A Daily Connect alternative built for one family, not a classroom.
Daily Connect is childcare management software for daycares and preschools: QR-code check-in, attendance for licensing, staffing ratios, enrollment and waitlists, incident reports, immunization records. It also sells a small plan for nannies at $8.99 a month. If you work for one family, you are paying for classroom machinery you will never touch. Hotlyne does the part you actually need: one live timeline link parents open in any browser. No account, no app, and the first 5 timelines are free.
Side by side
Daily Connect vs. Hotlyne, feature by feature.
| Feature | Daily Connect | Hotlyne |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Daycare centers, preschools, and home daycares | Independent nannies and the families they work with |
| How parents see the day | In the Daily Connect app, after creating an account | From one link in any browser. No account, no app |
| Nanny pricing | $8.99/month for up to 3 children, $12.99/month for up to 6 | Free for 5 timelines. Pro is $9.99/month flat |
| Free plan | 14-day free trial, no credit card | 5 active timelines with unlimited viewers. No credit card |
| Check-in | Parents scan a QR code or enter a PIN at drop-off | Nothing to scan. You text the link and the day starts |
| Licensing tools | Attendance logs, staffing ratios, immunization records, incident reports | Not included |
| Enrollment and waitlists | Built in, alongside room and roster management | Not included |
| Branding | Daily Connect branding in the parent app | Your name, logo, and website on every timeline (Pro) |
Daily Connect details come from its public website and pricing pages, checked October 2026. Plans and prices can change; verify current terms before you switch.
Where Daily Connect wins.
If you run a licensed program, use Daily Connect. That is its job.
- You run a home daycare or center and need attendance records for licensing.
- You manage staff schedules, classrooms, and staffing ratios.
- You want enrollment, waitlists, and family records in one system.
- You want incident reports and immunization records stored and audit-ready.
Where Hotlyne wins.
If a family employs you, the classroom tools never come up.
- Parents never create an account. They open your link from a text and the day is right there.
- No QR codes or PINs. You are one household, not a lobby at 8 a.m.
- Free for 5 timelines against $8.99 every month, and Pro at $9.99 includes your branding.
- Setup takes five minutes. Build the routine once, duplicate it each morning.
- The timeline updates live, so parents check the link instead of texting mid-nap.
FAQ
Questions nannies ask before they switch.
- Daily Connect has a nanny plan. Is it wrong for me?
Not wrong, just heavy. The nanny plan is the same software centers use, with classrooms and licensing tools folded away. You are still paying for them. If all you need is for parents to see the day, one link does that without the app on their phone.
- When is Daily Connect the better choice?
If you run a licensed home daycare with multiple families, use Daily Connect. Attendance records, ratios, and immunization logs are exactly what it is built for. For one family, those tools never come up.
- 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.
- How do the prices compare?
Daily Connect nanny plans run $8.99 a month for up to 3 children and $12.99 for up to 6, after a 14-day trial. Hotlyne is free for 5 active timelines, and Pro is $9.99 a month with photos, branding, and up to 1,000 timelines.
- 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.
- 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?"
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.