Choosing daycare software
Updated October 25, 2026
Short answer
Good daycare software handles check-in and pickup, room ratios, daily reports with photos, parent messaging, enrollment, and tuition with autopay in one place. Brightwheel and Procare are the best known options and both price by custom quote. Nanny publishes one price, $11.99 per enrolled child a month, with every feature included, and parents use the same app to book sitters and nannies.
What to look for
- Check-in by parent PIN or QR, and verified pickup with authorized adults and code words.
- Rooms with your state's ratios, and staff on duty at a glance.
- Daily reports with naps, meals, diapers and photos.
- Messages and announcements to families, kept off staff's personal phones.
- Digital enrollment packets parents finish on their phone.
- Tuition, autopay, openings and a waitlist.
- Staff and attendance records for your licensing visits.
How pricing compares
| Nanny | brightwheel | Procare | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Published price | $11.99 per enrolled child a month | Custom quote | Custom quote |
| Features in the base price | All of them | Depends on plan | Depends on tier |
| Parents also book sitters and nannies | Yes, same app | No | No |
Competitor pricing is from Capterra and other third-party listings as of October 2026. Ask each vendor for a current quote.
Nanny for centers
Centers on Nanny are invoiced by Nanny at $11.99 per enrolled child a month, outside the App Store. Rooms and ratios, check-in and verified pickup, daily reports, messages, enrollment packets, tuition and autopay, openings and waitlist, staff and attendance are all included.
Questions
It varies. Brightwheel and Procare price by custom quote. Nanny publishes one price: $11.99 per enrolled child a month with every feature included.
Look for parent PIN or QR check-in, verified pickup with authorized adults and code words, and a record of who collected each child and when, visible to the parent right away. Nanny does all of these.
Yes, most center software includes tuition billing. On Nanny, parents pay tuition with autopay in the app and the center sees balances next to its rosters.