What happens when I hit my child limit?
You can keep editing every existing child — nothing gets deleted. You just can't add a new one until you upgrade. The app shows a clear meter ('12 / 15 children') near the Add button so you always know where you stand.
What happens if I downgrade or my trial ends?
Your data stays. If you had 80 children on Pro and drop to Free, all 80 keep their records — you can view, edit, sign-in / out, message parents, do daily diary, the lot. The only thing you can't do is add child #16 until you upgrade. Pro-only features (invoicing, SMS, doc auto-send) become locked but their data is preserved for when you come back.
Can I try Pro before committing?
Yes — pick 'Try Pro 14 days' at signup. Full Pro feature set unlocked, no card up front. At day 14 you automatically drop to Free unless you upgrade — no surprise charges.
Why Starter 50 / 100 if Pro is only £150?
Starter tiers are for growing settings that need more capacity but don't need the commercial features yet — childminders expanding, small pre-schools without invoicing complexity. If you want to take payments, send automated docs, or run advanced reports, Pro is the right pick.
How does this compare to Famly / Blossom / Connect?
We charge a flat monthly price per setting, not per child — Pro is £150/mo flat (which works out to about £1.00 per child if you fill the 150 cap). The closest competitor sits at £3–5 per child per month for an equivalent feature set, plus per-feature add-ons. We don't think a small nursery should have to pay £300+/mo for software that runs their register.
Can I cancel anytime?
Yes. Cancel from Settings → Billing. Your plan runs to the end of the month you've already paid for; there are no refunds for part-months. You then have 60 days to ask for an export of your data before it is deleted.
What about TFC reconciliation, DD fees, Stripe fees?
ParentLink's monthly price covers our software. GoCardless and Stripe charge their own per-transaction fees on top — GoCardless DD is 1% + 20p, capped at £4 per invoice; Stripe cards are typically 1.5% + 20p (UK) or 2.5% + 25p (non-EEA / Amex) — paid directly to them, not us. We never take a cut of payment processing. (TFC reconciliation is England-only via the HMRC scheme; ROI nurseries use the NCS process instead.)
Discounts for not-for-profits or maintained settings?
20% off list price for registered charities, CICs, and local-authority-maintained settings. Email proof to hello@parentlinkeducation.co.uk and we'll apply it.
What if I have unusual requirements?
Tell us. We can give you extra capacity, switch on a single Pro feature for less than the full Pro price, or build a bespoke package for a chain. Email billing@parentlinkeducation.co.uk with what you actually need.
Multi-site groups?
Bespoke pricing — one per-site rate that scales sensibly, group-level billing, consolidated reports, one login across every site. Talk to us at hello@parentlinkeducation.co.uk.