illumine vs Kindertales
illumine
illumine.app
Kindertales
kindertales.comSide by side
| Figure | illumine | Kindertales |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | — | — |
| Free plan | — | — |
| Free trial | Yes | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | — |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| Linux | Yes | — |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| API | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 6 | 1 |
| Spec score · Early Childhood Education Software | 9.3 (#2) | 8.1 (#30) |
| Spec score · Child Care Software | 9.0 (#1) | 7.7 (#14) |
| Attendance | Attendance supports QR and kiosk check-in, leave tracking, staff-child ratios, geofencing and electronic signatures. | Attendance supports QR code or facial recognition check-in and check-out, with historical and projected reports. |
| Attendance and check-in | Yes | Yes |
| Billing | The platform automates invoices, credit and debit notes, discounts, subsidies, taxes, reminders, late fees and financial reports. | Its billing tools include online billing, recurring payment plans, card and direct debit payments, subsidy and agency billing, and automatic tax receipts. |
| Billing and payments | Yes | Yes |
| Enrollment management | Yes | Yes |
| Family communication | Yes | Yes |
| Headquarters | Wilmington, Delaware, United States | McLean, Virginia, USA; Oakville, Ontario, Canada |
| Lesson planning | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile apps | both | both |
| Support | Official support includes email at [email protected] and in-app live chat, with training videos and onboarding guidance. | The company says it offers real-time phone-based and chat-based support for centers, their teams, and families. |
Plans
illumine
- BusinessPrice not published
- EnterprisePrice not published
- Standard$0.99 a month
- EssentialsPriced on request
- Growth + AIPriced on request
- ScalePriced on request
In their own words
Kindertales
Kindertales is childcare management software for coordinating operations, staff, devices, finances, and family-facing work in one system. It supports online registration and CRM workflows that can run from an initial inquiry and tour through waitlisting, application, registration, attendance, and graduation. Billing includes online invoices, recurring payment plans, card and direct-debit payments, subsidy and agency billing, and automatic tax receipts; kinderPAY processing is powered by Stripe. Providers can record developmental milestones using built-in or custom definitions, while attendance can use QR codes or facial recognition and produce historical or projected reports. Staff can message teachers and families from tablets, desktops, or mobile devices with customizable or preset templates. Reporting and analytics use Microsoft Power BI and can incorporate accounting, payroll, and other operational datasets. The service runs on web, Android, and iOS, with apps for both mobile platforms. Pricing is paid and available on request.