Parent vs QikKids
Parent
parent.app
QikKids
qikkids.com.auSide by side
| Figure | Parent | QikKids |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | — | — |
| Free plan | — | — |
| Free trial | Yes | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | — | Yes |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 4 | 11 |
| Spec score · Early Childhood Education Software | 8.7 (#11) | 8.2 (#26) |
| Spec score · Child Care Software | 8.0 (#8) | 7.6 (#15) |
| Attendance and check-in | Yes | Yes |
| Billing and payments | Yes | Automatic recurring payments and ad-hoc PayNow payments are supported |
| Enrollment management | Yes | Core adds child enrolment and management |
| Family communication | Families receive real-time updates, photos, videos, secure messages, forms, permissions and billing information in the app. | Communications can use email, Home app, Home web and SMS |
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Integrations | The Exclusive plan lists Zoom, QuickBooks, Zoho, Sage, WhatsApp, Gmail and Office 365 integrations; Stripe powers payments. | Essential includes integrations including Xero and Ento |
| Lesson planning | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile apps | Parent’s materials list the app as available on the Apple App Store and Google Play. | both |
| Security statement | Parent says the app is designed to resist attacks but explicitly does not guarantee protection from hackers or unauthorized access. | The site says it is protected by reCAPTCHA and Google policies |
Plans
Parent
- BasicPrice not published
- ExclusivePrice not published
- Basic PlanPriced on request
- Exclusive PlanPriced on request
QikKids
- Playground 0-39 placesPrice not published
- Playground 40-69 placesPrice not published
- Playground 70-99 placesPrice not published
- Playground 100+ placesPrice not published
- Office LitePrice not published
- Office CorePrice not published
- Office EssentialPrice not published
- QikKids Desktop & KioskPrice not published
- CorePrice not published
- EssentialPrice not published
In their own words
Parent
Parent is a childcare management platform for providers handling enrollment, family communication, attendance, billing and children’s learning journeys. It is built for childcare centers, including enterprise groups, franchises and organizations with multiple branches. Educators can record meals, naps and diaper changes, share photos and videos, and prepare daily summaries. Families and staff can use a newsfeed and in-app messaging, with automatic translation in 198+ languages. Enrollment features include centralized digital waitlists, custom forms, digital signatures, and QR code or link sign-ins. The product also supports lesson planning, check-in, billing and payments. Parent names integrations including WhatsApp, Gmail, Office 365, Zoom, QuickBooks, Zoho and Sage. It is available through a browser-based web app and Android and iOS apps. The maker, Parent, is headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark and was founded in 2015. The paid service has pricing on request and offers a 14-day trial; there is no free plan. Listed Basic and Exclusive plans have no listed prices.
QikKids
QikKids is a platform for Kindergarten and out-of-school-hours care services, combining child enrolment, attendance, family communication, lesson planning, and billing. It runs on web, Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android, with mobile apps; all plans include the Home parent app and web portal. Digital sign-ins, real-time attendance information, and headcounts support daily check-in, while families can manage additional casual sessions and absences. Payment tools include automatic recurring payments and ad-hoc PayNow transactions. The Core package adds a child waitlist with custom filtering, while Essential includes integrations such as Xero and Ento, API access, and nightly SQL-table database backups. Other listed capabilities include rostering, staff clock in/out, digital timesheets, and multi-service reporting. QikKids lists support and training resources. A free plan is available, and the listed starting price is $204 per month for Lite; prices exclude GST. Monthly and annual pricing options are shown. Plan information includes Playground capacity bands beginning with 0–39 places.