TLDR
Sandbox childcare software does not publish its pricing: you need a sales contact to get a quote. The platform includes invoicing, digital check-in, and a parent app, but does not include ratio tracking, purpose-built subsidy reconciliation, or audit-ready record-keeping. PebbleDesk Home at $20/month covers those compliance requirements for programs up to 15 children.
Sandbox
Not publicly listed; requires sales contactper month
PebbleDesk
Center Starter from $99/mo, subsidy reconciliation includedper month, no setup fee
Sandbox Pricing Tiers
| Tier | Price | Includes |
|---|---|---|
| Standard (estimated: pricing not public) | Not publicly listed: contact sales | Digital check-in / check-out, Parent app and daily communication, Invoicing and billing, Enrollment management |
| Premium (estimated: pricing not public) | Not publicly listed: contact sales | Everything in Standard, Advanced reporting, Multi-room / multi-site support, Enhanced parent communication features |
Hidden Costs You Won't See on the Pricing Page
- ⚠ Subsidy reconciliation for CCDF and DHS voucher billing is not included: centers billing subsidy agencies need a separate workflow or system
- ⚠ Ratio tracking is not built in: directors must maintain manual logs to demonstrate compliance during licensing audits
- ⚠ Audit-ready record formatting requires manual export: Sandbox records are designed for operations, not licensing inspectors
- ⚠ Pricing requires a sales call: no self-serve pricing page means you cannot comparison-shop without committing to a conversation
What Sandbox actually costs
Sandbox does not publish its pricing. To get a number, you contact their sales team for a quote.
This is a common model in childcare software: Brightwheel does the same. The practical effect for directors evaluating platforms is that comparison shopping requires an outbound contact step with each vendor before you can put actual numbers side by side.
What is publicly available: Sandbox uses a per-center or per-enrollment model and does not require a long-term contract, which reduces the commitment risk compared to platforms with annual-only pricing.
What Sandbox includes
Sandbox was built to address the UX problems of older platforms. Digital check-in and check-out, parent daily reports, invoicing, enrollment management, and a parent app are all included. The interface is cleaner and more modern than legacy competitors.
For centers that have struggled with older software and want something with lower day-to-day friction, the operational and communication layer Sandbox provides is real.
What premium tiers add
Sandbox’s higher tiers add advanced reporting, multi-room support, and enhanced parent communication features. These are operational and administrative improvements on top of the core platform.
As with the pricing structure, the specific feature breakdown per tier is not listed publicly and would need to be confirmed through a sales conversation.
What is missing at every tier for licensed centers
The gap for licensed programs is consistent across all of Sandbox’s tiers.
Ratio tracking. State licensing requires continuous staff-to-child ratio compliance: not just at check-in and check-out, but throughout the operating day. When a licensing officer arrives and asks for ratio records at a specific time, Sandbox does not produce them. Directors must maintain manual ratio logs alongside the platform.
Subsidy reconciliation. Sandbox’s billing features handle private-pay invoicing. CCDF and DHS voucher billing requires more: attendance documentation by funding source, state-formatted reimbursement claims, and reconciliation of payments against voucher authorizations. Directors billing subsidy volume on Sandbox typically manage those workflows manually or in spreadsheets.
Audit-ready records. Sandbox records are built for daily operations and family communication. Licensing inspectors need time-stamped attendance with sign-in and sign-out, room-level ratio logs, and subsidy billing records that match what was submitted to the state. The formatting difference is significant and requires manual work to bridge.
Offline access. Sandbox requires connectivity. A licensing inspection during a connectivity interruption leaves directors without access to records.
How PebbleDesk compares
PebbleDesk Home at $20/month covers what Sandbox leaves out: continuous ratio tracking, attendance records in audit-ready format, and offline access for programs up to 15 children. Center at $50/month covers up to 75 children and adds subsidy reconciliation for CCDF and DHS voucher billing.
Both plans are flat-rate with no per-child charges and no setup fees. That covers the compliance layer alongside the operational administration without a separate manual system to maintain alongside the software.
Sandbox works well for programs where parent communication and operational administration are the primary software needs and compliance documentation is either simple or handled separately. For licensed centers where the compliance layer is the constraint, the coverage gap matters.
| Feature | Sandbox (pricing unlisted) | PebbleDesk Home ($20/mo, ≤15 children) | PebbleDesk Center ($50/mo, ≤75 children) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Digital check-in / check-out | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Parent app / daily reports | Yes | Basic notifications | Basic notifications |
| Invoicing / billing | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Ratio tracking | No | Yes | Yes |
| Subsidy billing (CCDF/DHS) | Limited | No | Yes |
| Audit-ready attendance records | Requires manual export | Yes | Yes |
| Offline access | No | Yes | Yes |
| Staff scheduling with ratio view | No | Basic | Built-in |
| Pricing | Unlisted: contact sales | $20/mo | $50/mo |
| Contract | No long-term contract | Month-to-month | Month-to-month |
Source: Sandbox product documentation (hellosandbox.com)
Source: PebbleDesk published pricing: pebbledesk.app
Q&A
What does Sandbox childcare software cost?
Sandbox does not publish its pricing. A sales contact is required to get a quote. This is a common model in childcare software, but it means you cannot comparison-shop without going through a sales conversation with each vendor. PebbleDesk is an exception: pricing is published at $20/month for the Home plan (up to 15 children) and $50/month for the Center plan (up to 75 children).
Q&A
What compliance features does Sandbox not include?
Sandbox does not include continuous ratio tracking, purpose-built subsidy reconciliation for CCDF and DHS voucher billing, or attendance records formatted for state licensing audits. These are not peripheral features for licensed programs: they are the documentation requirements that licensing agencies and subsidy billing cycles demand. Directors using Sandbox for compliance documentation typically maintain a parallel manual system to fill these gaps.
Q&A
Is there a free version of Sandbox childcare software?
Sandbox does not offer a publicly listed free tier. Tadpoles offers a free plan for basic daily reports and parent communication, which is worth considering if parent communication is the primary need and budget is limited. For licensed centers with compliance obligations, neither Tadpoles free nor Sandbox includes the ratio tracking and subsidy reconciliation that licensing and CCDF billing require. PebbleDesk starts at $20/month and covers those features.
| Sandbox | PebbleDesk | |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost (small center) | Not publicly listed; requires sales contact | Center Starter from $99/mo, subsidy reconciliation included |
| Setup fee | Varies | $0 |
| Contract | Varies | Month-to-month |
| Subsidy reporting included | Add-on/Limited | Yes |
Frequently asked
Common questions before you try it
Why doesn't Sandbox publish its pricing?
What does Sandbox include that licensed centers need?
Does Sandbox have ratio tracking?
How does Sandbox compare to PebbleDesk on compliance features?
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