How much does Montessori school software cost?
Montessori school software costs from nothing to about $2.50 per child per month for records, and more with billing add-ons. FutureNerds is free for 10 children, then $0.50 per child a month. Transparent Classroom is $2.50, Montessori Compass $2.00, and MRX $325 per classroom per year. brightwheel prices by quote.
The four ways vendors price
| Model | Who uses it | What you pay for |
|---|---|---|
| Per child per month | FutureNerds, Transparent Classroom, Montessori Compass, Storypark | Each enrolled child, every month |
| Per classroom per year | MRX | Each classroom, once a year |
| Quote only | brightwheel | A price you get after filling in a form |
| Unknown | Procare | Procare does not show a price we could check |
Published prices
Prices below were checked October 14, 2026.
| Product | Records | Billing and admissions | Other costs |
|---|---|---|---|
| FutureNerds | Free for 10 children, then $0.50 per child per month | Included | Standard Stripe fees plus 1% on online payments |
| Transparent Classroom | $2.50 per child per month | Tuition through Onespot, price not stated | None listed |
| Montessori Compass | $2.00 per student per month, or $18 per year | Growth Suite, $6.00 per month or $48 per year | Onboarding $0, $995 or $2,995 |
| Storypark | From $1.59 USD per child per month | Not on the global pricing page | Storypark Assist add-on |
| MRX | $325 per classroom per year | Not listed on its home page | None listed |
| brightwheel | Quote only | Included | Card and ACH service fees, amounts not published |
| Procare | Procare does not show a price we could check | Tuition Express | Fee on failed ACH payments, amount not published |
Montessori Compass monthly billing starts at $10 a month, and annual at $90 a year, each covering the first 5 students. Its separate Marketing and Admissions product costs $4.00 per student per month or $36 per year.
Add-ons and onboarding fees
Two vendors sell extra pieces on top of the per-child price:
- Montessori Compass Growth Suite. Tuition and payment collection are not in a standard Compass subscription. Neither is admissions. The Growth Suite costs $6.00 per student per month, which is $4.00 more than Compass alone on monthly billing.
- Storypark Assist. AI writing and translation are an add-on bought on top of the per-child cost.
Montessori Compass also lists three onboarding options: do it yourself for $0, done-for-you for $995, and a strategic launch for $2,995 (pricing page). FutureNerds has no setup fee, and you import families yourself from a CSV, XLSX or XLS file.
Payment processing fees
Every product that collects tuition charges a processing fee. FutureNerds uses your school's own Stripe account. Standard Stripe fees apply, plus 1% of each payment for FutureNerds. Families can also pay by bank transfer and upload proof, which has no FutureNerds fee.
brightwheel names two service fees, one for cards and one for ACH and check deposits, and lets programs pass them on to parents. Procare charges a transaction fee on failed ACH payments, with no amount on the page.
Summer and slow months
Vendors handle months with fewer children differently:
- Transparent Classroom charges only for children enrolled the previous month. A summer closure costs nothing.
- Montessori Compass bills year-round: there is no pause option during the summer.
- FutureNerds bills on the average number of active children in the month. Each month's invoice goes out on the 1st for the month before.
Worked examples at 25, 40 and 80 children
Monthly cost at published prices. Payment fees are left out for everyone.
| Product | 25 children | 40 children | 80 children |
|---|---|---|---|
| FutureNerds, records and billing | $7.50 | $15.00 | $35.00 |
| Transparent Classroom, records | $62.50 | $100.00 | $200.00 |
| Montessori Compass, records, monthly | $50.00 | $80.00 | $160.00 |
| Montessori Compass Growth Suite, monthly | $150.00 | $240.00 | $480.00 |
| Storypark, documentation plan | $39.75 | $63.60 | $127.20 |
| MRX, 1, 2 and 3 classrooms | $27.08 | $54.17 | $81.25 |
The arithmetic:
- FutureNerds: (25 - 10) x $0.50 = $7.50. (40 - 10) x $0.50 = $15. (80 - 10) x $0.50 = $35.
- Transparent Classroom: 25 x $2.50 = $62.50. 40 x $2.50 = $100. 80 x $2.50 = $200.
- Montessori Compass: 25 x $2.00 = $50. Growth Suite: 25 x $6.00 = $150.
- Storypark: 25 x $1.59 = $39.75. 40 x $1.59 = $63.60. 80 x $1.59 = $127.20.
- MRX: $325 a year per classroom, divided by 12. One classroom is $27.08 a month. Three classrooms are $975 a year, or $81.25 a month. Your classroom count may differ.
Over a year at 40 children, FutureNerds is $180, Montessori Compass on annual billing is 40 x $18 = $720, and Transparent Classroom is up to $1,200, less for any month with no enrolled children.
How to work out your own cost
- Count your enrolled children in a normal month, and in your quietest month.
- Multiply by each per-child price. For FutureNerds, take 10 away first, then multiply by $0.50.
- For MRX, multiply your classrooms by $325 and divide by 12.
- Add any add-on you need for billing, admissions or AI writing.
- Add one-time onboarding fees, if any.
- Estimate processing fees on the tuition you expect to collect online.
- Ask brightwheel and Procare for a written quote at the same child count.
Questions and answers
How much does FutureNerds cost?
FutureNerds is free for your first 10 students. After that it is $0.50 per child per month, with no setup fee. If families pay through FutureNerds, standard Stripe fees plus 1% apply.
How much does Transparent Classroom cost?
Transparent Classroom lists $2.50 USD per child per month, charged only for children enrolled the previous month.
How much does Montessori Compass cost?
Montessori Compass lists $2.00 per student per month, or $18 per year. Billing and admissions need the Growth Suite at $6.00 per student per month or $48 per year.
Does brightwheel publish its prices?
No. brightwheel's pricing page is a form that asks for your role, enrollment capacity and number of locations before it gives a price.
How does FutureNerds count children each month?
FutureNerds bills on the average number of active children across the month. The first 10 are free, and the rest cost $0.50 each.
Sources
All pages checked October 14, 2026.
- https://www.transparentclassroom.com/pricing
- https://transparent-classroom.helpscoutdocs.com/article/452-onespot-transparent-classroom-partnership
- https://www.montessoricompass.com/pricing
- https://help.montessoricompass.com/support/solutions/articles/68000007978-does-the-growth-suite-handle-tuition-and-payment-collection-
- https://help.montessoricompass.com/support/solutions/articles/68000007968-does-the-growth-suite-handle-admissions-
- https://help.montessoricompass.com/support/solutions/articles/68000007747-how-subscription-billing-works
- https://www.storypark.com/pricing
- http://help.storypark.com/en/articles/10137042-educators-storypark-assist
- https://www.montessorirecordsxpress.com/
- https://mybrightwheel.com/pricing/
- https://mybrightwheel.com/billing
- https://www.procaresupport.com/
- https://www.procaresupport.com/procare-online/docs/fees-for-failed-or-declined-payment.md
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