# How much does Montessori school software cost?

Source: https://www.futurenerds.dev/compare/montessori-school-software-pricing
Last updated: 2026-10-14

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](https://www.transparentclassroom.com/pricing) | Tuition through [Onespot](https://transparent-classroom.helpscoutdocs.com/article/452-onespot-transparent-classroom-partnership), price not stated | None listed |
| Montessori Compass | [$2.00 per student per month, or $18 per year](https://www.montessoricompass.com/pricing) | [Growth Suite, $6.00 per month or $48 per year](https://www.montessoricompass.com/pricing) | Onboarding $0, $995 or $2,995 |
| Storypark | [From $1.59 USD per child per month](https://www.storypark.com/pricing) | Not on the global pricing page | [Storypark Assist add-on](http://help.storypark.com/en/articles/10137042-educators-storypark-assist) |
| MRX | [$325 per classroom per year](https://www.montessorirecordsxpress.com/) | Not listed on its home page | None listed |
| brightwheel | [Quote only](https://mybrightwheel.com/pricing/) | Included | [Card and ACH service fees](https://mybrightwheel.com/billing), amounts not published |
| Procare | Procare does not show a price we could check | [Tuition Express](https://www.procaresupport.com/) | [Fee on failed ACH payments](https://www.procaresupport.com/procare-online/docs/fees-for-failed-or-declined-payment.md), amount not published |

Montessori Compass monthly billing [starts at $10 a month, and annual at $90 a year](https://www.montessoricompass.com/pricing), 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](https://help.montessoricompass.com/support/solutions/articles/68000007978-does-the-growth-suite-handle-tuition-and-payment-collection-). Neither is [admissions](https://help.montessoricompass.com/support/solutions/articles/68000007968-does-the-growth-suite-handle-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](http://help.storypark.com/en/articles/10137042-educators-storypark-assist).

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](https://www.montessoricompass.com/pricing)). 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](https://mybrightwheel.com/billing), and lets programs pass them on to parents. Procare charges a [transaction fee on failed ACH payments](https://www.procaresupport.com/procare-online/docs/fees-for-failed-or-declined-payment.md), 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](https://www.transparentclassroom.com/pricing). A summer closure costs nothing.
- **Montessori Compass** bills year-round: [there is no pause option during the summer](https://help.montessoricompass.com/support/solutions/articles/68000007747-how-subscription-billing-works).
- **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

1. Count your enrolled children in a normal month, and in your quietest month.
2. Multiply by each per-child price. For FutureNerds, take 10 away first, then multiply by $0.50.
3. For MRX, multiply your classrooms by $325 and divide by 12.
4. Add any add-on you need for billing, admissions or AI writing.
5. Add one-time onboarding fees, if any.
6. Estimate processing fees on the tuition you expect to collect online.
7. Ask brightwheel and Procare for a written quote at the same child count.

## Related pages

- [Pricing](/pricing)
- [Free Montessori school software](/compare/free-montessori-school-software)
- [Best Montessori school software](/compare/best-montessori-school-software)
- [Billing and invoicing](/product/billing-and-invoicing)
- [Collecting tuition](/guides/collect-tuition)
- [Budgeting for a year of Montessori tuition](/blog/tuition-budget)

## 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