A Brightwheel alternative built for independent nannies.
Brightwheel is the leading software for daycare centers and preschools. If you work for one family, its rosters, check-in codes, and tuition billing are more tool than the job needs. Hotlyne gives parents one live timeline link they open in any browser. No accounts, no app, and the first 5 timelines are free.
Side by side
Brightwheel vs. Hotlyne, feature by feature.
| Feature | Brightwheel | Hotlyne |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Daycare centers and preschools with staff, rosters, and enrollment | Independent nannies and the families they work with |
| How parents see the day | In the Brightwheel app, after creating an account | From one link in any browser. No account, no app |
| Setup | Classrooms, rosters, and billing plans | One routine template, running in about five minutes |
| Free plan | For programs under 20 students. Family messaging not included | 5 active timelines with unlimited viewers. No credit card |
| Paid plan | Premium, custom-quoted per program | Pro at $9.99/month, with photos and your branding |
| Billing and payments | Built in, with payment processing fees | Not included. Keep the invoicing tool you already use |
| Branding | Brightwheel branding in the parent app | Your name, logo, and website on every timeline (Pro) |
| Compliance tools | Attendance records, ratio tracking, CACFP meal reports | Not included |
Brightwheel details come from its public website and pricing pages, checked October 2026.
Where Brightwheel wins.
If you run a center, use Brightwheel. It earned its reviews.
- You run a licensed daycare or preschool and manage a team.
- You want tuition billing, autopay, and tax statements in one system.
- You need attendance records, ratio tracking, or CACFP reports for licensing.
- You want a platform with 160,000+ app store reviews behind it.
Where Hotlyne wins.
If a family employs you, Hotlyne fits the shape of your day.
- Parents never create an account. They open your link from a text and the day is right there.
- The timeline updates live as you tap, so nobody texts "how was the nap?"
- Setup takes five minutes. Build the routine once, duplicate it each morning.
- Your name and logo sit on the timeline parents forward to grandparents and friends.
- Free for 5 timelines. Pro is $9.99/month on the pricing page. No demo calls, no quotes.
FAQ
Questions nannies ask before they switch.
- The family asked me to use Brightwheel, like their old daycare. What do I tell them?
Show them a Hotlyne timeline instead. They get the same window into the day, meals, naps, activities, without creating an account or downloading anything. You send one link and the day is right there.
- When is Brightwheel the better choice?
If you work in a center with staff, rosters, and tuition to collect, use Brightwheel. It was built for that. For a nanny employed by one family, the rosters and check-in codes are extra machinery around a simple job.
- Do parents need an app or an account?
No. You text them one link and they open it in any browser. Grandparents can open the same link. No accounts, no passwords, nothing to install.
- What do parents actually see?
A live timeline of the day. Meals, naps, and activities appear as you tap them, with photos once you are on Pro. Parents check the link instead of texting "how was the nap?"
- How long does setup take?
About five minutes. Build the routine once, meals, nap, walk, and save it as a template. Duplicate it each morning on the way over.
- How much does Hotlyne cost?
Nothing to start. 5 active timelines free, no credit card. Pro is $9.99/month for photos, branding, and up to 1,000 timelines.
Start for free. Upgrade as you grow.
Everything you need for your first 5 timelines, on us. No credit card required.
Free
Perfect for getting started and building trust with your first clients.
- Up to 5 active timelines
- Unlimited timeline sharing
- Browser notifications
- 2 timeline templates
- Company branding
- Image attachments
- Template sharing with partners
Pro
For pros who want to scale their business and custom branding.
- Up to 1,000 timelines
- Unlimited timeline sharing
- Browser notifications
- Unlimited timeline templates
- Custom company branding
- Image attachments
- Template sharing with partners
Put the day in their hands.
Five timelines are free, no credit card. Send one link tomorrow morning and see what changes.