Guide — Ireland

How to switch from OurFamilyWizard to Beacon (without losing your records)

By the Beacon Parenting team · Updated August 2026

Are you tired of paying €100 to €250 per parent, every single year, just to arrange pick-ups, track expenses and communicate about your children? Switching to Beacon is simple and free — every everyday tool is free with no subscription; the only paid item is the optional one-off Court-Ready Record download — and it protects your documentation. You do not have to give up your past records to stop paying subscription fees. Here is exactly how to safely close your OurFamilyWizard account and move your family record to Beacon.

Step 1: Download your historical records

Before cancelling your subscription, make sure you preserve every historical interaction. OurFamilyWizard lets you download PDF reports of your activity:

  • Log in to your account via a web browser (desktop is easiest).
  • Use the reports / download feature in each section — messages, expenses and calendar — to save PDF records of your complete history. (PDF downloads are included on their Essentials plan and above; check what your plan includes before you cancel.)
  • If you need a certified business-records affidavit for court, request it from OurFamilyWizard before closing your account — it is a separate request.

Tip: keep these files saved securely on your phone or computer. They remain a valid record of what happened even after you close your account — whether a particular document is admitted in court is always a matter for the judge and your solicitor.

Step 2: Set up your free Beacon profile

Create your new co-parenting hub in under two minutes, without ever pulling out a credit card:

  • Go to app.beaconparenting.ie or open the Beacon app on your phone.
  • Create your account.
  • Start solo, or invite your co-parent straight away.

The Beacon advantage: if your co-parent takes time to join, your side of the record stays active, tamper-proof and completely free. Your record starts building right away.

Paying for an app your co-parent stopped using?

This is one of the most common frustrations with per-parent subscriptions: both parents sign up, then one drifts away — and the parent who stays is left paying a full annual subscription for an app the other parent never opens. You cannot get a co-parenting record out of a tool only one of you is paying attention to, but you keep paying for it all the same.

With Beacon that problem simply cannot happen. There is no subscription for either parent, so nobody is ever left carrying the cost alone. And if your co-parent goes quiet, your own entries — handovers, expenses, incidents, documents — still build a dated, tamper-proof record of your side, at no cost, for as long as you need it.

Step 3: Inform your legal team or mediator

Let your solicitor or family law professional know you are moving to an Irish-built platform:

  • Give them your new Beacon export format when needed.
  • Beacon's records are designed for the Irish family court system, and communication is overseen by real, local professionals — not just automated text filters.

Step 4: Cancel your subscription & save

Stop the recurring billing cycle before your next renewal date:

  • Go to your billing settings on your old provider's platform.
  • Turn off auto-renew, or cancel the account.

Enjoy €0 co-parenting tools, forever — every everyday tool in Beacon is free, with no subscription. The only paid items are optional one-off extras like the Court-Ready Record download (prices shown in the app). Keep that money where it belongs — spent on your children, not on basic communication software.

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Keep your exported records safe and talk to your solicitor about how best to use them in any proceedings.