Winning In Childcare

Procare Solutions Reviews 2026: What Directors, Teachers, and Parents Say

Navneet, author at illumine
Navneet Rastogi
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November 11, 2026
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10 mints

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Procare Solutions reviews are positive on software review sites. Procare holds a 4.6 out of 5 rating from more than 2,800 reviews on Capterra, and reviewers consistently credit it with putting attendance, billing, and parent communication in one system.

The complaints are consistent too: sync problems between devices, glitches and unexpected logouts, payment fees, rigid reporting, and long waits when support is busy.

This guide brings together what Procare reviews say across Capterra, GetApp, G2, Software Advice, Google Play, and the Better Business Bureau (BBB), and what that means if you are evaluating Procare for your center.

Best for

Directors evaluating Procare

Covers

Ratings by site, strengths, complaints, support, app reviews, reviews by role, and a demo checklist

Based on

Capterra, GetApp, Software Advice, G2, Google Play, Trustpilot, and the BBB (Better Business Bureau)

Updated

November 2026

Key takeaways

  1. Procare holds a 4.6 out of 5 rating from 2,809 reviews on Capterra, and GetApp and Software Advice show the same reviews.
  2. Reviewers credit it with putting attendance, billing, and parent communication in one system, and attendance management is its highest-rated feature.
  3. Ease of use is its lowest sub-score, in line with comments about the learning curve.
  4. Common complaints are device sync, glitches and logouts, payment fees, rigid reporting, and long waits when support is busy.
  5. G2 reviewers report about one month to implement Procare and a return on investment in about five months.

What is Procare?

Procare Solutions, often called Procare Software or just Procare, is one of the oldest childcare management software companies in the US. Jeffrey Blum founded it in 1992 after writing an accounting program for his son's daycare, and the company is headquartered in Denver, Colorado.

Procare covers the core of center operations: family billing and payments, attendance and check-in, parent communication and daily reports, staff management, and reporting. Families use the Procare app to check in, see updates and photos, and pay tuition.

A few facts about the company that matter when you read Procare reviews:

  • Procare sells more than one product, mainly Procare Online (cloud based) and Procare Desktop (installed software), plus SchoolCare Works for school-age programs
  • Payments run through Tuition Express, Procare's payment processing service
  • Roper Technologies agreed to acquire Procare in January 2024 from Warburg Pincus and TA Associates, for about $1.75 billion net, according to Roper
  • Procare announced its acquisition of Playground in September 2026, and earlier bought KidReports, Kinderlime, and ChildPlus
  • Procare says it serves more than 40,000 customers

Because reviews span several products and many years, some complaints apply to older desktop versions and some to the newer online platform. It is worth checking which product a reviewer used. For what Procare costs, see our guide to Procare pricing, and for the Playground deal, see what Procare's acquisition of Playground means for centers.

Procare reviews at a glance

Here is how Procare rates across the main review platforms as of November 2026.

PlatformRatingNumber of reviewsWho mostly reviews there
Capterra4.6 out of 52,809Center owners, directors, teachers
GetApp4.6 out of 52,809 (same network as Capterra)Center owners, directors, teachers
Software Advice4.6 out of 52,809 (same network as Capterra)Center owners, directors, teachers
G24.4 out of 5399Program staff and administrators
Google Play (Procare app)4.6 out of 5About 50,700Parents and staff
TrustpilotNo reviews0Not applicable
BBBA+ rating, accredited since April 202412 complaints in 3 yearsCustomers with complaints

Capterra, GetApp, and Software Advice are part of the same review network and show the same 2,809 reviews, so they are not three independent samples. G2 is a separate pool with a slightly lower average.

Procare has no reviews on Trustpilot, and its BBB profile shows 12 complaints over three years. Unlike some competitors, there is no large body of negative parent reviews pulling in the other direction.

Procare child care management software reviews: the scores

GetApp, Capterra, and Software Advice break Procare's rating into categories. All of them land in the mid 4s, with customer support scoring slightly higher than ease of use.

CategoryRatingSource
Customer support4.6 on GetApp and Capterra, 4.55 on Software AdviceGetApp, Capterra, Software Advice
Value for money4.5 on GetApp, 4.48 on Software AdviceGetApp, Software Advice
Features4.4GetApp
Ease of use4.4 on GetApp and Capterra, 4.43 on Software AdviceGetApp, Capterra, Software Advice
Attendance management4.7GetApp feature rating
Billing and invoicing4.5GetApp feature rating
Daily reports4.5GetApp feature rating

Ease of use is the lowest sub-score, and it lines up with what written reviews say about the learning curve and the number of settings to configure. Attendance management is the highest-rated feature, which fits Procare's long history with check-in and compliance tracking.

Rating distribution

Of Procare's 2,809 reviews on GetApp, about 1,900 are 5-star and 734 are 4-star. Around 150 are 3-star, and about 30 are 1 or 2 stars.

In other words, about 94% of reviewers on that network give Procare 4 or 5 stars. The complaints below come up repeatedly, but they come from a minority of reviewers.

Procare software reviews: what users like

Across Capterra, GetApp, and G2, the same strengths come up most often:

  • All-in-one system

    Billing, attendance, daily reports, and family records live in one place, so directors are not juggling separate tools

  • Attendance and check-in

    Reviewers value digital sign-in and the ratio and capacity tracking that comes with it

  • Billing and reporting

    G2 reviewers single out reporting and billing as reasons they chose Procare

  • Parent communication

    Real-time updates and messaging help families feel connected during the day

  • Waitlist and capacity tools

    Capterra reviewers mention them as useful for managing enrollment

  • Track record

    Long-time users say Procare has kept up with upgrades over the years

G2 also reports that Procare users take about one month to implement it and see a return on investment in about five months. Those are G2's figures based on reviewer responses.

Common Procare complaints

The negative themes are consistent across platforms:

  • Syncing between devices

    Reviewers describe problems keeping the kiosk, desktop, and teacher devices in sync

  • Glitches and logouts

    Some users report bugs and being logged out unexpectedly

  • Payment fees

    GetApp's summary lists high payment fees and problems with payments posting correctly

  • Billing complexity

    Some reviewers find billing setup confusing

  • Rigid reporting

    Users ask for more customizable reports and easier data exports

  • Learning curve

    New admins say there is a lot to learn before the system feels comfortable

  • Messaging limits

    Reviewers want reactions, easier photo sharing, and fewer emails sent to parents

  • Daily reports

    Some teachers want a faster way to edit reports for a whole classroom at once

Billing appears on both lists. Centers like having billing tied to attendance and family records, but fees and setup are where much of the frustration sits. If billing is your main concern, our guide to Procare alternatives for childcare billing looks at other options.

Procare Solutions customer support reviews

Customer support is the most mixed part of Procare's reviews, even though its support score is one of its highest.

What support Procare offers

According to Procare's support site, support works like this:

ProductChatPhoneEmailHours (Eastern Time)
Procare DesktopTucker chat, after login(800) 964-1729support@procaresoftware.comMonday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Procare OnlineTucker chat, after login(800) 964-1729support@procaresoftware.comMonday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
SchoolCare WorksNot listedNot listedscwsupport@procaresoftware.comMonday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Tucker, Procare's support chat, gives AI-generated answers at any time. Live help through Tucker is available during business hours for Procare Desktop and Procare Online customers.

What reviewers say about support

On Capterra, Procare's customer service score is 4.6, and GetApp's summary describes support as responsive and knowledgeable, with several ways to get in touch.

The same summary notes that some users report slow responses. G2's review summary puts it more directly: reviewers mention inconsistent access to support and long waits during busy periods.

The pattern across reviews is that support quality is rated well once you reach someone, but how quickly you reach someone varies. If your center runs early or late hours, note that live support is Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Eastern Time.

Procare app reviews

The Procare: Childcare App is used by families and staff, so app store reviews reflect both groups.

What the listing shows
Google Play rating4.6 from about 50,700 reviews
Downloads on Google Play1 million or more
Last updatedAugust 27, 2026
Procare's own claimMore than 2 million app downloads, per a 2022 Procare press release

Parents who rate the app highly mention its clean layout and how quickly they get updates and photos from the classroom.

The negative app reviews focus on a few recurring issues:

  • Push notifications not arriving
  • Being logged out unexpectedly, and friction logging back in
  • Messages not being available on the web, only in the app

Procare's replies to negative reviews usually suggest clearing the app cache or contacting the child's center, since the center controls many account settings.

Procare reviews by role

Procare reviews read differently depending on who wrote them. Here is how the main themes break down.

ReviewerWhat they praiseWhat they complain about
Owners and directorsAll-in-one system, billing tied to attendance, reportingPayment fees, billing setup, rigid reports, support wait times
TeachersQuick check-in, easy daily updates and photosDevice sync issues, editing reports one child at a time
ParentsFast updates and photos, easy tuition paymentMissed notifications, logouts, messages not on the web

According to GetApp, 86% of Procare reviewers use it for daycare, and the largest group works in education management. So most of the review data reflects center operations, not parents.

What to check in a Procare demo

Use the review themes as a checklist. These questions are most worth asking:

  1. Which product are we buying, Procare Online or Procare Desktop, and what is the roadmap for it after the Playground acquisition?
  2. What are the card and ACH (automated clearing house) processing rates through Tuition Express, and who pays them?
  3. How do kiosks, desktops, and teacher tablets stay in sync, and what happens when the internet drops?
  4. Can we build custom reports and export data in the formats our accountant uses?
  5. Can teachers edit daily reports for a whole classroom at once?
  6. What support hours and channels come with our plan, and how are urgent billing issues escalated?

If you are comparing Procare with other platforms, our Procare vs Playground comparison and our Brightwheel vs Lillio vs Procare guide look at the main options side by side. You can also compare with our Brightwheel reviews roundup.

Where illumine fits

illumine is an AI-native childcare management platform used by more than 4,000 centers across 60+ countries, rated 4.5 on G2 from more than 100 reviews. It is built around the areas where Procare reviewers most often ask for more:

  • Billing with automated invoicing, autopay, and subsidy tracking, built into the same system as attendance
  • Parent communication with AI-assisted daily reports, so teachers spend less time writing updates
  • Reporting and multi-site management for operators running more than one center

Read our direct illumine vs Procare comparison, or see our Procare alternative page for how switching works.

Disconnected tools are a common reason centers switch platforms. Guidepost Montessori, which moved its US network to illumine, described what came before:

"Previously, many processes relied on manual work across disconnected tools, from updating data between systems to calculating seat availability through spreadsheets and custom solutions. It worked, but only because people were holding it together." Matthew Sears, Senior Vice President, Technology, Guidepost Montessori, in illumine's Rethinking Montessori Operations white paper

Why trust this article

This article is built from public sources only: Procare's website and support site, verified review data from Capterra, GetApp, Software Advice, and G2, the Procare listing on Google Play, Procare's public BBB profile, and public announcements from Roper Technologies and Procare. We have not used Procare hands-on.

Review summaries on GetApp and G2 are partly generated by those platforms from user reviews, and we have attributed them accordingly. Figures that come from Procare itself, such as its customer count, are labeled as Procare's own claims.

Customer and expert quotes come from illumine's published white papers and are attributed to the named speaker.

Frequently asked questions on Procare reviews

What is Procare?

Procare, also called Procare Solutions or Procare Software, is a childcare management software company founded in 1992 and based in Denver, Colorado. Its software handles billing and payments, attendance and check-in, parent communication, staff management, and reporting for childcare centers, preschools, and school-age programs. Roper Technologies agreed to acquire Procare in 2024.

Is Procare good software?

On software review sites, Procare is well rated, with 4.6 out of 5 from more than 2,800 reviews on Capterra and 4.4 out of 5 on G2. Reviewers praise its all-in-one design, attendance tracking, and billing. The most common complaints are device syncing, glitches, payment fees, rigid reporting, and support wait times.

What do Procare Solutions customer support reviews say?

Procare's customer support is rated 4.6 out of 5 on Capterra and GetApp, and reviewers generally describe support staff as knowledgeable once reached. Some reviewers report long waits and inconsistent access during busy periods. Live support runs Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Eastern Time, with an AI chat assistant available at other times.

What are the most common Procare complaints?

The most common Procare complaints are syncing problems between kiosks, desktops, and teacher devices, glitches and unexpected logouts, high payment processing fees, confusing billing setup, limited report customization, and slow support responses. In the parent app, the main complaints are missed push notifications and login issues.

Is the Procare app free for parents?

Families download the Procare app at no cost, and the childcare center pays for the software. Parents may see fees when they pay tuition online, depending on how the center sets up payments through Procare's Tuition Express service and which payment method they use.

Who owns Procare?

Procare is owned by Roper Technologies, which agreed to acquire it in January 2024 from private equity firms Warburg Pincus and TA Associates. Procare has also made its own acquisitions, including KidReports, Kinderlime, ChildPlus, and Playground, which it announced in September 2026.

What are good Procare alternatives?

Centers comparing Procare often look at illumine, Brightwheel, Lillio, and Playground. They differ in pricing model, billing depth, reporting, and support hours, so compare them on the features your center relies on most, such as billing, parent communication, or multi-site reporting.

FeatureillumineProcareBrightwheelLillioFamly
PricingVaries by planPremiumFreemiumQuote-basedModular pricing
Parent Communication
  • Real-time
  • easy to use
  •  in 20+  languages
Basic messaging toolsQuick updates and messagingDetailed parent updatesFriendly messages in several languages
Billing
  • Easy to use
  • Customizable
  • automated invoices
Deep financial toolsSimple billing in-appBuilt-in invoicesFlexible billing options
Lesson Planning
  • EYFS, Montessori, Reggio, and more!
  • linked to portfolios
  • AI-powered lesson plan creation in less than 5 seconds
May need extra toolsBasic note-takingCurriculum tools includedDaily logs and learning diaries
ScalabilityWorks well for single or many centersGreat for large systemsBest for smaller centersLimited for big organizationsFlexible for different sizes
Data SecurityGlobal encryption standardsUS regulatory focusUS cloud complianceStandard encryptionBuilt with GDPR in mind
Support24/7 help and guided setupTraining-intensiveResponsive, slower for complex issuesTeacher-focused help toolsSupport depends on region
Navneet Rastogi
Written by
Navneet Rastogi
CEO, Illumine

Navneet is the Founder and CEO of Illumine, an AI-native childcare management platform used by over 4,000 preschools, daycares, nurseries, and Montessori centers, including a growing base of programs across the United States. He started the company in 2018, bringing a computer science background and a decade of engineering leadership to a sector that had been underserved by software, and holds a Certificate in Early Education Leadership.

He is a regular speaker at early childhood conferences across the United States, where his session “Childcare is Entering Its AI Era” looks at the four areas artificial intelligence (AI) is already changing for center teams: documentation, administration, enrollment, and leadership. He is equally direct about where it does not belong, including child development, child safety, and sensitive family conversations.

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