Lillio — the Canadian platform long known as HiMama — built its reputation on daily reports and developmental documentation. It remains a popular choice, especially for programs that lead with learning stories.
Pricing
Lillio prices by quote, generally per classroom or centre with feature tiers; owners commonly report $100–$300+/month for centres. Like most of the category, expect a demo call before you see your number, and verify current pricing directly.
Setup
- Demo → quote → onboarding with their team.
- Configure classrooms, import children, set report templates.
- Parents download the app; staff learn the documentation flow.
Strengths and trade-offs
Strengths: excellent daily documentation and child development focus, Canadian roots. Trade-offs owners mention: cost at small-centre scale, feature tiers gating things like advanced reports, and the standard big-platform pattern — your program's data lives inside their ecosystem and pricing.
Lillio (HiMama) vs Mitten at a glance
| Lillio (HiMama) | Mitten | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Quote-based per classroom/centre; commonly reported around $100–$300+/mo (verify with the vendor — pricing changes) | Free ≤5 children, then $20/mo + $2/child (e.g. 20 kids ≈ $48/mo) |
| Setup | Sales call / demo, onboarding sessions | Self-serve — live in minutes, no call required |
| Tuition payments | Often takes a processing cut | 0% platform cut |
| Payroll prep | Varies / add-on | Included — hours → gross pay + stubs |
| AI daily notes & recaps | Varies / premium | Included free |
| Your data | Stored on the vendor's terms | Never sold or shared; full export anytime; Canadian-built |
| App store | Parents download an app | No download — installs to the home screen |
Run your daycare on Mitten — free to start
Switching is free — we migrate your roster from Lillio (HiMama), parents join via a link (no app-store download), and you're live in an afternoon.
Start free — no card needed → See the live demoFrequently asked questions
- How much does Lillio (HiMama) cost?
- Quote-based per classroom/centre; commonly reported around $100–$300+/mo. Pricing is quote-based and changes — always confirm with the vendor. For comparison, Mitten publishes its pricing: free up to 5 children, then $20/mo + $2 per child.
- Is there a cheaper alternative to Lillio (HiMama)?
- Mitten is typically a fraction of the cost — free for your first 5 children, then $20/mo + $2/child, with payroll prep and AI notes included and no payment-processing cut on tuition.