Co-parenting apps in South Africa, compared

The apps, one by one

OurFamilyWizard

The longest-running co-parenting app, with more than 20 years behind it and wide use in US courts. Messages can never be edited or deleted, and it has a shared calendar, expense log, document storage and tone-checking AI on some plans. Each parent pays, on yearly or two-yearly plans. Data is stored in the US, its in-app payments are US-only, and its fee waiver does not list South Africa.

AppClose

The cheapest of the big US apps, billed monthly, with a 60-day free trial and no card needed. Messages cannot be altered, and it includes a calendar, expense requests and unlimited storage. It offers free accounts for survivors of domestic violence. Its certified records and payments are US-only. In the South African App Store it costs R199.99 a month.

TalkingParents

Messages cannot be edited or deleted, and PDF records carry a business records certification. Lower plans do not include unlimited records. It does not give your lawyer direct access, and calls, payments and printed records are not available in South Africa. Its iPhone app was not in the South African App Store when we checked.

2houses

One subscription covers the whole family, including both parents and a mediator. It has strong calendar and money reports, and messages cannot be deleted. It is not built for South Africa.

CoParent

A South African app run by a non-profit, at R50 a year per parent, paid in rand. It has a shared calendar, payment requests and document storage, and you can add a mediator, psychologist or lawyer. It is on Android and the web only, and both parents need to subscribe.

Sync-In

A South African app that says it follows POPIA (our privacy law) and stores data in South Africa. One subscription covers the family. It has swap requests, an expense ledger in rand, a document vault and exportable reports. It does not yet let lawyers join, and its own pages show different prices.

MyFam

A South African app where chats can’t be deleted and a full transcript can be downloaded. It has swap requests, reimbursement requests, shared and private folders, and limited access for lawyers and mediators.

Standpoint Family (ours)

Standpoint Family is a record keeper first. It reads your court order, bank statements and receipts, and proposes entries that only count once you confirm them. It tracks maintenance month by month, keeps a shared calendar and child details, and fingerprints every entry so it can’t be quietly changed. Messaging between parents is on Gold. Your attorney’s read-only access and a court pack are on Platinum. It does not give legal advice, and it does not store data in South Africa.

What about Cozi or a shared Google Calendar?

They are good family organisers, but they are not built for co-parenting. There is no protected message record and nothing you could easily show a court.

How to choose

• Can messages be edited or deleted? For a record you can rely on, they shouldn’t be.
• Can you export everything, with dates, whenever you need it?
• Where is your data stored, and does the app mention POPIA?
• What does it cost for both parents, in rand, every month?
• Can your attorney see the record without you forwarding screenshots?
• Does it handle South African matters, like maintenance under a court order and arrears?
• Does it work without the other parent? Some apps are useless if they refuse to join.

Will a South African court accept app records?

We found no South African court or Family Advocate guidance that endorses or requires any app. The “court-approved” claims on US apps refer to US courts. Courts decide for themselves what evidence to accept and how much weight to give it. No app, including ours, can promise how a court will treat its records. What helps is a record that is complete, dated, and shows it hasn’t been changed.

Questions parents ask

Do South African courts require a co-parenting app?

We found no South African court or Family Advocate guidance that endorses or requires any co-parenting app. Claims of being court-ordered on US apps refer to US courts.

What is the cheapest co-parenting app in South Africa?

On price alone, CoParent at R50 a year per parent (Android and web only). Among the US apps, AppClose is the cheapest at about R130 a month on the web.

Does OurFamilyWizard work in South Africa?

Yes, you can use it in South Africa. It charges in US dollars per parent, stores data in the US, and some features, like its payments, are US-only.

Which co-parenting apps store data in South Africa?

Of the apps we checked, only Sync-In says it stores data in South Africa. Standpoint Family stores data in the United Kingdom and Western Europe. The US apps store data in the US or don’t say.

Is WhatsApp good enough for co-parenting?

WhatsApp messages can be deleted, and screenshots can be questioned. A dedicated app keeps a fuller record, but it only helps if both of you use it.