Complaints

This profile includes complaints for Brightwheel's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see Find Local Branches.

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• 

  Brightwheel

  548 Market St. PMB 95237 San Francisco, CA 94104

• 

  Mother Goose Time, Inc.

  7243 Scotchwood Ln Grawn, MI 49637

• 

  Brightwheel

  535 Mission St San Francisco, CA 94105-2997

• 

  Mother Goose Time, Inc.

  PO Box 225 Interlochen, MI 49643

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/21/2026

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  (4/21, 4/12, 3/29)on these dates this company tried charging my credit card $80. I have had a new card given to me in-between each charge and still they have the new card number. I have tried reaching out to the business to have them help resolve this issue, but right now I can't use my credit card because every 2 days it get locked and changed because of BrightWheel. My credit card company was able to get rid of the charges but this is ridicules. If need be I will contact and attorney to get this resolved.

  Business Response

  Date: 04/30/2026

  We appreciate the opportunity to review and respond to this complaint.
  
  After a thorough investigation, we determined that the charges referenced were the result of fraudulent activity involving one of the schools we provide services for, and a compromised payment method was not associated with authorized use by the complainant.

  As soon as this was identified, we took immediate action to secure the account, remove and block the unauthorized payment methods, and prevent any further misuse. We also contacted the relevant parties involved to ensure the issue was fully addressed.
  
  We can confirm that all disputes received to date have been accepted, and any remaining dispute will be accepted upon receipt to ensure the matter is fully resolved for the cardholder.
  
  We understand how frustrating this experience can be and take matters of payment security very seriously. We encourage the complainant to continue working with their financial institution, which is best positioned to assist with the resolution of any remaining fraud-related concerns.
  
  To additionally clarify, brightwheel is a REMOVEDprovider, and the activity did not occur with brightwheel; it occurred at one of the schools we provide services for. If the complainant has any additional information they would like us to review, we remain available through our support channels.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/30/2026

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID REMOVED, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  REMOVED

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/08/2026

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On February, we paused our subscription and then on March and then now on April we have been continuously been charged for products that we did not want and the company will not call us back. Will not email us back. Were not even messages us back on their connect to a person chat link. Emailed him this morning about canceling service. No response to email on that as well. I can send the documentation for every email if needed. Theres not enough room on your 5 MB upload.

  Business Response

  Date: 04/20/2026

  Thank you for the opportunity to respond to this complaint.

  We take customer concerns seriously and appreciate the chance to clarify what occurred in this situation.
  

  On February 19th, the customer contacted REMOVEDrequesting to pause their subscription. In order to process a pause, our policy requires customers to provide a specific timeframe or restart date, as subscriptions cannot be paused indefinitely. Our team member followed up on this request two additional times, seeking clarification, but we did not receive a response from the customer.
  

  Because the requested pause timeframe was not confirmed, the subscription remained active, and charges continued in March and April in accordance with our standard billing practices.
  

  We also understand the customers concern regarding difficulty reaching support. Our records indicate that the customer attempted to contact us via chat; however, the process to connect with a live support representative was not completed. We recognize this may have contributed to frustration and are continually working to improve accessibility to our support team.
  

  To resolve the matter, the case was escalated to our Customer Retention team. The customer successfully connected with the team on April 13th, at which time the account was fully cancelled per their request. Additionally:
  A refund of $161.97 (one month of service) was issued.
  The customer filed a bank dispute for an additional $161.97 charge, which we have accepted in good faith.
  

  At this time, the account is cancelled, and all appropriate refunds and dispute resolutions have been completed.
  

  We consider this matter resolved and remain committed to providing clear communication and support to all of our customers.

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:03/09/2026

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  We tried to get ahold of our Rep REMOVEDto cancel our subscription. We sent multiple emails in February and even called his number without any response. We could not leave a voicemail since his voice mailbox is full and will not accept more messages. We finally had a meeting assigned with him and denied that we tried to reach him to cancel and then said we did not follow the proper procedures. However we did not know how since we could not get a response for REMOVED. Once he said he would not refund the unauthorized transactions, we informed him we wanted to talk to Supervisor which he hung up on us. Terrible customer service and would not even describe how the unauthorized transactions would be refunded to the families.

  Business Response

  Date: 03/17/2026

  We appreciate the opportunity to respond to this complaint and take concerns regarding communication and service very seriously.
  

  After a thorough review of the account history, we would like to clarify the sequence of events and address the concerns raised:
  
  Our records show that on January 27, a cancellation request was initiated but not completed.
  
  A follow-up meeting was scheduled for January 30; however, when our representative, REMOVED, called at the scheduled time, there was no answer, and a voicemail was left.

  Throughout early February, multiple additional outreach attempts were made by our representative (February 3, 4, 11, 13, 17, and 18), all of which resulted in voicemails due to no answer. On February 5, we successfully connected with the customer and had a REMOVEDconversation regarding their concerns. During that call, the customer expressed dissatisfaction with support options but ultimately agreed to continue service under a revised arrangement of 50% off for three months, along with ongoing support via email. As a result, the account was not canceled at that time.
  
  Following this agreement:

  A confirmation email outlining the updated terms was sent on February 5
  The customer emailed product-related concerns on February 9
  Our representative responded with detailed guidance on February 10
  Additional follow-up calls were made, but were not answered

  After no further response from the customer, the case was closed on February 20 in accordance with the agreed-upon plan.

  On March 9, the customer contacted us via live chat requesting cancellation. Our representative, REMOVED, promptly returned the call the same day and explained the cancellation process. During this interaction, the conversation became difficult due to the use of profanity toward our representative. Despite this, the representative remained professional, continued to provide assistance, and explained the next steps clearly.
  
  As a gesture of goodwill, a 30-day refund was issued in the amount of $49.50 on March 9, even though the account had previously remained active under a mutually agreed-upon discounted arrangement.
  
  Regarding the claims in the complaint:

  We did not ignore communication attempts; multiple calls and responses were made throughout February
  A cancellation was not processed earlier because the customer agreed to continue service on February 5
  The allegation of unauthorized transactions is not accurate, as billing continued under an active subscription agreement
  We do not condone call disconnections; however, we do expect respectful communication toward our staff
  
  We regret that the customer feels dissatisfied with their experience. Our goal is always to provide responsive support and clear communication, and we believe our records demonstrate consistent outreach and good-faith efforts to resolve concerns.
  
  If the customer has any remaining questions, we remain available to assist.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/17/2025

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  We have a subscription that we can not cancel on line. It states we must contact customer service. We have filed 3 separate tickets, no response to fix. Our customer service REMOVEDtried calling our office approx. 3 times, I was in meetings. I called right back and message states "person you are trying to reach is unavailable." Left 2 messages, no response. Sent several emails, no response. Even set an online meeting today using their website, no one showed up for meeting.There is no way to cancel or even change the auto pay online. There is no phone numbers listed to reach their company at all.First request was submitted October 23, simply cancel the subscription. They processed payment on Nov 6. There was plenty of time for them to interrupt services. We want the subscription cancelled immedately and a refund of the $69 they charged us on November 6, 2 weeks after we requested cancellation.

  Business Response

  Date: 12/04/2025

  Thank you for the opportunity to respond to this complaint. We appreciate the chance to clarify the timeline and our efforts to assist the customer.

  Our records show that we received the customers cancellation request on 10/23/2025, related to the account being billed the full subscription price for the 09/06 and 10/06 payments ($69 each). At that time, the customers coupon had expired due to an operational delay at the associated program. To resolve this fairly, we required a response from the customer so that we could either extend the coupon or issue any applicable refund. Unfortunately, we were unable to obtain the information needed to proceed.

  Below is a summary of our documented outreach:

  10/2310/24: Our team attempted to contact the customer multiple times for clarification and next steps.
  10/24: We called three times with no answer.
  10/29: We reached the office gatekeeper but were informed the customer was unavailable.
  10/29: We called three additional times in an effort to connect with the customer; the gatekeeper stated she was busy.
  10/30: The account manager emailed the customer advising that his phone number had changed. We did not receive a response. Later that day, the Account Manager sent an email to REMOVEDagain with no reply.
  11/13: We attempted to call the customer four more times without success.
  11/13: Another representative attempted additional outreach, also with no answer.
  11/14: With no response or ability to connect, the case was closed.
  11/17: The customer scheduled an appointment through our system; however, the meeting did not take place.

  Throughout this period, we made multiple good-faith attempts to communicate and resolve the matter, but we were unable to reach the customer to complete the cancellation process.
  
  That said, in the interest of customer satisfaction, we have taken the following step:
  A refund of $69 for the November subscription payment was issued on 12/4/2025 to the card on file. Please allow 35 business days for the refund to appear, depending on the payment provider.
  
  The subscription has since been canceled, and no further charges will occur.
  
  We take customer concerns seriously, and we remain committed to improving our processes. If the customer requires any additional assistance, we are readily available to help.
  

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/01/2025

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Brightwheel states that they charge a 2.95% convenience fee for credit cards. However, their computed amount is far over that threshold; they take another cut for a fee on top of the fee which is not disclosed and is hidden unless you manually try to figure out the cause for a discrepancy. This is unusual and unethical and any attempts to correct this have been met with no response. I request the state regulators to investigate this attempt at misleading customers at point of sale with computation of a higher fee than mentioned when checking out.

  Business Response

  Date: 11/21/2025

  Thank you for the opportunity to respond to this complaint.
  
  Brightwheel is a platform many childcare providers use to help families make tuition and fee payments. When a provider enables online payments through our platform, a standard service fee is added for using our billing platform. In the standard payment flow within the brightwheel app, the service fee appears as a specific dollar amount before the payer authorizes the charge.
  
  In reviewing this concern, we confirmed that the exact fee amount charged was accurately shown to the payer prior to submitting the payment. The total dollar amount including the service fee was visible before they tapped to complete the transaction. However, we understand how describing the fee as 2.95% could be confusing because the underlying service calculation can result in a slightly higher total amount than a simple 2.95% multiplication. While the amount displayed was accurate, we understand how the description of it may have been unclear.
  
  Although questions about this calculation are uncommon, we appreciate this being brought to our attention, and we regret any confusion or disappointment experienced. As a gesture of goodwill, we have refunded the small difference the payer identified. In addition, we are reviewing our language and payment flow to ensure our service fee disclosure is even clearer going forward.
  
  Brightwheel is committed to clear communication and a positive experience for both families and childcare providers, and we appreciate the chance to address and resolve this concern.
  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 11/21/2025

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID REMOVED, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Rohit Sud

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/29/2025

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On 9/12/2025 I placed an order with experience curriculum for $273.25. I never received the product. I spoke with someone named Bri on the phone, let her know I have not received the curriculum and she said she would look into it and then just ignored me. I have tried to contact this company to receive a refund and they give me the run around through a chat bot, and don't answer my emails. It is now too late for me to implement this curriculum and the time wasted with this unresponsive company has been stressful. I need help get my money back. I am attaching the initial email and proof of payment, both of which occurred on 9/12/2025. Today is 9/29 and there has been no attempt from this company to resolve my problem.

  Business Response

  Date: 10/16/2025

  We would like to sincerely apologize for the frustration Ms. REMOVEDexperienced in the attempts to resolve this matter. We appreciate the opportunity to respond and provide clarification regarding her order and the steps taken by our team.

  According to our records, Ms. REMOVEDpurchased our physical goods curriculum box on September 12, 2025. As part of this subscription, customers receive a complimentary digital curriculum, which is uploaded to their brightwheel account. Ms. REMOVEDphysical goods box was processed and shipped, with delivery confirmed via tracking on September 13, 2025.

  At the time of her outreach on September 25, 2025, it appears the digital curriculum had not yet been uploaded to her brightwheel account. On that date, Ms. REMOVEDcontacted our support team to cancel her order and request a refund. In response, our Customer Account Specialist team made several attempts to connect by phone to resolve the issue, including:
  

  Two call attempts on September 25
  Two call attempts on September 26
  Five call attempts on September 30

  
  While we were unable to establish direct contact, we proceeded in good faith to resolve the matter. On October 1, 2025, a full refund was processed for the original purchase in the amount of $273.25, as well as a refund for a prepaid November order in the amount of $113.01.

  We consider this matter resolved. If Ms. REMOVEDor any other party has additional questions, they are welcome to reach out to our Support team via live chat, (accessible through both our website and mobile application) or by emailing us at REMOVED.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/17/2025

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID REMOVED, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  REMOVED

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/18/2025

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Incorrect 1099-K Income Reporting and Failure to Resolve Issue I am filing this complaint against Brightwheel due to their failure to correct errors in my 2024 1099-K form, which has resulted in misreported income. Despite reaching out multiple times over the past three weeks, Brightwheel has refused to acknowledge the errors or provide a resolution.1. Two refunds I issued to customers were not recorded. These refunds were processed through Brightwheel, yet my income was not adjusted accordingly.2. One refund was incorrectly added to my total instead of being subtracted. This has inflated my reported income beyond what I actually received.3. Processing fees paid by my customers were incorrectly recorded as my income. These fees were never part of my earnings since we select the option for the customers to absorb the processing fees yet Brightwheel has included them in my taxable income, which is incorrect.I have bank statements, transaction records, and clear evidence proving these discrepancies. However, Brightwheel support insists the numbers are correct without offering a thorough manual review. I asked to escalate my case to a senior representative or accounting team. Honestly, she has been sending me links and info but does not answer my questions directly. This issue is affecting my tax filing and could result in financial penalties if not corrected. I am seeking an immediate correction of my 1099-K form to reflect my actual earnings. If Brightwheel continues to ignore this issue, I will escalate the matter to the REMOVEDfor incorrect tax reporting.I hope Brightwheel will take this matter seriously and correct their reporting mistake immediately.

  Business Response

  Date: 03/07/2025

  We would like to sincerely apologize for any confusion Ms. REMOVEDexperienced with her 2024 1099K tax filing. Per IRS Section 6050W, 2024 1099-K forms request the gross amount of payment transactions (box 1a). Because processing fees are included in payment amounts, according to REMOVEDguidelines, processing fees should and were correctly reported on the 1099-K. 

  
  On February 19, 2025, the Payment Operations Manager spoke with Ms. REMOVEDTogether, the Manager and Ms. REMOVEDopened an itemized report from the payment processor that matched the 1099K filing amount and gross payments. Ms. REMOVEDhad further questions as to how refunds were recorded on brightwheels customized report. Specifically, refunds were not showing as subtractions to the gross payments in the months the refunds were processed. The Manager explained that the exclusions of refunds on the report were intentional but would pass her feedback onto our Product team for potential future enhancements. 

  
  We would like to reiterate that different reports are designed to answer different questions. The Payments & Credits Report (off which year-end tax statements are generated) is designed to answer questions on total payments and payment status, so it's net amount (i.e, payments that were later refunded are shown at $0.00 and marked as refunded). 

  
  Based on the fact there was no more correspondence from Ms. REMOVEDafter the Manager spoke with her on February 19, we consider this matter fully resolved. If Ms. REMOVEDor anyone else has further questions or concerns, we encourage them to contact our Support team via live chat (available through both the web and app) or by emailing us at REMOVED

  
  Thank you for your understanding, and we appreciate your continued trust in brightwheel.

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/25/2024

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I started a subscription to utilize Brightwheel service, however Ive seen discovered that it doesnt work for my business because I am contracted with a third party. Upon discovering this, I requested a cancellation in Brughteheels website, I called, texted and emailed and they refuse to cancel my membership. They have charged my card two months and I have not been using their services.

  Business Response

  Date: 12/05/2024

  We would like to sincerely apologize for the difficulties Ms. REMOVEDencountered in her attempts to contact brightwheel and resolve issues related to her account.

  Our records show that Ms. REMOVEDenrolled in our Premium subscription on May 24, 2024. As per the subscription terms, Ms. REMOVEDwas billed on the 24th of each month. On October 24, 2024, at 12:52 PM EST, the subscription fee was processed as scheduled. After the fee was charged, Ms. REMOVEDcontacted us via live chat later that same day, requesting to cancel the subscription. During the live chat, our team informed her that a representative would follow up within 1-2 business days.

  As outlined in our Terms of Service, cancellations of auto-renewal must be made at least 30 days prior to the renewal date. Subscriptions are non-refundable. Unfortunately, because Ms. REMOVEDrequested cancellation after the auto-renewal charge for the next period had already been processed, the cancellation could not be immediately actioned. However, we made several attempts to reach Ms. REMOVEDand provide assistance, including:

  - October 25, 2024: Phone call attempt
  - October 29, 2024: Email sent
  - October 30, 2024: Email sent
  - November 1, 2024: Phone call attempt
  - November 5, 2024: Phone call attempt
  - November 12, 2024: Phone call attempt
  - November 14, 2024: Email sent
  - November 14, 2024: A successful phone call connected, during which Ms. REMOVEDrequested cancellation and the conversation ended.

  On November 25, 2024, approximately 30 days after Ms. REMOVEDinitial cancellation request, her subscription was officially canceled. In recognition of her timely request, a refund of $54.44 was processed on November 27, 2024.

  We consider this matter fully resolved. If Ms. REMOVEDor anyone else has further questions or concerns, we encourage them to contact our Support team via live chat (available through both the web and app) or by emailing us at REMOVED.

  Thank you for your attention to this matter, and again, we apologize for any inconvenience this situation may have caused.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/18/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  We had problems with our preschool director of the school we own. She has locked us out of brightwheel. She is no longer employed by us. We need to log into brightwheel to take over preschool. Brightwheel has no way to contact them. It is terrible and there is nothing we can do.

  Business Response

  Date: 11/22/2024

  We would like to sincerely apologize for the difficulties Ms. REMOVEDencountered in her attempts to contact brightwheel and resolve issues related to her account.

  Our records indicate that Ms. REMOVEDand REMOVEDreported fraud on their brightwheel account on October 18, 2024. Unfortunately, the malicious actor responsible for this activity was able to lock the account, preventing the legitimate account owners from accessing it. During this time, the bad actor also contacted our support team, claiming the account had been hacked and requesting that no one be allowed access to it.

  In response, our Payment Operations team took the necessary precautions and reached out to both Ms. REMOVEDand REMOVEDto verify the requested changes and ensure the security of the account. After conducting a thorough review, our Payment Operations Specialist was able to successfully resolve the issue on October 21, 2024.

  To ensure future ease of communication, we provided Ms. REMOVEDwith a direct email address to reach a PayOps Specialist at any time. Additionally, she can always contact brightwheel via live chat (available through both the web and app) or by emailing our Support team at REMOVED.

  We consider this matter fully resolved and closed. Should you have any further questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to us using any of the contact methods provided.
  Thank you for your attention to this matter, and again, we apologize for any inconvenience this situation may have caused.