Running a preschool or daycare is a profound responsibility. Your days are filled with caring for children, guiding your staff, communicating with parents, and managing daily operations. It can often feel like you are juggling a dozen things at once.
Trying to manage all of this manually consumes precious time and energy. That is time that could be better spent on what matters most: teaching and child development. This is precisely why so many centers now use childcare management software.
Brightwheel is one of the most popular platforms available. Founded in 2015, it is widely recognized for its simple design and teacher-friendly approach.
However, it is not a perfect solution. Many users report gaps in reporting features, challenges with customer support, and limitations in more advanced tools. These concerns are common reasons why centers start exploring other options that might offer greater flexibility or more consistent support.
What Are the Pros and Cons of Brightwheel?
Brightwheel Customer Reviews Summary
Positive Brightwheel Reviews
“I love this software because it helps organize daily routines and time schedules for children.”
“From a user standpoint, it is visually friendly, easy to navigate, and has all the functions a parent wants.”
Negative Brightwheel Reviews
“There are issues with the Payments section. The print invoice link does not work, so my daycare had to email one manually.”
“Financial reporting is not very clear. Adding immunizations could be quicker with a simpler input option.”
“No possible way to contact live customer service regardless of the situation or emergency.”
Source: getapp.com and capterra.com
The cons and negative reviews of Brightwheel have prompted a lot of their users to look for better alternatives.
Top 3 Alternatives to Brightwheel
1.illumine
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If you are looking for a complete app that handles everything from A to Z, illumine is the clear choice. It is an all-in-one solution with the tools you need to run your daycare smoothly, from inquiry management to AI-powered child assessments.
Built on nearly a decade of experience with over 3,000 schools worldwide, illumine is designed to meet the real-world needs of modern childcare centers.
What are the Pros and Cons of illumine?
illumine Customer Reviews Summary
“The app is easy to use and implement with a friendly UI, over the past year the system got more usable and numbers of clicks were reduced.”
“It has allowed us as an education provider to keep track of our invoices and be able to make informed decisions for our school. It is highly interactive but needs the users to engage and use it to their full advantage based upon their needs.”
“The most important thing that I love about Ilumine is that it is a great communication tool for parents, with ease I can tell all parents or some parents about announcements, about their daily day to day routines and so forth just by a touch of a button.”
Sources: Getapp.com and G2.com
What illumine’s Customers Have to Say
In Summary:
illumine stands out as a forward-thinking platform that directly addresses the key limitations of other software. While competitors rely on manual processes, illumine uses unique AI technology to automate the most time-consuming tasks for both administrators and teachers: from creating lesson plans to generating error-free forms. This strategic use of AI, combined with enterprise-level billing and dedicated live support, makes illumine the most efficient and modern choice for childcare centers aiming to save time, reduce errors, and enhance their program quality.
2.Procare
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Procare is a well-known software that helps manage many parts of your childcare center. It handles tasks like parent communication, digital attendance, online billing, and staff management. While many centers use it, the software has some issues that can make it less effective.
Pros and Cons of Procare
Procare Customer Reviews Summary
Positive Procare Reviews
“The meal tracking and tuition express are two of my favorite things about Procare. I love that training is offered and the tech support is amazing.”
“Sometimes the app has server issues but those are fixed within the same day”
Negative Procare Reviews
“I should be able to create a licensing-compliant registration form for parents, which includes emergency contacts, allergies, medical insurance numbers, etc. Staff timecards are poorly designed.”
“The messaging system is hard to use. It's difficult to keep track of conversations with parents because replies aren't grouped together like a chat feed or email thread.”
“Our check-in computers often freeze, forcing us to log attendance by hand. Tech support is very slow to respond, with long hold times. This points to wider system problems.”
Source: getapp.com
In Summary:
Based on user feedback, Procare struggles with several sub-standard features that impact daily operations. The check-in system is known to be unreliable, the messaging platform is cumbersome for teacher-parent communication, and critical technical support is often inaccessible. For a center that depends on smooth, reliable processes, these consistent issues make Procare a less than ideal choice.
3.Lillio
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Lillio is a popular tool for running childcare centers. It is best known for helping teachers plan lessons and sharing daily updates and photos with parents. While it offers a lot of great features, some people think the design looks a little old-fashioned. It can also be too expensive for smaller daycares to afford.
Pros and Cons of Lillio
Lillio Customer Reviews Summary
Positive Lillio Reviews
“Love the updates throughout the day. Love the reports and the ability for photos and videos to come through.”
“The price is great and affordable. Helps us manage ratios and have better control of our staffing.”
“I love that my daughter’s childcare center uses Lillio. It makes me feel like I am part of her day there. We get pictures and updates throughout the day. I also love that I can track our tuition payments on the app. Makes it easy to check how much we’ve paid, especially during tax season!”
Negative Lillio Reviews
“It is a little tedious to scroll through just for pictures/videos of kids. Also, the app seems to take a while to load and to load more past posts when you click “more” at the bottom. Signing kids in and out also takes a lot of clicking. I have three kids and it would be easier if I could sign for all of them on one screen.”
“Creating lesson plans is not efficient. Teachers cannot easily save or copy weekly plans, which adds to their workload. The 'mood' descriptors for children can also be misunderstood without context.”
“All the behind-the-scenes billing is awful. Nothing makes sense for bookkeeping purposes.”
Source: getapp.com
In Summary:
While Lillio is praised for its parent engagement and ease of use, user reviews highlight significant operational friction. The platform is described as slow and clunky for daily tasks like sign-in and photo viewing. For staff, the lesson planning tools lack time-saving features, and the billing system is reportedly difficult for bookkeeping. These functional drawbacks may limit its efficiency for busy centers.
What is the best alternative to Brightwheel in the US?
For childcare centers seeking a modern, all-in-one platform, illumine is the best alternative to Brightwheel. It directly addresses common pain points like clunky billing, poor support, and manual paperwork with a smarter, more efficient solution.
Here’s why illumine is the top choice:
- Time-Saving AI Tools: This is illumine's key advantage. Its AI automatically creates lesson plans and error-free forms, freeing teachers and directors from tedious tasks.
- Powerful, Automated Billing: Handles even the most complex tuition plans with ease, improving cash flow and saving countless admin hours.
- Dedicated, Reliable Support: Get 24/7 live customer support with a dedicated account manager, eliminating the long wait times common
with other software. - Smoother Daily Operations: Manages everything from contactless check-ins to new family inquiries in one intuitive, easy-to-use platform.
In Summary:
illumine stands out by using advanced technology, like AI, to automate the hardest parts of center management. It is the best choice for centers that want to save time, reduce errors, and focus more on teaching and less on paperwork.
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