Comparison
Lina vs AppClose
A factual look at two co-parenting apps built for different situations — pricing, features, and who each one fits best.
AppClose and Lina both help separated parents coordinate the practical side of shared care, but they come from different starting points. AppClose has been around since 2016, built a large user base of more than 2.4 million parents on a fully free plan, and only introduced paid billing in January 2026 — a single monthly tier per parent that includes an AI drafting assistant and court-ready record-keeping. Lina was built more recently, with a narrower toolset, a plan that stays free indefinitely, and one payment that covers both parents instead of per-parent billing. The comparison below covers where they actually differ.
Last updated: July 2026Price for two parents
One Lina+ payment covers both parents. AppClose bills each parent separately.
Free plan
Lina's free plan has no expiry. AppClose dropped its free tier in January 2026.
Languages
Lina is built for European families. AppClose supports English and Spanish.
How they compare
| Feature |  Lina |
AAppClose |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | ||
| Price Advantage Lina | €6.99/mo · €69.99/yr · €129.99 onceOne payment covers both parents | $7.99–8.99/mo per parent≈ $16–18/mo for a two-parent household |
| Free plan Advantage Lina | PermanentLimited to 2 threads and 30 photos | 60-day trialNo permanent free tier since January 2026; free accounts for financial hardship or domestic violence |
| Everyday tools | ||
| Core tools | Messaging, care schedule, shared album, listsPlus child info and basic expense logging | Messaging, calendar, reimbursements, CirclesCircles handle multiple co-parenting relationships |
| Court documentation Advantage AppClose | Thread export on Lina+Not built as a legal record | Certified records and custody templatesPositioned as a court-ready record |
| AI communication tools Advantage AppClose | Not offeredNo AI reads or rewrites your messages | Co-Parent AssistAI drafting and review before messages send |
| Privacy & reach | ||
| Data & privacy Advantage Lina | No ads, no data sharing, GDPR | Standard US privacy policyNo stated no-ads or no-data-sharing commitment |
| Platforms Advantage AppClose | iOS, Android | iOS, Android, web |
| Language support Advantage Lina | 11 languagesIncluding Norwegian, German, French, Spanish, and Polish | English and Spanish |
| Account setup Advantage Lina | One shared pairBoth parents join the same space from the start | Separate account per parentJoined through a shared Circle, billed separately |
AppClose's move from free to paid
For about a decade, AppClose marketed itself as the only completely free co-parenting app, building a user base of more than 2.4 million parents. That changed on January 1, 2026: AppClose now charges $7.99 a month through its website or $8.99 through the app stores, per parent, with no free tier beyond a 60-day trial — though it still grants free accounts to parents facing financial hardship or domestic violence. A two-parent household on AppClose now pays roughly $16–$18 a month combined. Lina's free plan has no expiration date, and Lina+ is priced so one subscription covers both parents, at €6.99 a month or less per year.
Court records and an AI assistant
AppClose leans into legal use with Certified Electronic Business Records and court-friendly custody schedule templates, and recently added Co-Parent Assist, an AI feature that helps draft and review messages before they're sent. Lina supports exporting threads on Lina+ but wasn't built as a legal record, and it has no AI message assistant — its tools for reducing friction are simpler: blurring photos or messages and marking messages as important.
Reach and language differ
AppClose recently added Spanish alongside English, but it remains built primarily around the US market and US family court system. Lina is built for European families and available in 11 languages, including Norwegian, Swedish, German, French, Spanish, and Polish. Families outside the US, or those who want the app in a language other than English or Spanish, will find Lina the wider fit.
Who AppClose fits best
- Families who want an established app with a large existing user base and years of reviews
- Situations that benefit from court-friendly templates and certified electronic records
- Parents managing more than one co-parenting relationship at once, using separate Circles
- English- or Spanish-speaking families, mainly in the US
Who Lina fits best
- Families who want a plan that stays free permanently, not just a 60-day trial
- Families who want one payment to cover both parents instead of per-parent billing
- Parents who prefer messaging to stay between the two of them, without an AI layer drafting or reviewing text
- Families across Europe who want the app in their own language
Common questions
Is AppClose still free?
No, not permanently. AppClose offered a fully free plan for about a decade, but since January 1, 2026 it charges $7.99–$8.99 a month per parent, with only a 60-day free trial — plus free accounts for parents facing financial hardship or domestic violence. Lina has a free plan that stays free indefinitely, with a limited number of threads and photos.
How much does Lina cost compared to AppClose?
Lina+ is €6.99 a month, €69.99 a year, or a one-time €129.99 for lifetime access — one payment covers both parents. AppClose charges each parent separately, $7.99 a month via its website or $8.99 via the app stores, so a two-parent household pays roughly $16–$18 a month combined.
Does AppClose have an AI feature?
Yes. Co-Parent Assist is an AI tool that helps draft and review messages before they're sent, included on AppClose's all-inclusive plan. Lina has no equivalent — its friction-reducing tools are blurring photos or messages and marking messages as important, without any AI reading or rewriting your text.
Is Lina available outside the United States?
Yes. Lina is built for European families and available in 11 languages, including Norwegian, Swedish, German, French, Spanish, and Polish. AppClose supports English and Spanish and is built primarily around the US market.
Do both parents have to pay separately for AppClose?
Yes. Each parent creates and pays for their own AppClose account, joined together through a shared Circle. One Lina+ subscription unlocks the full app for both parents instead.
Can I move from AppClose to Lina?
There's no automated import tool between the two apps. Most families switch by starting fresh in Lina and re-entering the ongoing details — contacts, medical information, and the current care schedule — since AppClose's records aren't designed to transfer out.
Which app has more users?
AppClose is the larger, more established app — it launched in 2016 and has more than 2.4 million users and tens of thousands of five-star reviews. Lina is newer and smaller, with a narrower focus on calm daily coordination rather than AppClose's broader toolset of Circles, reimbursement requests, and court-ready records.
Which app has more features?
AppClose has more built-in tools — Circles for multiple co-parenting relationships, reimbursement request tracking, certified court records, and an AI drafting assistant. Lina is deliberately narrower: messaging, a care schedule, a shared album, and the practical lists most co-parents actually use day to day.
AppClose is a trademark of its respective owner. Lina is an independent product and is not affiliated with or endorsed by AppClose. Pricing and features were checked in July 2026 and may have changed — see appclose.com for current details.
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