Class Manager
Class Manager is an all-in-one school management software designed to help dance, gymnastics, and music studios streamline their administration, billing, and student communication through a centralized cloud-based platform.
brightwheel
Brightwheel is an all-in-one childcare management software designed to help early education providers manage admissions, track student attendance, automate billing, and maintain real-time communication with parents and families.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Class Manager | brightwheel |
|---|---|---|
| Website | classmanager.com | mybrightwheel.com |
| Pricing Model | Subscription | Freemium |
| Starting Price | $47/month | Free |
| FREE Trial | ✓ 30 days free trial | ✘ No free trial |
| Free Plan | ✘ No free plan | ✓ Has free plan |
| Product Demo | ✓ Request demo here | ✓ Request demo here |
| Deployment | ||
| Integrations | ||
| Target Users | ||
| Target Industries | ||
| Customer Count | 0 | 0 |
| Founded Year | 2018 | 2014 |
| Headquarters | Chichester, UK | San Francisco, USA |
Overview
Class Manager
Class Manager is a dedicated management tool built specifically for studio owners who are tired of juggling spreadsheets and paper records. Whether you run a dance school, gymnastics club, or music academy, you can manage your entire business from a single dashboard. You can track student attendance, organize complex class schedules, and handle your staff records without the administrative headache.
The platform focuses on automating your most time-consuming tasks, particularly around financial management and parent communication. You can send professional invoices, accept online payments, and message your entire student base with just a few clicks. By moving your studio operations to the cloud, you ensure that your data is accessible from any device, allowing you to spend less time on paperwork and more time in the studio with your students.
brightwheel
Brightwheel is a comprehensive platform built specifically for early childhood education centers, preschools, and camps. You can move away from manual paperwork by digitizing your entire operation, from the initial inquiry and enrollment to daily reporting and graduation. The software simplifies the complex logistics of running a center, allowing you to focus more on student development and less on administrative overhead.
You can manage your classrooms more effectively by tracking ratios in real-time and sharing milestones with parents through photos and videos. The platform also solves the headache of tuition collection by automating invoices and enabling parents to pay directly through the app. Whether you run a small home-based daycare or a multi-site childcare enterprise, you can customize the tool to fit your specific licensing and operational requirements.
Overview
Class Manager Features
- Automated Invoicing Generate and send professional invoices to all your customers simultaneously to ensure you get paid on time every month.
- Online Payments Accept credit card and direct debit payments directly through the platform to simplify the checkout process for your parents.
- Parent Portal Give your customers a dedicated space to manage their own information, view schedules, and pay outstanding balances online.
- Attendance Tracking Record student attendance digitally from any device to maintain accurate records and monitor student engagement trends.
- Messaging Center Send bulk emails or SMS messages to specific classes or your entire school to keep everyone informed of updates.
- Staff Management Organize your team's schedules and contact details in one place to ensure your classes are always properly covered.
brightwheel Features
- Digital Check-In. Track student and staff attendance with secure, touchless check-in codes that automatically generate your required licensing reports.
- Automated Billing. Set up recurring invoices and accept autopayments from parents to ensure you get paid on time every month.
- Real-Time Messaging. Send private messages, emergency alerts, and classroom updates to parents instantly to keep everyone in the loop.
- Learning Observations. Record student milestones and align daily activities with your state’s early childhood education standards using built-in templates.
- Admissions Management. Manage your waitlist, collect digital registration forms, and track leads from initial interest to the first day of school.
- Staff Management. Monitor staff-to-child ratios across all classrooms and manage employee timecards and payroll exports from a single dashboard.
Pricing Comparison
Class Manager Pricing
- Unlimited students and classes
- Full Parent Portal access
- Automated billing and invoicing
- Bulk messaging and notifications
- Unlimited staff accounts
- UK-based customer support
- Everything in Monthly, plus:
- Discounted rate for yearly commitment
- Priority data migration assistance
- Dedicated account setup support
- All future feature updates included
- Secure cloud data backups
brightwheel Pricing
- Basic student profiles
- Digital check-in/out
- Daily activity logs
- Photo and video sharing
- One-to-one messaging
- Everything in Free, plus:
- Automated billing and payments
- Advanced reporting and exports
- Lesson planning and curriculum
- Waitlist and lead management
- Staff time tracking
Pros & Cons
Class Manager
Pros
- Extremely intuitive interface that is easy to navigate
- Highly responsive and helpful customer support team
- Affordable flat-rate pricing with no per-student fees
- Saves significant time on monthly billing cycles
Cons
- Mobile app functionality is more limited than desktop
- Initial data upload can take some time
- Limited advanced reporting for very large enterprises
brightwheel
Pros
- Intuitive interface makes it easy for teachers to use
- Significantly reduces time spent on manual tuition collection
- Improves parent satisfaction through real-time daily updates
- Streamlines compliance by automating required attendance records
Cons
- Customization options for reports can be limited
- Transaction fees for credit card payments are high
- Occasional sync delays during high-traffic check-in times