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Software · head to head

FamilyWall vs Brightwheel

FamilyWall logo

FamilyWall

Software

Private family network for organizing and sharing

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Brightwheel logo

Brightwheel

Software

The all-in-one childcare app

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: FamilyWall budget tracking, meal planning, family document storage and schedule management are Premium only; Brightwheel pricing is quote-only, driven by enrolment capacity and number of locations, and requires filling in a multi-step form to obtain
  • They diverge on capability: FamilyWall covers Private family network, Brightwheel covers Daily activity reports.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which FamilyWall and Brightwheel actually diverge.

Attributes where FamilyWall and Brightwheel differ
AttributeFamilyWallBrightwheel
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Founded20122015

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 FamilyWall

  • Private family network
  • Shared calendar
  • Real-time location sharing
  • Location history
  • Family messaging
  • Photo sharing
  • Shopping lists
  • Chore assignment

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

Both cover

  • Cloud deployment
  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support
  • English language support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

FamilyWall

  • Running a shared colour-coded family calendar across phones and the webnot Brightwheel
  • Keeping shared shopping, chore and to-do lists for a householdnot Brightwheel
  • Planning meals and tracking family expenses on the Premium plannot Brightwheel

Brightwheel

  • Childcare centre attendance and check-innot FamilyWall
  • Parent communication with photos and daily reportsnot FamilyWall
  • Billing and tuition collection from familiesnot FamilyWall
  • Staff scheduling and ratio trackingnot FamilyWall
  • Learning assessments and developmental recordsnot FamilyWall

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

FamilyWall

  • Budget tracking, meal planning, family document storage and schedule management are Premium only
  • Google and Outlook calendar sync and subscribing to a calendar by URL are Premium only
  • Locating family members and arrival or departure notifications are Premium only
  • Premium storage is capped at 25 GB
  • Premium costs 4.99 USD per month or 44.99 USD per year in the US and Canada, with other countries priced only in-app
  • Premium features apply only to the first 5 circles created
  • The Premium subscription renews automatically unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the period ends
  • Any unused part of the 30-day free trial is forfeited when a subscription is purchased

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

Pricing, plan by plan

FamilyWall

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Shared calendar
    • Location sharing
    • Family messaging
  • Premium$4.99/month
    • Everything in Free
    • Unlimited members
    • Location history

Brightwheel

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Messaging
    • Daily reports
    • Photo sharing
  • Plus$100/month
    • All Free features
    • Billing & payments
    • Staff management

Which should you pick?

Choose FamilyWall if

  • You need private family network.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want shared calendar.
FamilyWall review

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.
Brightwheel review

Questions people ask

Is FamilyWall or Brightwheel better?
Neither clearly leads. FamilyWall starts at Free and Brightwheel at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, FamilyWall or Brightwheel?
FamilyWall starts at Free and Brightwheel at Free.
Does FamilyWall or Brightwheel run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, Ios, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use FamilyWall for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is FamilyWall best used for?
FamilyWall is most often used for running a shared colour-coded family calendar across phones and the web, keeping shared shopping, chore and to-do lists for a household, planning meals and tracking family expenses on the premium plan. Of those, running a shared colour-coded family calendar across phones and the web and keeping shared shopping, chore and to-do lists for a household are not what Brightwheel is typically brought in for.
What can FamilyWall do that Brightwheel cannot?
FamilyWall covers Private family network, Shared calendar, Real-time location sharing, Location history. Brightwheel covers Daily activity reports, Parent messaging, Photo and video sharing, Attendance tracking. Both handle Cloud deployment, Web support, Ios support, Android support.
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