First, the word "custody"

Australian family law stopped using "custody" in 1996. Your papers will say parenting orders, a parenting plan, or a written agreement, and they talk about parenting time and parental responsibility.

Parents still search for custody apps, which is why this page uses the word. When you write an entry, though, use the words from your own order. A record that borrows American terms is harder for your lawyer to line up against the document that actually applies.

Pick the app around where your record ends up

In the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia, most evidence arrives as an affidavit, and affidavits have page and annexure limits. An affidavit supporting an interlocutory application is normally capped at 10 pages and five annexures in Division 2, and 25 pages and 10 annexures in Division 1, unless the court gives leave.

So the useful skill is leaving things out. Storing 3,000 screenshots is easy. Choosing the six entries and three files that prove one point is the work, and that is what to test an app on.

Family dispute resolution comes before court

Before you can apply for parenting orders, you usually need a section 60I certificate from an accredited family dispute resolution practitioner. Without one, and without an exemption, the court can reject your application. A certificate lasts 12 months.

Exemptions exist, including for family violence and urgency. Check them rather than assuming.

An FDR session is where a private record earns its keep first. Dates, a pattern of late changeovers, and the receipts behind a disputed expense are more useful than a memory of a bad year.

What a Court Child Expert actually reads

This is where most app reviews mislead people. If the court orders a Child Impact Report, a Court Child Expert interviews each parent and usually meets the children.

The court's own FAQ says you do not need to bring documents to those meetings. The expert reads the material already filed in your case.

So a journal is not something you carry into that room. Its job is earlier: helping your lawyer draft an accurate affidavit, and helping you answer questions about dates without guessing.

Your journal may have to be handed over

The duty of disclosure applies in parenting cases, and the court's own brochure lists a diary among the examples. It covers what is on your phone as well as on paper.

Write every entry as though the other parent and a judge will read it. Stick to what happened, what you saw, and what the attached file shows.

If a case has started, ask your lawyer before deleting anything. Casewell reports also state how many matching records were left out of a selection. So a short export doesn't look like the whole archive.

Posting about your case can be a crime

Section 114Q of the Family Law Act makes it an offence to publish an account of family law proceedings that identifies a party, a witness, or someone connected with them.

A public post can breach that restriction if it identifies someone connected with the proceedings. Keeping a journal private avoids publishing it. But does not make the record legally privileged or immune from disclosure. Ask your lawyer before sharing records.

Casewell — best for a private record your co-parent never has to join

Casewell is designed for a private record when the other parent does not use a shared platform, or when you want your own account of events.

You can log changeovers, parenting time, incidents, communication and child expenses, with files kept in a private vault.

When your lawyer, a mediator or an FDR practitioner needs context, export a PDF filtered by date range, child and category. Review the selection and the report before sharing it.

It costs US$2.99 a week or US$49.99 a year, with a 14-day trial. One payer, because there is no second parent on the account.

OurFamilyWizard — best when a court orders a shared platform

OurFamilyWizard runs a separate Australian site and is designed for both parents to use. Both parents get accounts and message through the platform, with ToneMeter flagging heated wording before it's sent. It adds a shared calendar with time trades, expense tracking and an Info Bank for school and medical details.

Pricing is per parent. Australian plans run from AU$199.99 to AU$399.99 each per year, so two parents on the middle plan is around AU$600 a year between you. If an order names a platform, follow the order and check current pricing with the provider.

The rest, and how they land here

Custody X Change is the other app that works alone. It builds a parenting plan and counts parenting time for you, though its schedules and plan templates are written around American practice.

TalkingParents runs an unalterable message and call record, from US$7 a month. AppClose is a low-cost all-inclusive shared option at US$7.99 a month after a 60-day trial, with free accounts for parents in hardship or fleeing family violence. 2houses bills one household subscription at US$14.17 a month or US$169.99 a year.

Divvito was the Australian-made option, and still appears in local lists. Its own site says it shut down on 22 July 2026.

Western Australia works differently

Western Australia has its own Family Court, with its own rules and forms. The affidavit limits quoted above are federal court rules.

If your case is in WA, check the local limits before you build an export around them. The record-keeping habits are the same either way. Dated entries, the source file attached, and the words your own order uses.

How to choose, in five minutes

If a court order or your lawyer names a platform, use that platform, and keep your own notes somewhere separate where they can't be read or derailed.

Co-operating parents who mainly need calendars and messages can start with AppClose or 2houses. Move up to OurFamilyWizard when a court is involved and both of you will genuinely use it.

When the dispute is about how much time each home had, Custody X Change counts it for you.

When you need your own dated record with the files attached, that's the job Casewell was built for. Start the trial, log a fortnight of changeovers, and export a sample PDF to see whether your lawyer could use it.

What this looks like in Casewell

Casewell keeps the dated entry, the file that supports it and any later addition in one private timeline. Filter by date range, child and category, then export a PDF short enough for a lawyer, an FDR session, or your own preparation.

Try for free
What is the best custody journal app in Australia?

For a private record that works without the other parent, Casewell is built for that purpose and lets you export a filtered PDF for review. If a court has ordered a shared platform, follow that order. OurFamilyWizard publishes AUD pricing per parent. Check any court limits that apply to your affidavit.

Which app works if my co-parent refuses to join?

Casewell and Custody X Change both work on their own. Casewell is a single-parent app by design, with nothing for the other parent to join or see. OurFamilyWizard, TalkingParents, AppClose and 2houses only deliver their core value when both parents take part.

Can I use a journal app instead of family dispute resolution?

No. Before applying for parenting orders you usually need a section 60I certificate from an accredited FDR practitioner, unless an exemption applies. A journal helps you prepare for that session with dates and files rather than memory.

Will the other parent see my journal?

Not in the app. Casewell has no shared account and nothing for anyone else to log into. Court proceedings are separate: the duty of disclosure in a parenting case can extend to a diary. So write every entry expecting it may be read one day.

Is a custody journal accepted by Australian courts?

A court decides what's relevant in each case, and how much weight a record carries. What an app can do is keep entries dated, factual and easy to review, and note when an entry was written and later edited.

Is there an Australian-made co-parenting app?

Divvito was the Australian-made option and still appears in local lists. But its own site says it shut down on 22 July 2026. OurFamilyWizard is the main platform with an Australian site and AUD pricing.

Sources

Australian family law is mostly federal, while Western Australia has its own Family Court. Official sources give orientation only. This page is a documentation guide, not legal advice.

Keep reading

Related Casewell pages

A custody journal app for clear, factual records — for Australian parentsBuild a focused PDF from the records that matter — for Australian parentsCustody journal app features — for Australian parentsCasewell vs shared co-parenting apps — for Australian parentsThe best family court documentation app for Australian parentsCasewell vs TalkingParents — for Australian parents