Co-parenting apps in the UK: how they work, free versus paid, and custody tracking
If you are looking at co-parenting apps for the first time, the choice is confusing: some are free, some are built for court, and most are written for American families. This page explains what these apps actually do day to day, where free options stop being enough, and what “custody tracking” means in practice — then shows how Co-Parenting Harmony handles each part for families across two homes.
How a co-parenting app works
One calendar, two homes
One adult sets up the family, then invites the other parent and any partners by email. Everyone sees the same day, week and month views, with custody nights, work shifts, school holidays, clubs and handovers in one place.
Private by default where it matters
Every entry is either shared or private. A private entry shows to the other household only as “Busy”, so they can plan around you without reading your diary.
Changes go through proposals
Swaps, date nights and one-off plans are proposed rather than edited. The other household accepts, declines or suggests another time, and the calendar updates only once it is agreed.
Costs recorded, not moved
Log school shoes, clubs or a trip, split it across the adults you choose, and each adult marks their own share settled. It is a record of what was agreed and paid — no money moves through the app.
Setting up takes about ten minutes: create the family, add each child, choose a custody pattern, then invite the other household. See 50/50 patterns compared if you have not settled on one yet.
Free co-parenting apps versus paid
Free is a sensible place to start, and plenty of families never need more than a shared calendar. The differences show up when the week gets complicated.
| Free apps and shared calendars | Co-Parenting Harmony | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | £0, or free to parents and funded another way | 14-day free trial, then £9.99 / month for the whole family |
| Adverts and offers | Often present, or funded by something alongside your data | None — no adverts, no third-party offers in your calendar |
| Private entries | Usually all-or-nothing sharing | Any entry can be private; others see only “Busy” |
| Custody patterns | Repeat rules you set up by hand | Week-on/week-off, 2-2-3, alternating weekends and more, set once |
| Work shifts | Ordinary calendar events | A shift is its own category, so rotas sit beside the custody pattern |
| UK school holidays | Look the dates up yourself | Term and half-term dates by nation, with a split planner |
| Agreeing changes | Messages, then hope both diaries match | Proposals with accept, decline or suggest another time |
Other apps are described from their own public information, which changes — check their current details before you decide. Prices here are per family, in pounds.
What custody tracking really means
“Custody tracking” is used for two very different things, and it is worth knowing which one you need before you pay for anything.
Everyday tracking
Keeping the agreed pattern visible, recording swaps that both households accepted, and being able to look back at what happened last month. This is what Co-Parenting Harmony does: a repeating pattern, proposals for changes, handover windows with reminders, and a family log both homes can read.
Evidence for a court
Certified, tamper-proof records and monitored messaging, usually because a court or solicitor asked for it. Co-Parenting Harmony does not do this — there is no chat and nothing certified. If a court has asked for a monitored record, choose a product built for that purpose.
Nothing on this page is legal advice. If arrangements are disputed, speak to a family solicitor or a mediator.
Common questions
What is a co-parenting app?
A shared space where the adults looking after a child can see the same plan: which nights the child is at which home, school holidays, clubs, handover times and, in most apps, shared costs. Instead of scrolling back through messages, both households read one agreed week.
Are there free co-parenting apps in the UK?
Yes. Some apps are free to parents and funded another way, and a plain shared Google or Apple calendar costs nothing at all. Free works well when you already agree easily. It tends to strain when you need private entries, a repeating custody pattern, shift work and a record of what was agreed.
Does the other parent have to pay too?
No. With Co-Parenting Harmony one subscription covers the whole family group — both households and any invited partners. Harmony is £9.99 / month, Family is £14.99 / month, and every family starts with a 14-day free trial with no card needed to begin.
Can the other household see everything in my diary?
Not in this app. Anything you mark private appears to everyone else as “Busy” with no title, no location and no detail — enough for planning, nothing more. Your family group is invite-only, so nobody sees your calendar unless you invite them.
Do co-parenting apps track custody for court?
Some are built for that; this one is not. Co-Parenting Harmony keeps an everyday record of the pattern you agreed and the changes you both accepted. It is not certified or tamper-proof evidence, not a monitored messaging service and not legal advice.
What if we do not agree on a change?
Changes to shared nights go through a proposal. One adult suggests a swap, the other accepts, declines or offers a different time, and the calendar only moves when it is accepted. Nothing changes quietly behind anyone's back.
Can a step-parent or new partner join?
Yes, on every plan. A partner is invited into the family group with their own permissions, so they can see the school run and the handover without seeing everything.
Keep reading
See it with your own week
Add your custody pattern and one private entry, and you can see exactly what the other household would and would not see. 14-day free trial, no card needed to begin.
Prefer your phone? See the iPhone app: screenshots and our hands-on review.
More reading on our co-parenting blog: everyday tips, custody planning and what records can and cannot do in family court.