OurFamilyWizard versus TalkingParents: Which App is Right for You?

OurFamilyWizard versus TalkingParents

We researched available co-parenting apps to give you a head start on your due diligence before you choose one.

OurFamilyWizard and TalkingParents lead the pack.

Courts in the last decade have increasingly implemented "friendly parent" statutes to encourage a parent to facilitate a meaningful relationship between the child and the other parent.

Additionally, many states have passed laws that state a preference for both parents to share substantial time with their child.

Legal incentives and societal changes considered; co-parenting remains challenging for countless families.

OurFamilyWizard and TalkingParents promote co-parent communications, are compatible with iPhones and Androids, and provide secure messaging like iMessage.

Read more to learn additional similarities and differences between OurFamilyWizard and TalkingParents to determine which app could better serve your needs.

Secure Messaging

OurFamilyWizard states it securely stores messages on their server. OurFamilyWizard's Message Board allows users to send and receive protected messages that they claim cannot be altered, removed, or redacted.

Users can upload unlimited attachments to each message.

All messages are ready to be downloaded, and parents receive first-viewed timestamps on their messages.

Additionally, the app provides a ToneMeter™ that encourages mindful communication by flagging phrases that a parent could perceive as aggressive or demeaning.

Similarly, TalkingParents timestamps each message and states it permanently keeps messages on the record. Users can also upload up to five file attachments per message.

Unlike OurFamilyWizard, however, to our knowledge, TalkingParents does not permit adding third parties such as other family members and family law practitioners to the co-parents' messages. We hope to see them add this tool.

As of the date we write this article, TalkingParents lacks a tool to encourage positive communication.

Shared Calendars

OurFamilyWizard's Calendar allows parents to schedule together, communicate appointment information, and submit requests to change timesharing.

Approved requests automatically update the shared parenting schedule. OurFamilyWizard's Trade/Swap™ tool allows parents to submit direct requests for parenting time modifications.

The TalkingParents Shared Calendar allows co-parents to add details to events, add their custody schedule and other recurring activities, and color-coordinate events.

Expense Reports

OurFamilyWizard's Expense Log allows co-parents to share expenses, document payments, and generate detailed spending reports.

Within the Expense Log, OFWpay™ enables co-parents to reimburse each other for shared costs.

Co-parents can set recurring transfers, make one-time transfers, and schedule future transfers for upcoming expenses.

Parents can review their reports by category, such as specific transactions.

The TalkingParents Accountable Payments^SM allows co-parents to set recurring payments, make one-time payments, and schedule future payments.

TalkingParents states parties can send between $10 and $5,000 per transaction for a fee.

Both apps claim they protect the parents' financial information from each other and hackers.

Journaling

OurFamilyWizard's Journal allows users to record observations, attach pictures, and geo-tag locations, such as school pick-ups.

Journal entries can be shared between co-parents or kept in a user's private diary.

The TalkingParents Personal Journal allows each parent to record private notes. Parents can draft messages and attach up to five attachments to each journal entry.

File Storage

OurFamilyWizard's Info Bank stores private family information, such as medical information and emergency contacts. Co-parents can share files with up to 10 GB of file storage.

The TalkingParents Vault File Storage provides 15MB of storage for standard members and 50 MB for premium members.

Pricing

OurFamilyWizard subscriptions start at $8.25 a month (billed annually) for a basic one-year plan and increase to $17 a month for a premium plan.

TalkingParents offers a basic plan free of charge. To use TalkingParents' mobile app and specific features, they provide a standard plan for $9.99 a month and a premium plan for $24.99 a month.

Reviews

According to the App Store, TalkingParents has a rating of 4.4 from 17,161 reviews. The Wall Street Journal, Us Weekly, and Daily Mail are among the platforms that featured the app.

OurFamilyWizard has a 4.7 rating with 16,550 reviews. The Los Angeles Times, NPR, and Wired are a few platforms that showcased the app.

Conclusion

Which app is right for you comes down to personal preference and need.

We like both apps and our clients have used both.

For instance, as of the date we write this article, TalkingParents does not appear to serve your needs if you'd like to include family law attorneys in message exchanges.

On the other hand, OurFamilyWizard may not be the better option for you if spending at least $99 annually does not fit into your budget.

Neither app will transform an emotionally-incompetent parent into a pleasant and cooperative co-parent.

In either case, each app helps ease the struggle of co-parenting by consolidating sensitive information in one place, facilitating scheduling, and documenting timestamped messages.

Any improvement in communication between parents benefits the children involved.