Free Daycare Management Software for Small Centers and In-Home Providers
Most childcare platforms lock basic attendance and parent messaging behind $75 to $200/month minimum fees. Rawdly gives every new daycare 1 full year free with every feature unlocked — and a free-forever Freemium plan for up to 10 children.
Two ways Rawdly is free (with no bait-and-switch)
We publish our exact rules upfront so you know what is free for your first 12 months and what stays free forever.
| Offer / Plan | Cost | Capacity Limit | Who It Is Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| First-Year Early Access Offer | $0 for 12 months | Unlimited children & centers | Any new childcare center, preschool, or family daycare wanting full Pro compliance & AI features free for 365 days. |
| Freemium Plan | $0 forever | Up to 10 children (1 center) | In-home / family childcare homes and micro-centers with 10 or fewer enrolled children. |
| Pro Plan (After Year 1) | From $1.99/child/mo ($1.59 annual) | Unlimited children, 1 or several centers | Growing centers (11+ children) that want AI incident reports, live ratio alerts, CACFP menu planning, and state subsidy exports. |
Freemium · $0 Forever (Up to 10 children)
Included free forever for small & home daycares
- Digital attendance check-in and check-out with timestamps
- Daily activity reports: meals, naps, diaper changes, and classroom notes
- Private photo and video sharing (Family Vault) with per-child permissions
- Direct parent-teacher messaging and center announcements
- Parent billing, recurring invoicing, and offline payment tracking
- Staff roles, permissions, and operational analytics dashboard
- Parent mobile app (iOS & Android) in English, Spanish, French, Canadian French, and Arabic
Early Access · $0 for Your First 12 Months
Every Pro & compliance feature included in year 1
- Unlimited enrolled children across one or several centers on one bill
- Live classroom staff-to-child ratio monitoring and breach alerts
- One-tap 30-day License Inspector PDF export (WA WAC 110-300 seeded)
- USDA CACFP weekly menu planner with age-band meal-pattern checks
- AI-drafted incident reports from a 90-second staff voice memo
- AI allergy alerts cross-checking menus against child health profiles
- Washington State WCCC split invoicing and DCYF SSPS exports
Compare Rawdly against paid daycare apps
See how Rawdly's free first year and $1.99/child/month Pro tier compare to traditional quote-based platforms:
Frequently asked questions about free daycare software
Is Rawdly really free daycare management software?
Yes, in two ways. First, every new provider gets all Pro and compliance features 100% free for their first full year (365 days), with no credit card required at signup. Second, our Freemium plan is free forever for 1 center with up to 10 enrolled children.
What happens after my free first year ends?
If you have 10 or fewer children at one center, you can stay on the Freemium plan for $0 forever. If you have more than 10 children, multiple centers, or want to keep AI and advanced compliance tools, Pro starts at $1.99 per child per month ($1.59/child/month billed annually) with no minimum monthly charge.
Do I need to enter a credit card to start?
No. You can create your center, enroll children, invite staff and parents, and run your daily operations for your entire first year without entering a credit card.
What happens if I downgrade to the free Freemium plan later?
Your historical records stay safe and Family Vault stays available to your families. Freemium includes core daily operations, staff roles and permissions, parent billing and invoicing, and the analytics dashboard for up to 10 children at one center.
Is the parent app free for families?
Yes. The Rawdly Parent mobile app on iOS and Android is always 100% free for parents and guardians.
Run tomorrow's day with less paperwork.
Set up your center in ten minutes and try it through a full term. If it is not saving your team hours by week two, walk away. There is nothing to cancel.
Free for 1 year. No credit card. Cancel anytime.
Have a question? Get in touch.
Tell us about your center and we will help you set up Rawdly.