Comparison

Access Care Planning vs Care Friends

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Access Care Planning

This app digitizes paper-based processes for organizations, offering mobile solutions that function offline. It allows for easy customization without technical expertise and integrates with existing business systems. The app provides field staff with case access and data capture, while also offering visibility and monitoring for management and self-service for next of kin.

Highlights
  • Forms designer with drag-and-drop interface
  • Efficient forms management and submission
  • Rich data capture (pictures, signatures)
  • Configurable business rules and automation
  • Role-based access control
  • Offline working capability
  • Encrypted data security
Features
Read full description

Formerly Mobizio, now Access Care Planning. Access Care Planning enables organisations to replace their paper processes with mobile solutions that work with or without a network connection. Easy to configure, Access Care Planning can be tailored to specific business needs without requiring any technical knowledge. Access Care Planning integrates with your existing scheduling, rostering, CRM, PAS and finance systems and works with any smartphone or tablet. Who is it for? Access Care Planning is an award-winning solution developed in partnership with our customers to meet the evolving requirements of all stakeholders including: - Department director: ensures service delivery, compliance and audit trail and evidences outcomes - Operations director: gives full field staff visibility, monitoring, time and attendance tracking - Field staff: easy-to-use mobile app with case access, form management, reminders and flexible data capture - Next of kin: gives ability to self-serve and monitor delivered service in real time Features of the app: - Forms designer: With a simple drag and drop interface, forms can be constructed in minutes by non-technical users with Access Care Planning forms designer. - Forms management: Field staff can now manage their form in the most efficient way: scroll, click, scroll, submit - and everything is synchronised! - Rich data capture: Capture rich data such as pictures, bar codes and signatures. And since both mobile and web interfaces are completely in sync, everyone sees the same thing! - Business rules: Set reminders, emails, alerts triggering and data changes automation. As with all features of our software, rules can easily be configured by non-technical users. - Role based access control: Configure which groups of users have view, edit and create permissions on forms and case records. Permissions can be configured easily and deployed instantly. - Offline working: When the device is connected, data is sent back at regular intervals. When offline, all data is stored securely on the device, and uploaded when back online. - Data security: All communication between the user devices and server is over an encrypted channel and data stored on the devices is also encrypted. For more information visit - https://www.theaccessgroup.com/health-social-care/care-management-software/care-planning/

About

Care Friends

Easily share job opportunities in social care and fostering with your network. Earn rewards as your referrals progress through the recruitment process, helping people find meaningful roles and children find loving homes.

Highlights
  • Share job opportunities easily
  • Refer candidates for social care roles
  • Encourage fostering applications
  • Earn points for successful referrals
  • Points convert to cash rewards
  • Connect people with meaningful jobs
Features
Read full description

Care Friends makes it easy, fun and rewarding to share opportunities with your friends, family and wider community. Whether it's recommending someone for a job in social care, or encouraging a friend to consider fostering a child, your referrals can change lives. Every share helps connect people with meaningful roles - and helps children find the loving homes they deserve. Here's how it works: - Share opportunities from your employer or organisation in just a few taps - Earn points as thank yous - points convert into cash - when your candidate reaches milestones in the recruitment process, like home visit, interview, panel or starting in their new roles - Make a difference by helping your organisation find caring people, and by giving children the chance of a safe, supportive family With Care Friends, supporting your organisation and community has never been easier - or more rewarding.

Screenshots

Access Care Planning4 screens
Care Friends4 screens

Verdict

The call

Access Care Planning and Care Friends both sit at 5.0 stars, but that hides the real split: 65% of Care Friends's written reviews are positive against 12% of Access Care Planning's. Care Friends also leads on monetization model (free vs freemium). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Access Care Planning against 5.0 for Care Friends. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 2 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 12% of Access Care Planning's written reviews are positive against 65% of Care Friends's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Access Care Planning ships an update every 5 weeks, Care Friends monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Access Care Planning versus Care Friends: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAccess Care PlanningCare Friends
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings)5.0 (2 ratings)
Positive reviews12.3% of reviews64.7% of reviews — better
Number of ratings22
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeksMonthly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreemiumFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.0 — better15.1
Further details — not scored
Size47 MB103 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAccess UK LtdCare Friends Limited

Customer experience

Access Care Planning

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews73 reviews
Positive12.3%
Neutral21.9%
Negative65.8%

Care Friends

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews17 reviews
Positive64.7%
Neutral5.9%
Negative29.4%

Bugs and requests

Access Care Planning

Reported bugs

54 issues
  • App constantly crashing
  • App lagging
  • Deleting entered care notes
  • Incomplete task reporting
  • Syncing issues
Show 49 more
  • Unable to see calls
  • Slow login/logout
  • 10-15 second wait to confirm sign-in/out
  • App closing by itself
  • Unexpected app crashes
  • Cleared visits and notes
  • Keypad gets in the way
  • Cursor stuck sometimes
  • Cannot update written notes
  • Saved notes cannot be edited further
  • No visits visible
  • Face ID stopped working
  • Cannot log in
  • Location collected immediately upon opening app
  • Blank duplicate forms submitted
  • Always require password even after minimizing app
  • Notes erased after clicking done
  • App playing up, giving same person multiple times
  • Not logged in for work status incorrect
  • Duplicate carer calls shown
  • Old scheduled calls still shown after update
  • Records shown multiple times after sync
  • Cannot open app after update
  • Cannot access employee portal session
  • Cannot book holidays
  • Cannot view pay advice
  • Rotas are wrong
  • Missing clients and information
  • Repeated entries of all reports
  • Sync issues causing reports to reload multiple times
  • App constantly down
  • Takes ages to load tasks
  • App not responsive after iOS update
  • App not syncing calls
  • Lost logged visits and notes after reinstall
  • Syncing only partial calls
  • Cannot see keysafes
  • Planner not showing tasks or visits
  • App crashes upon pin entry
  • GPS keeps popping up
  • Cannot see previous notes
  • Cannot see future assigned appointments
  • Syncing fails every single time
  • Logged out after locking phone, losing work
  • Forms and communication take too long to fill
  • App not working properly
  • Planner doesn't have tasks or visits
  • PIN unlocking is outdated
  • Crashes upon pin entry

Requested features

48 requests
  • Dark mode option
  • Option to end care visit without completing all tasks
  • Allow relatives to leave comments for carers
  • See month in advance work rotas
  • Notifications for schedule changes
Show 43 more
  • Dark theme for better night use
  • Option to end visit without completing all tasks
  • Add dark themes for eyesight
  • Dark mode option for night use
  • Ability for family member to comment on notes
  • Two-way communication between clients and carers
  • Synchronize visits to personal calendar
  • Leave short notes for carers when not scheduled
  • Easier diary format for daily logs
  • Customizable diary sections
  • Hyperlink activities to other app sections
  • Easier tick/cross boxes for activities
  • Add live notifications for changes
  • Reminder sound for logging into visits
  • Improve display of carer visit reports (search by date/keyword, copy/paste)
  • Improve UI for completed vs. uncompleted visits
  • Allow users to choose/reset PIN
  • Allow longer default logout times
  • Notes not disappearing if logged out
  • Use without data or internet
  • Add tasks or visits to planner
  • Reliable touch and facial recognition unlocking
  • Ability for family member to comment on notes
  • Save PIN number for iPhone users
  • Stay logged in longer when changing screens
  • Activity completed screen duration adjustment
  • GPS access only when logging in/out
  • See previous notes on phone
  • See future assigned appointments
  • Improve UI for completed vs. uncompleted visits
  • Allow users to choose/reset PIN
  • Allow longer default logout times
  • Notes not disappearing if logged out
  • Use without data or internet
  • Add tasks or visits to planner
  • Reliable touch and facial recognition unlocking
  • Ability for family member to comment on notes
  • Save PIN number for iPhone users
  • Stay logged in longer when changing screens
  • Activity completed screen duration adjustment
  • GPS access only when logging in/out
  • See previous notes on phone
  • See future assigned appointments

Care Friends

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Access Care Planning

No in-app purchases

None

Care Friends

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Access Care Planning free?
Access Care Planning is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Care Friends free?
Care Friends is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Access Care Planning or Care Friends?
Access Care Planning and Care Friends are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 2 and 2 ratings respectively.
Do Access Care Planning or Care Friends have ads?
Neither Access Care Planning nor Care Friends shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Access Care Planning or Care Friends?
Access Care Planning ships an update every 5 weeks, and Care Friends monthly. Most recently, Access Care Planning was updated on September 23, 2026 and Care Friends on September 19, 2026.

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