Different ways to use BestInterest

BestInterest is designed to support both collaborative and independent/parallel co-parenting. While inviting your co-parent to join the app can offer a seamless communication experience, you also have the option to use BestInterest independently for coaching and message review—allowing you to benefit from our AI-powered features on your own.

There are three ways to use BestInterest to support your co-parenting journey:

1. Solo Mode
2. Together Mode
3. Coach Mode

We will outline these different ways of using BestInterest below:

Solo Mode

Using BestInterest Alone

Many parents dealing with a high-conflict relationship choose to use BestInterest Solo Mode, meaning all your messages will be sent to your coparent via SMS. That way, you don’t need your co-parent to agree to use an app or get an expensive court order to do the same. They continue to use SMS like normal. Learn more about Solo Mode

To begin with this method, you’ll need to add your co-parent’s phone number within the BestInterest app:

1. Open the BestInterest App and visit the More > Coparent Connection section.
2. If you see a button to Switch to Solo mode, tap it.
3. Add Your Coparent’s Phone Number: Enter your co-parent’s phone number as prompted and save it.
4. Give your coparent their new number to reach you, as instructed on the screen.
5. If you forget the number, just go to More > Coparent Connection, and either copy and paste this new number and send it to them, or tap “Send Number To Coparent”

Once you’ve added their phone number, BestInterest will communicate with them over SMS. Messages you send will appear as regular text messages on their end, and they won’t know you’re using BestInterest unless you choose to tell them.

Together Mode

Using BestInterest with your Coparent

For a fully integrated experience for your co-parenting family, you can invite your coparent to download BestInterest. In Together Mode, all messages to happen directly within the app over our network rather than via SMS.

1. Open the BestInterest App and visit the More > Coparent Connection section.
2. Tap “Switch to Together Mode” if you see that button.
3. Invite Your Coparent: Simply tell them to download the app from the App Store or Play Store. Give them your Invite code which is shown on the Coparent Connection screen.

Coach Mode

Using BestInterest for Coaching without Direct Messaging

If your coparent isn’t ready to join the app or change to a new SMS number, or you prefer to use BestInterest independently, you still have access to powerful AI tools to help manage your coparenting communication:

• Review a message from your coparent (you can upload a screenshot)
• Review a message you want to send to your coparent
• Ask general parenting or coparenting advice

For more information about the Coaching features of the app, click here.