This is the 6th childcare reporting app I’ve used, and by far the worst. There are so many functions/features that do not work unless I close the app entirely and re-open. Not a huge effort, just an annoyance that should be an easy fix for development, but for some reason is still a problem in 2025?? While the menus are very listed and viable, doesn’t always seem like the most intuitive flow (ex., I have to click in to each posted picture/video to save, rather than just being able to save a set from my feed; not all email notifications work, when all email notifications are selected; I get an email stating I have a new message, however not always able to see the message directly from my email, rather have to access via the app; etc…I could go-on). Overall just doesn’t feel like development understands their target audience, but rather feels like the least expensive option for an already inflated priced industry.

I have a love/hate relationship with this app and the overall setup. As someone who as multiple children I hate that I can’t do anything with their profiles in an easy manner. The app does not feel user friendly. It’s nice having the updates. But to not be able to access the more crucial parts of it, like BILLING. Is super frustrating when I do not have constant access to a desktop. And the fact that it will not let you login and do anything through the mobile desktop is a massive irritant as well. The layout is not the best. I don’t like how everything is grouped together the way it is. Or when I click on photos and videos I can’t scroll through them. I have to close the one, scroll to the next and tap on it to view the whole photo/video.

This app seems to not refresh, and instead requires you to force close and sign back in to get updates, especially when it’s the next day. Posted photos have to be swiped and then tapped on to view, when instead they should be able to be swiped while viewing full screen. The left slide-out drawer has an odd interaction area and requires you to swipe it away in a very specific area. I’m sure there are other issues, but the lack of polish makes me not want to dig further. Overall, the app needs massive quality of life improvements, and from a usability perspective, this is a pretty steep downgrade from the app our center was using before this one.

This is seriously one of the most inefficient and inconvenient apps I’ve ever been forced to use. My child’s daycare switched from brightwheel to this app when they were bought over and it’s been one of the biggest strains in our relationship with the daycare because it is basically dismantled communication. We can no longer make our payments on the app. I have to go on a desktop now. I’m constantly being locked out of the account and having to update my password. There is a constant lag on notifications and postings between the app and my push notifications. I had payments charged without my consent, even though I did not enroll in auto pay. It’s a shame we couldn’t stick with Brightwheel when it worked so smoothly. It feels like we downgraded from Apple to Windows 1997.