Debs vs OurFamilyWizard
It's your week. Your ex got the email about the class assembly, you didn't, and your daughter is asking why you weren't there.
OurFamilyWizard is a co-parenting tool: parenting schedules, a secure record of messages, shared expenses and calls, and it's widely recognised by family courts in England and Wales. Debs isn't that. Debs makes sure both homes know what school needs: both parents can have a login and see the same dates, kit and to-dos.
What OurFamilyWizard is great at
OurFamilyWizard is a co-parenting app for separated parents.
- Parenting-time schedules and swap requests
- A secure, unalterable record of messages
- Shared expenses and reimbursement requests
- Recognised by family courts and professionals
What Debs adds
- The school side for both homes: each parent can have a login and see the same calendar
- Each parent can connect their own inbox, so it doesn't matter who the school emails
- A night-before packing list for each child, whichever house they're in
- Lifts and pick-ups, with helpers like grandparents
Side by side
| What matters | OurFamilyWizard | Debs |
|---|---|---|
| What it's for | Co-parenting communication and records | School, clubs and the family calendar |
| Message records for court | Yes | No |
| Shared expenses | Yes | No |
| School dates, kit and forms added for you | No | Automatically* |
| Both parents see the same school calendar | Via the shared calendar | Yes, each with their own login |
| What it costs | Priced per parent per year in pounds; Essentials was £107.99 per parent a year in August 2026 | Free to try, then £5.49 a month to read your school emails, or £3.49 a month for Debs Diary, which doesn't (UK pricing) |
*After a few minutes’ setup: pick your school, add your children and connect your email inbox. Debs then checks the inbox for the senders you choose (the school, its apps and your clubs) and keeps your school’s term dates up to date. Don’t want to connect email? You can show Debs a screenshot or photo instead.
What we say about OurFamilyWizard comes from ourfamilywizard.com (plans and pricing, families pages) and UK co-parenting app round-ups, checked on 28 September 2026. Prices and features change, so check their website before you decide. OurFamilyWizard is a trademark of its owner; Debs isn’t connected to it.
Using both
Many separated parents would use both: OurFamilyWizard for the formal side, Debs so both homes know what school needs. Debs isn't a record for court.
Which should you pick?
- Pick OurFamilyWizard if you need a formal record of co-parenting messages, schedules and expenses.
- Pick Debs if the problem is simply that one house doesn't hear what school needs.
Questions parents ask
Can both parents use Debs?
Yes. The Debs plan has two logins, and each parent can connect their own email, so it doesn't matter which of you the school writes to.
Can Debs replace a co-parenting app?
No. Debs doesn't keep a record of messages between parents or track expenses. If you need that, use a co-parenting app too.