Free for both parents

A TalkingParents alternative that's free for both parents.

TextingParents is a TalkingParents alternative built around one idea: nobody should have to pay to be reachable about their own kids. Here is TextingParents vs TalkingParents on price, on what is free, and on what a court gets at the end.

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
TalkingParents
$384
Enhanced at $16 a month, times two parents
TalkingParents figures read on talkingparents.com/pricing on 09/17/2026
Side by side

TextingParents vs TalkingParents

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

TextingParents
TalkingParents
Price
$0 for both parents. Premium is $99 a year or $12.99 a month for the whole family.
Essentials is $7 a month, Enhanced is $16 a month and Ultimate is $32 a month, with 8 percent off when you pay annually.
Free plan for parents
Yes. Unlimited messaging, high-res photos and videos, the shared calendar and the Family Vault, free for both parents.
Their FAQ says that as of 03/30/2026 you need a paid subscription to use the app, and that you can apply for a fee waiver if you qualify for financial or domestic violence support.
Who one plan covers
One plan covers both parents. Either parent can be the one who pays.
Their FAQ says you and your co-parent can communicate even if you are on different plans, so each parent holds their own.
Calls
Unlimited voice and video calls on Premium, with a 7-day free trial and no credit card.
Accountable Calling is 30 minutes a month on Essentials, 60 minutes on Enhanced and unlimited on Ultimate.
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 PDF records are listed on Enhanced and Ultimate, and Ultimate includes one free Full Printed Records Package.
Photos and files
High-res photos and videos on the free plan, kept with the messages.
Vault File Storage is 1 GB on Essentials, 15 GB on Enhanced and 50 GB on Ultimate.
Where it runs
iPhone today.
Their FAQ says plans can be managed in the Apple App Store, the Google Play Store or on their website.

TalkingParents details read on talkingparents.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 TalkingParents does well

TalkingParents puts the same core in every plan: their pricing page says Secure Messaging, Shared Calendar, Info Library and Personal Journal are included at every tier, and every plan starts with a 30-day free trial. The top plan adds a Sentiment Scanner with Writing Assist, unlimited calling, faster payments and prioritized help desk support, and they run a fee waiver for financial hardship and domestic violence situations.

The difference

Where TextingParents is different

The split is the free tier. Their FAQ says a paid subscription has been required to use the app since 03/30/2026. On TextingParents, messaging, photos and videos, the shared calendar and the Family Vault are free for both parents and stay free, and the paid plan is $99 a year for the family rather than per parent.

The second split is the export. A TrueCopy carries a code, so a court or an attorney can confirm it is genuine at textingparents.com/verify without contacting us. On the Free Plan a TrueCopy is $39, bought only when a hearing actually needs one.

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

TalkingParents alternative questions

Is TextingParents a good TalkingParents alternative?+

It is if you want the messaging and the record to stay free for both parents. Everything in the free plan is free for both of you, and Premium is $99 a year for the whole family.

Is TalkingParents still free?+

Their own FAQ, read on 09/17/2026, says that as of 03/30/2026 you need a paid subscription to use the app, and that a fee waiver can be applied for on financial or domestic violence grounds. Check their site for the current terms.

How much does TalkingParents cost for two parents?+

Their pricing page, read on 09/17/2026, lists Essentials at $7 a month, Enhanced at $16 a month and Ultimate at $32 a month, with 8 percent off annually, and says co-parents can be on different plans. Two parents on Enhanced is $384 a year.

Do I have to buy anything to use it in court?+

Not a subscription. A single TrueCopy is $39 on the Free Plan, whenever a hearing needs one. Premium makes exports unlimited.

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 is a certified court record anyone can verify 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.