Free for both parents

An AppClose alternative that's free for both parents.

TextingParents is an AppClose alternative with a free plan that does not expire. Here is TextingParents vs AppClose on price, on what each one includes, and on what a court gets when the case needs the history.

Messages, photos, calendar and Family Vault, free for both
Premium is $99 a year for the whole family, not each parent
TrueCopy, your certified court record, when a hearing needs one
iPhone. Both parents use it free.
What a family pays a yearCompared
TextingParents
$0
Free for both parents, or $99 a year for the family
AppClose
$83.88
One year prepaid on the web, per account
AppClose figures read on appclose.com/pricing on 09/17/2026
Side by side

TextingParents vs AppClose

Only what each company publishes about itself. Nothing here is a guess about how the other app works.

TextingParents
AppClose
Price
$0 for both parents. Premium is $99 a year or $12.99 a month for the whole family.
$7.99 a month subscribing on the web, or $8.99 a month subscribing in the app. One year prepaid is $83.88 and two years prepaid is $143.76.
Free plan for parents
Yes. Unlimited messaging, high-res photos and videos, the shared calendar and the Family Vault, free for both parents.
Their pricing page offers a 60-day free trial of every feature with no credit card, free accounts for parents in financial hardship and for survivors of domestic violence, and discounts for active military and veterans.
Calls
Unlimited voice and video calls on Premium, with a 7-day free trial and no credit card.
Unlimited audio and video calling without revealing personal phone numbers. With mutual consent, calls can be recorded, transcribed and stored.
Court record
TrueCopy, your certified court record. $39 each on the Free Plan, unlimited on Premium. Any court or attorney can check that one is genuine at textingparents.com/verify.
Unlimited Certified Electronic Business Records. Their page says each export carries a record ID, and that attorneys and courts can verify a record ID through their verification website.
Help with wording
AI tone assist offers a calmer version of a message before you send it. Included with Premium.
Co-Parent Assist, described as an AI tool that reviews a draft and offers optional suggestions while you stay in control of what is sent.
Kids information
The Family Vault, organized per child and shared with both parents, on the free plan.
Co-Parent Hub, described as a shared vault for school contacts, medical information, allergies and emergency numbers.
Where it runs
iPhone today.
Their page says phone, tablet or computer, with records synced across devices.

AppClose details read on appclose.com/pricing on 09/17/2026. Plans and prices change, so check their site before you decide. TextingParents details are on our pricing page and features page.

Fair is fair

What AppClose does well

AppClose publishes a long feature list on one page and most of it is included rather than tiered: unlimited certified records, unlimited calling, unlimited file storage, a shared calendar with pre-built custody templates, expense tracking and payments, third-party access for attorneys and mediators, separate Circles for more than one co-parenting relationship, and eight languages. They also advertise a 60-day trial with no credit card and say they have given more than 25,600 free accounts since 01/01/2026 to parents in hardship and survivors of domestic violence.

The difference

Where TextingParents is different

The difference is the free plan rather than a trial. On TextingParents, unlimited messaging, high-res photos and videos, the shared calendar and the Family Vault are free for both parents with no end date and no card. Premium, at $99 a year for the whole family, adds unlimited TrueCopy exports, unlimited calls and AI tone assist.

The second difference is how you buy the court record. There is no subscription in the way: on the Free Plan a TrueCopy is $39, bought the week a hearing needs one, and every TrueCopy can be checked at textingparents.com/verify.

No court approves an app, and we will not tell you one approved ours. What is true: the record is timestamped and cannot be edited or deleted, and a TrueCopy is a certified court record that anyone can check at textingparents.com/verify.
Questions

AppClose alternative questions

Is TextingParents a good AppClose alternative?+

It is if you want a free plan rather than a trial. Messaging, photos, the shared calendar and the Family Vault are free for both parents, and Premium is $99 a year for the whole family.

How much does AppClose cost?+

Their pricing page, read on 09/17/2026, lists $7.99 a month subscribing on the web, $8.99 a month subscribing in the app, $83.88 for one year prepaid and $143.76 for two years prepaid, after a 60-day free trial. Their pricing page does not say whether a second parent needs their own paid account, so check their site.

Do both parents pay on TextingParents?+

Neither has to. The free plan covers both parents. If you want the extras, one Premium plan at $99 a year covers the family, and either parent can be the one who pays.

What do I hand a judge?+

A TrueCopy, your certified court record. It is one PDF of the messages, photos, calls and schedule changes in order, with a code anyone can check at textingparents.com/verify. It is $39 on the Free Plan and unlimited on Premium.

Is TextingParents court-approved?+

No court approves an app. What is true is that the record is timestamped and cannot be edited or deleted, and that a TrueCopy can be verified by anyone at textingparents.com/verify.

Keep reading

More on choosing an app

Try it with your co-parent.

Download TextingParents, invite your co-parent, and the record starts with your first message. Free for both of you.