CradleDesk is an all-in-one childcare management platform that replaces 3-4 separate tools. It handles billing, parent communication, attendance, CACFP meal tracking, staff scheduling, compliance reporting, and more — all at flat-rate pricing with no per-child fees.

Does CradleDesk handle DFPS compliance?

Yes. CradleDesk includes live staff-to-child ratio monitoring based on Texas DFPS requirements, incident report tracking, immunization record management, and compliance dashboards. It alerts you when any classroom is out of ratio so you can correct it before an inspection.

How much does CradleDesk cost?

CradleDesk uses flat-rate pricing per center with no per-child fees. Plans start at $100/month (Basic), $175/month (Professional), and $250/month (Premium). Every plan includes all core features — billing, attendance, parent portal, messaging, and compliance tools.

Can parents check in with QR codes?

Yes. CradleDesk includes a kiosk mode for touchless check-in and check-out. Parents can scan a QR code at drop-off and pick-up, and the system automatically records attendance times and notifies staff.

Does CradleDesk track staff-to-child ratios?

Yes. CradleDesk monitors real-time staff-to-child ratios across every classroom based on current attendance and staff assignments. When a room is approaching or out of ratio, the system sends alerts so directors can reassign staff immediately.

Can I manage waitlists with CradleDesk?

Yes. The Professional and Premium plans include waitlist management with priority scoring, automated status updates for families, and enrollment pipeline tracking so you can see which families are most likely to convert.

Is there a free trial?

Yes. CradleDesk offers a free trial with full access to all features. You can also try the interactive demo at cradledesk.com/demo without creating an account — no signup required.

How do billing reminders work?

CradleDesk automatically sends payment reminders to parents for overdue tuition invoices. Directors can configure reminder frequency, customize messaging, and track which parents have been contacted. The system supports email and in-app notifications.

Does CradleDesk support CACFP meal tracking?

Yes. CradleDesk includes full CACFP (Child and Adult Care Food Program) meal tracking with meal planning, daily meal logging by classroom, and compliance reports that align with USDA requirements for reimbursement claims.

Can staff clock in and out through CradleDesk?

Yes. CradleDesk includes a staff time clock with clock-in/clock-out, overtime calculation, manual entry with audit trails, and CSV payroll export. Staff can clock in from the staff portal and directors can review timesheets from the admin dashboard.

CradleDesk — AI-Powered Childcare Management Software

Product Tour

See CradleDesk in Action

From daily operations to parent communication — every screen built for directors who don't have time for apps that fight back.

cradledesk.com

Admin Dashboard

The first screen directors see every morning. Live child-to-staff ratios, today's attendance snapshot, billing alerts, and one-click quick actions — all without clicking anything.

Waitlist Grid

Spreadsheet-style waitlist with priority badges (Guaranteed, Sibling, Next Available), classroom count summary bar, inline editing, M-F schedule dots, and sortable columns. Built for directors managing 50+ families.

Quick Meal Log

Select a classroom → log meals in bulk. The 30-second CACFP workflow that replaces clipboard paper tracking. USDA menu database built in.

Staff Scheduling

Room-based scheduling grid with shift names, open shift badges, and drag-and-drop assignment. See the full week at a glance across every classroom.

Billing Dashboard

Invoices, payment tracking, rate structures, Stripe integration, sibling discounts, and auto-billing indicators. Everything your bookkeeper wished they had.

Parent Portal

What parents actually see: daily activity reports, photos, messaging threads, online invoice payments, and digital forms. Parents can pay tuition directly from their phone — no checks, no calls. Mobile-first.

Analytics and Forecasting with KPI cards and revenue projections

Analytics & Forecasting

KPI cards, revenue projection charts, occupancy heatmaps, and what-if scenario sliders. Make data-driven decisions about enrollment, staffing, and tuition pricing.

Health Records

Per-child vaccine tracking with CDC schedule validation and compliance color-coding (green/yellow/red). See your center-wide compliance percentage at a glance.

Parent Messaging

Two-way message threads between staff and parents, with manager approval badges and conversation history. No more lost texts or WhatsApp chaos.

Custom Digital Forms

Drag-and-drop form builder with e-signature capture. Create field trip permissions, enrollment forms, medication authorizations — parents sign from their phone.

1 / 10

The Problem

You opened a childcare center to help kids grow.
Not to drown in spreadsheets.

📨

Parent Communication

AI sends daily activity reports, milestone updates, and photo recaps to every family. Personalized, on time, every day — without you lifting a finger.

📋

Enrollment & Waitlist

Manages inquiries, follows up with leads, processes applications, and keeps your waitlist moving automatically.

💰

Billing & Payments

Sends invoices, follows up on late payments, tracks subsidy reimbursements, and reconciles everything. No chasing checks.

📊

Compliance & Licensing

Tracks staff-to-child ratios, logs attendance, generates licensing reports, and flags issues before inspectors do.

Everything Included

Not another dashboard.
An actual operation system.

Every plan includes the core tools that replace the apps you're already duct-taping together.

🤖

AI Daily Reports

Auto-generated end-of-day summaries sent to every parent. What their child ate, learned, and how they napped — written by AI, reviewed by you.

All Plans

🏥

Health & Vaccine Tracking

Log medications, track immunization records, manage incident reports, and stay compliant with state health requirements automatically.

All Plans

⏰

Time Clock & Payroll

Digital staff clock-in with PIN authentication. Auto-calculates hours, overtime, and exports payroll data — your staff walks in, clocks in, done.

All Plans

💳

Billing & Payments

Invoice families, track tuition, handle split-family billing, and manage late fees. Subsidy tracking built in.

All Plans

🍎

Meal Tracking & CACFP

Log daily meals per classroom, track participation, and generate CACFP program reports. Built for federal food program compliance.

All Plans

🏫

Classroom Management

Assign children to classrooms, manage capacity, track ratios in real-time, and monitor check-in/check-out with authorized pickup controls.

All Plans

Pricing

Flat rate per center.
Not per child. Ever.

One price per center, unlimited children. No surprises when you grow. No per-child fees, no transaction cuts, no hidden charges.

💡 CradleDesk Basic: $100/mo flat. Same price whether you have 20 children or 200. 20+ core operations features included. No per-child pricing, ever.

Basic

^$100_/mo

20+ features. Everything to run day-to-day ops.

Start Free Trial

Feature	Basic $100/mo	Professional $175/mo	Premium $250/mo
Basic — Core Management
Child & Family Profiles	✓	✓	✓
Employee Management & Time Clock	✓	✓	✓
Attendance Tracking	✓	✓	✓
Immunization & Health Records	✓	✓	✓
Meal Tracking (CACFP/USDA reporting, menus)	✓	✓	✓
Comprehensive Billing System	✓	✓	✓
Expenses & Ledger	✓	✓	✓
Admin Dashboard	✓	✓	✓
Classroom Management	✓	✓	✓
Center Calendar	✓	✓	✓
Basic — Communication & Families
Unified Kiosk (parent check-in + staff clock-in)	✓	✓	✓
Report Center — Foundation (15+ reports)	✓	✓	✓
Daily Parent Update Engine (AI-powered)	✓	✓	✓
Email Templates	✓	✓	✓
Parent Portal (daily reports, online payments, messaging, forms)	✓	✓	✓
Admin Parent Invite Panel	✓	✓	✓
Split Family Communications	✓	✓	✓
Authorized Pickup Persons	✓	✓	✓
Incident Reports	✓	✓	✓
Child Document Uploads	✓	✓	✓
Professional — Operations & Growth
Point-of-Service Meal Logging	—	✓	✓
Manager Approval Workflows	—	✓	✓
Developmental Milestones & Assessments	—	✓	✓
Lesson Planning & Curriculum	—	✓	✓
Analytics & Forecasting	—	✓	✓
Waitlist Management	—	✓	✓
Report Center — Financial & Staff Reports	—	✓	✓
Custom Digital Forms (e-signatures, PDF export)	—	✓	✓
Staff Training & Certification Tracking	—	✓	✓
Premium — Staff, Multi-Site & Compliance
Open Shifts & Staff Scheduling Grid	—	—	✓
Staff Time-Off Requests	—	—	✓
CACFP Claim Sheet Auto-Generation	—	—	✓
State Licensing Compliance Dashboard	—	—	✓
Multi-Site Management	—	—	✓
Report Center — Custom Builder & Scheduled Delivery	—	—	✓

Built for independent childcare centers.

Not for corporate chains. Not for franchise software. For the director who knows every kid's name.

🛡️ DFPS Compliant

🔒 256-bit SSL Encrypted

👶 COPPA Compliant

✓ SOC 2 Aligned

Trusted by Texas Childcare Directors

★★★★★

"CradleDesk cut our admin time in half. DFPS inspections used to take hours of prep — now I click one button and everything is ready. I actually sleep the night before inspections now."

MS

Maria S.

Director, Little Stars Academy · Houston, TX

★★★★★

"The billing automation alone pays for the subscription. We went from chasing payments every week to getting paid automatically. Our AR dropped 70% in the first month."

RJ

Robert J.

Owner,ABC Childcare · Dallas, TX

★★★★★

"We manage 90 kids and 14 staff with this. The ratio tracking alerts alone have saved us from DFPS violations twice. The peace of mind is worth every penny."

LP

Linda P.

Director, Bright Futures Learning Center · Austin, TX

Compliance & Safety

Pass your next inspection
without breaking a sweat.

State licensing, CACFP audits, health record requirements — CradleDesk keeps you ready year-round, not just inspection week.

📋

State Licensing Ready

Attendance logs, staff certifications, ratio tracking, and incident reports always up to date.

🏥

Health Record Management

Immunization tracking, allergy alerts, medication logs — stored securely, accessible instantly.

🌽

CACFP Program Tracking

Meal counts, eligibility verification, and federal reimbursement reports — built into Premium.

🔐

Authorized Pickup Controls

Photo ID verification, emergency contacts, and custody restrictions — managed per child.

Ready to run your center on autopilot?

CradleDesk is live and ready for you. Start your 14-day free trial — no credit card, no commitment, no per-child fees.

Start Free Trial

14-day free trial. No credit card required. Cancel anytime.

The employee that
never calls in sick.