CoParenting Planner: a shared custody schedule for separated parents

The one that both parents will actually open. That usually means it shows the plan you already agreed on rather than trying to reinvent it, it keeps the tone neutral so it does not turn into another argument, and it is useful even if only one parent signs up. CoParenting Planner is built on those three ideas: recurring or custom custody patterns, a shared view via an invite code, and a deliberately factual message log. It is free on iOS and Android.

In a 2-2-3 rotation, the child spends two days with one parent, two with the other, then three with the first — and the pattern flips the following week, so it evens out over a fortnight. Its appeal is that neither parent goes more than three days without the child and weekends alternate on their own. The trade-off is frequent handoffs, which suits younger children and parents who live close to each other far better than a long commute would.

There is no single right answer, and it is not a question an app can settle. In practice families weigh how far apart the two homes are, the child's age and school routine, both parents' work patterns, and how many changeovers a child can handle without feeling unsettled. Younger children often do better with shorter gaps between parents; older children often prefer fewer disruptions. Where a court order or written agreement exists, that document governs — a lawyer or mediator is the right person to ask.

Most parenting plans set out the regular custody rotation, how holidays and birthdays are handled, the time and place of handoffs, how child expenses are shared, and how the two parents communicate about school, health, and travel. Writing the small details down is what prevents the weekly renegotiation. The legal weight of a plan, and what has to be in it, varies by country and state, so a lawyer or mediator should review anything you intend to rely on.

Short, factual, and about logistics. Stick to what is happening, when, and where — "Pickup Friday at 5 from the school front entrance" — and leave out interpretation of the other parent's motives. Keeping a written log neutral matters for two reasons: it lowers the temperature of the exchange itself, and it stays readable later without embarrassing anyone. CoParenting Planner's message log is designed around that: calm, timestamped notes rather than an open chat thread.

Yes. The free version includes one child profile, the custody schedule with recurring and custom patterns, the Today and Up-next view with handoff details, the shared expense log and message log with the last 30 days of history, handoff and event reminders, 10 languages, and light and dark mode. It is supported by ads. Pro is $4.99 a month or $29.99 a year with a 3-day free trial, and removes the ads.

No. You can invite the other parent to a shared household with a simple code, and then you both see the same schedule, expenses, and log — that is the app at its most useful. But it is built to be genuinely worth having even if only one parent uses it, as a personal record of the rotation, the handoffs, and what you have spent on the child.

Yes, with Pro. You can export a clean, neutral PDF or CSV of the schedule, the expense ledger, or the message log for any date range, either for your own records or to share with a mediator or lawyer. To be clear about the limit: this is a personal record, and no claim is made that an export is admissible or will be accepted by any court. Ask a qualified lawyer in your jurisdiction what actually helps.

No. CoParenting Planner stores no live GPS location of a child. When the app asks for a "handoff location" it means a named place for a scheduled exchange — "school front entrance", or an address — recorded alongside the date and time so both parents know where to be. It is a line in the plan, not a tracker.

No to both. It is a coordination and record-keeping tool, not legal advice, not a custody evaluator, and not a substitute for a lawyer, mediator, or family professional. It records the plan you already agreed on rather than deciding or optimising a custody split, and it does not judge either parent. Custody law varies by country and by state, so anything you plan to rely on should be checked with a qualified professional where you live.