Best ChildPlus Alternatives in 2026
15 early childhood education software our editors would look at instead of ChildPlus, in our ranking order.
ChildPlus: A Head Start-focused system for ERSEA, child development assessments and program reporting. Where it falls short: pricing requires a quote, so costs are not shown upfront.
Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. We may earn a commission when you click some links. Scores and reviews are set by our editors and never change for payment; paid placements are marked Featured. How we rank.
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Procare not yet scored
Best forEstablished centers needing mature all-in-one software
A mature all-in-one system for established centers managing operations, learning, and billing.
- Lesson planning
- Enrollment management
- Billing and payments
—not yet scoredVisit Procare -
Brightwheel not yet scored
Best forMulti-site centers needing comprehensive operations
A broad web and mobile platform for managing multi-site early education operations.
- Lesson planning
- Enrollment management
- Billing and payments
—not yet scoredVisit Brightwheel -
Best forMulti-location centers seeking integrated family workflows
A connected childcare platform for enrollment, family workflows, staffing, and reporting.
- Lesson planning
- Enrollment management
- Billing and payments
8.0/10★★★★☆Visit Parent -
Best forFeature-rich centers adopting AI workflows
A broad childcare platform for centers that want operations, learning, and AI workflows together.
- Lesson planning
- Enrollment management
- Billing and payments
7.0/10★★★★☆Visit illumine -
Best forCenters needing deep childcare and learning tools
A broad childcare platform covering operations, learning, family communication, and payments.
- Lesson planning
- Enrollment management
- Billing and payments
9.0/10★★★★☆Visit Famly -
Best forAustralian providers wanting broad platform coverage
A broad childcare suite for Australian providers spanning operations, learning and family engagement.
- Lesson planning
- Enrollment management
- Billing and payments
8.0/10★★★★☆Visit Xplor -
Kindertales not yet scored
Best forMulti-center programs needing family and admin tools
A broad childcare platform covering enrollment, family communication, billing, and multi-center operations.
- Lesson planning
- Enrollment management
- Billing and payments
—not yet scoredVisit Kindertales -
Lillio not yet scored
Best forCenters wanting straightforward all-in-one childcare tools
An all-in-one childcare system spanning enrollment, daily care, communication, billing, and learning.
- Lesson planning
- Enrollment management
- Billing and payments
—not yet scoredVisit Lillio -
Best forUK providers wanting modular tools at a low entry price
A modular nursery suite spanning enrolment, learning records, payments and staff tools.
- Enrollment management
- Billing and payments
- Attendance and check-in
7.2/10★★★★☆Visit eyworks -
Best forAustralian multi-service operators
A broad childcare operations suite for Australian multi-service providers.
- Lesson planning
- Enrollment management
- Billing and payments
8.0/10★★★★☆Visit HubWorks -
Best forAustralian services centered on subsidy administration
A broad web platform for Australian childcare administration, subsidy processing, and family communication.
- Lesson planning
- Enrollment management
- Billing and payments
7.0/10★★★★☆Visit site -
Best forAustralian services needing modular compliance software
Modular web software for Australian childcare, OSHC and family day care services.
- Lesson planning
- Enrollment management
- Billing and payments
8.0/10★★★★☆Visit Harmony Web -
EZChildTrack not yet scored
Best forCenters needing billing and extended phone support
A broad center-management system with billing and family tools, sold through a custom quote.
- Billing and payments
—not yet scoredVisit EZChildTrack -
Best forCenters seeking a free entry point and automation
A broad childcare operations platform with a useful free starting tier.
- Lesson planning
- Enrollment management
- Billing and payments
9.0/10★★★★☆Visit Kangarootime -
Best forCenters wanting broad features with a free plan
A broad childcare platform with a free eligible-program option and custom-paid plans.
- Lesson planning
- Enrollment management
- Billing and payments
8.0/10★★★★☆Visit ChildPilot
ChildPlus Alternatives: Common Questions
What is the best alternative to ChildPlus?
Parent: #3 in our Early Childhood Education Software ranking, with an editor score of 8.0 out of 10. A connected childcare platform for enrollment, family workflows, staffing, and reporting.
Is there a free alternative to ChildPlus?
Yes. Xplor Education, Kangarootime and ChildPilot have a free plan or a free tier.
ChildPlus vs Each Alternative
| # | Tool | Free plan | Paid from | Enrollment management | Family communication | Attendance and check-in | Billing and payments | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| not scored | ChildPlus | — | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | — | — |
| not scored | Procare | — | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | — |
| not scored | Brightwheel | — | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | — |
| 3 | Parent | No | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.0 |
| 4 | illumine | No | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 7.0 |
| 5 | Famly | No | $49/mo | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9.0 |
| 6 | Xplor Education | Yes | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.0 |
| not scored | Kindertales | — | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | — |
| not scored | Lillio | No | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | — |
| 9 | eyworks | No | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 7.2 |
| 11 | HubWorks | No | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.0 |
| 12 | Child Care Central | No | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 7.0 |
| 13 | Harmony Web | No | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.0 |
| not scored | EZChildTrack | No | — | — | — | — | Yes | — |
| 15 | Kangarootime | Yes | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9.0 |
| 16 | ChildPilot | Yes | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.0 |
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Sep 2026