Question 1

We're too small for this.

Accepted Answer

There's no minimum. If you have 1 employee who's a parent, they can use Upwards. Pay-as-you-go pricing means you only pay for the seats you need — and you can cancel anytime.

Question 2

What if nobody uses it?

Accepted Answer

Companies that pair Upwards with a care stipend (even $50/mo) see 35% opt-in rates in the first 90 days. We provide turnkey launch communications to drive awareness from day one.

Question 3

We already have an EAP.

Accepted Answer

EAPs average 3–5% utilization. Upwards achieves an 85% match rate because we don't hand employees a phone number — we connect them with a confirmed provider. It's the difference between a referral line and a concierge.

Question 4

Is this just for child care?

Accepted Answer

No. The same navigator handles child care, elder care, and backup care. If your employee needs to find a memory care facility for a parent or emergency overnight care for a toddler, one person handles it all.

Question 5

How do I justify this to my CFO?

Accepted Answer

Three ways: (1) The Section 45F tax credit can return up to $600K/yr for eligible small businesses. (2) Retaining just one employee who would have quit pays for 5+ years of Upwards. (3) Subsidy Connect finds $200–500/mo in government assistance per family — money your employees are leaving on the table.

Question 6

What about Bright Horizons or Care.com?

Accepted Answer

Bright Horizons is center-based, 9-to-5, and charges $350–$425 per backup care credit. Care.com is a self-serve directory with no vetting, no support, and no concierge. Upwards covers nights, weekends, overnights, and rural areas through our proprietary home daycare network — starting at $12.95/seat/mo — with a dedicated care team that does the work for your employees. Different model entirely.

Care benefits for SMBswith nurses,warehouse workers,and shift employees.