Built by a family, for families.

Why OurDot exists

Kids want to share their lives with the people they love. Grandparents want to see the castle and hear the joke. But most social apps are built for adults and paid for by ads, so they're designed to keep everyone scrolling, comparing and clicking.

OurDot keeps the good part, staying close and sharing everyday life, and leaves out the rest. Every feature starts with what the research says helps people of every age, and what harms them. Where the evidence is strong, we say so. Where it's mixed, we say that too.

Who makes it

OurDot is made by MadCap Associates LLC and founded by Taraya Voelker, who has spent her career building small businesses and the systems behind them. It's tested first by our own families, and every note they send through the 💬 button is read before anything changes.

How we write this website

Our pages are researched and drafted with help from AI tools, then checked line by line against the sources linked on each page. We say how strong the evidence is, show where experts disagree, and describe what OurDot does rather than promising outcomes no app can guarantee. Spot a mistake? Email info@ourdot.app and we'll fix it and note the date.

How OurDot stays free

The plan is for OurDot to become a nonprofit that stays free for every family, funded by an opt-in marketplace that never shows ads to anyone under 18. Until then, it's free, with no ads, no in-app purchases and no data selling.