Points & Perks works great on its own: you can add every task right in the app. But if your household already lives in Apple Reminders (or you'd like to), a little setup makes everything click. After a lot of real-world testing, this is the setup we recommend.
The short version: Give each person their own Reminders list. Then make one smart list in Reminders that shows them all together. Connect each person's list to that person in Points & Perks. When someone checks off a reminder, their points show up.
Why one list per person?
Reminders can't assign one task to several people, and a single shared list makes it hard to tell who did what. One list per person keeps it simple:
- Everyone sees only their own jobs in their list, and Points & Perks knows exactly whose points a check-off belongs to.
- Grown-ups still see the big picture in one place, thanks to the smart list.
- Your other lists stay private. Points & Perks only reads and changes the lists you pick.
What it looks like in Reminders
Before you start
- Use an iPhone or iPad with a recent version of iOS or iPadOS.
- Turn on Reminders in iCloud (Settings → your name → iCloud → Reminders). Smart lists and tags only work with iCloud reminders.
- Make the lists in the Apple Account that's signed in on the device running Points & Perks (for example, the shared household iPad or a grown-up's phone).
Step 1: Make a list for each person
- Open Reminders and tap Add List (bottom corner).
- Name it after the person: Maya, Leo, Ivy. Grown-ups who earn points get a list too.
- Tip: pick the same color you'll give that person in Points & Perks, so everything matches at a glance.
- Tap Done. Repeat for each person.
Optional: a "House" list for jobs anyone can grab (unload the dishwasher, sweep the porch). See "Jobs anyone can do" below.
Step 2: Make a smart list that shows everyone together
- In Reminders, tap Add List again and name it something like Everyone or Our House.
- Tap List Type (or Make into Smart List, depending on your iOS version) and choose Smart List.
- Tap Edit Filters and choose Lists, then pick each person's list (and the House list, if you made one).
- Tap Done. The smart list now updates by itself whenever anyone adds or finishes a task.
Don't see a Lists filter? Some iOS versions only offer filters like tags, dates and flags. In that case, make a list group instead: tap ⋯ → Edit Lists, tap the new-group button, name it Everyone, tap Include, and add each person's list. A group shows all its lists together on one screen, just like a smart list.
You don't connect the smart list to Points & Perks. It's your "everyone at a glance" view in Reminders. Points come from each person's own list.
Step 3: Connect the lists in Points & Perks
- In Points & Perks, open the grown-up area (enter your PIN), then Settings → Reminders. (New households see this step in the setup wizard.)
- Tap Allow when asked for Reminders access. iOS calls this "Full Access" because the app needs to notice check-offs. It still only reads the lists you pick.
- For each person, choose their list. If you made a House list, choose it as the shared list.
- That's it. The status changes from "Allowed, no lists picked yet" to Connected.
How Points & Perks uses your lists
| When this happens… | …Points & Perks does this |
|---|---|
| Someone checks off a reminder in their list (on any of your devices) | Adds that person's points the next time the app opens or comes back on screen |
| They finish before the due date | Adds the on-time bonus (15% by default, adjustable) |
| You add a task in Points & Perks for someone | Creates it in their Reminders list, with its due date |
| You undo a score in Points & Perks | Marks the reminder not done again |
| Someone checks off a job in the House list | Puts it in the grown-up Inbox under Who did it? so you can pick who gets the points |
Today means today: each person's Today screen shows what's due today from their list. Shared House jobs stay off Today unless you turn them on for that person.
Jobs anyone can do
Because Reminders can't assign a task to several people, use the House list for "whoever gets to it first" jobs. When one is checked off, Points & Perks asks a grown-up who did it. Prefer to skip Reminders for these? Add an Anyone task right in Points & Perks: the first person to check it off gets the points.
Repeating and rotating chores
Use Reminders' own Repeat option (daily, weekly, every other week, custom) for chores that come back. To rotate a chore between kids, put a repeating reminder in each child's list on alternating weeks (for example, Maya on even weeks, Leo on odd weeks). Each check-off counts for whoever's list it's in.
Kids with their own devices
If a child has their own iPhone or iPad with their own Apple Account, you can share their list with them in Reminders (open the list → Share). They check off chores in their own Reminders, the change syncs through iCloud, and the points show up in Points & Perks. Kids can also check off tasks right in Points & Perks on their device.
Troubleshooting
- A check-off didn't add points. Open Points & Perks; check-offs are picked up when the app opens or returns to the screen. Make sure the list is connected to the right person.
- I can't make a smart list. Make sure Reminders is using iCloud. Smart lists aren't available for lists stored in other accounts.
- I don't want to use Reminders at all. No problem. Tap "Not using Reminders" and add tasks in the app. Everything else works the same.
Reminders menus vary a little between iOS versions. These steps were written for current iPhone and iPad software in November 2026.