Beacon Co-Parenting App vs Custody X Change
Beacon Co-Parenting App
app.beaconparenting.ie
Custody X Change
custodyxchange.comSide by side
| Figure | Beacon Co-Parenting App | Custody X Change |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | $6/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | — | Yes |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| API | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 7 | 3 |
| Spec score · Co-Parenting Apps | 9.3 (#1) | 9.1 (#3) |
| Expense tracking | Shared expenses support configurable percentage splits, payment records, receipts and a net who-owes-what balance. | Gold-level subscribers can record child-related expenses, upload receipts, dispute entries and print or email expense reports. |
| Messaging | Co-parents can exchange secure messages, and messages cannot be edited or deleted by either parent or staff. | Subscribers can message a linked co-parent with read receipts, message reports and a hostility monitor; messages cannot be edited or deleted. |
| Platforms | The maker describes the service as a web app at app.beaconparenting.ie and says it can be added to a device home screen for notifications; its main site lists Android and iOS. | Users can access the product in a browser or install it on Windows, Mac, Android, and iPhone through supported browsers; the maker says its apps are not distributed through app stores. |
| Purpose | The app helps separated parents and guardians in Ireland coordinate childcare in one structured place and keep a shared record. | Custody X Change helps users create and manage custody schedules and parenting plans, calculate parenting time, and organize co-parenting information. |
| Security | Traffic uses HTTPS, stored information is encrypted on Google Cloud infrastructure, passwords are hashed and optional authenticator two-step verification is available. | The FAQ says data is encrypted in the database and in transit and that requests are validated so only the account holder can access data. |
| Support | Account help and complaints are handled by email at [email protected], with a complaints and refund policy referenced in the FAQ. | Support is provided by email after login, and the company states that it does not offer phone support. |
| What it does | Beacon is an Ireland-focused service for separated parents and guardians to coordinate messages, schedules, handovers, expenses and documents in one structured record. | Custody X Change combines custody calendars, parenting plans, parenting-time calculations, journals, expenses, messages, child information and activities. |
Plans
Beacon Co-Parenting App
- Core appFree
- Everyday co-parenting appFree
- Gap Refresh€19, paid once
- Parenting Plan Preparation PDF€29, paid once
- Form 51A Financial Exhibit€49, paid once
- Court-Ready Record€129, paid once
- Court-Ready Record download€129, paid once
In their own words
Beacon Co-Parenting App
Beacon Co-Parenting App helps separated parents and guardians in Ireland coordinate childcare and maintain a shared record. Its calendar includes repeating access schedule templates, handover scheduling, and change requests. Co-parents can exchange secure messages that neither parent nor staff can edit or delete. Before sending a draft, the free AI Tone Check can privately suggest calmer wording. Parents can log and approve shared child expenses, record repayments, and maintain a separate maintenance payment log. Other tools include document storage, a private incident log, a child information bank, a community forum, and a free parenting-time summary. A parent can invite a named solicitor to time-limited, read-only access to the record and withdraw that access at any time. The app can generate a tamper-evident PDF of account history with a data-integrity fingerprint; the site says legal advisers should assess admissibility. It is available on Android, iOS, and the web. The free plan has no subscription. One-off options are 49.00 EUR for a Form 51A Financial Exhibit and 129.00 EUR for a Court-Ready Record download.
Custody X Change
Custody X Change helps users create custody schedules and parenting plans, calculate parenting time, and keep co-parenting information organized. Its calendar accommodates regular, seasonal, holiday, and one-time changes, with calculations based on hours or overnights. The parenting-plan template has 144 provisions, and users can add their own. Other tools include a private journal, actual parenting-time tracker, expense tracking, child information, activities, and co-parent messaging. Messages can be printed with read receipts, and the messaging system detects hostile language. Calendars can sync with services such as Google Calendar or Outlook. The service also sends children's names, birth dates, and parenting-time totals to the cloud version of Family Law Software for child-support calculations. A limited free version restricts scheduling to five holidays and does not allow printing. The Parent plan starts at $6 a month, billed annually. The maker says data is encrypted in its database and in transit, but its terms do not guarantee court acceptance of a schedule or plan.