Best Free Chore Apps for Families (2026)

“Free” in the App Store rarely means free. Half the chore apps marketed as free are really a 30-day trial wrapped around a debit-card subscription. Here are seven that are genuinely free to run a chore system with — plus an honest note on the ones that aren’t.

Full disclosure: we make taskr, the first app on this list. It’s free, but we’ve flagged exactly what “free” means for every app here — including ours — so you can pick without getting surprised by a paywall later.

What “free” actually means

There are three kinds of “free” in this category, and only one is the real thing:

• Genuinely free. The core chore loop costs nothing, with no trial clock. (taskr, OurHome.)
• Free tier. A usable free version exists, but the best features sit behind a subscription. (Cozi, Habitica, S’moresUp.)
• “Free” in name only. Free to download, then a paid subscription to do anything — usually because there’s a debit card attached. (Greenlight, BusyKid, GoHenry.)

The free chore apps at a glance

1. taskr — Best free chore app for iPhone

Free? Yes, fully free · Platform: iOS · Reward: screen time

taskr is free and ties chores to the reward kids fight hardest over: their phone. Set a chore and a due time, your kid submits a photo as proof, you approve. Miss the deadline and the apps you choose lock automatically through Apple Screen Time until the task is done. It’s the rare free app where a real consequence happens on its own — no card, no monthly fee.

Best if: you’re on iPhone and screen time is the leverage that works in your house. We walk through the setup in how to block iPhone apps until chores are done.

2. OurHome — Best free all-in-one

Free? Yes, fully free · Platform: iOS, Android · Reward: points you set

OurHome is the most complete free option and works on both platforms. You get chores with due dates and recurring schedules, a points system kids redeem for rewards you define, a shared grocery list, and a family calendar — none of it paywalled. For a household that wants one free hub for everything, this is the pick.

Best if: you have a mix of iPhones and Android, and you want chores, rewards, and the calendar in one free place.

3. Cozi — Best free family calendar with chores

Free? Free tier (paid Gold) · Platform: iOS, Android, web · Reward: a shared calendar

Cozi’s free version gives you a shared color-coded calendar, lists, and basic chore to-dos — plenty if your family already runs on a single calendar. Folding chores into the place everyone already checks beats opening a separate app no one remembers to open.

Best if: you’re already a Cozi family. The free tier is enough for chores; Gold (around $30/year) is optional.

4. Habitica — Best free gamified tracker

Free? Free tier (paid extras) · Platform: iOS, Android, web · Reward: an RPG character

Habitica’s free version turns tasks into a role-playing game — finish chores and your character earns XP and gold; skip them and it takes damage. It isn’t kid-specific, but for a gamer teen who’d ignore a plain chore chart, the free RPG layer can be the hook that lands.

Best if: you have an older, self-motivated kid who responds to games more than charts.

5. S’moresUp — Best free chore charts

Free? Free tier ($7.99/mo premium) · Platform: iOS, Android · Reward: points → SmoreShop

S’moresUp’s free tier handles detailed chore charts, rotating chores, and a points store. It’s the most feature-rich free chore charter — useful for bigger families juggling multiple kids and rotating responsibilities.

Best if: you want a granular chore chart for free and don’t mind that photo verification and the richer features push you toward the paid plan.

6. Apple Reminders / Google Tasks — Best truly-free DIY

Free? Yes, already on the phone · Platform: iOS, Android · Reward: none

Don’t overlook what’s already installed. A shared Apple Reminders list (or Google Tasks) with recurring, assigned, time-based chores costs nothing and syncs across the family. There’s no reward engine and no enforcement — but for older, reliable kids who just need a list, it’s genuinely enough.

Best if: your kid does the chores anyway and just needs reminders, not motivation.

7. A shared note or printable chart — The zero-app fallback

Free? Yes · Platform: any · Reward: whatever you decide

A whiteboard or a printed weekly chart on the fridge still works, and for young kids the physical checkmark can beat any app. The limitation is the same as every paper system: you’re the one who has to notice, remind, and enforce — every single day.

Best if: your kids are little, or you want to test a routine before committing to an app.

A note on the “free” apps that aren’t

If you search “free chore app,” you’ll hit Greenlight, BusyKid, and GoHenry near the top. They’re excellent at what they do — paying real allowance onto a kids’ debit card — but they are subscription apps, roughly $4 to $15 a month after a short trial. They’re worth it if money is your motivator; just don’t install one expecting free. We cover them in the full best chore apps for kids ranking.

The bottom line

If you’re on iPhone and want a free app where chores actually carry a consequence, start with taskr — it’s free, and screen time does the enforcing for you. If you need cross-platform, OurHome is the best free all-rounder. From there, match the chores to your kid’s age with our age-by-age chore list, and if screens are the daily battle, our 7-day plan to stop screen time fights picks up where this leaves off.

FAQ

What is the best free chore app?

For iPhone families, taskr is the best free chore app — chores unlock screen time and it’s free with no paywall on the core loop. For a cross-platform free option, OurHome covers chores, points, a calendar, and grocery lists at no cost.

Are chore apps free?

Some are genuinely free — taskr (iOS), OurHome, and Habitica all give you the core experience without paying. But many “free” chore apps are really free trials: the allowance-and-debit-card apps like Greenlight, BusyKid, and GoHenry all require a paid subscription.

Is there a free chore app with rewards?

Yes. taskr uses screen time as the reward and is free on iOS. OurHome has a free points system you redeem for rewards you define. Habitica gives in-game rewards as your character levels up. None of these charge for the reward loop itself.

What’s the best free chore app for iPhone?

taskr. It’s built on Apple Family Controls and Screen Time, so an overdue chore automatically locks your kid’s apps until the task is done — and the core app is free, iOS only.

Is Cozi free?

Cozi’s core family organizer — shared calendar, lists, and basic chore to-dos — is free. Cozi Gold is a paid upgrade (around $30/year) that removes ads and adds extras, but you don’t need it to track chores.