, plan by plan
Care.com
Free- BasicFree
- Create profile
- Browse caregivers
- Post jobs
- Premium$39/month
- Unlimited messaging
- Background checks
- Priority listing
BabyCenter
Free- FreeFree
- Week-by-week updates
- Baby tracker
- Community forums
Which should you pick?
Choose Care.com if
- You need caregiver search.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android.
- You also want background checks.
Choose BabyCenter if
- You need week-by-week pregnancy updates.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android.
- You also want baby development tracker.
Questions people ask
- Is Care.com or BabyCenter better?
- Neither clearly leads. Care.com starts at Free and BabyCenter at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Care.com or BabyCenter?
- Care.com starts at Free and BabyCenter at Free.
- Does Care.com or BabyCenter run on more platforms?
- Both run on Web, Ios, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- Can I use Care.com for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Care.com best used for?
- Care.com is most often used for finding babysitters, hiring nannies, senior care, pet sitting. Of those, finding babysitters and hiring nannies are not what BabyCenter is typically brought in for.
- What can Care.com do that BabyCenter cannot?
- Care.com covers Caregiver search, Background checks, Secure messaging, Job posting. BabyCenter covers Week-by-week pregnancy updates, Baby development tracker, Milestone tracking, Parenting tips. Both handle Cloud deployment, Web support, Ios support, Android support.