Co-parenting after a separation doesn’t have to feel like a constant struggle. The right co-parenting app can help you organize schedules, track expenses, and keep communication clear between households.
This comprehensive guide explores the top 10 co-parenting apps available today.
What is a Co-Parenting App?
Co-parenting apps are digital tools designed to reduce conflict and improve coordination by centralizing everything from custody calendars to important documents in one secure place. Many of these apps are court-approved and can even provide records that hold up in legal proceedings. Whether you’re dealing with high-conflict co-parenting or simply need better organization, there’s an app that fits your situation.
Some apps are free while others offer premium features for a monthly fee. You’ll find options with messaging tools, expense tracking, and scheduling features that make sharing parenting responsibilities easier. The apps covered here range from simple calendar tools to comprehensive platforms with built-in mediation support.
Here is a detailed look at the leading co-parenting apps, each offering a unique set of features to support your family.
OurFamilyWizard
Often considered the gold standard in co-parenting technology, OurFamilyWizard is highly recommended by family law professionals and courts across all 50 states. Its robust feature set is designed for clarity, accountability, and low-conflict communication.
- Key Features:
- Secure Messaging: Messages cannot be retracted or edited, providing a verifiable communication record.
- ToneMeter™: An optional feature that acts like an “emotional spellcheck,” flagging potentially inflammatory language before a message is sent.
- Shared Calendar: A comprehensive tool for scheduling parenting time, activities, and holidays. Trade/swap requests can be made and documented within the app.
- Expense Log: Track shared expenses and manage reimbursement requests with detailed records.
- Info Bank: A secure place to store medical details, school schedules, emergency contacts, and more.
- Best For: Co-parents in high-conflict situations or those who need a court-admissible record of communication and scheduling.
Cozi
While not exclusively a co-parenting app, Cozi is a popular and highly-rated family organizer that can be effectively adapted for co-parenting. It excels at centralizing schedules and lists.
- Key Features:
- Centralized Calendar: A color-coded calendar allows you to see everyone’s schedules at a glance, from dentist appointments to soccer practice.
- Shopping & To-Do Lists: Shared lists ensure that nothing is forgotten, whether it’s groceries for the week or items to pack for a switch between homes.
- Recipe Box: Store favorite recipes in one place.
- Best For: Low-conflict co-parents who primarily need a simple, free tool for coordinating schedules and managing daily tasks.
JusTalk Family
JusTalk Family brings something different to the co-parenting app world. While most apps focus only on schedules and messages, this one adds free video calls and voice chats to help families stay connected.
You can make high-quality video calls without worrying about costs. The app includes group chats, fun filters, and stickers that kids tend to enjoy. It works well if you want your children to easily connect with both parents.
- Key Features:
- Secure Video Calls: High-quality, end-to-end encrypted video chats.
- Doodles & Games: Interactive features to make video calls more engaging for children.
- Family Moments: A feature to record and save precious video moments.
- Best For: Co-parents focused on maintaining strong, interactive communication between children and family members who live apart.
TalkingParents
TalkingParents is another app frequently recommended by courts, known for its focus on creating an unalterable record of all communications. It offers a free plan with essential features, making it highly accessible.
- Key Features:
- Accountable Calling℠: Make recorded video or phone calls without sharing your phone number.
- Secure Messaging: A timestamped and unalterable messaging system.
- Shared Calendar: Coordinate schedules and keep both parents informed.
- Personal Journal: A private space to log personal notes and events.
- Best For: Co-parents who need a free or low-cost option that provides an official, court-admissible record of all interactions.
AppClose
AppClose stands out as the only truly free, comprehensive co-parenting app on the market. It offers a surprisingly robust suite of features without any subscription fees, making it an excellent choice for budget-conscious families.
- Key Features:
- Shared Calendar & Requests: Manage appointments and send pick-up, drop-off, or reimbursement requests.
- Secure Messaging: Built-in messenger to keep communication in one place.
- Expense Tracker: Scan receipts and manage expense and reimbursement requests easily.
- Connect with Third Parties: You can grant access to stepparents, grandparents, or legal professionals.
- Best For: Co-parents at any conflict level who are looking for a powerful and completely free solution.
2Houses
2Houses is a user-friendly app with a comprehensive set of tools designed to help co-parents manage the practical and financial aspects of raising children in two separate homes.
- Key Features:
- Interactive Calendar: A sophisticated calendar for managing complex schedules, with synchronization capabilities.
- Financial Management: A detailed system for tracking shared expenses, managing budgets, and generating reports.
- Information Bank: Store all essential child-related information.
- Journal: A space for parents to share news, photos, and updates about the children.
- Best For: Co-parents who need strong financial tracking tools alongside standard scheduling and communication features.
Custody X Change
Custody X Change is more than just a communication app; it’s a powerful legal tool that helps parents create and manage professional-quality custody schedules and parenting plans.
- Key Features:
- Parenting Plan Templates: Create a comprehensive legal document that outlines all aspects of co-parenting.
- Custody Calendar: Generate clear, easy-to-read calendars from your parenting plan, calculating overnights and timeshare percentages automatically.
- Parenting Journal: Document events and communication to build a legal record.
- Best For: Parents in the process of creating or modifying a legal custody agreement who need to track parenting time accurately.
Fayr
Fayr aims to reduce conflict and simplify co-parenting logistics. It stands out with features that promote positive communication and emotional awareness.
- Key Features:
- Contention-Reducing Communication Tools: Features designed to encourage respectful and productive conversations.
- GPS-Verified Geolocation: Document your location for time-sensitive events like pickups and drop-offs.
- Expense and Time-Tracking: Log expenses and parenting time with ease.
- File Vault: Securely store and share important documents.
- Best For: Co-parents who want to proactively improve the quality of their communication while still having robust documentation features.
Coparently
Coparently provides a straightforward, web-based platform with all the essential tools for organized co-parenting. It focuses on making information accessible and communication clear.
- Key Features:
- Color-Coded Custody Calendar: Easily visualize parenting schedules.
- Secure Messaging: Keep communication organized and documented.
- Shared Expense Tracking: Manage child-related expenses collaboratively.
- Online Directory: Keep important contacts for both parents in one place.
- Best For: Co-parents who prefer a simple, web-based interface and need the core features of a co-parenting app without extra complexity.
Divvito Messenger
Divvito is a newer entrant focused squarely on facilitating more positive and child-focused communication between co-parents.
- Key Features:
- Guided Communication: The app provides suggestions and prompts to help frame conversations constructively.
- Scheduling and Planning Tools: Simple tools to coordinate schedules.
- Focus on Well-being: The app’s philosophy is centered on reducing stress and improving co-parenting relationships for the benefit of the children.
- Best For: Co-parents who are committed to improving their communication style and want a tool that actively guides them toward more positive interactions.
For Co-Parents Prioritizing Strong Family Bonds
JusTalk Family is the ideal app to keep everyone connected.
Go beyond basic scheduling with free, high-quality video calls that are fun for kids, featuring interactive doodles and games. For added peace of mind, the app includes live location tracking and robust parental controls. It’s a great way to bridge the distance and share precious moments.
Download JusTalk Family Now to keep your family connected.