Free to start. One price for the whole family.
Every new family gets 14 days of Plus free, no card needed. After that, keep Plus or carry on free — nothing is ever deleted, and your teens are never shown a price.
Everything you need to start talking, for as long as you like.
- Private messaging between each parent and each teen
- Today's question, check-ins, journals and the cycle tracker
- The full library, and helplines on every screen
- 5 translations and 3 “How will this land?” checks a week each
- 20 coach messages a month each, and one Meet Halfway a month
Every new family gets 14 days of Plus free — no card. One price covers every parent and every teen.
- The translator, as often as you need itTap “what they might mean” under any message, any time. Free families get five a week.
- “How will this land?” before every hard messageCheck a draft as often as you like, and get a version that says the same thing without the fight.
- A coach with no meter runningUnlimited coaching for every parent and every teen in the family.
- Meet Halfway whenever it's neededWork through as many disagreements as come up, not one a month.
- Your Weekly PulseEach Sunday, a private look back at your week with each teen: what went well, what to watch, and one thing to try.
- One price for the whole familyEvery parent, step-parent and teen in your family is covered. Nobody pays twice.
Side by side
| Free | Plus | |
|---|---|---|
| Private messaging for each parent and teen | ✓ | ✓ |
| Today's question, check-ins, journals, cycle tracker | ✓ | ✓ |
| The library and helplines | ✓ | ✓ |
| “What they might mean” translator | 5 a week each | Unlimited |
| “How will this land?” before you send | 3 a week each | Unlimited |
| Coach for each person | 20 messages a month each | Unlimited |
| Meet Halfway | 1 a month | Unlimited |
| Weekly Pulse on each teen | — | ✓ |
| Parents and teens covered | Everyone | Everyone |
Prices in New Zealand dollars. Cancel any time from Your plan; Plus continues to the end of the period you've paid for.
Questions
Is this a way for parents to spy on their teen?+
No — it's built the other way round. A teen's journal, check-ins, cycle log and coach chats are private to them. Parents only ever see messages sent to them, and whatever their teen chooses to share, one thing at a time. The same goes the other way: a parent's private space is private too.
What ages is it for?+
Teenagers roughly 11 to 18, and their parents or caregivers. Parents and teens each get their own version of the library and their own coach, and the coach takes the teen's age into account.
How does the translator work? Is it reading everything?+
When you tap “what they might mean” under a message, the AI reads the recent conversation and anything the sender has chosen to share with you, and offers a careful best guess: the feeling, the need, and something you could say back. It's only shown to you, and the other person isn't told. It never reads anyone's private journal or coach chats.
What if my teen won't use it?+
Common, and fine. When you invite them, The Kitchen Table writes you a short, private guide on how to bring it up with your particular teen — based on what you've told it about them. And the app works for teens on its own terms: their own coach, their own journal, and control over what you see.
Is this therapy or a crisis service?+
No. It's a place to talk and understand each other better, with support that's thoughtful but not professional advice. Every screen has a quiet link to free helplines. If something written sounds like someone might not be safe, the writer is gently shown who can help — nobody is alerted behind their back.
We're separated. Can both parents use it?+
Yes. Invite the other parent — or a step-parent — and each gets their own private thread with each teen. One parent's conversations are never visible to the other.
Do we need to download it from the App Store?+
No. It works in any browser on phone or computer, and you can add it to your home screen in a few taps so it opens like an app and can send notifications. The app walks you through it.
What does it cost?+
It's free to use, with weekly limits on the AI features. Plus is NZ$99 a year or NZ$12.99 a month for the whole family, and every new family gets 14 days of Plus free with no card needed. Teens are never shown prices.
Where is our information kept, and who can read it?+
Everything anyone writes is encrypted before it's stored, and locked to the person or pair it belongs to. It's stored with our database provider in the United States. We don't sell data or show ads. You can delete your account, and everything you wrote, at any time.