OFW has a lot of potential for helping manage a more effective co-parenting situation. I love the feature that tracks when emails are sent, read, and replied to. It really helps limit those “I didn’t get that email” situations. I’m just starting to use it and there are many features that I’m just starting realize. I wish there was more flexibility on the parenting schedule. I have a very unique parenting schedule based on a 9 day rotation. I spoke with Customer Service and he was terrific and anxious to help (spent 30 minutes with me on the phone), but the only solution we were able to come up with was to manually enter the schedule. I believe if there was an option to repeat the pattern at 9 weeks or more it would allow me to input my schedule. Thanks!

11 months ago, Ddwabbbbbbey

Buggy and doesn’t notify of messages on IOS

The application doesn’t work completely, you’re not able to add any information to be able to save between parties. I made a complaint about this and they told me to use the website but I paid $150 to use the app, not the website. Last week my ex-husband messaged me three times and I got no notifications about any of the messages. I happen to open it yesterday to find the messages and checked on my notifications in my settings and everything is turned on to blast my phone if he messages me. This can create discontent within your relationship and I would not recommend it until they really take these bugs seriously. I emailed them and told them they caused problems between my ex and I and their solution was to give me a refund and cancel my account, now my ex-husband has no one to talk to on the app and I have to re-order the account and pay the full amount because they will not prorate the parts that are not useful. When I emailed them and asked them what they were going to do about the bug issues and the things that I have reported, they refuse to answer my emails. Now, since my ex-husband has already paid for his subscription, I’m stuck paying for a second subscription even though these features don’t work and I’m going to have to monitor the application several times a day to see if he’s messaging me. This is the biggest rip off going because they know that you have no choice except to have the same application as your coparent.

4 months ago, drhlh

Needs app updates/calendar improvements!

Just started using this after hearing it was the gold standard for co-parenting apps. The calendar could use some improvements. It’s frustrating to manually input calendar entries and then if you have to click “edit” for a simple change, it removes your dates and times and you basically start from scratch, and if you miss noticing it did that and click out then have to go back yet again, that is not editing! I waste more time editing than should be necessary to enter one small change. That is a glitch that should be fixable on the app end I would think. Also is it possible to sync with other calendars? Maybe I missed this somewhere, if not it is needed, to save time manually re-entering things already in other calendars. Lastly, please make the mobile app capabilities able to do the same things as the web version. I can’t always go to my computer and it seems there are a lot of things that the app can’t do. Also can’t figure out on mobile how to set up kids acts to message etc on it, unless that is done on computer only also. It would also be nice to have the mobile app calendar color coded by kid but I can’t find that feature either. Thanks for reading my feedback!

3 months ago, anaknipedro

Needs to be modernized

First, the good: This app came highly recommended and I appreciate the features. Also, they have phone support! Even on weekends! You don’t find that very often. It also looks like they release regular updates but the update notes don’t detail much. Now the bad: Most if my time with the app is spent with messaging and the messaging is very outdated. It is setup like email and all of the messages in the inbox do not show in a single thread. The inbox only contains messages from the other party, not your responses. To view all the messages, you need to navigate to ‘all messages’. I’ve been using the app for 6 months before I learned this and I don’t see a way to change the default message box. My suggestion would be to overhaul the messaging section so it worked more like a modern messaging app; like a dumbed down Slack. Secondly, the calendar app isn’t very helpful either. It would be nice if you could begin with one of the parent time templates, then make changes from there. It would also appreciate the ability to set rules for holidays and summer time in addition to the basic parenting plan. Surely holidays and summertime are a part of every parenting plan so why are they not options in the app? Lastly, the app doesn’t support badge notifications on the app icon.

2 years ago, 202202nicole

Good idea, bad execution

The app has several bugs - for example Face ID isn’t working anymore. Then there’s stuff that’s just not user friendly. You can’t tap on the day to see the transition times. Ours isn’t the same each week and now that it’s all entered in you can’t see the exact pick up time by double clicking on the day or anything. The only way I can see it is to go into the parenting schedule, then details, then scroll months to the correct day where it lists the time. It’s so cumbersome to use that it has actually makes me have to communicate more with my ex than less. Isn’t the whole point of the app to make this stuff easier? Also the message center is not intuitive. There are too many inbox type areas so it’s too easy to “not see” messages or action items. Again - defeats the purpose. The only reason this app is so popular is that courts require it. I was excited to use it, but it actually has complicated matters for us. It’s also sad to see they don’t appear to be updating it regularly. It needs some serious upgrades. If you aren’t required to use it- don’t. Find a better message/calendar system. Google calendar or Outlook works better and makes more sense than this one.

1 year ago, Lacy.Youngblood

Be fully aware they do not refund money before purchasing

I purchased this product after I had my attorney send my co parent a request to use it because it was the only product I knew of at the time. My co parent initially agreed, then changed their mind and said they would not pay for it. Anyone that has dealt with attorneys knows it often takes a while to come to a full agreement and sometimes those things change. I paid $200 for my part and my coparent decided he couldn’t pay $200 and wouldn’t use it. So I was never able to use the product and they refused to give me a refund of any portion of what I paid. There are other app and companies that do not cost near as much and some are free. Do research before you purchase this product and make sure the other party is willing to pay the same $200 you have to pay otherwise you will be out $200 without the ability to even use the product you supposedly purchased. I’m sure this happens often, especially between parties that have to use a coparenting app. Great way to make money off people, but you should refund people that are not able to use your product. The man I spoke with didn’t seem to care at all that they provided me no service and took my money.

6 months ago, Penfed member for 30 yrs

So much potential. So many bugs

I wish OFW would get it together. I have been using this software for the better part of four years and it is just so buggy. The face is login screen doesn't always work. The login screen in general on the app is super buggy. I got a notification that my credit card had expired (as credit cards do) and that I needed to update it in order to renew. I logged in and got a message saying I had two grace logins. Great - because I was logging in to renew but after the notification screen that I had two Grace logins, I was booted out of the system. I logged back in, got the message that I had one Grace login. OKay. But before I could do anything else, I was immediately booted out of the system and when I logged in again it said that my account has expired and that I need to call customer support. I did that and after 8 min on hold was told to leave a voicemail message. Who does business like this in 2023? Did you know that you can allow people to login and only give them access to the payments screen? Do you have UI designers? What in the world. Please get it together.

1 year ago, Emilyellyse

Payments are slow

Payments initiated take almost a full week to withdraw from one parent’s account and deposit to the other. I got this app because my ex literally can’t get it together and keeps having to tell me not to deposit checks due to insufficient funds and closed accounts and other unreliable nonsense, and now my best bet at receiving a payment from him is an app that’ll pay me a full week after I’m supposed to be paid. I’m unsure how slow payments will lead to positive coparenting outcomes if everything is late. Invest in better payment infrastructure. No one (especially not parents with full custody like myself) really wants to communicate with their ex. They use your service to cut down on communication and simply submit reimbursement requests with a service their attorney can pull from if needed. So make that experience great, because it’s annoying to have to continue to chase down payments from an app that is supposed to solve these headaches. My personal expectation would be that payments post in 1-2 business days tops for $200/year per parent. Ideally they’d post next business day.

3 years ago, papa_tiburon-305

Almost amazing

I requested and insisted on this app in my family case. This idea behind this app and the courts intentions are great and I believe that this application helps people to have healthier communication. HOWEVER, the courts are to backed up. I know that I can not and do not care to pay my attorney to read all those petty and ongoing messages. The fact is that these can be pulled upon and used is enough. However that is just like an email or text. It would be on the individual to be pulling the data and setting it up for court. I can not expect our judge to have the available time to read these messages. Because of that I will not see justice. With that being said, I still give the app 4 stars as it is of no fault to the app. The ONLY major problem I have with the app is there needs to be a search bar as other message services have. Thus saving time for any court clerk, attorney or individual that has to compile complete and accurate data. PLEASE

2 months ago, I can read!!!!!!

This app is almost as difficult as your ex.

If this app weren’t forced onto people by the courts, I think it would be a complete failure. I am not in a court order situation, but my ex is demanding we use it as a boundary. It at least stops them from saying seriously inappropriate things. Besides that everything from notifications to calendar entries presents it own unique challenges. There are no push notifications. You can supposedly get text notifications, which would at least provide a push notification in your messages app, but you have to turn that function on through the website, where my login information will not work. I get one kind of notification that can easily get buried on a busy day before I see it . When I write a message it isn’t visible to me until some undetermined time later, perhaps when the receiver responds. Who knows. I have definitely written the same message more than once, not knowing if the message went through or if I had just forgotten to respond. Drafts for messages just disappear. Looking through message history I can only see messages sent to me. I can’t see messages that I’ve sent except when I open the response message. The calendar doesn’t sync. Editing the calendar doesn’t work. The search functions are pretty useless. This seems to me like a money making project where some venture capitalists knew some judges, and then they knew some judges, and so forth and so on. It’s not really a functioning tool.

2 years ago, sankylove

I mean… it’s ok I guess. But not for the price!

For an app who’s assumed intent is to hold co-parents accountable (and keep them organized) this app does not seem to be designed for co-parenting situations that are in no way equal. It seems to assume that everyone is doing it 50% / 50%. This my not be the case for many co-parents out there (including myself). If all the parenting and financial responsibilities fall on one parent, it would be nice if this apps design allowed you to track this with a log, allowed you to input the expenses for your day. Or allowed you to input the expense of whatever event / enrichment activities you were putting in the calendar and kept a running account of that as well. The design interface is also so clunky and not intuitive. It just feels like it’s still in beta and for how astronomically expensive it is (I had to pay for my co-patent’s account as well as mine to get him to agree to using something like this) its just too much fir not enough!

1 year ago, uselessforclients

Hands down.

Hands down one of the better coparenting apps, and I’ve played around with quite a few. One thing that really does irk my nerves that I wish the developers would consider is when you print out messages, it does not automatically include attachments nor does it give the option to do so. My coparent loves to screenshot and send things from google to fit their narrative. It would be useful to be able to include these screenshots directly in the messages when printing. Of course I can always add it in separately but it’s not authenticated in any way and will generally be out of order. Since we cant edit the specific pdf to include the attachments where they belong. If I want to print a string of messages, I’d like the see the picture show up specifically with the sent messages, not just the text stating there is an attachment.

2 years ago, Audiobible

Beware of extra costs!!

I’ve been using our family wizard as part of a court order for a few years. It has served it purpose for communicating, but beware if you have to upload receipts and or photos to messages for communication eventually you will run out of space and be forced into purchase more space, and it isn’t cheap, and you get stuck with it as an ongoing cost every year. There is no way to free up space for any items which are attached to a message or an expense— they cannot be archived or deleted, so they really stick it to you once you are a captive audience. I would highly recommend finding one of the many other platforms which work just as well but don’t limit you to something like this because they bend you over a barrel once you’ve become vested. There is no way to change the size of the files that are uploaded so you are just stuck. I would not start off using OFW again and their support solution is to just buy more space— they know they have a captive audience.

2 years ago, MattLitt

Overall pretty good

Overall, I’m happy with the app but I have a few main concerns & frustrations. 1. Notifications - The notifications with the app are terrible. The only way I can be notified is with banners so I have had to turn on “persistent” banners just so I don’t miss any. Otherwise, I have to go in and check the app on a regular basis. 2. Login - The app regularly (almost daily) forgets FaceID requiring me to have to re-login. 3. Messages - I would love to see more natural messages, much more like gmail or the sort. I love the tone meter but I wish I could “reply” to a sent message that has not yet been responded to by my ex if I need to add/correct something. Instead, I have to start a new message and the chain gets really messy. Also, I have not found a way to file messages in folders unique to myself. As far as I can tell, it appears that if I file messages in folders, my ex sees that same architecture. 4. The UI/UX is very dated. 5. Overall, I really like the calendar. However, it would be wonderful if I could add/change events in the past for accurate tracking. Also, I REALLY wish it could integrate with an external (phone) calendar. As a result, I’m now maintaining 3 separate calendars: work, personal, and OFW. I know you can export events but that is cumbersome and not at all worth it.

1 year ago, Carson235

Great concept, Glitchy App

The app is a good idea and consolidates the essential co-parenting concepts. I like the idea but it needs to be updated more often and the user interface needs some work. Also, it crashes quite frequently, adding frustration and significantly reducing its utility. For example, it crashes when populating essential information like adding teachers contact information, when adding general files, etc. Also, in the iOS application you cannot upload from standard could services like Google drive or Dropbox, only iCloud. I feel like this is a fairly simple database tool and these sorts of issues should not exist for such an expensive paid application. If it were free I would not have as high of expectations. Also, the interface for the calendar needs work. When you tap on a day to add an event for that day it defaults to “today”. Also, all-day events default to only being able to be a day long (so no multiple day trips if you have all-day selected) These are just a few issues and there are usually work arounds, but, again, I expect more. It is nice that you can also access the website in a regular computer, but the mobile experience needs significant upgrades.

3 years ago, Danny00178

Courts order

I was give an order to communicate with the other parent of our child. I wanted to choose this app. The other parent doesn’t pay child support or support our child in any way. So I figured she wouldn’t have a problem with a paid app. Wrong! She wanted to use AppClose ( our family wizard is a superior app in many ways). The judge decided to allow it and I can’t use the family wizard ( because she refuses to and I was ordered not to by the court). This app is wonderful. The check in at drop off/ pick up. The messages, moments, the courts being able to see the accounts, etc. I could go on and on. If you are having communication problems with the other parent of your child, this is the way to go. I could not be more pleased with this app.

3 years ago, Unhappy1234567890

Works well when respect is an issue

My ex and I use this app due to a lengthy history of disrespectful communication and emotional abuse. I needed a way for us to communicate about our children with the security of knowing that if things became volatile, he would need to refrain from name calling, threats, and bullying behavior, or risk more time in court. The app has definitely helped with that. I would like to have the calendar integrate with my iPhone calendar like other apps do, and would appreciate the ability to include family members that don’t use the app or need a paid version (like my parents) on the appointments. I would also like to be able to forward messages to people outside of my ex and I (attorney and other key people).

3 years ago, Nina Issa

Amazing App

This was the greatest thing that has happened to me and my son. Before using this app the violence and aggressions from my son’s father never stopped every time we exchange him and we tried communicating. Communicating thru this app has been the best thing that has happened to me and my son. Now our communication is strictly thru here and our communication has been so much better now, the violence and aggressions have decrease big time because court has access to all of these emails. The father of my son finally understood that he has a limitation, he can’t call me anytime he feels Like, he can no longer harass me because I don’t have to answer his calls or text messages. Definitely the solution to my problem after 5 years.

2 years ago, Nic Vann

If you prefer crica 2000’s GUI’s then this is the app for you.

This is a super basic app which makes you feel takin advantage of. If you are using this app it’s probably because a divorce decree says you need to use it. That doesn’t leave a whole lot of initiative for research and development I guess. There are a lot of things which render this app in-efficient. The largest one is the fact it won’t go into land scape mode. Most Americans use mobile devices. Many use tablets with Bluetooth keyboards. This renders the app useless in this case. Also, the entire interface “GUI” is straight out of the early 2000’s. It isn’t efficient to navigate, or search. The app doesn’t respond well to lower data areas. When you are in pinch is when it doesn’t work the most. I do like the fact that you can keep a journal. Tech support is really quick too. I do like that. All in all, thanks for nothing. If you have a choice during divorce hearings, find another app. Trust me.

5 months ago, Caffeinefueledmikedad

Pretty mediocre - remember to turn on text notifications

The app is buggy and slow and the website is better but defeats the purpose of having an app then. Also, push notifications do not work. You have to remember to turn on text or email notifications or you won’t know you have messages, as we both discovered - which is a problem if the parties are to be communicating through the app and not realize that immediately. And good luck with using the calendar. I hope you enjoy multiple click throughs to enter time or manually moving the hands on the clock with your mouse. It also doesn’t really accommodate alternating or varying pick-up and drop-offs. This would maybe be ok on a free app but not a paid one. It’s a pretty good scam to charge $12 a month for a product that is essentially mandatory in this situation and put no effort into its functionality.

2 months ago, Thesaabdr

Costly email program

If divorce isn’t costly enough, just add a costly email program to it like OFW. $100 a year doesn’t provide you anything above what a Gmail account would do. In fact email of any type is better. Email is submissible in court, so don’t be fooled that a specialized app is required. This is just a money making gimmick for the developers. Edit: In our culture "safe" is a widely misused word. This app does not provide any sort of safety, seat belts provide safety. All email for more than 20 years has been encrypted making it very secure. No email can be edited. All of these arguments are incorrect and misleading. The courts are uneducated when it comes to technology and incorrectly think that this product is better. It provides nothing close to $100/yr in value, but does take $100 away from my family. The next time my ex wants something, my contingency will be to stop this app and go back to email, which worked fine.

10 months ago, Concerned_Citizen83

Like when e-mail first came out, but worse

This app takes me back to digital bulletin boards and dialup days. There are no scheduled send features, no substring searching, or any other basic features you would want in an email provider today. Everything is an individual email, so if you can’t remember which chain the message was in and don’t recall an exact word you used good luck finding it again. The calendar app is a jumbled mess that requires visiting the website on a computer to get complete functionality. The fact that they only bill annually knowing people will stop using it after getting fed up with the jumbled mess of “features” this application boasts is telling in itself. I’ve also got serious privacy concerns with how the data they collect is used and how they ensure data integrity with it being subpoenable. It boggles my mind they have no security compliance (NIST, CMMC, etc.) proudly posted on their website with the personal data they collect and sit on. All I could find was a brief statement surrounding GDPR, which they can ignore for anyone outside of Europe. Save yourself the $100+ and use texting and set up a google calendar, which is free and has advanced features you won’t find here, and has more easily published and obtainable information on exactly how your data is used. I would rate this app 0 stars if I could.

4 weeks ago, DocDoc1885

Good tracking of information, Buggy to Use

The information tracking is great, sending messages and tracking expenses is nice to have. The experience of using the app could use improvement. Just to name a few things - Sometimes it freezes, or loses information. The calendar can be confusing and hard to navigate. When I got a new phone, notifications wouldn’t come through until I reinstalled the app. Also it’s annoying that there’s no details in the notifications. The UI is just overall buggy and just not a huge fan of the navigation. Every time I leave the app and come back to it, I have to re-log in and and it takes me back to the main page so I lose where I was. For paying such a high annual fee, I would expect a more user friendly experience.

10 months ago, hudsonh2

Not for schedules that change regularly

I wanted to love this app and was hoping this would help my ex and I communicate and figure out scheduling without having to constantly contact each other. The calendar is so cumbersome and difficult to change. I was hoping we would be able to go in and just easily change dates on who had custody. My ex has one overnight a week that he can pick based on his work schedule and we wanted to use this app so he could go in and put those dates in. I suppose this app would be good if you really have a set parenting schedule that fits a standard rotation. Otherwise it’s super difficult to easily make changes and a lot of times the calendar would show the wrong parent and there was no way to change it. Would’ve kept the app if it was easier to make adjustments as the main reason I wanted this app was to easily see who had the kids on which day etc.

3 years ago, catalinatim

Great app except...

The app is great, but it doesn’t help when the other parent refuses to get it. The court orders require us to only communicate through this app, she won’t get the app. There is no officer of the court or anyone to report this to. My only recourse is to file another court case to charge her with contempt. If the court requires me to only use this app, which I have to pay for, then this app should at least find and offer a better solution then just telling me that I have to re-file for another court case. The court and this app should work together to help when one parent refuses to follow up with this specific court order. I don’t have the time or money to go back to court especially when I’m doing all I can to follow the court orders.

7 months ago, DERMomTX98

Not user friendly

There is no option to resubmit expenses if they have been refused or to bulk mark items as paid. If you are dealing with someone who likes to mark items as refused for sport and let expenses stack up for a year before finally paying, you have to waste your time individually marking each one as paid. When printing or downloading the messages, the format is confusing. When you inquire to this company about how to use this platform, they simply tell you it doesn’t have tge features you are looking for. If I weren’t handcuffed to this app by court documents, I would find one that is more functional. That’s probably why it is the way it is, because they company knows we are stuck with it and has no reason to improve. If you have a choice about which to use, I’d keep searching before setting with this one.

3 years ago, Lbear0407

Great App for Co-parenting

I’ve been using this app for the last 2 years and must say that it is the only way my Ex will communicate. He will not communicate through normal texts, and most times does not even “read” my emails on “OFW” until days later. The good thing about that is it details when the other parent reads the email. Also, the app is great for documentation, for keeping track of our son’s medical/dental/therapy appointments etc. Also, ‘OFW’ has a great customer service and technical support team: even during the pandemic they have helped me navigate through issues and went above and beyond. If you are like me, and having to choose an App for ‘Co-parenting’ look no further: ‘OFW’ has you covered.

8 months ago, Mac171

Needs Some Work

I was so excited to use this app due to the free app my ex and I were using having tons of issues, etc. But...and it's a BIG but, this app is highly overrated. First off, the functionality and organization of the bills, payments, calendars, etc. are great. The highly overrated part is the messaging and the notifications. It's absolute garbage. Messaging through the app is literally like sending each other emails, it's laughable. It's 2023, we chat via text, messenger, Snapchat, etc. but email? Ridiculous. Then, NO NOTIFICATIONS! The only way you get notified is via a text alert or email. Basically, it'll send you an email or text, saying, "hey, homey messaged you in the OFW app, go check it". Again, laughable. If we would have known this we would have looked for alternatives.

12 months ago, GWGrad05

Terrible Updates, Downsamples Images

I am significantly disappointed in this app, which I unfortunately pay for. This is a primary form of communication, often demanded by state judges or counsel, as the primary means of communication regarding children. Search online and you’ll find model judicial orders to this effect requiring OFW. In the past several months, there have been at least two updates which rendered the tool effectively unusable for approximately 24 hours or more on my iPhone, including one in which a “test” version number appeared on the login. Further, there is significant downsampling of photos. So when one party wants to send another party medical related photos of a child, they are not crisp and clear. Finally, there is no hands free option. As this tool is used primarily to communicate regarding among other things pickup and dropoff of children, this lack of feature in 2022 is dreadful in my opinion.

2 years ago, Leifler

So frustrating

I have been using this app for 2 years now (not by choice 😁) and am constantly frustrated by its nonintuitive UI. It also offers features on the web app that aren’t in the phone app, so you really have to use both if you want to have accurate records. The notifications aren’t smart, so you get global notifications for everything , which is really invasive if your coparent happens to be a heavy handed person. I work as a User Experience designer, and have always been rather shocked that there is no way to offer feedback, either in the phone app or the web app, to offer feedback. Divorce is an incredibly tricky thing for some people to navigate, and if you’re going to offer an app that involves parents, health professionals, and law professionals, your platform should constantly be seeking feedback and marking improvements.

1 year ago, Master_Scar

Upgrade/Notification

Love this tool and have been using it for almost a year now. It’s really great for recording expenses and making sure that communication while coparenting is documented. It’s also easier to share in case either party needs To refer back to decisions made. With this latest upgrade update which is very nice was upset to find out that my notifications were wiped out. So unfortunately I miss twoCritical notifications about pick up and drop off of our child. So to the developers of this app. That’s important to notify users to check their settings or inform them that they will need to reactivate them.

4 months ago, vanessal417

Needs Work

1. I do not like the other user can see my last log in. It causes more problems than helps. Sometimes I want to look for information without engaging in a conversation and not reading unopened messages. I like the message read time stamp just not the login. Time stamp tracking could be seen as digital stalking. 2. Word Search or Date Search via mobile app for messages and journal entries 3. Data Reports for Messages with Replies over compile. They gather repetitive messages and it makes it too hard to read and understand. Messages without replies was 64 pages, with replies it was over 1,000. Needs to be cleaned up. 4. I use journal entries as a timeline of events. Very useful for evidence gathering. I wish I could customize a report for specific entries. Pick and choose which to use. Same goes for messages. 5. Data Report for Journal Entries makes a report based off “created date” so if I backdate an entry and print a report it’s not in chronological order. 6. Tabs to store court documents/orders/evidence 7. In a more advanced version legal dictionaries, links to helpful sites, resources, know your rights section, etc.

3 years ago, Sanctified82

Great App for Co-parenting Communication!

After three years of harassment and emotional manipulation, I finally got the court to order the use of OFW to replace all mobile and social media messenger communications. It eliminated an enormous amount of drama for me and my fiancé. It’s also nice that you can use it for record keeping beyond just communications, such as for child support, travel, events, etc. Technical support for this app is really dependable and professional with any questions or concerns when you need help. The only gripe I have is with the payment tab. It requires the other parent to verify payment, even after uploading screenshots of the payment. It also is a pain to get the amount put in, as it prefers to default to a “standard” amount. Other than that though, it’s great with all its various features and I will certainly continue using it well into the future. Highly recommend investing in it. They also offer discounts and specials for military veterans, etc, so check it out and give it a try! 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

2 years ago, Qdo312

Mobile Design at its worst

This is perhaps the most poorly designed application I have yet to use and believe me, I use a ton. From senseless, poorly labeled sections to a clunky and confusing interface and nonsensical workflows, to attachments that never actually seem to function, this is perhaps the epitome of bad gui and usability design. Besides providing yet another excuse for courts to force feed directives on people, it is the center of narcissistic legal professionals stoking the ego of clients while billing them more. Email is already public record. This is an unnecessary and remedially designed crutch for an already broken system that empowers egomaniacal spouses to control the conversation without ever having to be held accountable. A travesty in mobile capability. Astoundingly poor help and support, legendarily sub-par performance, zero accountability features. The makers of “Pong” could have designed a better application.

3 years ago, Vampmidge206

Has been indispensable!

We have been court ordered to use OFW for 4 years. It has been a lifeline, especially when we began co-parenting therapy sessions. The time stamps on every entry and message and the reports to show who uploads files and the calendar and everything have undermined any attempts at twisting the truth in those sessions, keeping us on a more constructive path. The app is very user friendly, but I do wish that some of the color coding/symbols were visible on the app version of the calendar. I recommend OFW to anyone I know who will be coparenting. Thank you for keeping it organized and user friendly!

3 weeks ago, robslee

Not worth the expense

I was really excited about this to hold the father accountable and to keep him from being a bully but that’s not the case at all. It doesn’t block anything from being said. The custom calendar doesn’t work properly. And all the conversations get jumbled and you can’t keep track of any one conversation. He will answer on another conversation a certain way so it doesn’t look like he was being rude about the other conversation. It’s very easy to manipulate through the app. It’s almost to complicated. It’s needs to be more simplified and user friendly. And the calendar was the biggest let down. We both paid $150 and stopped using it after a month. It’s sad to say. Please do an update so we don’t complete lose $300 for nothing.

2 years ago, MandaPandaMac

Terrible and full of bugs they NEVER fix

Full of bugs they refuse to fix! Forgets login credentials every day and have to manually enter ID & password. FaceID doesn’t work after the 2nd or 3rd login. App kicks you out after 5 minutes, usually before you can receive a response message from your ex, then you have to login again! Seriously?? My bank’s app is less strict. I have called to complain but they refuse to fix these bugs. Seriously NOT user friendly. Creating a new message to send my ex, which is all we use this app for, should have a shortcut but NO, you have to click through several screens before you can get to a new message. I have made recommendations for years how they can make such improvements but THEY DO NOT CARE because this is a MONOPOLY and they know you have no control over the choice to use it.

3 years ago, JroseMom1123

Great for communication

Very convenient app that’s easy to use as well as being able to print out if needed. The only suggestion that I would have to improve the app would be to have response continue from the previous message just like an email. For instance, if the coparent sends me a message and I respond it shows up as two different messages in two different spots sent and inbox... Instead ofHaving their response attached to the message you’re responding to when you go back to view it. But other than that this is a great app. One of my favorite parts is how you can put in moments and expenses.

2 years ago, Jessica2171987

Basic But Needs Work

The cost associated with the functionality of this tool is not worth it. The interface is clunky, functionality is basic and limited. There are some really nice features such as a tone meter for exchanging messages, however, scheduling in this app is a logistical problem. There’s little flexibility and you can’t retroactively make adjustments. For example, if my ex cancels for his day ON his day, I have no real way of documenting that in this app apart from creating a note on the day. Similarly, if we are sharing time during the day, it doesn’t show for a split day. It’s all or nothing for every day which I have to exit my schedule and make sure to write an event for that day. This app has a lot of great ideas but needs more work.

2 years ago, bdbshdinc

No option for exchange on same days

One of the biggest reasons I had chosen this app over others is the shared parenting schedule. We had several miscommunications about the schedule before and I thought this app would help. Not only is it not at all user friendly for setting up an alternative weekend schedule but there is no option for a same day exchange time. Clearly this app was not made by parents who coparent because this is such a common coincidence. I wasted 300$ for something that would just cause more future miscommunications. Update: this shouldn’t have to be said but good design shouldn’t require explaining to the user. There are multiple other pesky issues with this app that shows it was probably NEVER tested.

9 months ago, sweetbluesun

I want to give this app more stars but it’s lacking

TLDR: There are too many fragmented sections overall and a poorly designed UX to interface with I’ve been using OFW for several years now and I while I still think it’s the best options it would be so much better with just a few improvements. The biggest issue is the lack of threads that are coherent. Each individual message shows as if it’s it’s own thread when they could easily be collapsed in a way that makes the, congruent. I was willing to be understanding in 2018, but in 2022 it’s totally unacceptable to have a UX this clunky. While the calendar feature is pretty good, it lacks in its ability to swap weeks after vacation if it would make more sense for the child’s schedule - something we do do make things easier on our daughter wherever possible. While I understand the need to put logins on a ledger it would also be really helpful if there were some kind of streamlined login architecture it’s just too much work to have to constantly log in. Overall this app just needs a lot more fluidity so communication is more natural

9 months ago, byeComcast

As pathetic and crappy as a communication app can get

This app survives only because it is legally required. Lawyers likely get a cut for recommending it. There is no confirmation that you are actually communicating with your child. A hostile “co-parent” could easily ghost your child and you would never know. Simple tasks like sharing pictures and funny videos require you to pay the developers even more money than the already exorbitant charges for a glorified court-mandated version of WhatsApp from ten plus years ago. Our Family Wizard will survive as long as the developers can stiff users with the weight of the courts threatening parents who want to communicate with their children with a legal club. Hopefully this outfit will be dragged before a monopolies board and get the legislative scrutiny that it deserves.

5 months ago, Jack Facts

Notifications don’t work

I haven’t received ANY notifications following the 12/22 update. This is extremely annoying as I’m stuck constantly checking the app whenever I think my ex-wife might be contacting me. If the issue is urgent we revert to using personal email because Family Wizard doesn’t notify the other party. Customer Support was of no help, their responses seemed automated and just provided the basic steps to set up notifications on your phone. Several emails later, I just gave up, the new interface is nice but the lack of notifications is a deal breaker. Even more frustrating is the 50% price hike over last year when it cost $99. The app developers know that many users are required to use this app by the Court and took advantage.

2 years ago, TdxWulfgar

Have to use browser not app, defeats the purpose

I’m unhappy with the app. I constantly have to log into a browser to do schedule swaps or enter events. The app does not have the ability to do either. On top of that when logging into the browser, it’s not user friendly on a phone. The purpose of the app is to give mobility, and this app is not meeting the requirement. If the website can do it, the app should be able to do it. Also, there is no audio sound when a message or notification comes in, so messaging back and forth takes awhile. If this was a free service, I would not complain. If knowing these limitations before signing up, I would not have went with OFW.

2 years ago, hopelien

One of the worst apps I have ever used, especially that I pay for

As someone who works in the technology field I feel incredibly disappointed with the amount of work that they have put into developing this app. It is incredibly non-user-friendly, not able to chat with my kids, send pictures easily, or keep track of messages very efficiently. Despite signing up for notifications I also never get notifications that I have messages from my ex. ReallyDisappointed and feel like there could be such a better solution out there. If you are an app developer you could totally take on this niche as a competitor. There can be so many better features and could be so much more helpful. Especially for what I am going for.

7 months ago, *Supergirl*Gymnast*

Customer Review

With regards to customer service, Cory is very speedy at responding to messages and Mitch is incredibly excellent at directly problem-solving customer needs and finding solutions. Together, Cory and Mitch are a good customer service team, with Cory responding quickly and Mitch finding solutions. With regards to app functionality, as a user since 2020, I have submitted feedback and I have seen change. Like all companies with software programs for computers and apps, there are issues; however OFW does seem to keep working on product improvement over time.

9 months ago, Shelley225

Asking for only TWO things

This app is great but could be improved on in two huge areas. One, the font size is entirely too small. It may be great for most but give us the option to make it bigger. I’ve emailed twice but it’s still tiny. Second, give the child a notification when the other parent sends a message. As it stands, my daughter has to constantly log in just to see if there’s a message. Please get with it and address these two concerns. I’m not asking to rewrite the entire app, just add two functions that are available in just about every app on the market. Thank you.

2 years ago, Flipperlite

Archaic, buggy, poor execution

As a mobile app developer, I say this app is terrible. It needs a complete rewrite as it is still a version 1 or beta app with poor user experience. For example, you can't reply to your own messages. You can't search messages. You can't see the full message thread. You don't get a real notification with the message but just a boilerplate notification that someone created a message. Face ID works half the time and when it doesn't, you have to re-enter your credentials. You could easily accomplish most of it for free with email, text, shared online calendar like Google calendar, and shared online spreadsheet like Google sheets. Court dictated so had to use. Not worth $100/parent/year. Ripe for a competitor.

5 months ago, Spin lock

I wish it showed a count of notifications on the Home Screen

OFW (terrible name btw) doesn’t show you when you have messages by adding a counter to the Home Screen icon the way a good app would. You can go to the Lock Screen, swipe up, and see your notifications. I’ve also tried making OFW’s notifications permanent. We’ll see how well that works. It’s disappointing that an app that specifically targets a market that has difficulties communicating and children are caught in the middle of those difficulties wouldn’t use every available feature to facilitate good communication.

1 year ago, servedusmc

Mediocre is being generous

For what a premium subscription costs, which is the most expensive app on my phone, it isn’t worth it at all. Everything on mobile is nothing short of terrible. Calendar/schedule options are nowhere close to user friendly and not intuitive at all. Constant error messages that pop up while typing in messenger. Home screen shadowed overlay will “ghost” over message screen and only fix is to force close app and reopen. Don’t believe the average rating. There is nothing about this app that is even close to 5 stars. If court orders didn’t specifically name this app it would have faded off into nothingness long ago.

Description

OurFamilyWizard makes co-parenting easier. We designed the app to help you reduce conflict, so your kids can thrive after a separation or a divorce. With our powerful and customizable tools, you can free up time, emotional energy, and mental space. With all your digital co-parenting interactions rolled up in one secure app, you can keep everything organized and documented while cutting down on stress. Plus, you can shield your kids from adult conversations they don’t need to see. SIMPLIFY COMMUNICATION • Use just one app No more searching for messages or attachments across DMs, phone calls, texts, and emails. Just use one secure app. • Track the truth Once you send a message, it’s permanent. And when it’s opened, a first-viewed timestamp appears. No more arguing about who said what, when, or whether it was seen. • Communicate calmly Use ToneMeter™ to catch language that could escalate conflict. COORDINATE YOUR CALENDAR • Create a parenting time schedule (or custody schedule) The color-coded schedule makes it easy to understand what’s coming up, including events, holidays, and drop-offs/pick-ups. • Encourage reliability When everyone shares the same Calendar, mix-ups are a thing of the past. • Trade/Swap™ parenting time Need to make a one-time change to the schedule? Adjust the Calendar with Trade/Swap. STREAMLINE YOUR EXPENSES • Simplify the math OFW keeps clear, secure records of your co-parenting expenses (you can even upload receipts). No more confusing spreadsheets, messy notebooks, or expense-sharing apps. • Centralize everything With OFWpay, you can reimburse your co-parent in the app—and you can even make scheduled payments for child support. (Or record payments via check, cash, or another method.) • Customize categories You’ll start with default categories, but you can also create new ones, with your own percentage splits. Keep everything clear and organized. KEEP A MEANINGFUL JOURNAL • Log when you arrive Verify your presence at drop-offs and pick-ups with GPS Check-Ins. • Capture memories Record parenting observations and special, close moments with photos and text. SHARE INFO ABOUT YOUR KIDS • Store essential details Share and view medical records, clothing sizes, school information, and more. • Minimize messaging No need to message your co-parent for basic stuff—just check the Info Bank. DOCUMENTATION AND REPORTS If you need to go to court or mediation, quick and simple documentation will make your life easier. It only takes a couple minutes on the website to customize and download a report from any app feature. GRANT YOUR PROS ACCESS With your permission and a Practitioner Account, your family law pro can view all app activity, help you manage the practical details, and quickly download reports—which potentially reduces your legal fees. Available for: Lawyers Mediators Parenting coordinators Guardians ad litem Therapists KEEP EVERYONE ON THE SAME PAGE OurFamilyWizard helps you coordinate with your co-parent, but you can also add accounts for your kids and anyone involved in childcare—like grandparents, bonus parents, and babysitters. (These accounts can only view limited features.) ABOUT OURFAMILYWIZARD For over 20 years, OurFamilyWizard has been the leading co-parenting app, used by over 1 million co-parents and family law professionals. Throughout the United States and Canada, courts often order and recommend OurFamilyWizard to co-parents. OurFamilyWizard has been featured in the New York Times, Parents.com, Verywell Family, NPR, WIRED, the Today Show, and more. HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? Our customer service and tech support are available 7 days a week—contact us via phone, chat, or email. We’d love to help. READY TO CO-PARENT WITH LESS CONFLICT? Make co-parenting easier - download OurFamilyWizard today. ***This app allows for Parent, Child, and 3rd-Party access. For OurFamilyWizard Practitioner Account holders, please download the OurFamilyWizard Family Law Practitioner app.***