Comparison

Parentapps Connect vs Global Explorers

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

Head to head
About

Parentapps Connect

Streamline communication between parents and schools with a comprehensive platform. Easily report absences, manage consent forms, and stay updated on school events and messages. Connect with teachers and receive important notifications directly through the app.

Highlights
  • Absence reporting
  • Electronic consent forms
  • Multiple family member access
  • Calendar and term dates
  • Electronic newsletters
  • Messaging
  • Parents evening booking
Features
Read full description

Parentapps Connect has a whole host of features that will make staying informed about your child’s education easier than ever. Our system was built with the help of feedback from parents and schools and has a variety of useful features to help you engage with your child’s school. Welcome to the future of school communications. Features: • Absence reporting Quickly and easily notify your child’s school of any absences. • Electronic consent forms No more lost forms in the school yard or missed school trips. • Multiple family member access Invite other family members to the app to ensure everyone is up to date. • Calendar and Term Dates Never miss another event! • Electronic Newsletters Stay informed of all that is happening at your child’s school right from within the app. • Messaging Receive important messages regarding your child specifically as well as group messages and whole school notifications. • Parents evening booking system Finding a time to meet with your child’s teacher is easier than ever with Connect’s Parents Evening Booking System Important Information: • Please ensure that push notifications are enabled to receive messages through the app • In order to register and login you must have received an invitation from the school to set up a Parentapps Connect account. • If other members of your family want to login, please ensure their email address and mobile number are also registered with the school. • If you experience any issues, please email support@parentapps.co.uk

About

Global Explorers

Features
Read full description

Welcome to Global Explorers, an app crafted by the imaginative minds of pupils at Ynysowen Primary School in South Wales! Embark on a thrilling journey with our six vibrant characters, each driven by a passion to save our planet. Delve into their inspiring backstories and discover their ingenious plans to make a difference. Explore fascinating locations worldwide, including China, Wales, Brazil, and Egypt, through enchanting descriptions and captivating video animations. Engage with augmented reality scenes meticulously crafted by our young innovators, and marvel at the intricate models they've designed for your exploration. Challenge yourself with "Guess Who?" featuring cards of our imaginative characters, and immerse yourself in Minecraft models of global landmarks, available for download in Minecraft Education. Unleash your creativity as you build upon these virtual worlds. Dive into our blog penned by the children themselves, detailing their incredible journey in creating this app. Be inspired by the art from around the globe and unleash your inner artist. Navigate effortlessly with our interactive map and indulge in a treasure trove of facts and information about diverse cultures and countries, meticulously researched by our pupils. Ready to put your knowledge to the test? Take our quiz and see how much you've learned! Designed by children, for children, Global Explorers is the ultimate educational tool for primary school teachers and parents. Join us in nurturing the next generation of global citizens. Download now and let the adventure begin!

Screenshots

Parentapps Connect4 screens
Global Explorers4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Global Explorers at fortnightly against Parentapps Connect's every 2 months. Parentapps Connect's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Parentapps Connect ships an update every 2 months, Global Explorers fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and October 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Parentapps Connect versus Global Explorers: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterParentapps ConnectGlobal Explorers
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.0 (4 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews35.9% of reviews—
Number of ratings4 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS13.0 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size10 MB3.7 GB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperVenturEd Solutions LLCmartin jones

Bugs and requests

Parentapps Connect

Reported bugs

60 issues
  • App crashes on opening
  • App closes immediately after opening
  • Cannot log in
  • App not finding school
  • Login loop
Show 55 more
  • Swirly whirl of doom
  • Hundreds of unread messages shown
  • Read messages showing as unread
  • Unread notifications after closing app
  • Booking systems never work
  • Reporting absences never works
  • Server error
  • Unable to open messages due to error
  • Key chain doesn't save password
  • Doesn't show account/schools
  • Unsubscribes from school
  • Cannot find school after unsubscribing
  • New families waiting weeks for access
  • Some families still cannot get in
  • Event notifications lack detail
  • Teachers/admins cannot message from mobile
  • Parents cannot access desktop
  • Slow and clunky
  • Regularly forgets school connection
  • Terrible UX
  • Multiple notifications for one item
  • Shows error when opening app
  • Logs out frequently
  • Cannot reset password
  • Forms won't load
  • Takes days to work
  • Logs out when switching schools
  • Update made it worse
  • Crashes when trying to log back in
  • More glitches than normal
  • Not working, shows error on opening
  • Keeps logging out
  • Not accepting password
  • Frozen on login screen
  • Showing 41 notifications when all are read
  • Constant errors with reminders
  • Booking parents evening didn't work
  • Cannot access app at all
  • No longer works after last update
  • Search for school doesn't work
  • Stopped working again
  • Keeps crashing
  • Cannot log on
  • Notifications pop up with high counts then disappear
  • Notification comes through twice
  • App badge shows incorrect unread count
  • App will not find school
  • Cannot open important forms
  • Last update logs out of all schools
  • Update made it stop working
  • Cannot access messages, app shuts down
  • Poor setup, URL import fails
  • Setup not straightforward
  • App crashes after opening (iPhone 6s/XR issues)
  • App incompatible with older iPhones

Requested features

7 requests
  • Ability to delete read messages
  • Print function for newsletters/homework
  • Fingerprint access
  • Flag/favorite messages
  • Option for step-parents
Show 2 more
  • Fix duplicate notifications
  • Fix app badge count

Global Explorers

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Parentapps Connect

No in-app purchases

None

Global Explorers

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Parentapps Connect free?
Parentapps Connect is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Global Explorers free?
Global Explorers is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Parentapps Connect or Global Explorers have ads?
Neither Parentapps Connect nor Global Explorers shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Parentapps Connect or Global Explorers?
Parentapps Connect ships an update every 2 months, and Global Explorers fortnightly. Most recently, Parentapps Connect was updated on September 28, 2026 and Global Explorers on October 3, 2026.

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