Debs vs Sense
Three kids, two sports clubs, one school newsletter the length of a novel, and a sticky note on the fridge that just says "Weds??"
Sense is a family calendar that reads the emails you forward it (newsletters, sports schedules, invites), with chores, allowance and meal planning. Debs is built around UK schools: it knows your school, reads the school's senders straight from your inbox, and gives each child a packing list the night before.
What Sense is great at
Sense is a family calendar that turns forwarded emails into events.
- Forward an email and the dates land on the calendar
- Sports schedules and per-child views
- Chores, allowance and meal planning
- A free plan
What Debs adds
- Built for UK schools: every UK school, its term dates and INSET days
- Reads the school's senders without forwarding
- A night-before packing list for each child
- Spellings, reading log and homework
Side by side
| What matters | Sense | Debs |
|---|---|---|
| How school emails get in | You forward them | Automatically* |
| Made for UK schools | No | Yes |
| Chores for the children | Yes, with allowance | Yes, with stars and rewards |
| Meal planning | Yes | No |
| Night-before packing list per child | No | Yes |
| What it costs | Free plan; paid plans in US dollars (check getsense.ai for current prices) | 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 Sense comes from getsense.ai (features and pricing), checked on 28 September 2026. Prices and features change, so check their website before you decide. Sense is a trademark of its owner; Debs isn’t connected to it.
Using both
Most families will pick one. In the UK, with school as the main job, that's where Debs is built to help.
Which should you pick?
- Pick Sense if you're happy forwarding emails and want meal planning and allowance tracking.
- Pick Debs if you're in the UK and want the school side done without forwarding.
Questions parents ask
Can Debs read sports club emails?
Yes. Add the club's address to the senders Debs watches, and its sessions and kit go on the calendar.