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Software · head to head

OurFamilyWizard vs Brightwheel

OurFamilyWizard logo

OurFamilyWizard

Software

Co-parenting made easier

From
$12.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Brightwheel logo

Brightwheel

Software

The all-in-one childcare app

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Brightwheel has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: OurFamilyWizard each co-parent needs a separate paid subscription, so a two parent household pays twice; 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: OurFamilyWizard covers Shared parenting calendar, Brightwheel covers Daily activity reports.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which OurFamilyWizard and Brightwheel actually diverge.

Attributes where OurFamilyWizard and Brightwheel differ
AttributeOurFamilyWizardBrightwheel
Starting price$12.99/monthFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsIos, Android, WebWeb, Ios, Android
Founded20012015

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 OurFamilyWizard

  • Shared parenting calendar
  • Secure messaging
  • Expense tracking
  • Payment requests
  • Info bank
  • Journal entries
  • ToneMeter
  • Court-admissible records

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
  • Ios support
  • Android support
  • Web support
  • English language support
  • Spanish language support

What people use each for

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

OurFamilyWizard

  • Documenting communication between separated or divorced co-parentsnot Brightwheel
  • Sharing a custody schedule, expenses and child information in one recordnot Brightwheel
  • Producing court admissible records of messages and parenting timenot Brightwheel

Brightwheel

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

Where each one falls short

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

OurFamilyWizard

  • Each co-parent needs a separate paid subscription, so a two parent household pays twice
  • Subscriptions are sold in one year and two year terms rather than month to month
  • The Basic plan at $110 a year is receive only for calls and includes just 1 GB of storage
  • Essentials caps calling at 45 minutes a month and expense payments at 24
  • Call recording and transcription require the Max plan at $299.88 a year
  • Unlimited storage and unlimited certified records require the Premium plan or higher

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

OurFamilyWizard

$12.99/month
  • Monthly$12.99/month
    • Shared calendar
    • Secure messaging
    • Expense log
  • Annual$99/year
    • All Monthly features
    • 2 months free
    • Priority support

Brightwheel

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

Which should you pick?

Choose OurFamilyWizard if

  • You need shared parenting calendar.
  • You work on Ios, Android, Web.
  • You also want secure messaging.
OurFamilyWizard 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 OurFamilyWizard or Brightwheel better?
Neither clearly leads. OurFamilyWizard starts at $12.99/month and Brightwheel at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, OurFamilyWizard or Brightwheel?
Brightwheel has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $12.99/month for OurFamilyWizard and Free for Brightwheel.
Does OurFamilyWizard or Brightwheel run on more platforms?
OurFamilyWizard runs on Ios, Android, Web. Brightwheel runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Brightwheel for free?
Yes. Brightwheel has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. OurFamilyWizard starts at $12.99/month.
What is OurFamilyWizard best used for?
OurFamilyWizard is most often used for documenting communication between separated or divorced co-parents, sharing a custody schedule, expenses and child information in one record, producing court admissible records of messages and parenting time. Of those, documenting communication between separated or divorced co-parents and sharing a custody schedule, expenses and child information in one record are not what Brightwheel is typically brought in for.
What can OurFamilyWizard do that Brightwheel cannot?
OurFamilyWizard covers Shared parenting calendar, Secure messaging, Expense tracking, Payment requests. Brightwheel covers Daily activity reports, Parent messaging, Photo and video sharing, Attendance tracking. Both handle Cloud deployment, Ios support, Android support, Web support.
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