illumine vs Sandbox Software
illumine
illumine.appSandbox Software
childcaresoftware.webflow.ioSide by side
| Figure | illumine | Sandbox Software |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | — | $47/mo |
| Free plan | — | — |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | — |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| Linux | Yes | — |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| API | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 6 | 10 |
| Spec score · Childcare Management Software | 8.9 (#4) | 7.6 (#20) |
| Attendance | Attendance supports QR and kiosk check-in, leave tracking, staff-child ratios, geofencing and electronic signatures. | The system provides attendance dashboards, child check-in and check-out, head-count reports, and staff-hour tracking. |
| Billing | The platform automates invoices, credit and debit notes, discounts, subsidies, taxes, reminders, late fees and financial reports. | Billing features include flexible invoicing, government subsidy tracking, automated tax receipts, online payments, and more than 100 reports. |
| Integrations | Illumine advertises more than 50 accounting and payment integrations, including Gusto, Stripe, PayPal, Tally, QuickBooks, NetSuite and Paychex. | The pricing FAQ identifies Stripe as the merchant used for payment processing. |
| Parent communication | The parent app provides AI-assisted daily reports, media and messaging with translation in more than 20 languages, pickup requests, surveys and consent forms. | The Parent App and portal support real-time photos and updates, two-way messaging, daily logs, and invoice payments. |
| Support | Official support includes email at [email protected] and in-app live chat, with training videos and onboarding guidance. | The pricing page advertises unlimited customer support and says support is available from 9 to 5 pm EST. |
| Trial | The trial page offers a free account for 10 days with access to Enterprise features, while also describing the experience as free for up to seven days. | The pricing page offers a free trial with no credit card required but does not state its duration. |
Plans
illumine
- BusinessPrice not published
- EnterprisePrice not published
- Standard$0.99 a month
- EssentialsPriced on request
- Growth + AIPriced on request
- ScalePriced 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
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.