CIRCLETIME vs Brightwheel
Brightwheel pioneered the parent app, but the price ladder is brutal and the AI features stop at daily reports. CIRCLETIME includes autonomous compliance, marketing, and predictive analytics in every plan.
CIRCLETIME from $89 flat/mo · Brightwheel $99 – $499/mo
Feature by feature.
Everything Brightwheel does — plus AI ops, marketing, and a third of the cost.
Where Brightwheel is fine
- Recognizable brand — most parents already have the app installed.
- Solid kiosk check-in flow that's been polished for years.
- Wide marketplace adoption means lots of existing tutorials.
Why centers leave Brightwheel
- Premium and Premium+ tiers can run $300–$499/month per center.
- AI features are limited — no autonomous compliance or marketing.
- Marketing tools require third-party add-ons (MailChimp, Squarespace, etc.).
- Customer support is slow on lower tiers.
- No built-in lead capture or tour scheduler on the base plan.
Switching from Brightwheel takes about a week.
Our migration importer reads Brightwheel CSV exports directly. No re-keying.
- 1Export your roster, attendance, and billing history from Brightwheel as CSV (we provide a checklist).
- 2Upload to our Migration Importer — children, parents, staff, classrooms, and tuition rates are mapped automatically.
- 3We'll co-pilot a 30-minute kickoff: kiosk setup, Stripe connect, and parent invitations.
- 4Parents get an email with the new app link. Most centers see >90% reactivation within 48 hours.
- 5Run both apps in parallel for a week (free), then cancel Brightwheel when you're confident.
"We were paying Brightwheel $387/month and using maybe 40% of it. CIRCLETIME gave us AI reports and marketing for less than half — and our parents actually like the new app."
Common questions about switching
Will my parents have to download a new app?+
Yes, but it takes 30 seconds. They get an SMS + email invite with a deep link. Most centers see >90% of parents installed within 48 hours.
Can I import my Brightwheel data?+
Yes. Brightwheel allows CSV exports for children, parents, attendance, and billing. Our Migration Importer maps them all in one upload.
Will I lose historical attendance and messaging?+
Attendance and billing history import cleanly. Brightwheel doesn't allow message export, so we recommend running both apps in parallel for a week.
How long does the switch take?+
Most single-location centers are fully live within 5 business days. Multi-center chains take 2–3 weeks with a dedicated CSM.
Are there cancellation fees?+
Not from us. Brightwheel's contract terms vary — check whether you're on month-to-month or annual.