Made for K–12 and homeschool — not daycare.
Brightwheel is built for childcare centers and preschools — check-in, nap logs, and daily reports for infants and toddlers. TeachHero is built for private K–12 schools and homeschool groups — class registration, tuition, communication, and volunteers in one platform.
TeachHero vs Brightwheel, side by side
Brightwheel is a strong childcare app. The question isn't whether it's good at daycare — it's whether it fits a K–12 school or a homeschool co-op that runs on classes, tuition, and volunteers.
TeachHero is our product — read this comparison with that in mind.
| What matters to a small school | TeachHero | Brightwheel |
|---|---|---|
|
K–12 class registration Multi-class schedules, grades, terms |
Built for it | Childcare focus |
|
Classwork & gradebook Lessons, assignments, grading, attendance |
Included | Early-childhood |
|
Homeschool co-op support Hybrid schedules, parent-led classes |
Built for it | Not designed for |
|
Tuition & billing Invoices, payment plans, autopay |
Included | Childcare billing |
|
Family communication Announcements, email, messaging |
Included | Included |
|
Volunteer management Sign-ups, hours, requirements |
Included | Not core |
|
School website builder No-code public pages, linked to enrollment |
Included | Not offered |
|
Older-student records Grade levels, family records, re-enrollment |
K–12 ready | Early-childhood |
|
Self-serve setup Configure it without onboarding |
In an afternoon | Quick start |
|
Transparent pricing Know the cost before you commit |
Published | Sales quote |
|
Daycare check-in & daily reports Naps, meals, diapering for infants |
Not the focus | Strong fit |
Comparison based on publicly available information as of July 2026. Features, packaging, and pricing change — please verify details with each vendor.
Built around school, not childcare
A platform that speaks K–12.
Brightwheel models a classroom of toddlers. TeachHero models a school of students — grade levels, multi-class schedules, tuition by program, and the families behind them.
- Enroll students into classes, programs, and grade levels
- Bill tuition by program with plans and autopay
- Track volunteer hours for co-op and parent requirements
- Manage the whole family, not just one child in one room
One platform, not a bundle
Everything in one place — at published prices.
Outgrowing a childcare app usually means stitching on extra tools for enrollment and volunteers. TeachHero includes them together, so a lean team runs the whole school from one login.
- Enrollment, billing, and communication share one student record
- No reconciling data across separate add-on systems
- One bill instead of a stack of module line items
- Published pricing for everything — even the one optional add-on
Right-sized for you
Built for the team you actually have.
Brightwheel is designed for childcare directors and their classrooms. TeachHero is designed for the homeschool founder doing everything — or the two people who run a small school office.
Homeschool group founders
Run enrollment, dues, and parent communication solo — with classes and co-op volunteers built in.
Lean private K–12 teams
Give a small office the tools to manage the whole school day, from grade 1 to grade 12.
Teams short on time
Skip the workarounds. Set it up yourself and get back to teaching and running your school.
When Brightwheel may be the better fit
We'd rather be honest than win the wrong customer. If you run a daycare, preschool, or childcare center for infants through pre-K — where check-in/out, nap and meal logs, and daily photo updates for parents are the core job — Brightwheel is purpose-built for that and a great choice. TeachHero is built for what comes after: K–12 schools and homeschool groups.
A school platform, not a daycare app.
If your school or homeschool group has outgrown a childcare tool, try the platform built for K–12 and co-ops. Set it up yourself this week — no sales call required.