What to look for in a childminding app (UK)
A plain checklist to take to each app you look at, and how KinderStart answers each point.
The register and attendance
What to ask
- Can you sign children in and out in a tap, with the time recorded?
- Does the register show who is here right now, for a fire drill or a parent at the door?
- Can you look back at any day, week or child?
KinderStart keeps the register as you sign children in and out, and shows who is here today.
Invoices and funding
What to ask
- Are invoices worked out from contracts and attendance, or typed in by hand?
- Does it handle funded hours and term dates for your area?
- Can parents see and pay what they owe?
KinderStart builds invoices from each contract, takes off funded hours, and lets parents see their invoices in the parent app.
Learning journeys for your curriculum
What to ask
- Does it follow your curriculum: EYFS in England, Curriculum for Excellence and Realising the Ambition in Scotland, or the Curriculum for Wales?
- Can you add an observation with photos in under a minute?
- Can you show progress over time to a parent or an inspector?
KinderStart sets the curriculum from your region at setup, with observations, next steps and a learning journey for each child.
The parent app
What to ask
- Do parents get their own app or login, free for them?
- Can they see the daily diary, photos, messages and invoices in one place?
- Can they sign contracts and consents in the app?
Parents use the KinderStart parent app to see their child’s day, message you, and sign contracts and consents.
Your inspector
What to ask
- Does it know whether your inspector is Ofsted, the Care Inspectorate or CIW?
- Are the records your inspector asks for kept in one place?
KinderStart uses your region to set the inspector and keeps your records together for your inspection.
Data and GDPR
What to ask
- Where are children’s records stored?
- Is there a data processing agreement, and a public list of who else handles your data?
KinderStart stores your records in London, UK, and lists everyone who handles your data on our sub-processors page.
Getting your records out
What to ask
- Can you export your records if you leave?
- Will they help you move in from your current app?
You can export your records from KinderStart. Moving in? On any paid plan, we move your records across for you, free. How we move you across
Price per child
What to ask
- Does the price go up as you take on more children?
- Are any features you need on a higher plan?
- Is there a free trial so you can try it on a real day?
KinderStart is one price per plan, whatever the number of children: Solo is £14.49 a month or £139 a year, and Team, with staff logins, is £19.99 a month or £189 a year. See plans
Questions
Common questions about choosing a childminding app in the UK.
How do I choose a childminding app?
Go through the checklist on this page with each app you are looking at. Then try two side by side on a free trial with a real day: sign children in, write one diary and send one invoice, and keep the one that fits your day.
Does a childminder need a different app to a nursery?
Often, yes. A childminder working alone needs the register, observations, invoices and records on one phone. A nursery with rooms and staff also needs rotas and room management.
What should I ask about price?
Ask whether the price goes up with each child you take on, whether the features you need are on a higher plan, and what happens to your records if you leave.
Does the app need to match my region?
Yes. England, Scotland and Wales have different curriculums, funding rules and inspectors, so check the app follows yours.
Who builds KinderStart
I'm Dan. I write the code behind KinderStart, and when you email support, I'm the one who replies.
Most of the app started as a message from a childminder: a form that didn't match what inspectors ask for, an invoice that got funded hours wrong, a diary screen that needed two hands. Those get fixed first, and every change goes in the changelog so you can see what's moved.
Try it next to what you use now
Seven days free. Add your children, send one invoice and fill in one diary, then decide.
Cancel in the app before day 7 and you pay nothing.
Where we mention other providers, check each provider's own website for its current features and prices. Product names are trademarks of their owners.