Last updated: July 2026
by Jess Knauf, Director of Client Strategy at Mediate UK. Reviewed by Belinda Atkins, Managing Director, Family Legal Ltd. This blog is written in accordance with our editorial standards. Prices checked 14 July 2026.
Key Takeaways
- 2026 was the year the free co parenting app disappeared. AppClose ended its free tier on 1 January 2026 and TalkingParents followed later in the year. Coparently has closed altogether.
- There is still a free route, but it is now a trial, a hardship waiver, or a general calendar app rather than a free co-parenting app.
- Tone checking, the feature the paid apps charge most for, is available free. TalkingParents locks its version behind a $32 a month plan.
- OurFamilyWizard remains the app family courts in England and Wales recognise most readily, and the one we recommend for high-conflict cases.
- 2houses is the best value by a distance: £99 a year covers the whole family, against £107.99 per parent for OurFamilyWizard.
- An app helps you keep to an agreement. It cannot help you reach one. If the arrangements themselves are still in dispute, that is a job for mediation.
CO PARENTING APP
A co parenting app is a secure platform where separated parents share schedules, messages, expenses and documents in one place, with a record that cannot be edited or deleted. The strongest options in 2026 are OurFamilyWizard for court cases and 2houses for value. The category changed sharply this year: the two biggest free apps, AppClose and TalkingParents, both ended their free tiers.
When Fiona first separated, she was fielding arguments by text at midnight and losing track of who had agreed what. In the end she stopped replying altogether and arranged handovers through her sister. If that sounds familiar, a good co parenting app can take a lot of the friction out of daily life, because it moves the arguments out of your personal messages and into a structured, timestamped record.
Below we compare the main apps available to parents in England and Wales, with prices checked in July 2026, an honest look at what is still free, and a straight answer on which one to pick.
Our accredited family mediators help separated parents agree who the children are with and when, usually in two to four sessions. The government’s £500 voucher can cover most of the cost.
What Changed for Co Parenting Apps in 2026?
If you last looked at these apps a year or two ago, the advice you were given is probably out of date. Three things happened:
- AppClose ended its free tier on 1 January 2026: after more than a decade as the go-to free option, it moved to a single paid subscription. Existing users were not grandfathered in.
- TalkingParents ended its free plan in 2026: the other long-standing free option is now paid only.
- Coparently shut down: worth knowing if you see it recommended on an older article.
The practical effect is that the two apps most often recommended to parents on a low income are no longer free. That matters, because in high-conflict cases the app is often not optional. If a judge has directed you to communicate through one, the cost lands whether you can afford it or not.
The good news is that hardship waivers still exist, and they are not well advertised. More on those below.
Is There a Free Co Parenting App in 2026?
Honestly, not in the way there used to be. There is no longer a purpose-built co parenting app with a genuinely free, unlimited tier from one of the established names. What you do have are four routes to using one without paying, and they are worth knowing about:
| Free route | What you get | The catch |
|---|---|---|
| AppClose 60-day trial | Every feature, no credit card needed | Paid after 60 days |
| AppClose hardship waiver | A genuinely free account | You have to apply, it is not automatic |
| OurFamilyWizard fee waiver | Reduced or waived subscription | Means-tested, apply through their support team |
| A general calendar app | Shared diary, free forever | No tamper-proof record, no court export |
| A free tone checker | The feature the paid apps charge most for | None. It is free and runs on your own device |
| A free parenting plan | The agreement the app is meant to hold | None, though it will not create a court record |
Can You Get a Free Account if Money Is Tight?
Yes, and this is the part most articles skip. AppClose runs a fee waiver scheme for parents in financial hardship and for survivors of domestic abuse, and says it has given out more than 21,000 free accounts since the paid model started in January 2026. OurFamilyWizard runs its own fee waiver scheme for lower-income families.
Neither is applied automatically. You have to ask. If a court has directed you to use an app and the cost is a real problem, contact the provider before you assume you have to find the money.
Will a Free Calendar App Do Instead?
For amicable parents, quite possibly. A shared Google Calendar plus ordinary messages costs nothing and handles the diary perfectly well. What it does not give you is an unalterable record, and that is the whole point of a dedicated app.
Be careful with Cozi’s free tier in particular. Since May 2024 it only shows the next 30 days, which makes it useless for planning the summer holidays, the exact thing separated parents most need to plan.
Can You Get the Best Features Without Paying for an App?
Some of them, yes, and this is worth knowing before you subscribe to anything. Look at what the apps actually charge the most for.
The tone checker, the feature that reads your message before you send it and warns you that it is going to start a row, is the one most likely to keep you out of court. TalkingParents locks its version behind the $32 a month Ultimate tier, its most expensive plan. OurFamilyWizard includes its Writing Assistant, but only on a paid subscription. It is the single most useful feature in the category, and it sits behind the highest paywall.
You do not have to pay for it. Two free tools do the same job, and neither needs a card:
Two free tools, no subscription
- A free text tone checker: paste your draft message in and it tells you whether it is going to land badly, using the rules mediators actually teach. It runs entirely in your browser, so nothing you type is sent anywhere or stored.
- A free parenting plan generator: an app can only hold an agreement you have already made. This builds the agreement, covering handovers, holidays and decision-making, in about ten minutes.
To be clear about what these do not do. Neither creates a tamper-proof, court-admissible record, and if a judge has directed you to communicate through a named app, you still need that app. But if the record is not the thing you actually need, and for many families it is not, you can get a long way for nothing.
“We have had to change the advice we give this year. We used to point parents on a tight budget straight at AppClose, because it was free and it worked. Now the honest answer is to apply for a hardship waiver first, and if that is not available, to look at whether you actually need a court-grade record or just a shared diary. Plenty of families are paying for evidence they will never use.”
Jess Knauf, Director of Client Strategy, Mediate UK
Do These Apps Have UK Prices?
Two of them do, and it is worth knowing which before you subscribe. OurFamilyWizard has a full UK site and bills in pounds. 2houses also shows UK visitors a sterling price. Those two you can take at face value.
TalkingParents, AppClose and Cozi list their prices in US dollars. What actually leaves your account then depends on the exchange rate on the day, and your bank may add a foreign transaction fee of a few per cent on top. Over a year it is not a fortune, but it does mean the sterling figures for those three, here or anywhere else, are estimates rather than the price you will pay.
Co Parenting Apps Compared at a Glance
Prices were checked on each provider’s own website on 14 July 2026. One thing worth knowing before you read on: OurFamilyWizard is the only app here with a UK site and genuine sterling pricing. The rest bill in US dollars, so the pound figures below are approximate, they move with the exchange rate, and your bank may add a foreign transaction fee on top.
| App | Best for | From | Per parent or family | Free tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OurFamilyWizard | High-conflict and court cases | £107.99 per year | Per parent | No. Fee waiver scheme, 30-day refund |
| TalkingParents | Recorded calls and documentation | $7 per month, about £5.50 | Per parent | No, ended 30 March 2026. 30-day trial |
| 2houses | Best value for most families | £99 per year | Whole family | No, 14-day trial |
| AppClose | Hardship waivers and abuse survivors | $7.99 per month, about £6 | Per parent | No, ended 1 January 2026. 60-day trial |
| Cozi | Amicable parents, diary only | $39 per year, about £30 | Whole family | Yes, but limited to 30 days ahead |
The Best Co Parenting Apps for 2026, Reviewed
“What sets OurFamilyWizard apart is accountability. When parents know that every message is timestamped and cannot be deleted, communication tends to improve overnight. We have seen cases where one parent refused to reply in writing anywhere else but engaged perfectly reasonably inside the app.”
Jess Knauf, Director of Client Strategy, Mediate UK
Which Co Parenting App Should You Choose?
Match the app to your situation rather than to the feature list:
- A judge has named an app: use that one. Do not shop around.
- Court proceedings are likely: OurFamilyWizard. The record is what you are buying, and it is the record the court already knows.
- The arguments happen on the phone, not in writing: TalkingParents, for the recorded calls.
- Moderate conflict and a tight budget: 2houses, because one payment covers you both.
- Money is genuinely a barrier: apply for an AppClose or OurFamilyWizard fee waiver before you rule an app out.
- You get on fine and just need a diary: Cozi, or a shared Google Calendar for nothing.
Our Pick: OurFamilyWizard, With One Caveat
Across the clients we see, OurFamilyWizard is still the app we recommend most often. Judges, solicitors and Cafcass officers in England and Wales recognise its records, your mediator can be added free, and the ToneMeter genuinely changes how people write to each other.
The caveat is cost. At £107.99 each, a separated couple is spending nearly £216 a year on something many of them are using as a shared diary. If your case is not heading to court, 2houses at £99 for the whole family does most of what you need for less than half the price.
Do You Need an App, or Do You Need an Agreement?
One of the most common misunderstandings we see is parents downloading a co parenting app and expecting it to fix things. An app is a tool, not a solution. It helps you keep to arrangements you have already agreed. It cannot decide those arrangements for you, and it will not stop an argument about who has the children at Christmas.
If the big questions are still open, where the children live, how holidays are split, how decisions get made, what you need first is a parenting plan. That is what family mediation is for. Once the plan exists, the app becomes the way you put it into practice, and a good one at that.
Start with the plan, then pick the app
In mediation we help you agree the detail: handovers, school holidays, decision-making and how you will communicate. Once that plan exists, whichever app you choose has something to hold.
If your dispute is about arrangements for children, you may also be eligible for the government’s £500 family mediation voucher, which is not means-tested and can cover most or all of the joint sessions where you agree the plan.
Family Law Service
Already in Court Over Child Arrangements?
If proceedings have started, Cafcass will be in touch, and the officer who calls you has real influence on the outcome. Our sister service offers a fixed-fee prep session so you go into that call ready.
Summary
The co parenting app market changed in 2026. The free options that parents on low incomes relied on, AppClose and TalkingParents, both went paid, and Coparently closed. If you need an app and cannot afford one, the answer now is a hardship waiver, and you have to ask for it.
OurFamilyWizard remains the strongest choice for court cases, 2houses is the best value for everyone else, and Cozi is fine if you simply need a shared diary. Whichever you choose, it works best on top of a parenting plan you have both agreed. If you have not got that yet, that is the place to start.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a free co parenting app in 2026?
Not from the established names. AppClose ended its free tier on 1 January 2026 and TalkingParents ended its free plan later that year. What remains is AppClose’s 60-day free trial with no card required, hardship waivers from both AppClose and OurFamilyWizard, and free general calendar apps like Google Calendar that have no tamper-proof record.
What is the best co parenting app in the UK?
OurFamilyWizard, particularly for high-conflict or court-involved families. It offers uneditable messaging, tone checking before you send, and free access for your mediator, solicitor or Cafcass officer. For families on a budget, 2houses is better value at around £99 a year for the whole family rather than per parent.
Can I get a co parenting app for free if I cannot afford one?
Possibly. AppClose runs a fee waiver scheme for parents in financial hardship and survivors of domestic abuse, and OurFamilyWizard runs one for lower-income families. Neither is automatic, so you have to apply through the provider. If a court has directed you to use an app, ask before assuming you have to pay.
Is there a free tone checker for co-parenting messages?
Yes. Tone checking is the feature the paid apps charge most for, with TalkingParents locking its Sentiment Scanner behind its $32 a month tier, but you can get the same job done free. A free text tone-checker will read your draft message and tell you whether it is likely to start an argument, running entirely in your own browser so nothing you type is stored or sent.
Are co parenting apps admissible in family court?
Yes. Downloadable records from apps like OurFamilyWizard, TalkingParents and AppClose are regularly put before the family court in England and Wales. What makes them useful is that messages cannot be edited or deleted, so there is a clear record of what was said and when.
How much do co parenting apps cost in the UK?
Roughly £30 to £216 a year, depending on the app and the tier. As of July 2026, OurFamilyWizard is £107.99 a year per parent, 2houses is £99 a year for the whole family, TalkingParents starts at $7 a month per parent, AppClose is $7.99 a month per parent, and Cozi Gold is $39 a year. Remember that per-parent pricing means a household pays twice, so two parents on OurFamilyWizard Essentials are really spending nearly £216.
Can a co parenting app replace mediation?
No. An app helps you put an agreed plan into practice. It cannot help you reach the agreement in the first place. If you are still negotiating arrangements or communication has broken down, mediation is what you need. Once you have a parenting plan, an app helps you both stick to it.
Can I make my ex use a co parenting app?
Not on your own. Courts do sometimes direct both parents to communicate through a named app, usually in high-conflict cases. If you cannot agree between you, raising it in mediation is the quickest route. Some apps also offer a solo mode that logs your side of things even if the other parent will not join.
Do I need a co parenting app if we get on well?
Probably not. If you communicate easily and agree on the arrangements, a shared Google Calendar costs nothing and does the job. A dedicated app earns its money when there is conflict, when you need a record, or when court proceedings are in the picture.
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How we assess these apps: we base this list on what our mediators see working with clients, on what courts in England and Wales actually recognise, and and on the providers’ own published pricing pages, each checked on 14 July 2026. Mediate UK does not endorse any app, receives no commission and takes no paid placements. Prices and features change often, so please check the provider’s website before subscribing.
Need Help Agreeing Your Parenting Plan?
Before any app can help, you need a plan you both agree on. In mediation we work through the detail, from handovers and holidays to schooling and decision-making. You may be eligible for up to £500 through the government’s voucher scheme.
