Beacon Co-Parenting App

Beacon Co-Parenting App gives parents and legal guardians in Ireland a shared place to coordinate childcare and keep records. Its tools include a shared calendar with repeating access schedules, handover scheduling, and change requests. Co-parents can exchange messages that neither parent nor staff can edit or delete. They can log and approve child-related expenses, record repayments, and maintain a separate maintenance payment log. The app also includes document storage, an incident log, a child information bank, a community forum, and a free parenting-time summary. A free AI Tone Check can suggest calmer wording for a draft message. Parents can generate a tamper-evident PDF of account history; the site says legal advisers should assess its admissibility. A named solicitor can receive time-limited, read-only access, which the parent can withdraw. Beacon is available on Android, iOS, and web. Its free plan covers both parents without a subscription; one-off options include a €49.00 financial exhibit and a €129.00 court-record download.

Beacon combines scheduling, communication, and financial recordkeeping for co-parents in Ireland. Consider its identity-verification process and possible data storage outside the EEA before signing up.

It suits parents or legal guardians aged 18 or older who share care of children in Ireland. Children do not have accounts.

Overview

Beacon is a co-parenting workspace built around shared schedules, messages, and records for separated families in Ireland. It is a strong fit for parents who want everyday coordination and financial tracking in one place. Its free core makes it accessible, though the required identity check and overseas data-storage possibility deserve serious consideration.

Key features

The shared calendar supports repeating access schedules, handover planning, and requests to change arrangements. That combination is useful when a family needs a record of both regular routines and proposed adjustments. Calendar sync is supported, though the details of how it works are not described. Secure messages cannot be edited or deleted by parents or staff, preserving a stable record at the cost of being unable to correct a sent message. Before sending, the free AI Tone Check can privately suggest calmer phrasing for a draft.

Parents can log and approve shared child expenses, record repayments, and maintain a separate log for maintenance payments. Document storage, a child information bank, a private incident log, and a community forum extend the service beyond scheduling. The free parenting-time summary is a practical way to review care arrangements without buying a report.

Beacon can produce a tamper-evident PDF of account history with a data-integrity fingerprint. The maker says legal advisers should assess whether it is admissible, so the export should not be treated as a guarantee of courtroom acceptance. A separate Form 51A purchase turns expense and maintenance records into a court-formatted summary. Parents can also invite a named solicitor to read the shared record for a limited time, then withdraw that access.

The privacy policy says traffic is encrypted, passwords are hashed, and personal data is neither sold nor used for advertising. It also says the app runs on Replit infrastructure in Google Cloud data centres and data may be stored outside the EEA, including in the United States. Every parent must submit official photo ID or proof of address; the policy says that document is deleted within 14 working days after verification. Those conditions may be a deal-breaker for families unwilling to provide identity documents or accept possible non-EEA storage. The support and moderation team can review escalated messages, and account-specific issues can be sent to [email protected].

Pricing

The Everyday co-parenting app plan costs €0.00 per free for both parents, has no subscription, includes the everyday tools, and requires no credit card. With no free trial, there is no trial period to manage. This is the natural starting point for families who need routine coordination, expense tracking, and the free parenting-time summary.

Two one-off purchases add court-oriented outputs. Form 51A Financial Exhibit costs €49.00 per once and provides a court-formatted summary of child expenses and maintenance payments; it suits parents who need that specific financial document. Court-Ready Record download costs €129.00 per once for the complete account history. The price is confirmed before purchase, and the same base record can be downloaded again free for 24 hours. That option is for families seeking a full-history export; anyone considering court use should first consult a legal adviser about admissibility.

Platforms

Beacon is available on Android, iOS, and the web. That range gives parents options across phones and browsers. It is intended for parents or legal guardians aged 18 or older who share care of at least one child in Ireland; children do not have accounts.

Who it's for

Beacon suits co-parents in Ireland who want a shared place for schedules, communication, expenses, and family records, especially when an auditable history and solicitor access matter. It is less suitable for families who cannot accept mandatory ID submission, who are uncomfortable with possible storage outside the EEA, or who need a court document whose admissibility is assured.

Pros and cons

• Pros: The free plan covers everyday tools for both parents without a subscription or credit card, making it possible to coordinate before committing money.
• Pros: Messages cannot be altered or removed, and the account-history PDF includes a data-integrity fingerprint, supporting a consistent shared record.
• Pros: Expense approvals, repayment records, and a separate maintenance log serve different financial tracking needs, with an optional Form 51A summary.
• Cons: Each parent must provide official ID or proof of address, a substantial privacy hurdle even though the policy says verification documents are deleted within 14 working days.
• Cons: Data may be stored outside the EEA, including in the United States, which may not suit families with strict data-location preferences.
• Cons: Sent messages cannot be corrected, and the tamper-evident export does not itself establish legal admissibility.

Alternatives

Co-Parenting Apps is the broader category for readers who want to compare services. Consider AppClose if a free trial matters or if its fee-waiver account for financial hardship and domestic-violence survivors is a better fit. BestInterest is another freemium option with a free plan and trial across Android, iOS, and web; its free tier includes secure messaging, Solo Mode, coaching sessions, inbound calls, a shared calendar, and tasks.

CoreParent may suit iOS, macOS, and web users looking at free options with expense and court-export caps on its Free plan. Custody X Change offers a limited free version across a wider range of platforms, including Windows, but its maker says some features require a subscription. Peaceful CoParenting Messenger offers free messaging and attachments, with communication limits and PDF repository access requiring a subscription.

Truece may appeal to Android and iOS users seeking a lifetime free Basic plan with 1 GB of secure file storage, one photo per Notes or Expenses submission, and two annual reports with 60-day history. CustodyTrac is a free option for both parents with all features and no per-parent fees. dip is also free forever for both parents and says it has no ads or data sale.

Verdict

Choose Beacon if you co-parent in Ireland and want a free, shared system that brings schedules, messages, expenses, and records together, with paid options for financial and full-history documents. Its broad everyday toolkit is the main reason to choose it. Look elsewhere if mandatory identity verification or the possibility of data storage outside the EEA conflicts with your privacy needs, or if you require certainty that an account export will be accepted in court.