What is Our Family Wizard?
Quick answer: OurFamilyWizard (sometimes mistakenly referred to as, ‘My Family Wizard’) is a co-parenting app used by tens of thousands of parents to make it easier to share a calendar and schedule, text, share documents and information and other features for better communication — that can be used in court if needed.
Our Family Wizard ranked #1 on our list of best co-parenting apps for 2023. Why?
- A+ Better Business Bureau rating for its parent company Avirat
- Superior technology — great user experience, and glitch-free (or close to it) interface
- Widely recognized by courts
- Competitive cost, with military discount, financial assistance, and money-back guarantee / 30-day free trial
Our Family Wizard app reviews
Real moms review OFW:
Is the Our Family Wizard app free?
No, both parents have to pay for Our Family Wizard. But, there is a free trial. Check out OurFamilyWizard's free 30-day free trial now >>
Do both parents have to pay for the Our Family Wizard app?
Yes. You have to use OurFamilyWizard with your co-parent. Each parent has to create their own account, and each account requires a membership fee. Then, each of those parents can add unlimited numbers of other people: Children, babysitters, grandparents, friends, step-parents.
Is OurFamilyWizard monitored?
You can give access to professionals involved in your co-parenting case to monitor your account.
Who can access OurFamilyWizard?
In addition to the parents themselves, judges, attorneys, and mediators can be given access to Our Family Wizard free of charge. Professionals can monitor multiple accounts and keep track of the families they’re working with.
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How much does the Our Family Wizard app cost?
First, Our Family Wizard offers financial aid to families who qualify, and granted more than 8,000 families free or reduced use of the app as of January 2023.
- One Year: $99 after free 30-day trial
- Two Years: $179 after free trial
- Discount for military families (see the site for info — no promo code needed)
- Fee waiver for families in need
- Add all other people for FREE: children, attorney, step-parents, grandparents, babysitters
Additional add-on features:
- ToneMeter: $10/year
- Additional storage, starting at 3GB for $18/year
Or, bundle features for additional discounts.
Sign up for OurFamilyWizard’s free trial now >>
OurFamilyWizard discount code: Is there a promo code or discount available?
OFW does not work with coupons or discount codes. However, the app will provide 100% financial aid to those who qualify, as well as military discounts.
OurFamilyWizard fee waiver program: Who is eligible?
OFW does have a military discount, as well as a fee waiver program for families who fill out their applications and qualify. With each membership, there are an unlimited number of people who can be added on to the account for free.
You qualify for an Our Family Wizard fee waiver and will get the app for free, if you receive certain public benefits including housing or utility assistance, Medicaid, or food assistance.
To qualify for the fee waiver, each co-parent must apply.
Is there a free version of Our Family Wizard?
Unless you qualify for financial assistance, there is no free version of OFW.
Our Family Wizard app features
Of all the co-parenting apps we tried, the OurFamilyWizard app has the most features, and all in one, easy-to-use parenting portal. The overall goal of Our Family Wizard is to help separated and divorced parents improve co-parent communication and better facilitate coparent and shared parenting schedules.
You can grant your family lawyer or mediator access to OurFamilyWizard, which can help in any disputes and facilitate parallel parenting, whether or not a court and judge are involved.
OurFamilyWizard features include:
Our Family Wizard app calendar
While a shared calendar is the most obvious, and most widely used coparenting app feature, OurFamilyWizard's calendar is easy to use to set a co-parenting schedule, as well as request, agree to, and reject schedule trades, keep track of custody for holidays, kids' activities, and manage first rights of refusal:
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OurFamilyWizard app messaging
Unlike texting or email, OFW messages cannot be deleted or altered. Similar to iPhone messages, these messages are time-stamped, and it is recorded if and when the other party reads them.
Like other information recorded inside of OurFamilyWizard these messages can be downloaded and submitted for court records.
Check out OurFamilyWizard's free 30-day free trial now >>
OurFamilyWizard app expense sharing
Often, parents who have shared custody also must manage shared, out-of-pocket expenses for the kids, including medical and dental bills, school fees and expenses for extracurricular activities.
OurFamilyWizard's expense log makes it easy to document expenses as they occur, share screenshots of receipts, automatically split the bill between parents based on an agreed-upon percentage (for example, if one parent is required to pay 30% of medical expenses, the actual sum owed by each parent would be calculated automatically) — as well as whether the cost-sharing has been paid.
OurFamilyWizard app check-in feature
Whether you are on friendly terms with your co-parent and want to let them know you arrived at your brothers' house safely, or need to document that you arrived on time for your parenting time, the OurFamilyWizard time-stamped geo-tracking check-in feature allows a parent to document exactly where they are at any given time:
Does OurFamilyWizard record phone calls?
No. OurFamilyWizard only records communications through the app using the following tools:
- Shared family calendar
- Journal for location check-ins and recording memories
- Expense log for shared parenting costs
- Storing insurance information and other important shared files
- Message board for secure messaging between co-parents.
These tools are designed to decrease the number of emails and text messages needed between co-parents, which can lead to confusion and conflict.
Can you Facetime or make phone calls on OurFamilyWizard?
Video and phone calling is not currently available on OurFamilyWizard, though you can use the app to plan and schedule times for phone and video chats on third-party platforms like Facetime and Zoom.
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OurFamilyWizard ToneMeter
For an additional $10, the ToneMeter is a unique tool that helps reduce conflict between co-parents. As you write a text, ToneMeter flags any inflammatory language that could make your life a lot more difficult (even if you feel better in the moment! No judgment — I've been there!):
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More OurFamilyWizard app features:
- iOS and Android
- Face recognition sign-in and PIN quick sign-in
- Option for attorney access — keeps everyone honest! Plus, you can communicate with your attorney within the OurFamilyWizard app.
- Notifications — get alerts to new messages, schedule change requests, and document uploads
- Info bank, so you can keep track of important information and contacts like:
- Passport info
- Social security numbers
- Insurance cards
- Doctors' contacts
- Medical and prescription info
- Phone numbers and addresses of family members, babysitters and nannies, school, daycare and friends.
- Upload documents like a parenting plan, separation or divorce agreement, or school documents like an IEP or report card.
- Military discount
- Fee waivers for families in need
- 30-day free trial, with 100% money-back guarantee
Who would benefit from using the Our Family Wizard app?
OurFamilyWizard is used by hundreds of thousands of families across the country, in all 50 states. These families include:
- Parents a court mandate to use a co-parenting app
- Parents whose lawyers suggest they use a co-parenting app
- Divorced parents
- Separated parents
- Parents who were never a couple
- Parents who frequent family court and need documentation of visits, communication and expense payment
- Parents who share equal, 50/50 custody or joint custody parenting plans
- Parents who have sole custody, or are working together to co-parent in a variety of visitation schedules
- High-conflict parents who communicate exclusively through OurFamilyWizard, which can help with interpersonal conflict management
- Parents who co-parent amicably, but like the convenience of keeping all information and communication about the children inside of one app
- Parents who need help to manage right to first refusal custody
Alyssa Stacey, a divorced mom of one, says this:
I requested that we be ordered to use Our Family Wizard and the judge accepted it. My ex was extremely anti-usage of any app, but the reasons for that (not wanting me to be able to say “yes you did see this message, you read it on XX day at YY time” or to know when he logged in and checked the calendar) were the reasons that I wanted to use it.
It's great for me because all the communication is in one place (no going between text and email) and it isn't clogging up the email inbox. There's a calendar that I add everything to – if he checks it he checks it, if not that's on him, and everything I add is time-stamped so I can say, yes I added the appointment 2 months ago, etc. There's also an expense tracker where I can upload receipts for medical and invoice for his share. I consider it well worth the $8 per month.
How does the Our Family Wizard app work?
Here is how Our Family Wizard works:
- Each parent creates their own account.
- You can then connect OFW accounts by inviting the other parent (or vice versa!).
- You can then immediately synch calendars, exchange messages inside the app, document and send requests for reimbursement for expenses, and more.
Tips for how to use OurFamilyWizard co-parenting app:
- Be consistent. Always use the messaging feature within the app — never your personal text or email
- Always stick to your agreement for how you will use the app, even if the other parent does not
- Keep in mind how all the features help you, as well as the co-parent. For example, it is really helpful to have all the kids' documents in one place — whether or not your kids other parent accesses them.
Our Family Wizard app pros
- OurFamilyWizard has been in business since 2001 and is by far the most widely used co-parenting app.
- The tool has dozens of features, and for the most part, is very easy to use with intuitive user experience.
- The app records activity and conversation for easy court reporting (messages can't be deleted).
- You can give your attorney or mediator access to your account.
- OurFamilyWizard's parent company, Avirat, has an A+ Better Business Bureau rating, which BBB attributes to one unresolved customer complaint.
- OurFamilyWizard is working to improve its ratings across all reporting agencies, resolving individual issues and making the app better for all users. It previously had 2.3 stars on Google Play and now has 4.4 stars.
Our Family Wizard app cons
- The TrustPilot score is 2.4 star based on 8 reviews.
- Each parent must buy a subscription.
- You cannot use OurFamilyWizard solo — just like with conception, you need two people (however, it is free to add other people … more info below).
Is there an Our Family Wizard alternative?
While there are other parenting apps available, there really are none comparable to Our Family Wizard. Realistically, without Our Family Wizard, you could rely on text or email communication and Google calendar to co-parent with an ex.
Bottom line: Is OurFamilyWizard worth it? Is OurFamilyWizard a good app?
Yes, OurFamilyWizard streamlines co-parenting with an ex, reducing the need for communication and allowing you to share essential information about your children.
You can share a calendar and schedule, text, share documents and utilize other tools for better communication. Plus, you can use the app to document communications for court if needed.
Sign up for OurFamilyWizard’s 30-day free trial now >>
OurFamilyWizard (sometimes mistakenly referred to as, ‘My Family Wizard’) is a co-parenting app used by tens of thousands of parents to make it easier to share a calendar and schedule, text, share documents and information and other features for better communication — that can be used in court if needed.
No, both parents have to pay for Our Family Wizard.
You have to use OurFamilyWizard with your co-parent. Each parent has to create their own account, and each account requires a membership fee. Then, each of those parents can add unlimited numbers of other people: Children, babysitters, grandparents, friends, step-parents.
One year of Our Family Wizard is $99 after free 30-day trial.
Unless you qualify for financial assistance, there is no free version of OFW.
Video chatting is not currently available on OurFamilyWizard, though you can use the app to plan and schedule times for phone and video chats on third-party platforms like Facetime and Zoom.
No. OurFamilyWizard only records communications through the app using the following tools:
– Shared family calendar
– Journal for location check-ins and recording memories
– Expense log for shared parenting costs
– Storing insurance information and other important shared files
– Message board for secure messaging between co-parents.
Yes, OurFamilyWizard streamlines co-parenting with an ex, reducing the need for communication and allowing you to share essential information about your children.
4 Comments
I would think messages involving suicide threats should be required to be reported immediately and should reflect on visitation. Boundaries are being crossed with no consequences. They should honor protection orders and no contact orders but they don’t. I guess I wouldn’t recommend this site
This is a very sad way of communication
Alot of my messages are not read until 5 hours later.
Courts do not care.
How can a parent function with our family wizzard communication raising our children?
Maybe for civil parents who agree and are not vindictive.
This is rediculas for a vindictive behavior like the other parent I need to deal with.
I was handed a booklet like a magazine subscription 1st day of court ,saying hey use this now>
What a joke.
Also if a person who once loved us communicated fine before a parenting app, than what is the issue now?
Horrible because this is not helping.
Does OurFamilyWizard record phone calls and/or offer video calls?
The worst application I have ever used! If you opt to try it and your ex pays there is no escape!!! I tried it only to have it used as a institutional abuse tool to create a false narrative and characterizations. If you stop responding because you don’t feel it’s being used in a positive productive manner or find a free Google children service that has more bells and whistles Thant can’t be abused you are stuck!
I’ve called and left over 6 messages for “Mitch” the customer service boss and not one call back in 6 months.
Any company that traps you into using their product is not an effective and positive application. I cant cancel my account if I tried as it auto renewed and paid for by my ex. We talk weekly, have great family time, shared apple calendars and she only uses this to plant false events. It’s a covert aggressive way they can pretend your high conflict when it’s the furthest thing from the truth.
NEVER ACCEPT an INVITATION from OFW!!