PointUp

PointUp turns household chores into a quest system for children and parents. It suits families that want incentives, parental sign-off and adjustable evidence requirements, particularly where neurodiverse children benefit from extra structure. The main trade-off is that a growing household may outgrow the free allowance and need a subscription.

Overview

PointUp frames daily tasks as quests: children earn XP and Gold, while parents decide when a submission qualifies for payment. Every completed quest goes through parental approval, so the system supports accountability rather than treating a child’s tap as proof that work is finished.

Gold has a practical destination in a reward store built by the family. Parents define the rewards, giving each household control over what the currency buys. Photo evidence is configurable per family, with one-tap, optional or required submission settings. That range works for both trust-based routines and chores where visible confirmation matters.

The app covers assignment, recurring chores, reminders, deadlines, completion tracking and progress history. Google Calendar and Apple Calendar connections can place quest deadlines in the calendars a family already uses. PointUp targets children aged 4 to 16, and includes Focus Mode, Calm Mode, visual timers and step-by-step task breakdowns for neurodiverse children.

Key features

Approval, proof and rewards

Parent approval is the defining control. It prevents rewards being issued automatically, which is useful when quality or completion needs checking, but it also leaves parents with a review step for every submitted quest. Photo proof settings let families apply a lighter touch to familiar chores and a stricter rule to tasks that need evidence.

The parent-created reward store makes incentives local to the household instead of imposing a fixed prize list. Children collect both XP and Gold, so progress can feel separate from the spending currency. Families wanting chores to run without adult intervention may find the approval workflow less suitable.

Routine and accessibility tools

Recurring quests, reminders, deadlines, analytics and progress history support repeatable routines rather than one-off checklists. Focus and Calm modes, visual timers and task breakdowns add useful scaffolding for children who need smaller, clearer steps. Calendar syncing is valuable when deadlines must compete with school and family appointments.

Pricing

Free — free. This tier includes a basic reward store, photo proof submission, achievement badges, quest templates, recurring quests, family analytics and calendar sync. It is capped at 5 active quests and 3 family members, making it appropriate for a small household testing the approach or managing a limited routine. Those caps can become restrictive when several children have parallel chores.

Pro — $3.99 a month. Pro removes the quest and member ceilings and adds full reward customization, more than 50 quest templates, quest deadlines, analytics and stats, custom themes and Team Quests, while retaining recurring quests and calendar sync. The price is straightforward for a family that needs room to grow. A standard Pro trial lasts 7 days; families referred by an existing user are described as receiving 14 days. Subscribers can cancel from the app at any time.

Platforms

PointUp runs on iOS, Android, the Amazon Appstore for Fire tablets and the web. Family data syncs across devices, so parents and children can use different supported screens without splitting the household record.

Who it's for

PointUp is best for families with children aged 4 to 16 who want chores tied to parent-defined rewards and a deliberate approval step. Its accessibility modes suit households seeking visual structure or shorter task sequences. The free tier fits up to three family members and five active quests; larger families, or those assigning many simultaneous chores, should budget for Pro.

Pros and cons

Pros: Parent approval keeps rewards tied to verified completion.

Pros: One-tap, optional or required photo proof accommodates different levels of supervision.

Pros: The family-created reward store lets incentives match household rules.

Pros: Focus Mode, Calm Mode, timers and task breakdowns add structure for neurodiverse children.

Cons: Free is limited to 5 active quests and 3 family members.

Cons: The approval requirement adds an adult checkpoint to every reward.

Alternatives

For a broader comparison, see Chore Apps.

Homsy is a freemium option on Android, iOS and web, with a free household of two and a premium subscription that renews monthly.

Chap supports Android, iOS, macOS and web; its free plan allows unlimited places and members, while its annual premium plan is priced at $3.33 a year.

Rumi is limited to iOS and macOS, with unlimited household members on its free tier but only the current and previous week visible.

Tody focuses on cleaning plans and dueness tracking on Android and iOS, with a free tier that includes chore assignment and no ads.

ChoreTrack suits smaller child-focused setups: its free plan covers 2 kids, 10 chores and 7 days of history on one shared device.

Flatastic offers Android, iOS and web access, with a free ad-supported Basic plan and a 1.99 USD-per-month Premium plan for one user.

KidTask runs on Android and web; its free tier is for one parent, one child and one-off tasks, while the Family Plan costs €4.99 a year.

ChoreBlaster is web-only, with a free allowance of up to 2 kids, 5 chores per child, 5 custom rewards and 7 days of history.

Verdict

Choose PointUp if you want parent-verified chores, a reward economy you control and built-in structure for children who benefit from visual guidance. Look elsewhere if you need a generous free tier, fully autonomous child submissions or a chore list without an approval checkpoint.