PointUp

Overview

PointUp makes most sense for families who want children to take an active role in household routines, with a parent still checking completed work. Its quest-and-reward approach gives chores a clear incentive, but the free plan’s small household and quest caps may make Pro necessary as a family grows.

Key features

Approval and rewards

Children earn XP and Gold for completing assigned chores, but a parent must approve each submission before the reward is paid. That oversight suits families who want to verify work, though it also means chores do not run on child submissions alone. Children spend Gold in a reward store populated by their parents, so families can tie incentives to rewards they choose.

Proof and routine support

Photo proof can be one-tap, optional or required. That flexibility lets parents set a lighter process for straightforward tasks and require evidence when it matters. Recurring chores, deadlines, reminders, completion tracking and progress history support ongoing routines; Google Calendar and Apple Calendar sync can put quest deadlines alongside other commitments.

For neurodiverse children, Focus Mode, Calm Mode, visual timers and step-by-step task breakdowns provide more structure around tasks. PointUp is aimed at ages 4 to 16, a broad range that makes its configurable approach more useful than a single fixed routine.

Pricing

The Free plan costs nothing and allows up to 5 active quests and 3 family members. It includes a basic reward store, photo proof, achievement badges, quest templates, recurring quests, family analytics and calendar sync. That is enough to establish a small household routine, but five active quests can constrain families managing chores for several children at once.

Pro costs $3.99 a month and includes unlimited quests and family members, full reward customization, 50+ quest templates, recurring quests, deadlines, family analytics and stats, custom themes, calendar sync and Team Quests. It is the more practical choice once the free caps become restrictive, or when a family wants broader customization and templates.

Pro has a 7-day free trial; families referred by an existing user can receive a 14-day trial. Subscribers can cancel any time from the app. The lower-cost route is the free plan, but it trades away unlimited capacity, full reward customization, the larger template library, custom themes and Team Quests.

Platforms

PointUp is available on iOS, Android, Amazon Appstore for Fire tablets and the web, with family data syncing across devices. That mix suits households using different devices, including Fire tablets for children.

Who it's for

PointUp is a good fit for parents who want chores to feel like child-facing goals rather than a plain task list, and who are comfortable approving submissions before rewards are released. Its adjustable proof settings and structured-task features also suit families that need different levels of guidance. Households that want a larger free allowance or no approval step should compare other chore apps before committing to Pro.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Parent approval keeps rewards tied to reviewed completions, while configurable photo proof gives families control over verification.
• Pros: Focus and task-breakdown tools, plus calendar sync, cover both child support and household scheduling.
• Cons: The free plan is limited to 5 active quests and 3 family members, which can be tight for a larger or busier household.
• Cons: The approval workflow requires parent involvement each time a quest is completed.

Alternatives

For a broader shortlist, see Chore Apps. Homsy is another freemium option on Android, iOS and web; its free plan is for a household of two. Family Fair Play offers a free-forever First Look plan with 20 tasks and 4 household members, and has no free trial.

Chap is available on Android, iOS, macOS and web, with unlimited places and members in its free plan. Schedgy is an Android and iOS option whose free Standard plan is for two-member households and includes recurring tasks. BeTidy offers a free Basic plan with unlimited rooms and tasks, recurring tasks and task history on Android and iOS.

Flatastic has a free Basic app that may show ads, plus a Premium for one plan at $1.99 a month for one user, without advertising and with premium features. ChoreKeep offers a free plan for one household with unlimited rooms and one-off and repeating chores. Tody is another freemium option for iOS and Android.

Verdict

Choose PointUp if you want children to earn family-defined rewards for chores and value parent approval, adjustable proof and built-in structure for task completion. Its main trade-off is the free plan’s low capacity; families who need more than five active quests or three members will need Pro, while those seeking less parent involvement should look elsewhere.