6 Best Daycare Software for Payroll and Billing in 2025

If you run a preschool or daycare, you already know that managing tuition, paying staff, and keeping schedules straight can eat up hours every week. The right daycare software can automate billing, run payroll, and sync staff schedules—all from one dashboard.

Bloomily brings payroll, billing, and staff scheduling together in a single platform built specifically for childcare centers. This article breaks down the top options so you can find the right fit for your center's needs.

Quick guide: 6 best daycare software for payroll and billing

1. Bloomily: The most complete all-in-one platform for preschools and camps
2. Procare: An established option with attendance and billing tools
3. brightwheel: Includes parent communication and daily reports
4. Kangarootime: Offers childcare management with subsidy tracking
5. Playground: A newer option focused on enrollment and communication
6. Aaniie: Home care software that also serves childcare providers

How we chose the best daycare software for payroll and billing

Preschool directors and administrators need software that handles billing, payroll, and scheduling without bouncing between multiple tools. We reviewed each platform based on how well it addresses the real administrative challenges you face daily.

• Integrated payroll: Can you run staff payroll from the same system you use for tuition and attendance? This eliminates double-entry and syncs timesheets automatically.
• Billing automation: Does the platform handle recurring invoices, late fees, and autopay so you can stop chasing down payments?
• Staff scheduling: Can you assign shifts, track hours, and monitor staff-to-child ratios in real time?
• Ease of setup: How quickly can your team get started? Some platforms take weeks to configure while others are ready in minutes.
• Feature access: Are all core features available to you, or do you need to upgrade multiple times to unlock what you need?
• Month-to-month flexibility: Can you cancel anytime, or are you locked into a long-term commitment?

The 6 best daycare software for payroll and billing

1. Bloomily: Best overall daycare software for payroll and billing

Bloomily is the only daycare management platform that combines payroll, billing, attendance, parent communication, and staff scheduling in one system—without charging extra for any of it. If you're tired of toggling between multiple apps and paying separately for payroll, this is the platform built to fix that.

What sets Bloomily apart is that every feature is included at every plan level. You won't discover halfway through setup that payroll costs extra or that scheduling requires an upgrade. The platform also handles both year-round childcare and summer camps, making it ideal for centers that run multiple programs.

Bloomily's white-glove onboarding means their team migrates your existing data—families, billing records, staff info—at no extra cost. Most centers are up and running in about 15 minutes, and the 60-day money-back guarantee takes the risk out of switching.

Bloomily features

• Built-in payroll and timesheets: Run payroll directly from tracked hours without exporting to another system. Staff clock in via kiosk, PIN, or geofencing, and those hours flow straight into payroll calculations.
• Automated billing and payments: Set up recurring invoices, autopay, sibling discounts, and late fees. Parents can pay online, and you'll see exactly who's current and who needs a reminder.
• Real-time staff scheduling: Assign shifts, swap schedules, and monitor staff-to-child ratios throughout the day. Bloomily's AI even predicts arrival patterns to help you staff appropriately.
• Parent communication: Send daily reports with photos, message individual families or entire classrooms, and handle incident reports—all from the same app parents use to check in.
• Website builder: Create a professional center website with online enrollment forms and tour booking built in. No need for a separate website subscription.
• Compliance reports: Generate licensing reports with one click and track staff certifications automatically.

Bloomily pros and cons

Pros

Cons

All features included at every plan—no surprise add-ons

Newer to market (launched 2024), so less name recognition than legacy platforms

Payroll, billing, and scheduling in one unified system

Currently focused on U.S. market

15-minute setup with free data migration and white-glove onboarding

Mobile app continues to add features with weekly updates

2. Procare: An established option with attendance tracking

Procare has been in the childcare software space for decades, and many centers already use it for attendance and billing. The platform includes tuition management tools and can connect with third-party payroll services through integrations.

If your center already uses Procare and you're comfortable with the system, it may meet your basic needs. However, payroll isn't built directly into the platform—you'll need to connect it to external payroll software to pay staff.

Procare features

• Attendance tracking: Digital check-in with parent signatures and authorized pickup verification.
• Tuition billing: Recurring billing and payment processing for families.
• Third-party integrations: Connects to external payroll providers and accounting software.

Procare pros and cons

Pros

Cons

Established brand with long track record

Payroll requires third-party integration—not built in

Includes attendance and billing tools

Setup can take several days or weeks

Desktop and cloud versions available

Some features require higher-tier plans

3. brightwheel: Includes parent communication and daily reports

brightwheel focuses heavily on parent communication and daily activity reports, making it popular with centers that want to share photos and updates with families throughout the day. The platform also includes billing and enrollment tools.

For payroll, brightwheel connects to external providers rather than processing payroll directly. If parent engagement is your top priority and you're okay managing payroll separately, brightwheel covers the communication side well.

brightwheel features

• Daily reports: Share photos, meal logs, and activity updates with parents in real time.
• Billing and invoicing: Collect tuition payments and track family balances.
• Check-in: Digital attendance with contactless sign-in options.

brightwheel pros and cons

Pros

Cons

Focus on parent communication and daily reports

Payroll not included—requires external service

Includes billing and payment collection

Some features limited to higher tiers

Mobile app for teachers and parents

Staff scheduling is not a core feature

4. Kangarootime: Childcare management with subsidy tracking

Kangarootime is a childcare management platform that includes tools for attendance, billing, and subsidy tracking. Centers that receive government childcare subsidies may find the subsidy management features helpful for tracking payments from multiple sources.

Like most platforms in this category, Kangarootime handles billing but relies on integrations for payroll processing. The platform includes staff management tools for tracking hours and certifications.

Kangarootime features

• Subsidy management: Track payments from government programs and multiple funding sources.
• Attendance and check-in: Digital sign-in with family pickup authorization.
• Staff hour tracking: Log staff hours for export to payroll systems.

Kangarootime pros and cons

Pros

Cons

Subsidy tracking for government-funded programs

Payroll requires external integration

Attendance and billing included

Interface may require training for new users

Staff hour logging for timesheet exports

Camp management features are limited

5. Playground: A newer option focused on enrollment

Playground entered the childcare software market with a focus on enrollment management and parent communication. The platform includes billing tools and aims to simplify the registration process for new families.

Playground does not include built-in payroll. If enrollment and onboarding new families is your biggest bottleneck, Playground addresses that area specifically, but you'll need separate solutions for staff payroll and advanced scheduling.

Playground features

• Enrollment management: Online registration forms and waitlist tracking.
• Parent messaging: In-app communication with families and photo sharing.
• Tuition collection: Invoice families and accept online payments.

Playground pros and cons

Pros

Cons

Focus on enrollment and onboarding

No built-in payroll functionality

Includes parent communication tools

Staff scheduling features are limited

Modern interface design

Fewer integrations than established platforms

6. Aaniie: Home care software that also serves childcare

Aaniie (formerly WellSky Personal Care) is primarily a home care and personal care agency platform that also serves some childcare providers. The software includes scheduling and billing tools designed for agencies managing caregivers across multiple locations.

If you run a home daycare or small center with caregivers working across different sites, Aaniie's agency-style approach may fit your model. For traditional preschools and daycare centers, the platform's home care focus means some childcare-specific features may be missing.

Aaniie features

• Caregiver scheduling: Assign staff to locations and manage shift coverage.
• Billing tools: Invoice clients and track payments.
• Agency management: Tools designed for multi-location care providers.

Aaniie pros and cons

Pros

Cons

Scheduling tools for caregivers across locations

Designed primarily for home care, not preschools

Billing and client management included

Missing childcare-specific features like daily reports

Multi-site management capabilities

Parent communication tools are limited

What should daycare software include for payroll and billing?

A complete daycare software platform should let you handle tuition billing and staff payroll from the same system. When these functions live in separate tools, you end up entering data twice and reconciling between systems manually.

Look for platforms that include timesheet tracking, automatic payroll calculations, direct deposit options, and tax document generation. Bloomily handles all of this natively, which means staff hours flow directly into payroll without exports or third-party subscriptions.

For billing, you'll want recurring invoice automation, autopay enrollment, late fee rules, and sibling discount logic. The goal is to stop chasing down payments and let the system do the follow-up for you.

How do preschools benefit from all-in-one childcare software?

When your attendance, billing, payroll, and communication tools all live in one platform, information syncs automatically. A child checks in, and that attendance data connects to billing. Staff clock in, and those hours connect to payroll. Parents receive updates through the same app they use to pay tuition.

This eliminates the "swivel chair" problem where directors constantly switch between tabs and re-enter information. Bloomily saves directors an average of 10+ hours per week by consolidating these tasks into one workflow.

All-in-one platforms also mean one vendor relationship, one support team to contact, and one system for your staff to learn. That simplicity matters when you're training new teachers or troubleshooting an issue on a busy Monday morning.

Why Bloomily is the best daycare software for payroll and billing

Bloomily is the only platform on this list that includes payroll, billing, attendance, parent communication, staff scheduling, and a website builder—all in one system with every feature available at every plan level. You won't pay extra for payroll or discover that scheduling requires an upgrade.

The platform was built specifically for preschools, daycares, and summer camps. Unlike competitors that started as daily report apps and bolted on billing later, or legacy systems designed before mobile apps existed, Bloomily was designed from day one to handle the full scope of childcare administration.

With 15-minute setup, free data migration, and a 60-day money-back guarantee, Bloomily makes it easy to switch from whatever you're using now. Start your free 14-day trial and see how much time you can save when payroll, billing, and scheduling work together in one place.

FAQs about daycare software for payroll and billing

What is daycare management software?

Daycare management software is a platform that helps childcare centers handle daily operations like attendance tracking, parent communication, billing, and enrollment. Bloomily takes this further by including payroll and staff scheduling in the same system, so everything your center needs lives in one place.

Can I run payroll through daycare software?

Some daycare software includes built-in payroll, but most require you to connect a separate payroll service. Bloomily includes native payroll and timesheets, so staff hours tracked through the attendance system flow directly into payroll calculations without extra subscriptions.

How does billing automation work for daycares?

Billing automation creates recurring invoices on your schedule, applies autopay, and sends payment reminders automatically. With Bloomily, you can also set up late fee rules and sibling discounts that apply without manual adjustments each billing cycle.

What's the difference between childcare billing and payroll?

Billing collects tuition payments from families. Payroll pays your staff. Bloomily handles both—tuition flows in through automated billing, and staff wages flow out through integrated payroll, all tracked and reconciled in one dashboard.

How long does it take to set up daycare software?

Setup time varies significantly. Some platforms take days or weeks to configure. Bloomily includes white-glove onboarding and free data migration, so most centers are fully operational in about 15 minutes.

Frequently asked questions

Which daycare software has built-in payroll?

Bloomily is the only platform among the top daycare software options that includes native payroll. Most competitors, including Procare, brightwheel, Kangarootime, and Playground, require you to connect a separate third-party payroll service.

What features should daycare software include for payroll and billing?

Daycare software should include timesheet tracking, automatic payroll calculations, direct deposit, recurring invoice automation, autopay enrollment, late fee rules, and sibling discount logic—all in one system to eliminate manual data entry between tools.

How long does it take to set up daycare management software?

Setup time varies widely. Some platforms take days or weeks to configure, while Bloomily offers white-glove onboarding and free data migration that gets most centers fully operational in about 15 minutes.

Can daycare software automate tuition billing?

Yes. Platforms like Bloomily automate recurring invoices, apply autopay, enforce late fee rules, and send payment reminders automatically, so directors no longer need to manually chase down tuition payments each billing cycle.

What is the difference between childcare billing and payroll software?

Childcare billing collects tuition payments from families, while payroll software pays your staff. Bloomily handles both in one dashboard—tuition flows in through automated billing and staff wages flow out through integrated payroll.

Is Bloomily good for both daycares and summer camps?

Yes. Bloomily is designed to support year-round childcare programs and summer camps within the same platform, making it a strong choice for centers that run multiple program types throughout the year.

Related Bloomily resources

Daycare management softwareSee the all-in-one platform behind the guidance in this article.Camp management softwareRun camps, after-school, and childcare in one system.Childcare billing softwareAutomate invoices, payments, subsidy tracking, and late fees.

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