Updated November 2026
Is there still a free co-parenting app?
For years the answer was easy: TalkingParents and AppClose both had free plans. In 2026 that changed. Here is where things stand, written from what each company publishes, and what you can still do without paying.
What changed
- TalkingParents says in its FAQ that from 30 March 2026 a paid subscription is needed to use the app. Its paid plans add things like call minutes, storage and record downloads.
- AppClose now lists paid plans from $7.99 a month on the web and $8.99 in the mobile app, with a 60-day trial. It also offers free accounts on hardship and domestic-violence grounds.
- OurFamilyWizard has always been paid and is priced per parent. Third-party guides put its entry plan at around $150 a year for each parent; check its site for current prices and fee waivers.
So for most separated parents who do not qualify for a waiver, the old “free co-parenting app” now costs each of you something every month.
What you can still get free
| Need | Free option | The catch |
|---|---|---|
| A shared custody calendar | ParentHelm, Google Calendar, Cozi | General calendars don’t know custody patterns, so you enter every handoff by hand. |
| A printed year schedule | ParentHelm builder | None: no account needed. |
| Splitting a few costs | Expense calculator, a shared spreadsheet | No receipts or agreement trail. |
| Messages | Text or email | Easy to edit, delete or lose; mixed in with everything else. |
Where ParentHelm fits
ParentHelm starts as a free custody calendar: pick 2-2-3, 5-2-2-5, week on week off or your own rotation, see the year, print it, and invite the other parent with a link. That part stays free, and so does everything you share with the other parent.
The parts that need both parents and a record are free for both of you too: swap requests the other parent accepts or declines, a shared expense log with receipts and splits, a message log neither of you can edit, and the whole dated record to read. Each month, a parent without Pro can start 3 swap requests, 10 expenses and 5 receipts; answering the other parent never counts. ParentHelm Pro is $4.99 a month or $39 a year, for the parent who buys it. It removes the limits and adds the dated record as a PDF or CSV. Nobody has to pay for the other.
What it is not: a court-mandated service, or legal advice. If your order names a particular app, use that app.
Choosing
- Your court order names an app: use it.
- You mainly need to agree who has the children when: a custody calendar you both can see does most of the work. Start free.
- Money and changes cause the arguments: a shared log with receipts and dated swap answers is worth trying free first. If you start more than the monthly allowance, Pro is there, and only for whoever wants it.
Questions
Is TalkingParents still free?
No. TalkingParents’ own FAQ says that from 30 March 2026 you need a paid subscription to use its app.
Is AppClose still free?
AppClose’s help pages list paid plans, from $7.99 a month on the web ($8.99 in the app) with a 60-day free trial, and free accounts for parents in financial hardship and survivors of domestic violence. Check its current terms before you rely on a free account.
What does ParentHelm charge?
ParentHelm is free for both parents, with no time limit: the calendar, messages, answering swap requests, agreeing expenses and reading the whole record. Each month a parent without Pro can start 3 swap requests, 10 expenses and 5 receipts. ParentHelm Pro, $4.99 a month or $39 a year, removes those limits and adds PDF and CSV export. It belongs to the parent who buys it, and the other parent does not have to pay.
Do I need a court-approved app?
Only if a court order names one. Some orders require a specific service such as OurFamilyWizard or TalkingParents. If yours does, use that one. If not, any tool you both actually use is better than none.
Prices and plans of other companies are as they described them in October 2026 and can change. ParentHelm keeps a dated record of your schedule, swaps, expenses and messages. It does not give legal advice, and it is not a court-approved or court-mandated service. For advice about custody or a parenting plan, talk to a family lawyer or mediator where you live.