Searching for a free co-parenting app? The best-known co-parenting apps are paid, and they are built around records that can be shared with lawyers and courts. Many families mostly need something simpler: one calendar both homes can see.
This guide explains what co-parents usually need, how four well-known paid apps (OurFamilyWizard, TalkingParents, AppClose and 2houses) describe their plans, and where a free shared calendar like FamShare fits, including when it doesn't.
In this article
What co-parents usually need
- A shared custody schedule: week-on/week-off, 2-2-3, every other weekend, set up once and repeated.
- Handoffs: the time and place of each exchange.
- School and activities: conferences, games, recitals and the costs that come with them.
- Changes and swaps: a way to change one day without breaking the rest of the schedule.
- Privacy: your own plans, and a new partner's, kept out of the shared view.
- For some families, records: messages, payments and changes documented in a way a lawyer or court can use.
The first five are calendar tasks. The last one is what the dedicated paid apps are built for.
Paid co-parenting apps at a glance
As of November 2026, from each app's official U.S. pricing or home page. Prices are in U.S. dollars as shown on those pages. We only list what the pages state.
| App | Price (as listed) | Who pays | Try first | Records and payments (as described) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OurFamilyWizard | 1-year plans from $110 to $299.88 a year, depending on the plan (2-year plans also offered) | Each parent needs their own subscription (you can pay for your co-parent) | Full refund within the first 30 days (refund policies vary by platform) | Unlimited PDF records (Essentials and up); certified records, notarized, printed and mailed (Premium and up); shared expense tracking and payments through OFWpay |
| TalkingParents | Essentials $7, Enhanced $16, Ultimate $32 a month (annual billing saves 8%) | Not stated on the pricing page. A paid subscription is needed to use the app | 30-day free trial on Enhanced and Ultimate | Unlimited PDF records (Enhanced and Ultimate); a printed records package (Ultimate); Accountable Payments with a fee |
| AppClose | One plan: $7.99 a month on the web, $8.99 a month in the app | Not stated on the home page | Free for 60 days, no credit card required | Messages that can't be edited or deleted; record exports, including Certified Electronic Business Records for U.S. users; reimbursement requests and payments through ipayou |
| 2houses | $99.00 billed every 12 months (shown as $8.25 a month) | One parent subscribes for the whole family (two parents, children, third parties and mediators) | 14-day trial | A Finance section for each parent's expenses; court records not described on the pricing page |
All four describe shared scheduling and messaging features on their official pages. OurFamilyWizard, TalkingParents and AppClose also list fee waivers or discounts for some families (for example, for financial hardship or military families). See their official pages for details.
When a paid app is the better choice
- A court order, parenting plan, mediator or lawyer names a specific app.
- Communication is high-conflict, and you want messages that can't be edited or deleted, with read timestamps.
- You need records you can download or have certified for a lawyer or court.
- You split expenses and want requests, receipts and payments tracked in one place.
- You want documented calls or professionals (lawyers, mediators) with access to your account.
In these cases, compare the paid apps above on their official pages, and ask your lawyer or mediator which one they accept.
When a free shared calendar is enough
- You and your co-parent mostly need to know whose day it is, when the handoff is and what's on at school.
- You don't need records for a court, and you settle costs between yourselves.
- You want one app for the kids' schedule and the rest of your life: your own plans, a new partner, the grandparents, a club.
- You don't want to pay a subscription each month or year.
Some families use both: the app their court or lawyer asks for, and a free shared calendar for everyday plans with the wider family. To get started with FamShare, follow A free co-parenting calendar for your custody schedule.
FAQ
- Is there a free co-parenting app?
- FamShare is a free shared calendar app (with small banner ads) that co-parents can use for the custody schedule, handoffs, school events, lists and notes. It is not a court record tool. The dedicated co-parenting apps compared here are paid, some with a free trial or fee waivers.
- Can I use FamShare instead of OurFamilyWizard or TalkingParents?
- For day-to-day planning, often yes. But if a court order or your lawyer names a specific app, or you need documented messages, records for court or expense reimbursement, use that paid app. FamShare doesn't keep message logs or records for a court and doesn't handle payments.
- Do both parents have to pay?
- FamShare is free for everyone. Among the paid apps, the OurFamilyWizard pricing page says each parent needs their own subscription, and the 2houses pricing page says only one parent needs to subscribe for the whole family. Check each app's official pricing page for current terms.
- Can my co-parent see my private plans in FamShare?
- No. Items with the 🔒 Private label, and labels you don't show in your shared group, are visible only to you.
Try FamShare
Free, with small banner ads. iPhone, iPad and Android. No limit on members.