Parental Control Apps That Lock a Kid's Phone Until Chores Are Done (2026)
Most parental control apps don't know what a chore is. These eleven do, and they differ on one thing: whether apps lock only when a chore is late, every day until it's done, or when earned minutes run out.
By Sebastian Cacchione · Maker of taskr
- Published
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- 9 min read
Yes, there are parental control apps that lock a kid's phone until chores are done. At least eleven iPhone apps do some version of it. They differ on one thing that matters: whether apps lock only when a chore is late, every day until the list is done, or whenever earned minutes run out.
Most parental control apps don't know what a chore is. Apple's Screen Time, Qustodio, Bark and OurPact work from schedules and limits, so a parent still has to notice the dishwasher is full and press block. The apps below tie the lock to the chore itself. Full disclosure: we make taskr. Everything about the other ten comes from their own App Store listings, read on November 1, 2026, and each has a full comparison linked from the table.
All eleven, at a glance
| App | What locks | What unlocks it | Proof | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| taskr | Picked apps, only once a chore is past its deadline | You approve the photo | Photo, parent approves | Free to try; Pro $9.99/mo or $49.99/yr, first two weeks free |
| ChoreKey | Picked apps, while the kid is home with chores pending | Parent approves, or the kid leaves home | Photo, parent approves | $2.99 once; Plus $4.99 once |
| ChoreLocks | Apps, daily from a time you pick, until the list is cleared | Last chore on the list is done | Photo, checked by AI; parent can override | Free to start; Basic $2.99, Plus $4.99, Pro $9.99 |
| Carrots&Cake | The device, until chores are done | Chores completed | Not listed | From $9.99/mo; $49.99 to $59.99/yr |
| Chore Champ | Device use, until chores are complete | Chores completed | AI verification | $1.19/wk up to $9.99/mo; $49.99/yr |
| ScreenTreat | Apps, until must-do tasks are done, then a daily limit | Must-do tasks done | Not listed | $4.29 to $7.99/mo; $29.99 to $49.99/yr |
| ScreenCoach | Apps at time limits; optionally when an activity misses its due time | Earned time or an access pass | Not listed | About $5.99/mo or $49.99/yr; 30 days free |
| Earn Screen Time | Apps, when earned minutes run out | Approved tasks add minutes | Photo optional, parent approves | $8.99/mo, $34.99/yr, or $69.99 lifetime |
| Piggy | Apps, until credits are redeemed | Approved chores add credits | Photo, parent approves | $7.99/wk, $14.99/mo, $29.99 to $49.99/yr |
| Screeni | Apps, when the day's time runs out | Approved chores add minutes | Photo optional, parent approves | Free tier; Pro listed at $4.99 and $39.99 |
| ScreenChore | Picked apps, at the daily limit | Chores earn extra time | Not listed | Family Plan listed at $5.99 |
The three kinds of chore lock
Locked when a chore is late. The phone works normally. Each chore has a due time, and if it passes, the apps you picked lock until you've approved the job. A kid who finishes on time never sees a lock. This is taskr, and ScreenCoach offers it as an option on each activity.
Locked until the chores are done. Apps start locked and open when the list is finished. ChoreLocks, ChoreKey, Carrots&Cake, Chore Champ and ScreenTreat work this way. It's the strictest setup, and the phone is off-limits every day until the list is cleared.
Chores earn time. Chores add minutes or credits to a bank, and apps lock when it's empty. Piggy, Earn Screen Time, Screeni and ScreenChore work this way. It suits parents who want less screen time overall. See our comparison of locking vs. earning screen time for how to choose.
taskr: locks only when a chore is late
Proof: photo, approved by you · Price: free to try; taskr Pro $9.99/month or $49.99/year, first two weeks free · Devices: iPhone and iPad
You create a chore with a due time and pick which apps lock if it's late. If the deadline passes without a photo, those apps lock through Apple's Family Controls, wherever your kid is. Your kid does the chore and sends a photo, you approve it from your phone, and the apps unlock. Anything you leave off the list keeps working.
Good to know: your kid needs to be a child member of your Apple family, which is the hardest step in setup. taskr also has no points, no rewards and no daily limit, so it won't cut screen time on a day when chores get done. Setup steps are on how it works.
The ones that lock until chores are done
ChoreLocks is the most complete of these. It keeps apps locked from a time you pick until the list is cleared, an AI checks photos, and points and levels sit on top. It's free to start. ChoreKey is the cheapest, at $2.99 once, and the most private, but its lock only applies at home. Carrots&Cake locks the device and pays in Robux, with web filtering, though its listing shows 2.2 stars from 15 ratings and a last update in December 2025. Chore Champ leans on points and leaderboards, and was last updated in April 2025. ScreenTreat adds daily limits, bedtime and schedules, so it's the one to look at if you want a full screen time manager.
The ones where chores earn time
Piggy has the most ratings of the newer apps, with a credit bank at one minute per credit, and it deletes photos as soon as you've reviewed them. Earn Screen Time is the one to pick if you can't use Family Sharing, because it works with any Apple ID. Screeni has a free tier and strong scheduling. ScreenChore gives a daily allowance and treats chores as a way to earn extra. ScreenCoach goes the furthest, with tokens, allowance and modes, and it's also on Google Play.
The free option: Apple's Screen Time, by hand
If your kid is already in Family Sharing, you can do a rough version for free. Turn on Downtime (called Screen Time Schedules in iOS 27) or an App Limit, and turn it off once the chores are done. It doesn't know about chores, and you're the one flipping the switch each day. Our guide to blocking iPhone apps until chores are done covers both routes.
How to choose
- One chore keeps not getting done, and the phone is fine otherwise: taskr.
- You want the lowest price and chores only matter at home: ChoreKey.
- You want apps locked daily until the list is cleared, plus a game: ChoreLocks.
- You want limits and bedtime in the same app: ScreenTreat.
- You want kids to earn all their time: Piggy, or Earn Screen Time if you can't use Family Sharing.
- You have Android devices in the house: ScreenCoach.
FAQ
Is there a parental control app that locks a phone until chores are done?
Yes. taskr locks the apps you pick when a chore misses its deadline, until you approve a photo of the finished chore. ChoreLocks, ChoreKey, Carrots&Cake and Chore Champ keep apps or the device locked until chores are finished. ScreenTreat makes must-do tasks unlock the day's screen time. All of them run on Apple's Screen Time system, so closing the app doesn't lift the lock.
Which chore lock app is the cheapest?
ChoreKey is the cheapest paid option at $2.99 once, with a $4.99 upgrade to approve from your own phone, but it only locks at home. ChoreLocks and Screeni have free tiers with limits. Apple's own Screen Time is free, but you turn blocks on and off yourself.
Do these apps work on Android?
Most are built on Apple's Screen Time framework, which only exists on iPhone and iPad, so check before you pay. taskr is iPhone and iPad only. ScreenCoach is also on Google Play.
Can a kid just delete the app?
Not if it's set up properly. When a parent approves the Family Controls permission on a child account in Family Sharing, iOS stops the child from deleting the app. You can also turn off app deletion in Screen Time's content and privacy settings as a second layer.
What stays open while apps are locked?
It depends on the app. taskr only locks the apps you choose, so Messages and school apps keep working unless you add them. ChoreKey never blocks Phone or FaceTime. Carrots&Cake locks the device but has a setting for which apps can be unlocked.
Is it OK to lock a kid's phone over chores?
That's your call, and it depends on your kid. Most apps here let you choose only the apps that cause the fight, so a kid can still reach you. If you'd rather not use a lock at all, an earn-screen-time app turns the same idea into a reward.
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