About
Cheqdin is an all-in-one childcare software platform built to simplify the daily operations of daycares, nurseries, after-school programs, and wrap-around care settings. It brings together every aspect of childcare administration — from enrolment and scheduling to billing, payments, and family communication — into one easy-to-use dashboard. Key modules include CheqForm for embeddable online registration and parental consent forms, CheqBook for contract and ad hoc booking management with integrated payment options, CheqBill for rules-based automated invoicing and direct debit collection, and CheqComms for secure parent messaging, daily diaries, and photo sharing. Cheqdin supports staff-to-child ratio compliance and real-time occupancy management, ensuring centres meet regulatory requirements without manual calculations. Its attendance module provides live arrival and departure tracking, automated absence alerts, and compliance-ready logs. A funding calculator handles UK government schemes including 30-hour, 15-hour, NCS, and ECCE funding. The platform integrates with Stripe, PayPal, GoCardless, Xero, and Mailchimp, fitting neatly into existing financial and marketing workflows. Parents get access to a dedicated portal and mobile app to view updates, make ad hoc bookings, pay outstanding balances, and engage with daily diaries and photos. An enterprise plan is available for larger childcare groups and multi-site chains seeking centralised operations and reporting.
Key Features
- Online Registrations & Enrolment: Pre-built, customisable registration and parental consent forms that can be embedded on any website or shared via social media, with waitlist management and a visual enrolment pipeline.
- Bookings & Integrated Payments: Configure contract or ad hoc bookings with support for Stripe, PayPal, and GoCardless, plus occupancy management tools and automated payment reminders to reduce overdue invoices.
- Automated Rules-Based Billing: Automated invoicing engine that handles recurring and ad hoc charges, supports UK government funding schemes (30-hour, 15-hour, NCS, ECCE), and provides real-time financial reconciliation.
- Parent Communication Portal & App: Secure parent portal and mobile app for direct messaging, daily diaries, photo sharing, accident and incident reporting with digital body maps, and open-balance visibility.
- Attendance & Occupancy Compliance Tracking: Real-time attendance monitoring, staff-to-child ratio tracking, visual occupancy dashboards, and automated absence alerts to maintain compliance-ready records.
Use Cases
- A nursery manager replaces paper enrolment packs with Cheqdin's embeddable online registration forms, cutting admin time and eliminating manual data entry.
- An after-school program coordinator sets up automated weekly billing runs with rules-based invoicing, ensuring parents receive accurate invoices without any manual calculation.
- A daycare owner monitors real-time room occupancy and staff-to-child ratios directly from the dashboard to maintain regulatory compliance and prevent overbooking.
- A childcare centre uses the parent communication module to share daily activity photos, diaries, and incident reports via the mobile app, strengthening parent relationships.
- A multi-site childcare group adopts Cheqdin's enterprise plan to centralise enrolment, reporting, and financial reconciliation across all locations from a single account.
Pros
- Truly All-in-One Platform: Covers the full childcare operations lifecycle — from enrolment and bookings to billing, payments, and parent engagement — removing the need for multiple disconnected tools.
- Free Tier with No Credit Card Required: Childcare providers can get started at no cost, making Cheqdin accessible to small nurseries and new businesses before committing to a paid plan.
- Strong Integration Ecosystem: Native connections to Stripe, PayPal, GoCardless, Xero, and Mailchimp allow Cheqdin to slot into existing financial and marketing workflows without friction.
- Dedicated Parent-Facing Mobile App: Parents benefit from a polished mobile experience for daily updates, bookings, payments, and messaging, improving family trust and engagement.
Cons
- Childcare-Exclusive Focus: The platform is purpose-built for early years and childcare settings, making it unsuitable for businesses outside this niche.
- Full Feature Set Requires Paid Plan: While a free tier is available, larger groups, chains, and operators needing enterprise-level capabilities must subscribe to an annual plan, which may challenge tighter budgets.
- Initial Configuration Complexity: Settings with multiple rooms, staff ratios, funding schemes, and booking rules may require significant setup time to configure correctly before going live.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cheqdin free to use?
Yes. Cheqdin offers a free starting plan with no credit card required. Paid annual plans unlock additional features and capacity, and are periodically offered at a discount for new customers.
What types of childcare settings does Cheqdin support?
Cheqdin is designed for daycares, nurseries, after-school programs, wrap-around care providers, and larger childcare groups or chains via its enterprise offering.
Which payment gateways does Cheqdin integrate with?
Cheqdin integrates with Stripe, PayPal, and GoCardless, supporting credit card, debit card, and direct debit payments directly within the platform.
Can parents access the platform?
Yes. Parents receive access to a secure portal and mobile app where they can view daily diaries and photos, communicate with staff, make ad hoc bookings, and pay outstanding balances.
Does Cheqdin support UK government-funded childcare schemes?
Yes. Cheqdin includes a built-in funding calculator that supports 30-hour, 15-hour, NCS, and ECCE government-funded childcare arrangements, simplifying invoicing for funded places.
