Comparing Procare vs Brightwheel usually comes down to three questions: what will it cost at my enrollment, how much do bank payments cost, and how hard is the switch? Neither company publishes a price, so this guide puts what each one says publicly side by side, then shows a third option with its price on the page: MyKidReports.
The short version
- Price: Procare and Brightwheel both give a custom quote. MyKidReports is free up to 5 children, then $0.99 per child per month.
- Bank payments: neither publishes its fee on its pricing pages. MyKidReports charges a flat rate of 49 cents per bank transaction, never a percentage.
- News: Procare bought Playground on 14 September 2026. Brightwheel’s free plan is for one staff member and fewer than 20 students.
- Switching: we move your data from either one for free. Most centers are live in 5–10 business days.
Procare vs Brightwheel vs MyKidReports at a glance
| Procare | Brightwheel | MyKidReports | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Published price | No. “One low monthly price”, shared after you fill in a form | No. Premium pricing is “customized for each program” | Yes. $0.99 per child per month, free up to 5 children |
| Free plan | Not offered (Capterra) | Yes, for one staff member and fewer than 20 students | Yes, up to 5 children, every Pro module free for 14 days |
| Bank (ACH) fee | Not published | Not published (“standard service fees apply”) | Flat rate of 49 cents per bank transaction |
| Extras sold separately | Not listed on the pricing page | Curriculum, assessments, payroll and more are add-ons | No setup fee. See pricing |
| Data move when you switch | Ask your rep | Ask your rep | Free, done by our team |
| Help filling your center | — | — | A website that brings in families, Google and map listings, tour booking |
Procare and Brightwheel details are from their own websites and Capterra listings, read on 2 November 2026. MyKidReports details are from our pricing page on the same day.
Procare vs Brightwheel: the real difference
Procare sells childcare management software for centers, Head Start programs and before- and after-school programs. Its help center still covers both Procare Desktop and Procare Online. On 14 September 2026 it bought Playground and told customers “nothing changes today”. Prices after the deal have not been announced.
Brightwheel covers parent messaging, billing, attendance and lesson planning. Its free plan suits very small programs. Bigger centers move to Premium, which is quoted per program, with curriculum, assessments and payroll sold as add-ons.
Both are well-known names. The catch for a growing center is the same with both: you can’t see the price until a sales call, and you can’t see what each tuition payment will cost you in fees.
Brightwheel vs Procare: why centers pick MyKidReports instead
You see the price first. $0.99 per child per month. A 60-child center pays $59.40 a month. No setup fee, no contract.
Fees that don’t grow with tuition. A flat rate of 49 cents per bank transaction. A $250 payment and a $2,500 payment cost the same. Card payments are 2.79%.
Check-in that works at the door. Parents tap Check in/out in the app and scan the QR code at the door, or enter their 4-digit code at the kiosk. Staff use room tablets. See check-in →
Billing that runs itself. Recurring invoices, ACH and card autopay, late fees, sibling discounts, subsidy co-pay splits and year-end tax statements. See billing →
Help filling your rooms. Grow my business gives you a website that brings in families, Google and map listings, and tour booking. See our childcare marketing tools →
What you’ll pay in the first year
| Children enrolled | Procare | Brightwheel | MyKidReports |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | Custom quote | Custom quote (Premium) | $29.70 a month · $356.40 a year |
| 60 | Custom quote | Custom quote (Premium) | $59.40 a month · $712.80 a year |
| 100 | Custom quote | Custom quote (Premium) | $99.00 a month · $1,188 a year |
What are you actually paying for your childcare software? With MyKidReports it’s a flat rate of 49 cents per bank transaction, the lowest in the industry. At a 1% fee, 60 families paying $1,000 a month cost you $600 a month; at 49 cents they cost $29.40. (1% is an example rate, not any one company’s.)
MKR Pro is billed in groups of 10 children; over 100 children is a custom Enterprise quote.
Switching from Procare or Brightwheel in 5–10 business days
You don’t rebuild anything by hand. Export your records, send them to us, and our team moves rosters, billing history, attendance and parent contacts for free. We train your director and teachers, and both systems run side by side for a few days before you cancel.
- Switching from Procare: export, cancel and move
- Switching from Brightwheel: export, cancel and move
- On Playground? What the Procare deal means for you
Procare vs Brightwheel: questions directors ask
Is Procare or Brightwheel cheaper?
Neither publishes a price, so you can only compare written quotes for your enrollment. Ask both for the bank payment fee in writing too. MyKidReports publishes its price: $0.99 per child per month and a flat rate of 49 cents per bank transaction.
Does Brightwheel have a free plan?
Yes. Brightwheel says its free plan is for one staff member and fewer than 20 students (its blog, updated 18 August 2026). Larger centers need Premium, which is quoted.
Did Procare buy Playground?
Yes. Procare announced the deal on 14 September 2026. It said nothing changes today and has not announced price or contract changes.
What is the easiest software to switch to from Procare or Brightwheel?
One that moves your data for you and lets you test it first. MyKidReports moves your data for free, most centers are live in 5–10 business days, and you can try every Pro module free for 14 days.
Start in one of two ways
Start a 14-day free trial, or book a 1:1 demo. On the demo we look at your center, show you what we do better, and plan your switch with you.
Start your 14-day free trial →Book a 1:1 demo →
Sources, read 2 November 2026: Procare “Get pricing for your school or center” page; Procare Help Center “How do I export a report?” (updated 21 Dec 2023); Procare press release on PR Newswire, 14 Sep 2026; Brightwheel blog “How much is Brightwheel Premium?” (updated 18 Aug 2026); Brightwheel Help Center “Premium overview” (3 Aug 2026); Capterra listings for Procare and Brightwheel. Their details can change, so check with each company before you decide.