With many options to choose from, stay focused on which co-parenting app fits your family’s situation. Talk the options over with your ex since these apps work great as tools for parent collaboration.
There’s no shortage of apps out there — co-parenting apps included.
When you select one after a divorce or separation, you want to be sure it’s the best one to support your family through the delicate transition to co-parenting.
We offer a co-parenting app at Custody X Change, so we know the landscape well. Because we want every parent to choose the right tool for them, here’s our honest assessment of the best options.
Best Co-Parenting Apps
All the apps below offer:
- A parenting calendar: Create your ideal schedule for exchanging your child, then make sense of it at a glance thanks to color-coding.
- Parent-to-parent messaging: Communicate with your co-parent confidently with read receipts and printable reports.
- A child-information center: Input your child’s details for easy reference, such as clothing sizes and medical history.
- A custody journal: Write down notable interactions with the other parent and developments with your child so you have documentation later.
- File storage: Upload photos, receipts, report cards, and more.
Now here’s how the top three co-parenting apps differ.
Best for High-Conflict Parents: Talking Parents
Talking Parents lets premium subscribers call their co-parent from a hidden number. It automatically records and transcribes the calls so you have evidence for court.
All subscribers can send payments to their co-parent through the app. This way, the receipts are stored alongside their other custody evidence.
These options are great for parents who expect they’ll return to court to enforce their custody orders or to debate a potential change to the orders.
You can download Talking Parents from major app stores, then upgrade to the basic subscription for $5.99 a month or to premium for $19.99 a month. You can also purchase text message notifications or additional calling minutes.
Best If You Have Financial Need: Our Family Wizard
While Our Family Wizard doesn’t offer any unique features, it’s the only app in this group with discounts for military parents and parents who prove financial need.
Submit an application along with proof of your eligibility. Parents showing financial need get a one-year subscription either for free or at a discount. (They can apply every year.) Military parents receive a buy-one-get-one-free deal to use with their co-parent.
Available from major app stores, Our Family Wizard ordinarily starts at $99 a year, with more expensive packages also offered. You can add features for additional fees.
Best If You’re in the Divorce Process: Custody X Change
Custody X Change is especially helpful for parents who are still in the divorce or separation process because it’s the only co-parenting app where you can create a parenting plan. You can turn a plan into the court with the other parent to avoid trial, or you can suggest a plan to a judge before they order one in a trial.
Custody X Change also calculates your planned parenting time and tracks deviations from the planned schedule.
It’s a web-based app, which means you install it directly from the Custody X Change website (not through an app store).
Choose from silver- and gold-level subscriptions: $97 a year and $147 a year respectively, with monthly payments available.
Bottom Line: Choose the Right Co-Parenting App for You
With many options to choose from, stay focused on which co-parenting app fits your family’s situation. Talk the options over with your ex since these apps work great as tools for parent collaboration.
All of the apps mentioned here offer free trials or money-back guarantees, so don’t be afraid to test them out.
You can even use more than one app if that’s what works best for you. Or if you love a tool but wish it had a different feature, reach out. We love getting feedback from parents at Custody X Change, and we often implement changes based on that feedback.
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