Key points
- OurFamilyWizard is a shared co-parenting platform that both parents join. FenceChat is a filter one person sets up on their own.
- They do different jobs. Neither is the right answer for every family.
- OFW suits families where both parents will take part and need shared tools. FenceChat suits a client whose other party won’t join, or who needs relief from hostile messages now.
- If orders already name an app, your client must use it.
Many practitioners know OurFamilyWizard well. It is widely used and has published wording for Australian consent orders. FenceChat is newer and works differently. This page sets out the difference plainly so you can recommend whichever fits the client in front of you.
Two different designs
| OurFamilyWizard | FenceChat | |
|---|---|---|
| Who sets it up | Both parents create accounts and use the platform | Only your client. The other party does nothing |
| How messages travel | Inside the platform | Ordinary email and text messages, to a FenceChat address or number |
| What it does about hostility | Gives the writer feedback on tone before they send | Removes hostile wording before your client reads it, keeping the facts |
| Shared tools | Calendar, expenses, information bank, journal | It is a dedicated message filter, with private journal entries and case notes. |
| Who pays | Shared between the parents or paid by one, often as the orders set out | Only your client |
| The record | Kept on the platform and exportable | Original and filtered versions kept, sealed in order; exports can be checked for changes |
| Beyond co-parenting | Built for separated parents | Any conflict: former partners, family, neighbours, business |
The OFW details above come from its published practitioner materials and Australian model order wording. If anything has changed, OFW’s own site is the place to check.
When OurFamilyWizard is the better fit
When both parents will genuinely use it. A shared platform works best when both people take part, and independent Australian research says the same of every app in this category. If both parents are willing and the family wants shared tools such as a calendar, handover schedule or expense tracking, OFW is built for that. FenceChat is a different choice: a dedicated email and SMS filter.
When FenceChat is the better fit
- The other party won’t join. This is the most common reason two-sided apps stall. FenceChat doesn’t need their agreement, an account or a download.
- The hostility arrives by text and email now. FenceChat works on the channels already in use, from the day your client sets it up, without waiting for agreement or orders.
- Your client needs distance, not shared tools. Some clients want fewer touchpoints with the other party, not a shared app. The FenceChat filter as a gateway to their existing inbox and SMS gives them that.
- Cost-sharing would itself become a dispute. Only your client pays, so there is no fee to split or argue about.
- The conflict isn’t about co-parenting. Siblings managing an estate, neighbours, a former business partner or employee: FenceChat is built for any relationship where messages have to keep flowing.
Can they be used together?
Sometimes. A family might use a shared platform for the calendar and expenses while one parent uses FenceChat for the texts and emails that still arrive outside it. What FenceChat can’t do is filter messages inside another platform. And where orders require a particular channel, these stand.
The other party
FenceChat is one-sided, but it isn’t hidden. The first time someone writes to a FenceChat address or number, they receive a one-time notice that messages are processed by AI and stored. They don’t need to do anything, and they aren’t told which words were removed. This notice is part of how we meet privacy law. If your client feels it could put them at risk, they can turn it off.
Frequently asked questions
Is FenceChat an alternative to OurFamilyWizard?
FenceChat was created and engineered in Australia, but it isn’t a copy of OFW. It does a different job: filtering one person’s incoming messages rather than hosting a shared admin platform for both parents.
Can FenceChat be named in consent orders?
FenceChat works with ordinary email and text messages, so a client can use it without it being named anywhere. Whether and how communication is covered in orders is a matter for the parties and their lawyers.
Which is cheaper?
It depends on the plan and on who pays. With FenceChat only your client pays, and the other party pays nothing. Current FenceChat prices are on our pricing page, and clients you refer through your Partner Pack link get an extended 45-day FREE trial.
Does FenceChat have a calendar or expense tracker?
No. FenceChat is a dedicated message filter, and keeps an encrypted record of them.
Who is behind FenceChat, and how are complaints handled?
FenceChat is operated by ROHAJO Pty Ltd t/a FenceChat, an Australian company (ABN 94 699 691 640). We publish our complaints, family violence and payment assistance policies, and we are a member of the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman.