#1 childcare software
Access to funding,
built for childcare providers
Access to funding,
built for childcare providers
Brightwheel Capital gives eligible programs access to fast, flexible funding.
Trusted by millions of educators and families
Financing that moves as fast as your program does
Apply in a few clicks
Eligibility is based on your program’s payment volume and history in brightwheel, not a stack of forms.
Funds in as soon as 2 business days, if approved
Skip the wait for a financing decision. If approved, capital is deposited directly into your bank account.
Pay automatically as tuition comes in*
Payments are a fixed percentage of your incoming tuition, so you pay more when it’s busy and less when it’s slow.
All-in-one childcare platform
Manage financing alongside billing and payments, messaging, admissions, and more—all in the same place.
Apply in a few clicks
Eligibility is based on your program’s payment volume and history in brightwheel, not a stack of forms.
Funds in as soon as 2 business days, if approved
Skip the wait for a financing decision. If approved, capital is deposited directly into your bank account.
Pay automatically as tuition comes in*
Payments are a fixed percentage of your incoming tuition, so you pay more when it’s busy and less when it’s slow.
All-in-one childcare platform
Manage financing alongside billing and payments, messaging, admissions, and more—all in the same place.
What will you do with your funding?
Flexible capital gives you more ways to invest in your program.
Bridge tuition gaps
Cover rent, utilities, and payroll during low-enrollment months or summer breaks.
Classroom purchases
Invest in whiteboards, projectors, music instruments, and learning materials.
Staff hiring
Hire ahead of enrollment to be ready when new families arrive.
Launch new programs
Fund summer camps, enrichment programs, and more without dipping into reserves.
Upgrade facilities
Renovate kitchens, bathrooms, HVAC, or outdoor play spaces to improve your program.
How it works
The numbers below use a $20,000 offer as an illustration. Your actual amount may vary.
Get access to funding fast
Apply in minutes. If your application is approved, funds are deposited into your account in as soon as 2 business days.
Pay one fixed fee over time
The total financing amount is the financing amount plus one fixed fee, paid over time through your tuition payments. There is no compounding interest, early payment fee, or late fee.
Pay automatically through tuition payments in brightwheel
A percentage of each incoming payment is deducted until the total financing amount is paid, so you pay faster when business is busy and less if things slow down. There is a minimum amount due each payment period — if your tuition payments don't cover it, the remainder is automatically deducted from your bank account.
See what running things manually is actually costing you
Time, paperwork & printing, and late payments add up fast. See what it’s costing you — and how much you could save.
Based on typical center operations — adjust inputs to personalize.
See how much you could save with a digital solution
Here’s where your time and money are going every month — and what switching to brightwheel puts back in your hands.
Estimates reflect separate, non-overlapping tasks.
Estimated monthly savings = time on admin tasks × hourly rate + paper costs. Late payment cash flow is shown separately.
Check-in/out: (children × 1.25 min × 2 directions × 22 days) / 60.
Late payment follow-up: late families × billing mins / 60 (Cash/check: 15 min, Mix: 10 min, Venmo: 7 min).
Forms & admin: ((15 min/day) + (2 min/day × staff) + (1 min × children)) / 60, capped at 80 hrs/month.
Paper cost: children × $3/month. Annual savings = monthly × 12.
Subscription cost is excluded from this estimate.
Frequently asked questions about brightwheel Capital
Eligibility is based on a number of factors, including your program’s transaction volume and history with brightwheel. Once you’re a brightwheel customer processing payments through the platform, your account is automatically reviewed — no separate application needed.
Each offer outlines the financing amount, a flat fee (no other fees, no compounding interest), the total amount owed, and a payment rate — the percentage of your daily brightwheel card transactions withheld to pay your balance.
Yes. If eligible, you’ll receive personalized offers and can choose the one that works best for your business.
If approved, funds are typically deposited into your bank account in as soon as one to two business days, along with your usual payout.
You automatically pay your financing through a percentage of your daily card transactions, based on your payment rate. Payments typically begin one to two business days after funds are deposited. The more transactions you process through brightwheel, the faster you pay it down.
When business slows down, your automatic payments adjust accordingly. That said, brightwheel Capital loans have a minimum amount due each payment period — if what’s withheld doesn’t meet that minimum, your bank account will be automatically debited for the remaining amount at the end of the period.
Yes. You can pay your total amount owed in full at any time, with no additional fees for paying early.
Each offer includes a flat fee in exchange for the financing amount. There are no other fees and no compounding interest. Your total amount owed is the financing amount plus the flat fee, and that total doesn’t change.
No. There are no additional fees for early or manual payments.
Brightwheel is designed with you in mind
Administrators & directors
Manage enrollment, billing, payroll, communication, and business from the brightwheel app.
Teachers & staff
Easily manage daily tasks, from check-in and activities, to messaging with families.
Parents & guardians
Stay connected to your child's learning with messaging and easily set up online payments.
Explore the latest resources about ECE financial management
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Tour the easiest all-in-one childcare and preschool app
Stripe Capital offers financing types that include loans and merchant cash advances. All financing applications are subject to review prior to approval. In the US, Stripe Capital loans are issued by Celtic Bank, and YouLend provides Stripe Capital merchant cash advances. See your Dashboard for the terms of your offer.
*Stripe Capital loans have a minimum amount due each payment period, and if the minimum amount that you pay through sales doesn't meet the minimum your account will be automatically debited the remaining amount at the end of the period. If your loan has a fixed payment, Stripe stops withholding from your Stripe sales when you meet the fixed payment amount. The payment terms for your offer will be detailed during the application process.
