CareSync and Hearth represent a newer generation of software built specifically around Children’s Homes and Supported Accommodation rather than adapted from older adult-care systems. Hearth differentiates itself with unusually transparent pricing, no required contract and detailed public documentation of regulatory features. CareSync differentiates itself through a straightforward promise of structured records, collaboration, compliance workflows and evidence. Because both are newer than long-established incumbents, buyers should pay particular attention to product fit, support quality, security maturity and customer references rather than assuming age automatically equals quality.
At a glance
| Area | CareSync | Hearth |
|---|---|---|
| Children’s Home pricing | £61 / £73 / £91 monthly by bed band (1–5, 6–8, 9–12); £23 solo placement | £149 / £199 / £249 monthly by bed band |
| Supported Accommodation pricing | Same published rates as Children’s Homes | £25/place monthly; minimum applies |
| Contract | No setup fees or long-term lock-ins; three-month free trial | No contract required |
| Product scope | Records, collaboration, compliance, evidence | Regulatory records, eMAR, staff, Reg 40/44/45, audit and evidence |
| Security certifications | GDPR and UK-hosted claim | Supplier states certifications are roadmap items; UK infrastructure details published |
Hearth’s biggest strength: transparency
Hearth publishes prices, contract terms and even limitations with unusual openness. Children’s Home pricing is £149, £199 or £249 per month by registered-bed band, excluding VAT, with annual discounts. Supported Accommodation is £25 per place per month with a minimum charge. The site says every plan includes the complete product and unlimited staff, and that there is no required minimum contract. Hearth also states directly that it is an early product with a small customer base and publishes its security roadmap rather than claiming certifications it does not yet hold. For buyers frustrated by opaque pricing, that transparency is valuable.
CareSync’s proposition: clarity without a long public feature catalogue
CareSync also publishes its prices (£23 a month for a solo placement and £61, £73 or £91 a month for homes with 1–5, 6–8 or 9–12 beds, with a three-month free trial and no long-term lock-in), but its website is less granular about statutory feature names. It focuses on digital care records, collaboration, compliance workflows and evidence generation, positioning the product as a way to reduce paper, Word documents and disconnected systems. That can make the proposition easier to understand, but it places more responsibility on the demo to prove depth. Ask CareSync to show how it handles the exact statutory and operational workflows you require rather than assuming they are covered by a broad ‘compliance’ label.
Regulatory workflows and reporting
Hearth publicly names Regulation 40 drafts, Regulation 44 visits, Regulation 45 reviews, Annex A readiness, medication records and full audit trails. CareSync talks more generally about Ofsted expectations and evidence generation. Buyers should distinguish between a named template and a genuinely integrated workflow. A useful demo test is to start with a real incident and follow it through management review, notification, risk-plan change and later reporting. Whichever system maintains the clearest connected trail is more valuable than the one with the longer menu.
Security maturity deserves special attention
Hearth’s security page has publicly stated that Cyber Essentials and ISO 27001 are on its roadmap rather than certifications already held. CareSync states that it is GDPR compliant and UK-hosted but does not, on the main page reviewed, list equivalent formal certifications. For both newer platforms, buyers should ask detailed security questions: data location, encryption, MFA, backups, penetration testing, incident response, subprocessors, audit logging and independent certification plans. This is not a reason to reject a newer supplier, but it is a reason to do more diligence.
Implementation and supplier relationship
Newer suppliers can sometimes offer closer founder or product-team access and adapt quickly to sector feedback. They can also have smaller support teams and less battle-tested migration processes. Ask both CareSync and Hearth for references from services similar to yours, support hours, escalation processes, onboarding timelines and examples of regulatory changes they have implemented. The quality of the supplier relationship often matters as much as the initial feature set.
Who should choose which?
Hearth is especially attractive to buyers who value transparent pricing, no required contract and named Children’s Home regulatory workflows. CareSync is worth considering where you want a simpler product story centred on records, collaboration and evidence and want low published prices with no long-term lock-in. Because both are newer, a structured pilot with real staff is particularly important before a wider rollout.
Questions to ask before you sign
Whichever supplier you prefer, put the commercial and operational assumptions in writing. Ask what the quoted price includes, whether it changes with beds, young people, homes or users, what happens at renewal, and whether any core feature is an add-on. Confirm who migrates historic data, what format you receive if you leave, where data is hosted, whether multi-factor authentication is available, how backups are tested and how support is escalated. Ask for a reference from a provider that resembles your organisation in size and service type. Finally, involve frontline staff in the decision. A system bought only by directors can look excellent in a boardroom and still fail on a night shift.
Editorial note
This comparison is based on information published by the suppliers on their own websites and public materials checked in October 2026. Products, pricing, certifications and contract terms can change. Where a supplier does not publish a figure or feature, this article says so rather than assuming it is absent. CareSync is the publisher of this article, so readers should treat it as a buyer’s guide rather than independent market research and verify all material claims directly with shortlisted suppliers before purchasing.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Hearth cost?
Hearth publishes monthly Children’s Home prices of £149, £199 and £249 by bed band, excluding VAT. Supported Accommodation is £25 per place per month with a minimum charge.
Does Hearth require a long contract?
Hearth states that no contract is required and that customers can cancel monthly.
Is Hearth ISO 27001 certified?
Hearth’s public security information has stated that formal certifications such as Cyber Essentials and ISO 27001 are roadmap items rather than certifications already held.
Which platform has the longer track record?
Both are newer specialist products compared with long-established suppliers such as ClearCare. Buyers should request current references and implementation evidence.
Sources checked
CareSync: https://www.caresync.co.uk/
CareSync pricing: https://caresync.co.uk/pricing
Hearth home: https://www.carehearth.co.uk/
Hearth pricing: https://carehearth.co.uk/pricing
Hearth terms: https://carehearth.co.uk/terms
