Rise of Platonic Co‑Parenting Apps Connects Aspiring Parents Without Romance
The popularity of platonic co‑parenting is climbing fast. More people who are not romantically involved are choosing to raise children together. Two major apps, Modamily and CoParents.com, report huge growth this year. Modamily added about 50,000 new users, moving from 100,000 members in January to roughly 150,000 by August. That is a jump from just 30,000 users in 2020. Founder Ivan Fatovic says roughly 2,000 newcomers sign up each month. CoParents.com saw its membership rise by 25% since the start of the year, reaching around 160,000 users worldwide.
People are drawn to this arrangement for many reasons. Some are friends who want kids but do not want the complications of romance. Others have seen painful divorces and want to protect their future children from similar trauma. Many are busy professionals who cannot devote time to dating, cannot afford solo parenting, or feel their biological clocks are ticking. What unites these families is simple: the adults are not in love and do not have a sexual relationship, yet they share parenting duties as a unit.
The internet has made it easier to find a co‑parent. In the past, people relied on word of mouth or newspaper ads. Now, online platforms connect strangers with similar goals. One notable couple is Zachary Sahuque, 35, and Amanda Lohse, 47, from Texas. They met on Modamily in 2019. Zachary grew up in a chaotic home, while Amanda left a long‑term boyfriend when she turned 40. They quickly set up interviews to discuss their parenting styles and boundaries.
The pair created a list of 'terms and conditions' each had to meet before agreeing to live together as a family. Zachary described testing for deal breakers, saying he laid out his biggest red flags early on. He compared the process to a job interview rather than a romantic date. After confirming they could work together, they bought a 50‑acre ranch. They now live in separate houses on the property, each with matching bedrooms for their two children and a third on the way via IVF. When Zachary travels for work, Amanda stays with the kids most of the time, and he takes over when he is home.