--- title: "Smartcare Software Pricing, Alternatives & More 2026 | Capterra" description: "With the help of Capterra, learn about Smartcare Software - reviews, pricing plans, popular comparisons to other Daycare products and more." source_url: "https://www.capterra.com/p/141292/SmartCare/" page_type: "product" language: "en" publication_date: "2026-10-19" --- # Smartcare Software Review 2026: Features, Integrations, Pros & Cons Last updated on October 19, 2026 Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews moderated by our Reviews Verification team. [Description](#description)[Use cases](#use-cases)[Alternatives](#alternatives)[FAQs](#faqs)[Pros and Cons](#pros-cons)[Features](#features)[Pricing](#pricing)[Integrations](#integrations)[Support](#support)[Reviews](#reviews) Smartcare ## What is Smartcare? Smartcare is a cloud and mobile-based childcare center and classroom management software that helps childcare directors, K-12 program administrators, teachers, and parents connect. It offers automated billing and payment processing; attendance, record keeping, prospect tracking and many more features. The tool is suited for customers of all sizes, from single locations to multi-location enterprises. ## What is Smartcare used for? [Daycare](https://www.capterra.com/child-care-software/) Top alternative Featured Overall rating Based on 280 user reviews Reviews sentiment Positive 68% Neutral 23% Negative 10% Pros & cons Responsive and helpful support team Comprehensive childcare management tools Complicated and confusing billing processes Difficult and limited reporting functionality Contact vendor for pricing Free trial not available Free version not included Capterra Shortlist charts the highest-rated and most popular products... Our "Best of" badge program showcases products with the highest ratings... Our "Best of" badge program showcases products with the highest ratings... Do you work for Smartcare?[Manage this product listing](https://www.g2.com/products/smartcare/claim_requests/new?auto=true) ## Compare with a popular alternative Capterra selects software alternatives based on relevant features, verified user reviews and user interactions. Placement may be influenced by client status. ### Smartcare 3.8 (280) VS. [4.6 (2,809)](https://www.capterra.com/p/23486/Procare-Child-Care-Management/reviews/) Starting Price Contact vendor Starting Price Contact vendor Free Trial Free Version Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version Ease Of Use 3.7 (279) Ease Of Use 4.4 (2,808) Value For Money 3.7 (253) Value For Money 4.5 (2,391) Customer Service 4.0 (270) Customer Service 4.6 (2,630) ## Smartcare alternatives [4.7 (264)](https://www.capterra.com/p/155536/Famly/reviews/) Starting price $49.00 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 95% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [4.6 (77)](https://www.capterra.com/p/181289/ChildPilot/reviews/) Starting price Contact vendor for pricing Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 95% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars Highest Rated [Daily Connect](https://www.capterra.com/p/180141/Daily-Connect/) [4.8 (306)](https://www.capterra.com/p/180141/Daily-Connect/reviews/) Starting price $1.60 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 97% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [Learn More](https://www.capterra.com/p/180141/Daily-Connect/) [Lillio](https://www.capterra.com/p/134048/HiMama-Preschool-Child-Care-App/) [4.6 (3,623)](https://www.capterra.com/p/134048/HiMama-Preschool-Child-Care-App/reviews/) Starting price Contact vendor for pricing Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 94% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [Learn More](https://www.capterra.com/p/134048/HiMama-Preschool-Child-Care-App/) [View all alternatives](https://www.capterra.com/p/141292/SmartCare/alternatives/) ## FAQs about Smartcare Overview ### What problems does Smartcare solve? Smartcare solves fragmented childcare administration by combining parent and staff messaging, real-time child updates, attendance, classroom ratios, enrollment records, billing, and electronic payments in one system. Childcare directors, owners, teachers, and multi-site administrators benefit from reduced paperwork, faster access to family information, and clearer day-to-day visibility, while parents receive timely updates and account access. Answer based on 186 reviews Overview ### Which roles and teams benefit most from Smartcare? Smartcare is most used by childcare center directors, assistant directors, and executive leaders managing daily operations, enrollment, and staff oversight. Owners and administrators rely on it for billing, family records, and reporting, while office managers and teachers support attendance tracking, parent communication, and classroom administration. Answer based on 273 reviews Overview ### What company size and industries is Smartcare built for? Smartcare is built primarily for small education management organizations, which account for 95% of reviewers and 75% of industry use. It serves childcare and daycare centers, early learning programs, K-12 enrichment providers, Montessori schools, and faith-based preschools. Nonprofit management represents 4% of reviewers, and daycare is the most common use case at 92%. Answer based on 280 reviews Features and Usability ### What are the key features of Smartcare? Smartcare includes core childcare management features such as parent-teacher communication through the Parent Portal, billing and invoicing, online payment processing, and check-in/check-out. It also provides attendance tracking, child records management, daily reports, enrollment management, and reporting tools for center operations and family account oversight. Answer based on 120 reviews Integrations ### Which third-party tools and platforms does Smartcare integrate with? Smartcare integrates with LineLeader by ChildcareCRM for childcare CRM connectivity. This native integration links Smartcare with a specialized lead and enrollment platform, giving providers a direct connection between child care management and customer relationship workflows. Answer based on 3 reviews Getting Started and Support ### How easy is it to onboard and train a team on Smartcare? Smartcare offers live online training, webinars, documentation, and videos to support implementation. Reviewers report that everyday staff and parents often learn check-in, communication, and basic tasks quickly, sometimes without formal training. Administrators and teams configuring billing, reports, or workflows may need more time, repeated sessions, and responsive support. Answer based on 33 reviews Getting Started and Support ### What customer support options does Smartcare offer, and how do users rate the experience? Smartcare offers email/help desk, FAQ/forum, knowledge base, phone support, and chat. Users often describe staff as friendly, patient, and responsive, particularly during setup and transitions. However, some report inconsistent answers, difficulty reaching support, slow issue resolution, and uneven follow-up for technical or billing problems. Answer based on 70 reviews Features and Usability ### How well does Smartcare support parent-teacher communication? Smartcare gives childcare centers a practical way to share daily updates, photos, videos, and messages with families in real time. Parents can view timelines and stay informed, while multi-site owners remain connected. Some teachers find posting cumbersome, and teams may want two-way in-app messaging, better customization, and more reliable notification controls. Answer based on 120 reviews Features and Usability ### How well does Smartcare handle childcare payments? Smartcare lets childcare providers accept online payments, display family balances, and reduce time spent taking payments or making bank deposits. Parents value paying through the app or at check-in. However, some administrators find billing navigation, transaction corrections, deposit reconciliation, payment reporting, and fee settings difficult to manage. Answer based on 49 reviews ## Pros and Cons Responsive and helpful support team 77% positive reviews out of 61 Most reviewers describe customer support as accessible, friendly, and prompt in resolving issues and providing guidance. Complicated and confusing billing processes 41% negative reviews out of 82 Some reviewers describe parent billing as confusing, with errors, delays, and difficulty managing payments and statements. Comprehensive childcare management tools 80% positive reviews out of 30 Most reviewers indicate childcare center management is simplified by integrating records, scheduling, and family engagement features. Difficult and limited reporting functionality 62% negative reviews out of 48 Most users comment reports are hard to use, lack needed details, and require time-consuming manual adjustments. Streamlined staff-parent interactions 92% positive reviews out of 25 Most users report staff-parent communication is seamless, saving time and simplifying daily updates and messaging. ## Features AI summary Based on 3,334 Daycare reviews Capterra data shows that buyers of daycare software rank the following features as their top priorities: - **Parent Portal** (**50%** of reviewers rated this feature as critical) - **Data Security** (**54%**) - **Communications Management** (**46%**) Smartcare supports all three features that reviewers rate as most important: **Parent Portal**, **Data Security**, and **Communications Management**. Together, these capabilities help daycare providers keep families informed, protect sensitive child and business information, and manage day-to-day communication more efficiently, allowing teams to build trust with parents and keep operations running smoothly. Parent Portal 2.5 (6) 16.67% of 6 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Portal for parents to see and update childrens' info, track progress & more Communications Management 3.3 (6) 33.33% of 6 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Record and track all relevant internal and external communications Daily Reports 4.0 (6) 16.67% of 6 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important A document that lists daily activities or maintains a record of all events that happened in a day Payment Processing 4.1 (7) 42.86% of 7 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Accept, record, and reconcile financial transactions Attendance Tracking 3.8 (8) 37.50% of 8 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Track the attendance of specific individuals or groups Enrollments/Onboarding 2.3 (3) 33.33% of 3 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Manage the enrollment and onboarding of all new members and accepted applications Smartcare 23 features ### All Features - Activity Dashboard: Dashboard to view the status of ongoing processes, identify current incidents and track past activities - Activity Tracking: Track and document all activities across devices, networks, and other systems - Attendance Tracking: Track the attendance of specific individuals or groups - Billing & Invoicing: Create, manage, and send invoices or bills to customers - Calendar Management: Track and manage schedules and meetings via an integrated calendar - Check-in/Check-out: Track the status of assets and whether they're checked in or out - Communications Management: Record and track all relevant internal and external communications - Contact Database: Centralized database of stakeholders and their contact information such as names, address, phone number etc. - Customer Accounts: Record customer information, purchase history, and other notes - Daily Reports: A document that lists daily activities or maintains a record of all events that happened in a day - Electronic Signature: Digitally sign online documents - Employee Management: Track employee schedules, availability, and performance across projects and tasks - Enrollments/Onboarding: Manage the enrollment and onboarding of all new members and accepted applications - Immunization & Allergy Tracking: Manage updates to member's immunization records and track individual allergies - Meal/Nutrition Management: Meal and snack planning, scheduling and distribution - Milestone Tracking: Monitor task progress and planned accomplishments to better manage project status - Parent Portal: Portal for parents to see and update childrens' info, track progress & more - Payment Processing: Accept, record, and reconcile financial transactions - Records Management: Ability to record, store, update, and retrieve information - Registration Management: Oversee and coordinate the registration of attendees, visitors, customers, events, activities, etc. - Reporting & Statistics: Collection, analysis, and representation of numerical data and generation of reports to understand various patterns - Role-Based Permissions: Set & manage permission levels based on user roles and restrict access to only authorized individuals - Wait List Management: Record, update and manage waiting lists --- Features 3.4 (269) 3.4 Based on 269 reviews ## Pricing Value for money 3.7 (253) Value for money 3.7 (253) 3.7 Based on 253 reviews ## Integrations [ LineLeader by ChildcareCRM](https://www.capterra.com/p/129630/Child-Care-CRM/) ## Support, customer service and training options Customer Service 4.0 (270) Support - Email/Help Desk - FAQs/Forum - Knowledge Base - Phone Support - 24/7 (Live rep) - Chat Training - In Person - Live Online - Webinars - Documentation - Videos Deployment - Web - Android - iPhone/iPad Typical users - Freelancers - Small businesses - Mid size businesses - Enterprises Customer Service 4.0 (270) 4.0 Based on 270 reviews ## User reviews Overall rating 3.8 Based on 280 reviews Filter by rating Counts reflect reviews available in this feed. 5(83) 4(106) 3(64) 2(17) 1(10) Mentioned topic Recent reviews first, then most helpful RD Regional Director Regional Director Used the software for: 3-5 years ### "My experience with SmartCare has improved for the better. " 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 July 12, 2018 The main benefit that a user would get from this product is all the child and family information in one place and easily accessible. Another amazing feature is the ability to print reports for attendance, billing, and other items. Pros I enjoy the real-time updates within the center, teacher and parent apps. I can also appreciate that there is always someone in customer service with anything that needs to be addressed. Lastly, I enjoy that there are always constant improvements based off of suggestions that actual users have suggested. Cons Thankfully, there have been so many improvements since the release of the program that there are not too many cons to mention. The only improvement that I can suggest is the ability to print out individual balance reports for families. DI Director Director Used the software for: Less than 1 year ### "Loved it" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 November 27, 2019 Customer service was great in helping me to understand the set up. Pros Parents can use with ease. The app for their smartphones gives them everything they want to know about their account, child day, erc Cons It took a long time to set up all the tuition types and assign each child a tuition plan. It also didn’t have a monthly plan that suited us as we figure tuition weekly and some parents pay monthly. Therefor some months have a 4 week payment and others a 5. To do this I had to go in and switch Timon plans each month. AD Assistant Director Assistant Director Used the software for: 1-3 years ### "Good, but could be better" 3.0 Overall Rating 3.0 3.0 Ease of Use 4.0 4.0 Features 2.0 2.0 Customer Service 2.0 2.0 Likelihood to Recommend 4/10 November 8, 2024 Overall it was okay. We liked the automatic billing. I wish there was an app for the teacher side of posting but there isn’t. If your are just wanting billing software, and the option to batch message parents, its great, but it could be better. Pros We where excited about the opportunity to share in the moment posts with parents and guardians. Cons The website is not at all user friendly for teachers. There were many crashes and a few times payments weren’t charged, and the double charged on the parent’s causing issues. HO Head of School Head of School Used the software for: 1-3 years ### "Review" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 9/10 July 23, 2020 Smartcare continues to answer and support every aspect of their product. The customer support team is always available and in no rush to move on to the next customer. They will stay on the phone until the problem has a solution or they will find the solution and call us back with the answers we need. Pros Smartcare is a product that continues to be enhanced to serve the needs of the consumer. Cons The parent connection lacks the desired functionality that would be used by my teachers. MH Mental Health Clinician Intern Mental Health Clinician Intern Used the software for: Less than 1 year ### "Smart Care Review" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 October 11, 2018 Pros I love how easy it is to sign in through the tablet and clock in for work. Using not only the key card that is provided but also through the number they allow you to create in case you forget your key card or have something in your hand. It is also easy to navigate through the app if a parent forgets to clock their child out or in. Cons One thing I do not enjoy about Smartcare is the lack of service you receive if your internet is down. There were times at our daycare when the internet would go out and parents could not log their children in so we would have to write them down and manually put the names in later which could be a hassle. This issue did not really have to do with smartcare as a whole but in some cases our internet. Santiago C. Chief Development Officer Used the software for: Less than 1 year ### "Smartcare takes Childcare management software to a new level!" 4.0 Overall Rating 4.0 4.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 4.0 4.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 April 16, 2018 Multiple platforms in One Easy to use interface Great support and training staff Pros Smartcare is leading the change in childcare management solutions. Intuitive interface that out of the box solves most of the main needs of childcare operations. Reduce the number of solutions you need by integrating Parent communications, time and attendance, CRM, Payments and Center management. Cons Software is a work in progress and there are features that are still under development. Fortunately the team is rolling out improvements and new features on a weekly basis and things will only get better moving forward. DO Director Of Operations Director Of Operations Used the software for: 1-3 years ### "Pretty good system " 4.0 Overall Rating 4.0 4.0 Ease of Use 3.0 3.0 Features 3.0 3.0 Customer Service 3.0 3.0 Likelihood to Recommend 7/10 February 14, 2019 Overall it’s been a good software. We didn’t have an app before so we don’t have another system to compare it too but it has been great for updates for parents Pros I like the alerts parents receive as well as able to send photos Cons Software doesn’t work easily on all devices. Sometimes issues with it going down Stephanie N. Director Used the software for: Less than 1 year ### "Best Communication Tool for any Childcare Company" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 9/10 October 30, 2018 Pros I just starting using Smartcare and already it has become my favorite of all the apps I have tried. It has way more functions and features than any other app my company has used. It is all in the details. From being able to input when the next physical is due, to being alerted of what birthdays are going on in your center... I love this app and look forward to using it more. Cons Its great that there are so many features with this app, but it is taking some getting used to. The customer service has been great, but the adjustment time I guess is to be expected. Give you company time to adjust. Margra F. President Used the software for: Less than 1 year ### "Smartcare has enabled me to streamline my family accounts and information. " 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 July 16, 2018 Pros It's easy to use and all of my information is accessible with a few clicks. The numerous reports are useful . Cons Some of the reports are hard to access. It's not always clear whether to use first name, last name, and some reports don't pull up the information needed when you use the criteria requested. O/ Owner / Director Owner / Director Used the software for: Less than 1 year ### "I don't like when something is wrong all I can do is Email and get a email back. " 3.0 Overall Rating 3.0 3.0 Ease of Use 1.0 1.0 Features 3.0 3.0 Customer Service 1.0 1.0 Likelihood to Recommend 1/10 July 12, 2018 I can see it on my Ipad or cell phone where ever I am. I can work where ever I am because all my school's information is on the ipad now. Pros I can have it on my Ipad and cell phone. I can see all my School's information where ever I am. I can send emails to parents from the Ipad. I can send photo from the ipad. Cons I can only email someone and only get a email back when something is wrong. The reports don't have lines. payroll don't have a spot for holiday or training. I like a Calendar that shows the kids days out for the month. [View all Reviews](https://www.capterra.com/p/141292/SmartCare/reviews/) ## Top-rated software of 2026 ### Fill out the form and we'll send a list of the top-rated software based on real user reviews directly to your inbox. 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