The basics
What is Points & Perks?
A tasks, points and perks app for iPhone and iPad. People earn points for the things they do and save them toward perks they care about. Grown-ups set the tasks, points and perks, and approve every redeem.
Who is it for?
Anyone who wants a simple way to keep track of tasks and reward them, whether you're 4 or 44. Kids, teens and grown-ups can all earn points.
Do I need Apple Reminders?
No. Points & Perks is built to work beautifully with Apple Reminders, but you can add every task right in the app. Many households use both.
Is there a subscription?
No subscription and no ads. Pricing details will be shared when the app launches.
Which devices does it run on?
iPhone and iPad. We'll list the supported iOS and iPadOS versions at launch.
Reminders
How do I set up Reminders for my household?
Give each person their own list, then make a smart list that shows everyone together. Our step-by-step guide, Setting Up Apple Reminders for Points & Perks, walks through it.
Why does it ask for "Full Access" to Reminders?
iOS only offers Full Access to apps that need to notice when a reminder is checked off. Points & Perks only reads and changes the lists you pick. Your other lists stay private.
Can one reminder count for several people?
Reminders can't assign one task to several people. Use a shared House list for "anyone can do it" jobs, and Points & Perks will ask a grown-up who did it. Or add an Anyone task in the app: the first person to check it off gets the points.
Can chores rotate between kids?
Points & Perks leaves rotation to Reminders, which already does it well. Put a repeating reminder in each child's list on alternating days or weeks.
A check-off didn't add points.
Open Points & Perks. Check-offs are picked up when the app opens or comes back to the screen. Also check the list is connected to the right person.
Points, goals and perks
How does redeeming work?
Someone taps a perk and asks to redeem it. It lands in the grown-up Inbox, and points come off only when a grown-up approves. Grown-ups can also redeem a perk for someone directly from the Home screen.
Can a perk be just for certain people?
Yes. Choose who can redeem each perk, or hide a perk entirely. (Yes, grown-ups can have secret perks.)
What's the on-time bonus?
Finish a task before it's due and earn extra points: 15% by default. You can change the percentage.
How do goals work?
Each person can track up to three goals at once and swipe between them. Several goals share one balance, so points keep counting toward all of them.
Are points real money?
No. Points are a household score. If you like, you can let people convert points to dollars at a rate you set. The app keeps track; you handle the money.
Do kids need to send a photo to prove a chore is done?
No, and that's on purpose. Grown-ups glance at History and can tap Reverse if something wasn't really done. Fewer steps, fewer notifications.
What do the faces mean?
If you turn on behavior ratings, a grown-up can mark the day Good, Meh or Bad. Until a grown-up picks, the face stays grey. That's just "not rated yet."
Alerts and extras
Will I get a notification every time a chore is done?
No. We keep alerts to the ones that need you: perk requests and tasks a kid added for review. If you'd like a round-up, you can turn on an optional evening summary.
Can it read tasks aloud?
Yes. Kids who aren't reading yet can tap the speaker. For the most natural voice, download an Enhanced or Premium voice in your device's Settings (search for "Voices").
Is there a Home Screen widget?
A points widget is on the way and will arrive with a future update.
Can we use it on more than one device?
Use it on a shared device, a grown-up's device, or a kid's own device. Syncing one household across several devices through iCloud is in testing.
Privacy and your data
Do I need an account?
No. There's nothing to sign up for.
Where is my data stored?
On your device, in the app's private storage (and in your own iCloud if you share between devices). We don't run a server for the app, and we can't see your data. No ads, no analytics, no tracking.
How do I back up or move to a new device?
In the grown-up area, go to Settings and choose Export a backup. On the new device, choose Replace from a backup. The app also keeps up to 20 automatic backup copies.
I forgot the grown-up PIN.
Recovery steps will be published here before launch.
Still have a question? Visit our Support page. Support contact coming soon.