--- title: "Compare brightwheel vs Playground 2026 | Capterra" description: "Unsure of what to choose? Check Capterra to compare brightwheel and Playground based on pricing, features, product details, and verified reviews." source_url: "https://www.capterra.com/compare/144060-220200/brightwheel-vs-Playground" page_type: "comparison" language: "en" publication_date: "2026-11-09" --- # brightwheel vs Playground Features and Cost Comparison Last updated November 9th, 2026 Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews moderated by our Reviews Verification team.[Learn more](https://www.capterra.com/our-story/) Your comparison: brightwheelPlayground2/4 selected [brightwheel](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/)[4.7 (3,257)](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/reviews/) [Playground](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/)[4.8 (194)](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/reviews/) [## brightwheel](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/)[4.7 (3,257)](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/reviews/) Starting Price Contact vendor Value-for-Money 4.5 Functionality 4.5 Ease of Use 4.6 Customer Service 4.6 Reviews Sentiment Based on [3,257 reviews](#user-reviews) Positive 3,135 Neutral 102 Negative 20 [## Playground](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/)[4.8 (194)](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/reviews/) Starting Price Contact vendor Value-for-Money 4.7 Functionality 4.7 Ease of Use 4.7 Customer Service 4.9 Reviews Sentiment TM JB Based on [194 reviews](#user-reviews) Positive 187 Neutral 3 Negative 4 ## Not a match? Find software alternatives tailored to your priorities. These software suggestions are similar to those you’re currently comparing. Highest Rated ### Classe365 4.8 (167) * * * Starting Price $100.00 Flat Rate,Per Month Free Trial Free Version * * * User rating 98% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars * * * ### ChildPilot 4.6 (77) * * * Starting Price Contact vendor for pricing Free Trial Free Version * * * User rating 95% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars * * * ### TUIO 4.6 (207) * * * Starting Price $500.00 Flat Rate,Per Year Free Trial Free Version * * * User rating 96% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars * * * ### Famly 4.7 (264) * * * Starting Price $49.00 Other,Per Month Free Trial Free Version * * * User rating 95% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars * * * ## Summary * * * Key features rated by users Features selected based on 4,917 reviews from daycare software users. about the Fit Score methodology. Fit Score methodology Our Fit Score reflects how reviewers rate a product’s performance against a set of features reviewers rate as most important. A higher score indicates the product is rated better in delivering what reviewers most care about. If the Fit Score is not shown for a specific product, that only means there are currently not enough relevant data points to develop a meaningful score. It does not indicate that the product should be excluded from further evaluation. Best for Methodology 74%Fit Missing features Feature ratings Check-in/Check-out NA Data Security 4.6 Parent Portal 4.7 Payment Processing 4.6 Student Information/Records 4.6 83%Fit High performer Feature ratings Check-in/Check-out 4.8 Data Security 4.8 Parent Portal 4.7 Payment Processing 4.6 Student Information/Records 4.4 User satisfaction User satisfaction 4.7 User reviews[3,257](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/reviews/) Ease of use 4.6 Functionality 4.5 Value for money 4.5 Customer support 4.6 User satisfaction 4.8 User reviews[194](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/reviews/) Ease of use 4.7 Functionality 4.7 Value for money 4.7 Customer support 4.9 Price starts from Price starts from \-- - Free version - Free trial Price starts from \-- - Free version - Free trial Best for Best for Built for child care centers, preschools, daycares, after-school programs, Sunday schools, and camps that want to simplify operations, grow enrollment, and connect with families. Best for Playground is a child care management software used by child care centers, in-home providers, before/after school programs, Montessori preschools, and more. ## User reviews Pros & cons RT Renae T. Owner > "Brightwheel has made the daily management of my daycare so simple and efficient. " [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___7194053) MC Madolyn C. Administration > "The feature that I least like about brightwheel is that it is a little difficult to update your deposit account if you do..." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___6583289) Logan H. Director > "I love how I can use it to quickly communicate with parents about schedules, behaviors, and how any staff member can see the..." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___6867989) RW Rachel W. Director > "The set up of facility rooms is a little difficult to make work with our AM and PM schedule of students." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___6772244) BO Bryanna O. Office Manager > "You can pay your bill, contact teachers, look at pictures and feel secure that our littles are being taken care of as they..." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___6594330) LB Leighann B. Director > "Any time I needed to issue a refund it was confusing to log correctly." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___6798864) JB Joyce B. Administrator > "I was very happy with the parent interaction and the easy with the billing. If we were looking to increase our classroom..." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___6578420) Nicholas B. Senior Accountant > "This code doesn't change, however, for a parent who doesn't do the primary drop offs and pickups, I found myself struggling to..." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___6449196) KO Kaleigh O. Floater Teacher > "Brightwheel provides a lot of specific options so that daily logs are concise and organized." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___6702427) BB Brittney B. Marketing Project Coordinator > "They have a message for messaging admins but you don’t get to see who those people are so when I send a message I never know..." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___6491915) JB Joyce B. Administrator > "It allows parents easy access to staff and to have a in real time picture of the child's day. " [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___6578420) JR Jessica R. Lead Teacher > "It's not clear how you make a template, or if that would even be helpful. And there aren't any example templates or template..." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___6561498) BB Bonnie B. Digital Systems Manager > "It's easy to use for teacher's either from the app or from the browser." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___7167815) CTU Chan'Tal U. Director > "I don't like that I cant delete a child from my Brightwheel all the way." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___6698735) SM Sanaa M. Teacher > "It can be downloaded as an easily accessible app on both mobile devices and computers." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___7051227) CK Cissy K. Assistant and Enrollment Director > "It took me a little too long to learn the financial process... but I'm old school!" [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___6777161) TB Tamika B. Teacher Assistant > "Features like attendance tracking, parent engagement tools, and learning assessments empower educators to focus more on..." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___6565460) TT Tabitha T. Director > "I also do not like that when you pull a classroom list up you have to have any and all children who are able to go in that..." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___4868050) DS Dipali S. CEO > "Brightwheel offers an impressive suite of features that streamline communication, documentation, and administrative tasks..." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___6153498) AM Amanda M. Lead teacher > "It's also a bit difficult to be able to know which features are used from tablet, phone or desktop that can be kind of..." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___6437314) GL Gilberto L. Senior Consultant > "With features like real-time communication, student progress tracking, and payment management, this platform simplifies the..." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___6573710) LC Laverne C. Owner > "Not enough character space when sending urgent messages and enough time to do videos" [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___6417936) SJ Stacy J. Director > "We are part of the Expense trial and we are liking it so far - we are able to take each bank transaction and add what they..." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___6358383) JS Jill S. Director > "Also had some issues with the time clocking in and out feature and reports from that." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___6542460) KW Kandy W. Director > "I also love being able to send photos in real time to familes throughout the day." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___6631592) SJ Stacy J. Director > "I don't care for the mulitple screens you need to go through to do billing or scheduling." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___6358383) GL Gilberto L. Senior Consultant > "The platform has simplified many aspects of school management, such as communicating with parents, tracking attendance, and..." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___6573710) LB Leighann B. Director > "I did not like the billing platform." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___6798864) SJ Stacy J. Director > "We like the scheduling piece so the \[sensitive content hidden\] can enter weekly schedules and teachers are able to see the..." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___6358383) CM Cates M. parent > "When app updates are pushed through, the updates are not well announced or explained." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___6167444) SM Sanaa M. Teacher > "Brightwheel is a highly convenient childcare and student management platform." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___7051227) SH Shaqueisha H. Parent > "There is no way to contact my daughter's after-school program through the platform." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___6500741) NO Nneka O. Parent > "In addition, I like how his daycare can send invoices and newsletters." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___6677429) JR Jennifer R. Director > "Somtimes is does not load and then we have to restart our ipads." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___6234604) BJ Belineda J. Family support resource Specialist > "I know the teachers and admin have to make efforts to utilize the features more but maybe a way to make it easier can make the..." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___6878805) OP Odette P. Daycare provider > "Some services are no provide in Canada, such as payments method." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___6272193) MM Madison M. Assistant Teacher > "I like how it provides a simplified application that is helpful for both parents and teachers alike." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___6698806) KB Katie B. Director/Co-Owner > "a few more options for adding information or symbols to students would be nice-doesn't really hide inactive students, which..." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___5027920) HS Hailey S. Teacher > "I love that Brightwheel allows me to be a more active participant in my child's daycare experience." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___6825090) KF Kathryn F. Administrative Assistant > "It can be expensive for schools and daycares to purchase and execute." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___6558109) BG Bill G. AE > "Brightwheel is simple and helps me keep track of what my daughter is up to." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___6579543) JN Jacob N. Marketing Coordinator > "A former daycare my child attended used the same app right before we moved to a different daycare. When I signed up I had to..." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___4323572) RW Rachel W. Director > "It houses all of the features we need for our child care program." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___6772244) RC Rebecca C. Owner Director > "Some parents were put off by the weekly fees to pay through the system." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___6403171) AT Abbie T. Parent > "Its nice to have communication w the staff during day so you can get updates on your kid." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___6614838) BB Brittney B. Marketing Project Coordinator > "The messaging feature is a little confusing to me but that could just be user error." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___6491915) KW Kandy W. Director > "Since I'm the Director, Lead Teacher, AND do 100% of the admin work, it has been a huge time saver for me!" [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___6631592) JM Jade M. Application Dept > "The app never updated when I needed information about my child" [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___6564938) JS Jessica S. Parent > "The picture feature makes it fun and gives me something to look forward to throughout my day." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___6822169) EG ECLC G. Executive Director > "The cost, the constant troubleshooting and the fact it's another required app" [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___6523543) OG Olivia G. Teacher > "It’s very easy to share pictures with parents and other staff." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___7137151) MG Melina G. Assistant > "Sometimes it is difficult to get in touch with customer support." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___6303067) CC Cassie C. insurance coordinator > "The information provided helped me ask my daughter specific questions about her day." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___7012139) VR Verified Reviewer Bookkeeper > "WONDERFUL...until Billing changes that took a child's at-a-glance and all-inclusive account and broke it into several links..." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#GetApp___5069836) LB Leighann B. Director > "It got me through the first year of running my first childcare center, but ultimately I switched products." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___6798864) Ashley N. S. Communications Director > "I am unable to message my child's teachers directly." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___6046925) AT Abbie T. Parent > "Overall good, it is nice to communicate live w teachers, administrators, school staff, during the day." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___6614838) MW Madeline W. Daycare Owner and Operator > "The invoices does not seem to work as well on a phone or mobile device, works better on a computer, so have to go to the..." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___4900462) OG Olivia G. Teacher > "It is cheaper than what my company was using before and I love that." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___7137151) HF Helen F. Cleaner > "Sometimes I couldn’t download the pictures" [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___6199650) GG Gamar G. Director > "I like the ability for parents to be able to check their child in and out as a backup to our teachers doing it in the..." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___6185957) CN Connie N. Director > "The only think I don't like is that I can't delete admissions forms or delete a student from our account." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___4458663) BJ Belineda J. Family support resource Specialist > "It makes it easier as parents work throughout the day can feel connected to their children." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___6878805) SK Shubham K. education > "subscription fees is the thing which may be least liked sometime" [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___6311733) CK Cissy K. Assistant and Enrollment Director > "We love that everything we need to run our preschool is in one tool." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___6777161) KJ Kynisha J. Owner/ Director > "The billing feature delays payments by a few days so it's not deposited into your account immediately." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___4805067) KF Kathryn F. Administrative Assistant > "It can replace emails and phone calls/texts and allows all communication to go through the app." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___6558109) VR Verified Reviewer PQE > "This software does not allow you to see multiple kids at once on a feed without going back and forth. " [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#GetApp___4254633) AL Arielle L. Contract Specialist > "I like the interface, it’s easy to navigate and view all areas I need to see." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___6780643) LB Lisa B. Operations Manager > "There was a pretty high cost compared to some other management software." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___6392198) LK Lindsey K. Owner > "easy to login and easy documentation for parents to keep up with everyday events." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___6581896) SB Shaunna B. Daycare Owner > "The price increase has caught me by surprise." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___6110185) CTU Chan'Tal U. Director > "I love that they can see pictures of their child throughout the day." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___6698735) VR Verified Reviewer Activities Director > "I find I have to restart the app sometimes to read my messages, which isn't an issue, just an inconvenience at times" [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___4474079) KA Khadija A. Talent acquisition specialist > "It’s a good system to use for updates on your child." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___6623506) BC Brenda C. Owner/teacher > "I notice that when I message staff together and they respond, staff can't see each other's message." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___5035918) CM Courtney M. Owner > "The ease of parent, communication and the integration with payroll" [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___6603041) Andrea Yarlyn Q. owner > "Well, I have experienced some slowness in loading the platform, especially when there are many users accessing it..." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___5032154) KR Kristie R. OWNER AND DIRECTOR > "BILLING TO THE PARENTS IS EASY AND GETTING PAYMENTS DOCUMENTED IS GREAT. " [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___6724203) Shivam D. system engineer > "For example, setting up the financial management feature may take some time and effort to configure properly." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___4709830) DS Dipali S. CEO > "Brightwheel offers an impressive suite of features that streamline communication, documentation, and administrative tasks..." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___6153498) JS Junsup S. section chief > "The interface is a bit confusing, there is some onboarding, and it takes some time." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___4464764) AL Arielle L. Contract Specialist > "I like the interface, it’s easy to navigate and view all areas I need to see." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___6780643) NW Nicole W. lead teacher/ owner > "Trying to learn and navigate the billing side has been a bit tough." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___4953308) CC Cho C. ceo > "It's great to be able to intuitively check your child's progress." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___6366568) CO Chidi O. Manager Design Assurance Engineer > "It’s a simple UX, but maybe too simple and not enough functions." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___4696059) PG Probal G. Project Manager > "I had used similar software in the past but this one I found very good in all aspects and a very user friendly interface." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___6293638) EM Esraa M. Technology/Service Providers > "Disadvantages are quite a few" [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___3371152) CM Courtney M. Owner > "The ease of parent, communication and the integration with payroll" [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___6603041) PJ Pawan J. Subject matter expert > "Slightly difficult to use Initially." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___4116731) Shivam D. system engineer > "Additionally, "brightwheel" offers an API that enables developers to build custom integrations with other software solutions." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___4709830) MG Melina G. Assistant > "Sometimes it is difficult to get in touch with customer support." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___6303067) JS Junsup S. section chief > "This software was easily integrated into our program and my parents like it." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___4464764) VR Verified Reviewer Office Manager > "Customer service for a few issues has been slow, I want to say due to COVID, and hope response time will improve." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#Capterra___2530851) [View Reviews](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/reviews/) TM Taneaha M. Owner and Director > "It makes communication with families easier, keeps student and staff information organized, and supports smoother scheduling, billing,..." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___7068771) LS Latasha S. Business Operations Manager > "Staff messaging also lacks flexibility, there’s no simple way to message an entire class at once or easily select only their assigned..." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___7025957) JB Justin B. Owner > "Beyond the backend, the real-time communication tools are a massive win; the ability to send instant photo updates and digital daily..." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___7111759) GR Galen R. Owner and Director > "Unfortunately having to use tryplayground for URLs is inconvenient and makes it a little harder than necessary to point families to it." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___7017324) JB Justin B. Owner > "It effectively replaces a fragmented mess of spreadsheets, paper checks, and clunky apps with a single, polished ecosystem that saves..." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___7111759) CW Christen W. Owner > "I wouldn't necessarily say I don't like it, however I would allow centers the opportunity to be able to pay monthly rather than quarterly..." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___7015039) JB Justin B. Owner > "The standout feature of Playground is its ability to centralize every chaotic moving part of running a childcare center into one sleek,..." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___7111759) Emma R. Owner and Director > "There were also a few features that required additional costs that I didn’t fully realize upfront." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___7070775) KD Kayla D. Owner and Provider > "I like being able to keep track of payments and being able to keep track of attendance as well as my clock in and out times." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___7055473) ME Michele E. owner director > "also, the fact that the staff don't get that info put into their check stubs" [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___7089175) JB Justin B. Owner > "Administrators rave about the automated billing system, which virtually eliminates the headache of chasing down late tuition by offering..." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___7111759) RM Rebecca M. Director > "Not as many features as our program needs." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___7090239) CH Cordelia H. Owner > "This program is incredibly diverse and helps organize literally everything and anything you could need in both home daycare and large..." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___7070676) JG Jermaine G. Executive Director > "So far it has been marginal at best, but it has a lot of features that are good ideas but not well thought out or executed. " [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___6627934) CH Carrie H. Office Manager > "Our parents have loved having access to playground from their phone to get important reminders and updates, access the school events..." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___6881218) AM Adrienne M. Owner-Director > "Payment isn’t next day and takes 1-3 days, you’re only able to cash out payments two days per week, staff cannot view each others..." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___6420689) CH Carrie H. Office Manager > "I love that for each announcement/post, as an Admin, I can choose to post on the app, send by email, send as an SMS text, or choose to..." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___6881218) KM Karen M. Administrative Assistant > "As an Administrator, I can't do some things from the App such as fix other staff members time in or time out, and I can't run reports." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___6460373) JM Jamie M. Owner of Childcare > "Our teachers are easily able to manage the app to sign children in and send pictures and messages." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___7101475) KW Kristin W. owner treacher > "The expense reporting does not have much feature and doesn't generate forms that are helpful with taxes. " [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___6423911) CH Carrie H. Office Manager > "The Playground makes it easy to quickly access data about the students or find a parent's contact information easily, as well as post..." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___6881218) KB Kimla B. Executive Director > "I do wish it was easier to see student/staff scheduling in the app. As is, I do not use PG for staff scheduling for this reason. " [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___6429057) Emma R. Owner and Director > "Even though the platform is geared toward childcare centers, it isn’t overly “babyish” and works really well for a microschool setting." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___7070775) LH Leslie H. Respite Care Program Director > "I am unable to remove certain fields from the child overview (specifcally meal subsidy)." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___6410151) Emma R. Owner and Director > "It has significantly streamlined many of my business and administrative tasks, which has been a huge relief as a school owner." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___7070775) HL Hannah L. Owner Director > "Occasionally I have trouble remembering where some features are/have to search the help center to remember how to use certain functions." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___6545614) RF Rebecca F. Direcot > "The customer service is fantastic and they listen to the issues that we come across - any glitches are fixed quickly and they take my..." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___6664509) KB Kimla B. Executive Director > "This did not work for us, so I created a "fake" staff member so we could all use the same pin. " [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___6429057) TH Tayler H. Administrator > "Playground has helped our center improve communication, stay organized, and operate more efficiently day to day." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___7101375) LH Leslie H. Respite Care Program Director > "It doesn't have a good way for my staff to complete shift reports." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___6410151) DM Debbie M. Owner-Provider > "I like that I am able to easily check in/out students and the communication with the parents is a plus. " [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___7080365) CS CuRonda S. owner > "I don't like how when you trying to enter if a child potty time or what they eat it doesn't let you do it one at a time" [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___6428609) LV Lynette V. director > "I really like that as an admin I have access to all the neccesary stuff without needing to move from app to app." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___7076294) BF Bonita F. Educational Director > "Not clear on how to use Playground and having virtual calls do not help." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___6410116) JG Jermaine G. Executive Director > "Children of Joy would love to do it because I see the potential in Playground and that's why I made the switch from a 30+ year..." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___6627934) EP Emily P. Owner and Teacher > "Lack of control and visibility of statement emails" [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___6431885) VR Verified Reviewer Owner > "We have been using their main app for a while, but lately their CRM feature has been a gamechanger for us, saving hours every week." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___6852679) DC Diana C. Executive Director > "I am unable to use admin features on mobile." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___6560939) KJ Kayla J. daycare provider > "It has a space for everything and a great place to keep track of everything I need to." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___7059781) CB Christa B. Owner > "If you miss payroll one week, it's a pain to get everything back on track" [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___6415996) AD Angela D. Owner > "I also will use the app to keep my families informed of our daily activities, meals, photos and more! " [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___6862457) CJU Chiamaka Juliet U. Care giver > "It isn’t user friendly." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___7034556) BR Brandy R. Owner and Operator > "Parents love the updates and I love how easy it is to document learning, track routines, and stay on top of paperwork." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___7050320) JM Jordan M. Coo > "Missing paperwork, and the support time is not admirable" [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___6429776) TH Tony H. Owner > "Oh, let me not forget that apps allow you to make all your documents fillable, so we're about 90% paperless now." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___7006934) JR Jessica R. Owner > "The mobile app isn't as great from an administrative standpoint." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___6411898) AW Aliyah W. Director > "We also recently added the CRM, and within the first week, we were easily able to reach and enroll new families." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___7003628) SH Samantha H. Assistant Director of Early Childhood Programs > "Sometimes my page freezes and I am not sure why." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___6413458) TM Taneaha M. Owner and Director > "On demand support. Whenever I have a question, they are readily available and always have the resources to help." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___7068771) AO Alex O. Director > "There's not a place to document on the child's account or staff account. While there is a notes section, you can not print this out. " [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___5044201) GR Galen R. Owner and Director > "To get 90% of all operation functions covered by a single platform which is so much more reasonablly priced than the competitors makes..." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___7017324) TS Tiffany S. Owner and operator of a family childcare program > "I don’t use it because I can’t afford to wait for payment." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___6431322) KC Kayla C. Daycare Provider > "I’m new but I love the options it provides from communication to enrollment." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___7092984) KV Katya V. Executive Director > "Sometimes the app can be slow or random numbers will be wrong - we always assume it is a glitch, close the app and it usually fixes it." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___5043937) JG Jermaine G. Executive Director > "I believe over time Playground will make the necessary adjustments that will put them in the lead as the number 1 recommended CCMS..." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___6627934) JW Jessica W. Youth Director > "Program set up was not consistent with our needs." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___6426837) TH Tayler H. Administrator > "What we love most about Playground is how it keeps everything organized in one place." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___7101375) GF Glenda F. Child Care Provider > "Getting started was a bit rough but help is just a phone call away" [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___6157019) AW Aliyah W. Director > "Our account manager has been there every step of the way, teaching our team how to use the system to maximize systems through Playground." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___7003628) EC Estie C. Director > "Checking in kids i dont find so easy from a phone." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___6055615) RF Rebecca F. Direcot > "Knowing that you can schedule an appointment anytime with a customer service person dedicated to your account is wonderful" [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___6664509) SE Sherry E. Owner > "It can be a little overwhelming, BUT see my description of the overall experience." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___6557430) AD Angela D. Owner > "My families also love the ease of communication and the ability to see snippets of their kos activities throughout the day!" [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___6862457) AA Amanda A. Operations Manager > "The statement dates were not correct and caused a lot of confusion for parents." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___5079509) DS Danielle S. Director > "We enjoy the ease of Playground in enrolling new families, setting up their automatic billing for weekly tuition, and parent..." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___6413378) MJ Meredith J. Director > "Still new to us so I will give it more time, but so far it has been very frustrating" [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___6425476) BB Brooke B. Director > "Playground has everything my center needs in one place!" [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___7096329) MKB Mary Kay B. Administrator > "At this present time, I have not found anything that I can honestly say I don't like." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___6398849) JB Joy B. Owner Director Administrator > "The app and desktop use are flawless and cohesive too." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___7083757) AS Ashely S. Owner Miss Ashely > "It’s not very easy to run reports." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___6414122) KJ Kassidy J. Director > "I am excited to use the other features as I start enrolling students and know I can reach out to her as questions arise." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___7006863) EV Elana V. Business Manager > "We don't have an easy import into Quickbooks." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___5044321) KC Kayla C. Daycare Provider > "Also the link to attendance will make life much easier." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___7092984) CJU Chiamaka Juliet U. Care giver > "It isn’t user friendly." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___7034556) KB Karen B. Preschool Director > "Has all the necessary pieces needed to communicate to parents, tuition, onboarding new students and love the instagram flow it has with..." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___6094868) MJ Meredith J. Director > "Still new to us so I will give it more time, but so far it has been very frustrating" [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___6425476) AW Aliyah W. Director > "Parent communication is a breeze, and families love being able to know in real time what their children are doing." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___7003628) AS Ashely S. Owner Miss Ashely > "It’s not very easy to run reports." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___6414122) AW Aliyah W. Director > "The CRM is excellent as managing new families is automatically created once families show interest." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___7003628) EV Elana V. Business Manager > "We don't have an easy import into Quickbooks." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___5044321) JB Justin B. Owner > "It effectively replaces a fragmented mess of spreadsheets, paper checks, and clunky apps with a single, polished ecosystem that saves..." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___7111759) GF Glenda F. Child Care Provider > "Getting started was a bit rough but help is just a phone call away" [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___6157019) JB Justin B. Owner > "The standout feature of Playground is its ability to centralize every chaotic moving part of running a childcare center into one sleek,..." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___7111759) SE Sherry E. Owner > "It can be a little overwhelming, BUT see my description of the overall experience." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___6557430) TH Tony H. Owner > "Our parents only had it for a week and are already saying how easy it is to navigate, much better than the other apps, so that's a plus." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___7006934) MKB Mary Kay B. Administrator > "At this present time, I have not found anything that I can honestly say I don't like." [See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#Capterra___6398849) [View Reviews](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/reviews/) ## User interface [brightwheel](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/) 4.66 (3,257) [Playground](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/) 4.82 (194) ### Features Do these products fit your needs? Prioritize real-user-identified key features according to your needs to find your best fit. \--% Fit vs \--% Fit Activity Dashboard 207 Important Activity Tracking 150 Important AI Copilot 120 Important brightwheel 26/43 - Activity Dashboard - Activity Tracking - AI Copilot - Alerts/Notifications - API - Attendance Tracking - Autonomous Task Execution - Billing & Invoicing - Calendar Management - Certification Tracking - Check-in/Check-out - Class Scheduling - Communications Management - Contact Database - Customer Accounts - Daily Reports - Data Security - Document Management - Electronic Signature - Employee Management - Enrollments/Onboarding - Generative AI - Immunization & Allergy Tracking - Incident Management - Lesson Planning - Meal/Nutrition Management - Milestone Tracking - Mobile Access - Multi-Language - Multi-Location - Multi-step Planning - Parent Portal - Payment Processing - Proactive Assistance - Records Management - Registration Management - Reporting & Statistics - Resource Scheduling - Role-Based Permissions - Student Information/Records - Task Management - Third-Party Integrations - Wait List Management [See all features](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/#features) Playground Top features 40/43 - Activity Dashboard - Activity Tracking - AI Copilot - Alerts/Notifications - API - Attendance Tracking - Autonomous Task Execution - Billing & Invoicing - Calendar Management - Certification Tracking - Check-in/Check-out - Class Scheduling - Communications Management - Contact Database - Customer Accounts - Daily Reports - Data Security - Document Management - Electronic Signature - Employee Management - Enrollments/Onboarding - Generative AI - Immunization & Allergy Tracking - Incident Management - Lesson Planning - Meal/Nutrition Management - Milestone Tracking - Mobile Access - Multi-Language - Multi-Location - Multi-step Planning - Parent Portal - Payment Processing - Proactive Assistance - Records Management - Registration Management - Reporting & Statistics - Resource Scheduling - Role-Based Permissions - Student Information/Records - Task Management - Third-Party Integrations - Wait List Management [See all features](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/#features) ### Recognition brightwheel is recognized as a top-rated tool in 3 Capterra Shortlist reports Playground is recognized as a top-rated tool in 3 Capterra Shortlist reports ### Deployment & support brightwheel Deployment - Cloud, SaaS, Web-Based - Desktop Mac - Desktop Windows - Desktop Linux - On-Premise Windows - On-Premise Linux - Desktop Chromebook - Mobile Android - Mobile iPhone - Mobile iPad Support - Email/Help Desk - FAQs/Forum - Knowledge Base - Phone Support - 24/7 (Live rep) - Chat Training - In Person - Live Online - Webinars - Documentation - Videos Playground Deployment - Cloud, SaaS, Web-Based - Desktop Mac - Desktop Windows - Desktop Linux - On-Premise Windows - On-Premise Linux - Desktop Chromebook - Mobile Android - Mobile iPhone - Mobile iPad Support - Email/Help Desk - FAQs/Forum - Knowledge Base - Phone Support - 24/7 (Live rep) - Chat Training - In Person - Live Online - Webinars - Documentation - Videos ### Company Details brightwheel - By brightwheel - Located in United States - Founded in 2014 Playground - By Playground - Located in United States - Founded in ## Popular Comparisons [brightwheel](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/)[4.66 (3,257)](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/reviews/) vs [Procare Solutions](https://www.capterra.com/p/23486/Procare-Child-Care-Management/)[4.59 (2,809)](https://www.capterra.com/p/23486/Procare-Child-Care-Management/reviews/) Contact vendor for pricing Price Contact vendor for pricing 4.5 Features 4.4 4.6 Ease of Use 4.4 [View full comparison](https://www.capterra.com/compare/23486-144060/Procare-Child-Care-Management-vs-brightwheel) [Playground](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/)[4.82 (194)](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/reviews/) vs [Procare Solutions](https://www.capterra.com/p/23486/Procare-Child-Care-Management/)[4.59 (2,809)](https://www.capterra.com/p/23486/Procare-Child-Care-Management/reviews/) Contact vendor for pricing Price Contact vendor for pricing 4.7 Features 4.4 4.7 Ease of Use 4.4 [View full comparison](https://www.capterra.com/compare/23486-220200/Procare-Child-Care-Management-vs-Playground) [brightwheel](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/)[4.66 (3,257)](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/reviews/) vs [Lillio](https://www.capterra.com/p/134048/HiMama-Preschool-Child-Care-App/)[4.59 (3,623)](https://www.capterra.com/p/134048/HiMama-Preschool-Child-Care-App/reviews/) Contact vendor for pricing Price Contact vendor for pricing 4.5 Features 4.4 4.6 Ease of Use 4.6 [View full comparison](https://www.capterra.com/compare/134048-144060/HiMama-Preschool-Child-Care-App-vs-brightwheel) [Playground](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/)[4.82 (194)](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/reviews/) vs [Lillio](https://www.capterra.com/p/134048/HiMama-Preschool-Child-Care-App/)[4.59 (3,623)](https://www.capterra.com/p/134048/HiMama-Preschool-Child-Care-App/reviews/) Contact vendor for pricing Price Contact vendor for pricing 4.7 Features 4.4 4.7 Ease of Use 4.6 [View full comparison](https://www.capterra.com/compare/134048-220200/HiMama-Preschool-Child-Care-App-vs-Playground) [brightwheel](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/)[4.66 (3,257)](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/reviews/) vs [Daily Connect](https://www.capterra.com/p/180141/Daily-Connect/)[4.75 (306)](https://www.capterra.com/p/180141/Daily-Connect/reviews/) Contact vendor for pricing Price $1.6/month 4.5 Features 4.6 4.6 Ease of Use 4.7 [View full comparison](https://www.capterra.com/compare/144060-180141/brightwheel-vs-Daily-Connect) [Playground](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/)[4.82 (194)](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/reviews/) vs [Daily Connect](https://www.capterra.com/p/180141/Daily-Connect/)[4.75 (306)](https://www.capterra.com/p/180141/Daily-Connect/reviews/) Contact vendor for pricing Price $1.6/month 4.7 Features 4.6 4.7 Ease of Use 4.7 [View full comparison](https://www.capterra.com/compare/180141-220200/Daily-Connect-vs-Playground) [brightwheel](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/)[4.66 (3,257)](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/reviews/) vs [KINDERPEDIA](https://www.capterra.com/p/174857/KINDERPEDIA/)[4.83 (173)](https://www.capterra.com/p/174857/KINDERPEDIA/reviews/) Contact vendor for pricing Price €61/month 4.5 Features 4.7 4.6 Ease of Use 4.7 [View full comparison](https://www.capterra.com/compare/144060-174857/brightwheel-vs-KINDERPEDIA) [Playground](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/)[4.82 (194)](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/reviews/) vs [Famly](https://www.capterra.com/p/155536/Famly/)[4.71 (264)](https://www.capterra.com/p/155536/Famly/reviews/) Contact vendor for pricing Price $49/month 4.7 Features 4.5 4.7 Ease of Use 4.7 [View full comparison](https://www.capterra.com/compare/155536-220200/Famly-vs-Playground) [brightwheel](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/)[4.66 (3,257)](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/reviews/) vs [Famly](https://www.capterra.com/p/155536/Famly/)[4.71 (264)](https://www.capterra.com/p/155536/Famly/reviews/) Contact vendor for pricing Price $49/month 4.5 Features 4.5 4.6 Ease of Use 4.7 [View full comparison](https://www.capterra.com/compare/144060-155536/brightwheel-vs-Famly) [Playground](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/)[4.82 (194)](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/reviews/) vs [myKidzDay](https://www.capterra.com/p/135638/myKidzDay/)[4.54 (114)](https://www.capterra.com/p/135638/myKidzDay/reviews/) Contact vendor for pricing Price Contact vendor for pricing 4.7 Features 4.4 4.7 Ease of Use 4.6 [View full comparison](https://www.capterra.com/compare/135638-220200/myKidzDay-vs-Playground) [brightwheel](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/)[4.66 (3,257)](https://www.capterra.com/p/144060/brightwheel/reviews/) vs [Parent](https://www.capterra.com/p/179039/Parent/)[4.61 (104)](https://www.capterra.com/p/179039/Parent/reviews/) Contact vendor for pricing Price Contact vendor for pricing 4.5 Features 4.5 4.6 Ease of Use 4.6 [View full comparison](https://www.capterra.com/compare/144060-179039/brightwheel-vs-Parent) [Playground](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/)[4.82 (194)](https://www.capterra.com/p/220200/Playground/reviews/) vs [iClassPro](https://www.capterra.com/p/127097/iClassPro/)[4.51 (477)](https://www.capterra.com/p/127097/iClassPro/reviews/) Contact vendor for pricing Price $139/month 4.7 Features 4.1 4.7 Ease of Use 4.3 [View full comparison](https://www.capterra.com/compare/127097-220200/iClassPro-vs-Playground)