Everything you need to know about KidsFirst.
KidsFirst is a free co-parenting app with an AI Conflict Filter that rewrites hostile messages before they are sent. It helps divorced and separated parents communicate calmly, share a calendar, track expenses, and store documents – all in one place.
Yes. KidsFirst's core co-parenting features are free for both parents – no paywall, no trial, no credit card. We're not run to make a profit, so there's no business reason to lock the essentials behind a price. If we ever add optional advanced features that cost real money to run, we'll be upfront about it, but the core tools you rely on stay free.
Because the families who need this most are often already stretched: paying for lawyers, court fees, and a second home. KidsFirst is founder-led and community-built, supported by AWS, and not run to make a profit, so keeping the core free is the whole point, not a catch. Read the full story of how KidsFirst is built and funded.
KidsFirst was bootstrapped by its founder and is supported today by Amazon Web Services through their startup program, which covers most of our infrastructure costs. We keep overheads low because we're community-built, and as we grow we're pursuing industry and government grants and welcoming community donations. Any money KidsFirst brings in goes back into keeping it running and reaching more families, not into profit.
KidsFirst was created by Vincent, an Australian founder who experienced high-conflict co-parenting firsthand with his own daughter. He built the app he wished had existed: one that puts children first by reducing parental conflict. Today it's founder-led and community-built, with a growing group of contributors helping make it better.
KidsFirst is available in Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore. It is free to download on iOS and Android in all three countries.
The AI Conflict Filter is a feature unique to KidsFirst that detects hostile or aggressive language in a message before it is sent and rewrites it in a calm, neutral tone. It reduces conflict between co-parents so children are kept out of the middle.
When you type a message, the AI reviews it before it is sent. If it detects aggressive or inflammatory language, it rewrites the message in a neutral, factual tone, for example turning "You're irresponsible" into a calm request about logistics. You can review the suggested rewrite before sending.
No. The AI Conflict Filter is always active and cannot be disabled. It is a core part of KidsFirst's safety design. Its purpose is not to censor you but to ensure what gets sent is productive and focused on your children's needs. If you prefer to communicate without AI filtering, you can continue to use other channels outside the app.
No. Only the rewritten version is sent. This protects both parents from escalation and keeps the conversation focused on co-parenting.
We automatically remove personal details – such as names and contact information – before your message reaches the AI model, so it doesn't process who the message is about. This happens within our secure systems in Australia. No automated system is perfect, so we treat this as best-effort and keep improving it, but the aim is simple: the filter works on the message itself, not on your family's identity.
No. Your private messages are never used to train AI models. Message content is processed using Amazon Web Services (AWS Bedrock), within AWS infrastructure, solely to process that specific message, never to train AI. If we ever add another AI provider, we will update our Privacy Statement and notify you before anything changes. If you believe a message was processed incorrectly, you can request a human review by contacting privacy@kidsfirst.app.
KidsFirst includes:
KidsFirst uses Topic-Based Threads instead of one endless chat. Most messaging apps put the whole conversation between two people in a single thread, but co-parents need different topics followed up differently – school, health, handovers, and expenses each get their own thread. This keeps every discussion easy to follow, lets both parents pick up exactly where a specific topic left off, and stops important details from getting buried or mixed up.
No. The expense tracker is a record-keeping tool: you can log and view shared costs, but KidsFirst does not process actual payments or banking transactions.
Yes. Documents lets you store and access shared files – school reports, vaccine records, legal documents, photos – in one secure, organised place. No more digging through old emails or texts.
Yes. You can download a full message thread as a timestamped PDF from within the app. Messages in KidsFirst cannot be edited or deleted once sent, so the PDF reflects the complete thread as it stood when you exported it.
The ticks shown below a message you have sent tell you how far it has got. One grey tick means your message has been sent. Two grey ticks mean the other parent has opened the thread and read your message. The second tick only appears once the conversation has actually been opened.
Messages are text only, which is deliberate so the AI Conflict Filter can do its job. To share a photo or PDF, add it under Documents, assign it to your child, turn Share on, and save. You may also want to mention it in a message so your co-parent knows to look. Keeping it in Documents means you can both find it later rather than it being buried in a thread.
Yes. KidsFirst is a free alternative to OurFamilyWizard, TalkingParents, AppClose, 2houses, and Divvito. Unlike those apps – which charge between $77–$300 per year – KidsFirst is free for both parents and includes an AI Conflict Filter that no major competitor offers.
Popular co-parenting apps include KidsFirst, OurFamilyWizard, TalkingParents, AppClose, 2houses, Divvito, CoParenter, and Fayr. KidsFirst is the only one that is free for both parents and includes an AI Conflict Filter that rewrites hostile messages before they are sent.
No. We won't sell your attention, not yours, not your kids'.
KidsFirst is available on iOS (iPhone and iPad) via the App Store and on Android via Google Play. It is free to download on both platforms.
You can download and set up KidsFirst in about five minutes.
KidsFirst is for parents, guardians, or authorised carers aged 18 and over. You must have the legal right to manage information relating to the children referenced in the app.
Yes. Both parents need to have the app to communicate, share the calendar, and track expenses together.
This usually happens when your co-parent entered a slightly different email address than the one you registered with. Check your exact registered email under Profile → Account & Security, share it with your co-parent, and ask them to update or re-add the child using that address. The child will then appear under Profile → Add another child. Note that you won't receive an invite email until your co-parent shares a message, document, event, or expense.
You can delete your account at any time via in-app settings (Settings > Delete Account) or through the dedicated web portal at kidsfirst.app/delete-account. Your private data will be deleted within 30 days. Note that messages and events you have already shared with your co-parent will remain visible in their account to preserve the integrity of the co-parenting record.
Yes. KidsFirst is compliant with the Australian Privacy Act 1988, the New Zealand Privacy Act 2020, and Singapore's Personal Data Protection Act 2012. Accounts are verified, and your personal data is not sold or shared for advertising purposes. Data is encrypted in transit (TLS 1.2+) and at rest (AES-256), and stored primarily in Australia.
No one on the KidsFirst team – not the founder, and not any contributor – can read your private messages or records. That isn't just a promise in a policy; it's enforced by how the app is built. Your messages are encrypted, and the only people who can see your shared co-parenting record are you and your connected co-parent.
Yes. KidsFirst is designed specifically for high-conflict co-parenting. In addition to the AI Conflict Filter, the app includes a Report User function so you can flag inappropriate behaviour. All accounts are verified parent accounts.
KidsFirst is a communication tool, not a legal enforcement agency. If you are subject to a Family Court Order, Protection Order, or equivalent, you are solely responsible for ensuring your use of the app complies with that order. We recommend consulting your family lawyer before using KidsFirst if you are subject to a non-contact or similar order.
You can download any message thread as a timestamped PDF. Messages are not edited or deleted at a user's request once delivered, which keeps the shared record intact, though you can delete your account at any time and we will act on deletion rights the law gives you. Content you have already shared with your co-parent remains in their account to preserve the co-parenting record. KidsFirst provides record-keeping tools for convenience, and we cannot guarantee that records, exports, or logs will be admissible in court or meet the evidentiary standards of all jurisdictions. You should check with your family lawyer.
Still have questions? Contact us at contact@kidsfirst.app
For privacy-related enquiries: privacy@kidsfirst.app