AfterSchool HQ vs Sandbox Software
AfterSchool HQ
afterschoolhq.comSandbox Software
childcaresoftware.webflow.ioSide by side
| Figure | AfterSchool HQ | Sandbox Software |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $40.83/mo | $47/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | — |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 5 | 10 |
| Spec score · Childcare Management Software | 9.3 (#1) | 7.6 (#20) |
| Attendance | Staff can record attendance, edit check-in and check-out times, add internal notes and view attendance reports. | The system provides attendance dashboards, child check-in and check-out, head-count reports, and staff-hour tracking. |
| Founded | 2013 | 2011 |
| Integrations | Stripe is used for payment processing and providers can access Stripe payouts from the dashboard. | The pricing FAQ identifies Stripe as the merchant used for payment processing. |
| Security | The terms say retained data is encrypted at rest, access is restricted to authorized personnel, and activity is logged and monitored. | Sandbox states that data is encrypted at rest and in transit and describes login controls, firewalls, intrusion protection, IP filtering, and network segregation. |
| Support | The Help Center directs users with questions or technical difficulties to [email protected]. | The pricing page advertises unlimited customer support and says support is available from 9 to 5 pm EST. |
Plans
AfterSchool HQ
- FreeFree
- Enterprise + Autopilot$490 a year
- EnterprisePriced on request
- LitePriced on request
- ProPriced on request
Sandbox Software
- 0-24 Children — Monthly$47 a month
- 0-24 Children — Yearly$59 a month
- 25-49 Children — Monthly$63 a month
- 25-49 Children — Yearly$79 a month
- 50-99 Children — Monthly$103 a month
- 50-99 Children — Yearly$129 a month
- 100-199 Children — Monthly$135 a month
- 200+ Children — Monthly$159 a month
- 100-199 Children — Yearly$169 a month
- 200+ Children — Yearly$199 a month
In their own words
AfterSchool HQ
AfterSchool HQ helps schools, activity providers, and youth programs manage activities and enrollment. Organizations can publish programs online for parents to register and pay, while administrators use rosters, attendance tracking, check-in and check-out, communication tools, and impact reporting. Parents can pay by credit card or ACH; providers can offer subscriptions or payment plans. Family communication is available by email and text. The platform runs on Android, iOS, and the web, with the parent app listed for web. It offers a free plan at free and a free trial. Activities processed through the service incur an after-school program support fee, and credit card payments also incur a transaction fee. The Help Center describes a Zapier integration that can trigger actions when a registration is submitted and requires an organization API key. AfterSchool HQ was founded in 2013 and is headquartered in Fishers, Indiana, USA.
Sandbox Software
Sandbox Software is an online child care management system for childcare centers and preschools. It combines attendance, family and staff records, communication, billing, payments, and staff scheduling across web, Android, and iOS. Attendance tools include dashboards, child check-in and check-out, head-count reports, and staff-hour tracking. Profiles can store pickup permissions, emergency contacts, custody details, and medical information. The Parent App and portal support real-time photos and updates, two-way messaging, daily logs, and invoice payments. Billing includes flexible invoicing, government subsidy tracking, automated tax receipts, online payments, and more than 100 reports. Stripe processes payments at 2.9% + $0.30 per credit-card transaction or $0.60 per ACH transaction; ACH is available only in the US. Plans are based on child count and include unlimited users and devices. The 0-24 Children — Monthly plan costs $47 a month, while the 0-24 Children — Yearly plan is $59 a month billed yearly. A free trial requires no credit card, but there is no free plan. Sandbox was founded in 2011 and serves operators across North America.