ParentCom vs Skool Loop
ParentCom
parentcom.comSkool Loop
skoolloop.comSide by side
| Figure | ParentCom | Skool Loop |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | — | Free |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | — |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 3 | 1 |
| Spec score · School Communication Software | 8.3 (#5) | 7.7 (#14) |
| Audience | Its solutions are presented for primary schools and educational establishments, with extended functions for school districts, counties, and municipalities. | The app is intended for parents and school communities, and the maker says it serves schools in Australia, New Zealand and Fiji. |
| Languages | The app platform is available in English, Dutch, Spanish, Danish, Swedish, Finnish, and Norwegian. | The parent page names English, German, and Mandarin as available app translation languages. |
| Privacy | ParentCom says it is affiliated with the Education Privacy Covenant. | The parent page says information entered in app forms is directed to the selected school and is not accessed by Skool Loop or sold for database use. |
| Purpose | ParentCom provides school-parent communication through branded school apps, websites, and a shared Communication Cockpit. | Skool Loop is a parent-teacher communication app for school notices, appointments, interviews, and other school updates. |
| Support | The Light and Business app licenses include unlimited online support, while Pro includes unlimited online and telephone support. | The contact page directs app users to customer support via its chat box or the app enquiry email [email protected]. |
Plans
ParentCom
- Business AppPriced on request
- Light AppPriced on request
- Pro AppPriced on request
In their own words
ParentCom
ParentCom provides branded school apps and websites for communication between schools and parents, managed through a shared Communication Cockpit. The CMS lets schools publish to online channels in one step and is included free with every solution. Schools can send news, calendar items, personal messages, and push notifications to parents’ phones. Class Book lets schools share photos and stories from the school day for parents to like or respond to. Parents can submit sickness reports and holiday requests through the app. Other listed features include forms, surveys, PDF support, staff contacts, and volunteer recruitment. The app can link with school websites and social platforms, while the cockpit can post to Facebook and Twitter. ParentCom lists Light App, Business App, and Pro App licenses; the latter two add personal inboxes, requests, Class Book, custom layouts, and other features at their respective tiers. Plans and prices require a request for the full overview. The platform is available in English, Dutch, Spanish, Danish, Swedish, Finnish, and Norwegian; the CMS is available in English and Dutch. Schools can request a free trial app, with no duration stated.
Skool Loop
Skool Loop is an Android and iOS app for parent-teacher communication about school notices, appointments, and other updates. Parents can receive newsletters and push notifications, check the school calendar, choose teacher-provided interview slots, respond to permission slips, send absence messages, and find school contacts. Notice groups let parents select which school channels send them updates. The app translates between English, German, and Mandarin. Its calendar can connect to a school Google calendar or student management system and synchronize with other calendar programs. The maker says the service caters to schools in Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji. The maker says form information is directed to the selected school and is not accessed by Skool Loop or sold for database use. It also says data is hosted on AWS, passwords are encrypted, and images and documents are stored privately with controlled access. The app has been assessed by Safer Technologies 4 Schools.