About Time
About Time

Who does what

One tool for the whole homeschool — measured against the rest.

Most tools do one job. About Time does the planning, the record-keeping, the state requirements, and the field trips in one place — with ESA-funds support on the way.

Compiled by About Time AI. Take it with a grain of salt — probably true though, and current as of 2026-06-09.
About Time$250/yr · 50% off $499Numa Schoolcompare →Homeschool Planetcompare →Homeschool Trackercompare →HomeTrailcompare →Homeschool Pandacompare →Scholariccompare →LessonTrekcompare →My School Yearcompare →Freelycompare →
Identity & PlatformWho builds it, on what, and how long the trial runs before a card is required.
PlatformWeb / iOS / AndroidWebResponsive web app — runs in any phone, tablet, or desktop browser; no app-store downloadWebWeb app; no native mobile app surfacedWeb + iOS + AndroidApp is a companion; full setup is on the webWeb onlyNo native app; works in mobile browsersWeb + iOS + AndroidCloud + iPhone/iPad + Google PlayWeb + iOS + AndroidWeb onlyBrowser-based; no native appWeb onlyBrowser-based, no native appWeb-basedRecord-keeping/schedulingWeb app'Homeschool Planner App'; native mobile not confirmed
Owner / publisherAtheneum Academy LLCCalvin Clayton + John TambuntingLong Run Capital partner + YC-backed Pangea.app co-founderHomeschool Buyers ClubHomeschool Tracker (TosaWare)Exact corporate entity not clearly publishedHomeTrail App, Inc. (Fort Collins, CO)Made by fellow homeschoolersFASHCo, LLC (Fort Myers, FL)Co-founded by a homeschool momJeff SchmitzJason PessemierUnverifiedNo owner/company entity found in sourcesFreely — Tiffany (founder) + Ian (co-founder)Australian-built (explains AUD pricing)
Founded2026~2024–2025New entrant; venture-adjacent foundersMid-2010sParent co-op founded 2005; Planet launched later — exact year not stated2002'Since 2002' / 'over 20 years'2024UnverifiedApp ID dates to ~2019; exact founding year not stated2011Public launch; beta 2010UnverifiedActive by 2017; exact year not statedUnverifiedYear not stated on site or reviewsUnverifiedFounder story exists; year not surfaced
Actively updatedContinuouslyBuilt and updated daily through pre-launchActive 2026Large, current 2026 content libraryActively maintainedNew lesson plans added monthly; native app ~2024–25Maintained; daily backupsNo recent-update changelog foundUnverifiedStore listing exists; exact update date not retrievableUnverifiedUnverifiedNo public changelog; product still operatingUnverifiedNo public version date; product activeUnverifiedActive 2025–2026Recent curriculum-import additions
Free trial length7-day trialThen subscriber-gated; a few parts stay freeUnverifiedNot surfaced30 daysNoneNo free trial; start with a paid month10 days (Plus)$19.99/mo after a 10-day free trial30 days15 days14 days1 monthFull feature access14 days
Card required for trialNoUnverifiedNoNo credit card or commitment requiredN/A (no trial)Must purchase a month to testUnverifiedNoNoCard added when you subscribe after the trialNoNoFree signup; not explicitly statedNo'No credit card required'
Pricing & ValueWhat it costs over the years you'll actually homeschool — not just the first sign-up. About Time is one flat price for the whole family — every child, every tool — with no per-student fees.
Billing modelMonthly / yearly / per-studentYearly, unlimited childrenAnnual registration$199 for the 2026–27 school year; renews July 1Monthly or yearly; household = unlimited studentsMonthly / annual / two-yearPricing page is 403-blocked; confirmed via search snippetsFreemium (free core + paid Plus)Tiered subscription (Essentials/Pro, mo or yr)Monthly, per-studentNo annual optionMonthly or yearly; flat for all childrenSubscription (monthly or annual)Subscription (monthly or annual)No permanent free tier
Entry price$250/yrFounding rate — half off the $499 list price, locked for life$199/yr2026–27 annual registration$9.95/mo$8.00/mo'Less than $5/mo' on longer terms$0 (free tier)'FREE, all-in-one solution'$4.99/mo or $49.99/yr (Essentials)$3/mo (1 student)+$1/mo per additional student$6/mo ($3/mo intro)Intro $3/mo or $20/yr cited in some reviews$5/mo or $50/yrAll features in both (annual rose $40→$50, re-checked 2026-06-09)$8.99/mo (9.99 AUD)
Whole-family priceUnlimited children$250/yrWhole family, unlimited children — no per-student fee$199/yrAll students in a household under one registration$84.95/yrHousehold, unlimited studentsUnverifiedOne plan covers up to 20 students; exact annual $ not retrievable (page 403)$19.99/mo (Plus)Per-account$7.99/mo or $79.99/yr (Pro)Pro = full feature tier$7/mo (caps at 5+ students)Flat cap above 5; not strictly unlimited$6/mo or $60/yrFlat — covers all children$50/yrFamily Edition; all students included$89/yr (99 AUD)Unlimited students; 'includes 2 months free'
Co-op / group pricingNot publishedNo separate co-op SKU yetUnverified$225.95–$699.95 (co-op/school tiers)Plus teacher tiers $119.95–$199.95No dedicated co-op tierStandard plan = 1 admin + 3 teachers + 20 studentsUnverifiedNo co-op tier foundUnverifiedCo-op price not extractedNo dedicated co-op planNo dedicated co-op planUnverified'Community Edition' exists but price not publishedNo co-op tierSingle per-family plan, unlimited students
Price over timerises-annually / flat / lifetime-lockedFlat$250/yr flat — half off the $499 list price, no per-child feeslifetime-locked (claimed)'Lock in lowest price for life' — same playbook as About TimeunknownNo published statement on renewal increasesunknownNo published renewal-increase infounknownNo annual-increase or lifetime-lock language foundunknownNo price-lock guarantee statedflatLong-standing $3–$7 tiers; no annual-increase mechanism observedflat$6/$60 standard; no annual-rise mechanism observedlifetime-lockedAnnual rate never raised while uninterruptedunknownNo increase/lock language found
Lifetime price lockYesFounding rate $250/yr — locked for life, half off the $499 list price; one family price, no per-child feesYes (claimed)Founding-family, locked-for-life — claimedNoNo lifetime/price-locked option documentedNoNo lifetime-lock option documentedNoMonthly subscription modelNoNoNoEarly 'free for first 10,000 members' promo has endedYesRe-locks at current rate if lapsed >1 moNoRecurring subscription
Free tierPartialA 7-day trial, then subscription; a few parts stay freeUnverifiedNoTrial onlyNoOld desktop freeware discontinued 2007; current product is paidYesCore planner, attendance, logs, journals, portfolio reports freeNo30-day trial then paidNoTrial onlyNoFormer freemium ended; trial only nowNoTrial only, then paidNo14-day trial, then paid
State Requirements & FilingStaying on the right side of your state's rules — the part most planners leave entirely to you.
Notice of Intent filing helpYesGuided Notice-of-Intent wizard (FL/TN/GA + 22 template states)NoPer-state funding/law INFO pages, not an in-app NOI filing flowNoNot a planner featureNoNoPositions on reports, not filingNoNoNoNoNo NOI submission feature foundNoNot a compliance-filing tool
Per-state requirement sheetsYesAll 50 statesYes (claimed)'Auto-populated requirements for your jurisdiction'NoCo-op site has separate state pages; not in the plannerNoPartial'The records your state needs'; per-state sheets not confirmedNoNoNoPartial'Designed for state reporting'; no per-state sheets confirmedNoAustralian-built; per-US-state sheets not found
Deadline remindersYesNOI renewal reminders, escalatingUnverifiedYesEmail + text reminders (not requirement-specific)NoNo reminder feature surfacedUnverifiedPartialCalendar/events; no requirement-deadline engineNoNoUnverified'Teacher's Aid' suggests next steps; reminders not confirmedUnverified
Evaluator-ready reportingYesEvaluator letter + portfolio presetsYes (claimed)'Audit-ready' records/portfolios/transcriptsPartialPrintable transcripts/reports usable for evaluators; no dedicated workflowPartial16 reports incl. transcripts/skill assessments; no dedicated evaluator flowYes'Digital portfolios … perfect for evaluations'YesTranscripts/portfolio/reports for reviewNoGeneral report cards/transcripts, not evaluator-specificNoYesTranscripts/report cards/hours for reportingYes'Auto-generates downloadable PDFs for records, evaluations, or portfolios'
Law & Policy AlertsWhen the rules change, you hear about it — automatically, for your state.
Legislative / policy alertsYesDaily law/policy alert engine with web-search discoveryNoNo law/policy monitoring or alert feature found — info pages are staticNoNot in plannerNoNoNoNoNoNoNo
Per-state alertsYesSubscribe by state + impact levelNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNo
ESA Funds SupportEducation Savings Account money is real and growing. About Time is building first-class ESA support — capture, categorize, and keep it audit-ready — and no other tool here is even attempting it.
ESA expense trackingComing soonESA Wallet expense ledger is in buildYes (claimed)'ESA fund management' — depth unverifiedNoNot in plannerNoNoNoGeneric budget/expenses tool, not ESA-specificNoNoNoNo
Receipt captureComing soonUnverifiedNoNoUnverifiedNoManual expense entry; no ESA receipt flowNoNoNoNo
Approved-category taggingComing soonUnverifiedNoNoNoNoCustom budget categories, not ESA-approved taggingNoNoNoNo
Eligibility referencesComing soonStatute-cited eligibility referencesPartialPer-state funding info pagesNoCo-op has a separate 'Funding by State' page; not in the productNoNoNoNoNoNoNo
ESA-platform awarenessClassWallet / Odyssey / MyScholarShopComing soonBuilt for ClassWallet / Odyssey / MyScholarShop statesUnverifiedNo ClassWallet/Odyssey/MyScholarShop integration surfacedNoNo ClassWallet/Odyssey/MyScholarShop integration in plannerNoNo ClassWallet/Odyssey/MyScholarShop awarenessNoNo ClassWallet/Odyssey/MyScholarShop integration foundNoNo ClassWallet/Odyssey/MyScholarShop integrationNoNo ClassWallet/Odyssey/MyScholarShopNoNoNo ClassWallet/Odyssey/MyScholarShop integrationNoNo ESA-platform integration found
Field Trips & Resource DiscoveryTens of thousands of real, curriculum-classified destinations — not a blank calendar.
Field-trip finderYes24,000+ destinationsNoCommunity/activity discovery, NOT a destination finder/catalogNo (in planner)Co-op runs a separate Field Trip Finder; not inside the plannerNoYesDirectory of local experiences — nature centers, state parks, farms, makerspacesNoCalendar can hold field-trip events; no finderNoNoNoNoCan plan field trips, but no discovery/finder catalog
Location-based discoveryYesMap + radius search from homePartial'Discover co-ops, activities, events, like-minded families'No (in planner)Co-op field-trip map onlyNoPartialOrganized by state/region; true geo 'near you' not confirmedPartial (people, not places)Mobile 'find nearby homeschoolers,' not destinationsNoNoNoNo
Destination databaseYes17,600+ curriculum-classified destinationsNoNo curated destination databaseNo (in planner)NoYesState parks + nature centers catalogedNoNo destination datasetNoNoNoNo
Curriculum MatchingHelp choosing what to teach — not just a place to type in what you already chose.
Curriculum matchingYesPublic Curriculum Finder quiz (deterministic scorer)PartialBuilds curriculum plans; no quiz-style matcher confirmedNo (in planner)Co-op has a separate Selection Engine; not the plannerNoPartial'Build your own' + Compass age-matched lesson packs; no quiz-style matcher confirmedNoImport shared plans, no matcherNoYou enter your own lessons; no curriculum libraryNoEnter your own content; no pre-made libraryNoNoOffers import, not matching
Marketplace / plan importCSV importMarketplace is listings; lesson-plan import is via CSVUnverifiedYes3,100+ pre-made plans via Lesson Plan Marketplace, one-click importPartialShared user-generated lesson-plan library (contribute/reuse), not a paid marketplaceUnverified'Curriculum Management' listed; import path not confirmedYesImport lesson plans shared by the communityNoNo'Import Subject' copies across your own children, not a marketplaceNoYesProject Library — import ready-made plans + upload own curriculum
AI curriculum augmentationYesOptional LLM augmentation on per-child free textUnverifiedCurriculum planning; parent-facing AI not confirmedNo (in planner)AI lives in the co-op's separate engine, not PlanetNoYesCompass AI lesson prep; Nest AI-generated activitiesNoNoNoNoNoNo AI feature found
Core Planning & LogbookThe daily workhorse — planning lessons, logging what got done, tracking hours.
Lesson planningYesAuto-generated, rhythm-aware year planYes (claimed)'Flexible weekly planner'YesYesPlan year or day-by-day; reusable plansYes'Build your own curriculum'YesAutomated/customizable lesson plannerYesRepeating lessons, embed links/YouTubeYesColor-coded, multi-studentYesLesson plans, course descriptionsYes'Plug in lessons, log spontaneous learning'
Drag-and-drop rescheduleReshuffle queueLessons reflow via an explicit queue, not drag-and-dropUnverifiedYesDrag-and-drop assignment bumpingYesDrag-drop calendar + rescheduling toolUnverifiedPlanner exists; drag-drop not explicitly confirmedYesDrag-drop single assignment or whole seriesYesDrag-drop; shift a lesson seriesYesUnverifiedScheduling exists; drag-drop not confirmedYesDrag-and-drop planning
Daily logbookYesPlus omnivorous intake — type, snap a photo, or speakYes (claimed)'Log learning in seconds'YesYesFlexible day-by-day record keepingYesSession logs, check-ins, 'log as you go'YesAssignments + recordsYesCompletion tracking, not a separate journalYesMark complete; printable weekly checklistsYesRecord/track dailyYesNotes/photos/videos per assignment
Attendance & hoursYesMinutes/hours per subject, per childYes (claimed)Attendance trackingYesAttendance + class hoursYesAttendance + grade calcYesAuto-calculates hours + attendance reportsYesWeekly/monthly/yearly attendance reportsYesAttendance yes; hours unverified'Mark Complete' auto-tracks attendanceYesInstructional hours, attendancePartial'Track progress'; explicit hours/attendance counter not confirmed
Auto-reschedule missed workYesRedistribute engine folds missed work into lighter daysUnverifiedNo self-balancing/reshuffle evidenceYesAutomatic reschedulingYesRescheduling tool moves everything forwardUnverifiedYes'Days Off' auto-shifts lessons forwardManualRescheduling is user-driven (drag/shift)ManualDrag-drop; no automatic reflowUnverifiedUnverified
Reporting & PortfolioThe records that prove the year happened — transcripts, portfolios, clean exports.
TranscriptsYesPrintable academic transcriptYes (claimed)Transcript generation — GPA/credits/course descriptionsYesCustomizable, with honors/test scoresYesAmong 16 reportsYes (Plus)'Grading and transcripts' in PlusYesAuto-generates transcriptsYesYesCredit recordYes'Professional looking transcripts'UnverifiedPDF reports confirmed; dedicated transcript builder not confirmed
Report cardsNoTranscripts + year-end portfolio insteadUnverifiedYesYesYesGradebook; grading in PlusYesGrade ReportYesCustom grading scales, gradebookGrade tracking yes; report-card output unverifiedYesUnverified
Year-end portfolioYesPer-child, per-year portfolio artifactYes (claimed)'Generate portfolios … with one click'NoReports/transcripts only; no dedicated portfolio artifactNoReports only; no dedicated portfolio artifactYes'Beautiful digital portfolios … growth over time'YesPhoto-based portfolio/yearbookNoReports exist; no portfolio builderNoUnverifiedRecords exist; 'portfolio' not namedYes'End of year portfolios easy'
PDF exportYesClient-side PDF (no print-dialog hacks)Yes (claimed)'Audit-ready' documentsYesYesReports in print/PDFYesGenerates attendance/portfolio reports; PDF inferredYesGenerated reports/transcripts are exportable/printableYesPrintable reports/lesson plansYesPrintable plans/checklistsYesPrintable transcripts/report cards imply PDF/printYes'Generate a polished PDF to keep, print, or share'
Custom reportsPortfolio presetsState / evaluator / full export presetsUnverifiedYesCustomizable transcripts/reportsYesGrading scales, weighted grading, 16 report typesYesAuto-organized by date and subjectPartialMultiple report types; custom builder not confirmedPartialCustom grading scales; goalsUnverifiedPartialMultiple report types; custom builder not confirmedYesDate-range/category/keyword-filtered PDFs
AI FeaturesWhat the software actually does for you with AI — not a checkbox, a capability.
AI presentNone / Matching / GenerationGeneration + MatchingUnverifiedNo parent-facing AI feature clearly marketedNone (in planner)AI is in sibling co-op products, not PlanetNoneGenerationNest generates activities; TrailGuide structures sessions; Compass preps lessonsNoneAutomation (auto-shift) is rule-based, not AINoneNoneNoneNo AI marketedNoneNo AI features found
What the AI doesFamily assistant with an agentic tool loop, omnivorous logbook intake, curriculum augmentation, and review digestsUnverifiedNo AI inside the plannerCo-op separately offers an AI curriculum-selection engine + 'Virtua' platformNo AI; traditional record-keeping/gradebook toolTrailGuide SMS assistant turns learning moments into structured sessions; Compass AI lesson prep; Nest AI kid activitiesAll in the Plus tierNo AI feature marketedNo AI featuresNo AI featuresNo AI'Teacher's Aid' is rule-based guidance, not AINo AI features identified
Experience & DesignHow it feels to live in every day — on the couch, on the phone, mid-school-morning.
Mobile appResponsive webWorks in any mobile browser; no native app to downloadNoWeb-first; no native app surfacedYesiOS + Android companion appNoMobile web only; no dedicated appYesiOS + AndroidYesiOS + Android; portfolio/nearby features are app-exclusiveNoResponsive web onlyNoWeb onlyNo dedicated appWeb-based; QR 'Quick Record' for studentsUnverifiedWeb-first; native app not confirmed
Setup effortLow / Medium / HighLowGuided onboarding + auto year-planUnverifiedLow–Medium'Up and running in minutes'; tutorials providedMedium–HighPowerful but data-entry heavyLow'Log school days with a single click'Low–MediumReviews cite ease of useLowSimple, but you enter your own contentLowA full week reportedly set up in <10 minMediumRecord-keeping setup; reviews note simplicityLow'Beautifully simple'; import speeds setup
DesignDated / Functional / ModernModernModernPolished, content-heavy marketing siteModernReviewers call it clean/intuitiveDated–FunctionalLong-running tool; utilitarian UIModern'Calm, all-in-one homeschool operating system' brandingModernApp-first, polished UI per reviewsDated–Functional'Very simple interface'; 2011 productModern–FunctionalReviews praise clean, intuitive designFunctionalUtilitarian record-keeping UIModern'Calming design'; ADHD/neurodivergent-friendly
Multi-ChildRunning more than one student without doing the work more than once.
Multiple studentsYesParent-aware multi-child schedulingYes (claimed)'Manage your entire homeschool, no matter how many children'YesHousehold = unlimitedYesUp to 20 studentsYesFamily-oriented; per-child portfoliosYesPer-student plans/budgets/booksYesPriced per studentYesAll children on one flat planYesFamily Edition covers studentsYesUnlimited students
Shared subjects across studentsYesWhole-family subjectsUnverifiedYesAssign/share a class across studentsYesReuse lesson plans across studentsUnverifiedYesAssign same course/books to multiple childrenUnverifiedNot confirmed in sourcesYesAuto-syncs lessons across children — standout featureUnverifiedPartialAssign categories per student; shared-subject mechanic not confirmed
CommunityFinding other families — safely — for group trips and shared days.
Social / friends layerNoThe in-person HomeSocial layer was retiredPartial'Discover … like-minded families'NoNoPartialStudent check-in/submit-to-parent + 'connect homeschoolers'; chat/messaging listedYes'Panda Connect' social networkNoNoNoCommunity Edition is co-op admin, not a social feedPartialPrivate community membership + student logins
Groups / co-op coordinationComing soonForays — group field-trip coordination, in buildPartial'Discover co-ops'NoMulti-user co-op licenses, but no social groupsNoTeacher/student logins, but no community groupsUnverifiedYesCo-op/event scheduling + connectNoNoPartial'Community Edition' for co-ops/groupsPartialMembers-only community; structured groups not confirmed
Data & PrivacyWhose data it is, and whether it's the product.
You own your dataYesYour records are yours; export anytimeUnverifiedFamily's data; daily backupsSpecifics governed by privacy policyFamily's data; encrypted sessions, daily backupsUnverifiedCOPPA page exists; ownership terms not retrievedEncrypted, user-private256-bit SSL, end-to-end encryptedUnverifiedNo data-ownership statement locatedUnverifiedNo data-ownership statement locatedUnverifiedUnverified
Sells your dataNoUnknownNot statedUnknownNo explicit statement foundUnknownNo explicit statement foundUnknownNot statedNo'No selling of data to 3rd parties'UnknownNot statedUnknownNot statedUnknownNot statedUnknownNot stated
Ad-freeYesYesPaid SaaS; not ad-supportedYesPaid subscription, no adsYesPaid subscription, no adsYes'No feed, no ads, no endless scroll' (kid app)YesExplicitly ad-freeYesPaid subscription, no adsYesPaid subscription, no adsYesPaid subscription, no ads observedYesPaid subscription app; no ads mentioned
Support & OnboardingHow much hand-holding you get when you're new and it's August.
Support channelsEmail + in-app assistantsupport@abouttime.appUnverifiedIn-app tutorials + email/helpPhone not confirmedWeb support / FAQ (email)Phone not confirmedPhone + onlineEmail + socialActive FB; support emailUnverifiedSpecific channels not confirmed; small operatorUnverifiedEmail/web; specific channels not confirmedUnverifiedNot detailed in sourcesCommunity + contact form
Training / docsIn-app guidanceHelp content still being built outYesExtensive learn/guides content libraryYesStep-by-step videos/tutorialsPartialFeatures tour + FAQ/helpYesLive online + video trainingYesVideo tutorials + FAQNo formal training programNo formal training programPartial'Teacher's Aid' next-step guidancePartialFreebies + blog resources
Guided onboardingYesSetup wizard + dashboard checklistUnverifiedPartialTutorials/quick-start, not a wizardNoNo setup wizard surfacedYesGetting-started guide + trainingPartialTutorials/FAQ vs. an in-app guided flowNoSelf-serve, simpleNoSelf-serve; low setupPartialTeacher's Aid guides setup stepsUnverified

Not a competitor — a complement

ESA Rails (ClassWallet / Odyssey / MyScholarShop)

The payment rails About Time complements, not a planner. They move the money; we run the education and the records.

How About Time works alongside the ESA rails →

Every tool here is good at something

We'll tell you where each one is the better pick — and where the difference matters for your family.

Numa School

The closest thing to our vision on paper — and the furthest from it in what's actually built.

About Time vs. Numa School

Homeschool Planet

The most established planner on the market. We're the office built around the planner.

About Time vs. Homeschool Planet

Homeschool Tracker

Two decades of record-keeping depth — without the spreadsheet feel, and with the parts a gradebook was never built for.

About Time vs. Homeschool Tracker

HomeTrail

The other team chasing all-in-one — and the one to take seriously. We go where they stop: your state's law, your ESA dollars, and the depth of the field-trip map.

About Time vs. HomeTrail

Homeschool Panda

A lovely mobile planner with a community attached. We're the system underneath the whole school year.

About Time vs. Homeschool Panda

Scholaric

The simplest planner there is. We're for the family that needs the planner to also handle everything around it.

About Time vs. Scholaric

LessonTrek

Elegant planning for a houseful of kids. We add the half of homeschooling that isn't planning at all.

About Time vs. LessonTrek

My School Year

Kindred spirits on price — they lock it too. We lock a whole platform.

About Time vs. My School Year

Freely

The most beautiful planner we've seen. We're built for the American, state-by-state reality it wasn't.

About Time vs. Freely

One home for the whole year.

$250/year — half off the $499 list price, locked for life. Everything above, in one place.

Get started →

Feature and price comparisons reflect publicly available information as of 2026-06-09. Competitors' offerings change; verify current details on their sites. Product names are used for identification only and imply no affiliation or endorsement.