Honest, independent reviews of every major childminder app, insurance provider and CPD course in the UK. No fluff. No bias. Just straight answers.
We've tested every major app so you don't have to. Here's our honest take on each one.
The gold standard for EYFS tracking. Excellent parent communication features and the most intuitive interface of any childminder app we've tested.
The most feature-complete option at a fixed price. Built specifically for UK childminders with strong EYFS observation tools and a genuinely useful parent app.
Beautifully designed with excellent parent communication. Slightly pricier than alternatives but the interface is exceptional. Better suited to childminders with multiple children.
A quick glance at the key features that matter most to UK childminders.
| App | Price/month | EYFS Tracking | Invoicing | Parent App | Free Trial | Offline Mode |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Tapestry Best Pick
Most popular UK childminder app
|
£5.50 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 30 days | Partial |
|
Childminding App
UK-built, fixed monthly price
|
£9.99 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 14 days | ✗ |
|
Famly
Beautiful design, premium price
|
£12+ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 14 days | ✗ |
|
Cradle
Early years professional focused
|
£7+ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Free tier | Partial |
|
Cheqdin
Strong invoicing and payments
|
£9+ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 14 days | ✗ |
We're not paid by apps to say nice things. Here's exactly how we produce every review.
We sign up for every app ourselves, test all features hands-on, and cross-reference against real UK childminder feedback from community groups and forums. No app can pay to influence our findings.
Every review covers real pricing (including any hidden costs), genuine pros and cons, and a clear recommendation on who each tool is actually best suited for. If something isn't good enough, we say so.
Apps change their pricing and features constantly. We revisit every review at least every six months and update immediately when something significant changes. You'll always find the current picture here.
From EYFS tracking to insurance — we cover every tool category a UK childminder uses.
Finally a site that gives you straight answers. I'd been going back and forth between Tapestry and the Childminding App for months — the comparison here made the decision easy.
The pricing breakdowns are really clear — I found out my old app was charging me more than I realised. Switched to Tapestry based on this site and saving £40 a year.
I appreciate that they're upfront about using affiliate links. You can tell the reviews aren't written to push you towards the most expensive option — it's genuinely balanced.