The 7 Best Co-Parenting Apps to Improve Communication

Co-Parenting comes with a host of challenges whether the parents get along or not. Navigating all the necessary information for kids from child support to custody dates to expenses can be overwhelming. The whole process becomes even more frustrating when communicating with the other parent causes friction.

The best co-parenting apps help make the experience easier to navigate for both parents and children. “Apps have provided a welcome vehicle to assist parents transitioning from warring gladiators to co-parenting collaborators,” family law attorney Vicki L. Shemin, JD, tells PS.

Adjusting to a new normal after divorce can take some getting used to but Shemin explains that “apps can rescue parents from co-parenting uncertainty and dread by providing a single platform for managing all aspects of their co-parenting responsibilities.” She shared that while “some may have a cost, they are a lot less expensive than working through attorneys!”

Using a dedicated app to track all co-parenting tasks will take a collaborative effort between both parents. Each parent needs to agree on an app to use and put the effort into using it appropriately. This can be a challenge all its own, but if you’re struggling with the other parent, you can get the use of a co-parenting app court-ordered.

To help you navigate co-parenting with power and ease, PS rounded up the best co-parenting apps that are all court-approved.

Experts Featured in This Article

Vicki L. Shemin, JD, LICSW, ACSW is a family law attorney, mediator, and parenting coordinator.

7 Best Co-Parenting Apps

Best Overall: OurFamilyWizard

Price: $13–$25 per month

Despite its high cost, OurFamilyWizard stands out as the best co-parenting app for families. In her experience, Shemin shared, “Having been in existence for the past 20 years, OurFamilyWizard is probably the most recognized and popular of the co-parenting apps.”

The app features a shared calendar, secure messaging, expense tracking, and document storage, all aimed at reducing conflict and improving cooperation. The robust reporting features also provide an accurate record of interactions, which can be helpful in legal situations.

OurFamilyWizard’s standout feature is a tone meter, which helps parents communicate more effectively and reduce conflict. The tone meter acts like an emotional spell-checker, analyzing the tone of a message before it’s sent and flagging potentially negative or emotionally charged language.

Best Free Option: Cozi

Price: Free

Without any cost, Cozi offers an all-in-one solution for family organization. Its user-friendly interface includes a shared calendar, to-do lists, grocery lists, and a family journal, making it easy for parents to coordinate schedules, manage tasks, and keep everyone on the same page.

While not specifically designed for co-parenting, Cozi’s versatile features and ability to sync across multiple devices make it an excellent tool for parents who want to stay organized and communicate effectively without the expense of a paid app.

Best For Communication: TalkingParents

Price: Free, with upgrades ranging between $10–$25 per month

TalkingParents provides a secure and reliable platform that ensures every message, call, and video chat is recorded and cannot be edited or deleted. This creates a clear, unalterable record of all interactions, which can be critical in legal disputes or custody cases.

Calls made inside the app also don’t disclose phone numbers to either party. This feature is particularly valuable in cases where either parent doesn’t wish to communicate outside the app, wants to maintain a level of privacy, or simply set a boundary.

The app’s user-friendly interface, along with features like shared calendars, file storage, and payment tracking, helps parents stay organized and maintain clear, consistent communication.TalkingParents has a free version with features that are limited to messaging and calendars. To access full communication features such as phone and video calls, upgrading to the premium version is required.

Best For Audio and Video Calls: AppClose

Price: Free

For a free option for secure communication, AppClose offers high-quality communication features that allow parents to stay connected without needing to share personal phone numbers. The app’s built-in calling system ensures that all interactions are logged and stored, providing an unalterable record of communication that can be referenced if needed.

The recording feature is particularly beneficial for maintaining privacy and reducing conflict, as all calls are documented within the app’s secure environment. With its easy-to-use interface and focus on privacy and accountability, the app also offers secure messaging, shared calendars, expense tracking, and document storage, all within a private, encrypted environment.

Best For Security: Fayr

Price: $10 per month

Fayr prioritizes the protection of data through advanced security measures and encryption protocols. Every interaction, including messages, expenses, and location tracking, is securely stored and cannot be altered, ensuring a reliable and tamper-proof record that can be used in legal situations. The app’s focus on privacy means that all personal information is safeguarded against unauthorized access.

A key feature of Fayr is the ability to drop a geo pin on a particular location. For parents who need to meet up for custody exchanges or other purposes, Shemin shared that this offers indisputable evidence that either party was there when they were supposed to be. This feature is useful for those in situations where inaccurate claims are made during meetings.

Best For Live Support: coParenter

Price: $9–$20 per month

For parents prone to conflict, the CoParenter app features on-demand access to professional mediators and parenting experts who can assist with resolving conflicts and making decisions in real time. This unique feature sets it apart from other co-parenting apps, as it provides immediate help from trained professionals to navigate challenging situations, reducing the need for costly legal intervention.

With CoParenter, parents can receive guidance on everything from custody arrangements to communication strategies, ensuring that they have the support they need to co-parent effectively and peacefully at any moment. The app also offers guided parenting plans, secure messaging, expense tracking, location check-ins, and document storage designed to facilitate effective and peaceful co-parenting.

Best For Time Management: Custody X Change

Price: $7–$31 per month

Creating a parenting plan is one of the most important starting points of successful co-parenting. Custody X Change offers highly customizable tools that allow parents to create detailed, court-ready plans tailored to their needs. The app provides a variety of templates and suggestions to help parents outline custody schedules, holiday arrangements, and special provisions with precision. Its drag-and-drop calendar feature makes scheduling easy, while built-in calculators ensure that time is divided accurately.

The app can also generate professional-quality documents that meet legal standards, making it an invaluable resource for parents who want to create clear, enforceable parenting plans without the need for extensive legal assistance.

Related: A Case For Blended Families

Kate Fann is an established SEO content writer with 10 years of freelance writing experience. She focuses on creating engaging SEO content for lifestyle brands, covering home, technology, and entertainment.