Best Chore Tracker & Allowance App 2026
Most roundups list these apps as though they all do the same job. They do not. Sort out which of the two markets you are shopping in first, and the choice gets much easier.
EarnIt made this page, and we are one of the nine apps on it. So here is the deal: we win two categories below and lose six. Where another app is the better answer we say so and link to it. Every price came from research verified in June 2026 — check the vendor before you buy, because this category changes pricing constantly.
First: this is two different markets
Almost every disappointed review in this category comes from buying the wrong type. The apps split cleanly in two, and they are not really competing with each other.
📋 Chore trackers
Chores, approvals and a running balance. The money is virtual; you settle up in cash, or you just let the balance ride.
Pick this if: your kids are under about 12, or you do not want to hand a child a payment card yet.
💳 Card fintechs
A real debit card, a real account, and often investing. Chore tracking is bundled in, but the card is the product.
Pick this if: your kids are old enough to spend independently and you want the money to actually move.
Card apps cost roughly $48 to $240 a year and need identity details to open an account. Trackers cost nothing to about $40 a year and need an email address. If a card is not the point for you, the whole fintech half of this list is overpriced for what you would use.
Best app by category
No single winner, because there genuinely is not one. Here is what each app is the best answer for.
💰 EarnIt
The only free tier here with unlimited chores and savings goals, for up to two kids. Most rivals' free plans are a trial.
$5/mo · $30/yr
💰 EarnIt
Thirty dollars a year undercuts every other app in this list, several by a factor of five.
$5/mo · $30/yr
💳 Greenlight
The most complete kids banking product: card, parent controls, savings and investing on the higher tiers.
$5.99 – $19.98/mo
📈 BusyKid
Real investing in thousands of stocks and ETFs, plus donations to around sixty charities, at a flat annual price.
$48/yr
🌰 Acorns Early
Over a hundred gamified Money Missions, which is far more structured teaching content than anyone else bundles.
$5 – $10/mo
🧮 FamZoo
Priced per family rather than per child, with parent-paid interest and penalties. The more kids you have the better it looks.
$5.99/mo · ~$4.99/mo annual
🐉 Joon
Built around a kid-facing game with a virtual pet, aimed at ages six to twelve and at children with ADHD. The strongest engagement loop here.
Price not published
🇬🇧 RoosterMoney
Sterling pricing and a NatWest tie-in that makes the card free for their customers. Limited relevance outside the UK.
£1.99/mo · £19.99/yr
🤖 Chores & Allowance Bot
The nearest thing to a straight EarnIt substitute, and well reviewed. Costs more than we do; worth a look if our free tier is too small.
$9.99/mo · $39.99/yr
All nine, side by side
| App | Type | Free plan | Paid price | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 💰 EarnIt | Tracker | Yes — 2 kids, unlimited chores | $5/mo · $30/yr | No card, bank account or SSN. Points or money. |
| 🤖 Chores & Allowance Bot | Tracker | Yes — basic | $9.99/mo · $39.99/yr | 4.5 stars from 11,000+ ratings — the quality bar for trackers. |
| 🐉 Joon | Tracker | Trial | Not published | Kid-facing game and virtual pet. Ages 6–12, strong ADHD following. |
| 🏠 OurHome | Tracker | Yes | Not published | Points only, and no meaningful updates since around 2020. |
| 🧮 FamZoo | Hybrid | No — trial only | $5.99/mo · ~$4.99/mo annual | Per-family pricing, parent-paid interest, chore verification, penalties. |
| 🇬🇧 RoosterMoney | Hybrid | Tracker only, chores paywalled | £1.99/mo · £19.99/yr | UK and NatWest oriented. Free card for NatWest customers. |
| 💳 Greenlight | Debit card | No — trial only | $5.99 – $19.98/mo | Four tiers up to five kids. Investing gated to the higher ones. |
| 📈 BusyKid | Debit card | No — trial only | $48/yr | Investing in 4,000+ stocks and ETFs, around 60 charities. |
| 🌰 Acorns Early | Debit card | No — trial only | $5 – $10/mo | Formerly GoHenry. 100+ Money Missions lessons. |
Prices verified June 2026 and shown in each vendor's own currency. This category changes pricing often, so confirm on the vendor's site before buying. Joon and OurHome are shown without a price because we could not verify a current figure, and we would rather leave it blank than guess.
How to choose in about a minute
Take a tracker if…
- Your kids are roughly four to twelve
- You are happy to settle up in cash, or not at all
- You want a free plan that is actually usable rather than a trial
- You do not want to hand over identity details to open an account
- Chores and the habit are the point, not spending
Take a card app if…
- Your kids are old enough to buy things without you
- You want to see and control real spending as it happens
- Investing or interest is something you actually want to teach now
- You are comfortable with roughly $48 to $240 a year
- Opening a real account for your child is not a blocker
Still stuck? Start free
- A tracker costs nothing to try and takes a few minutes to set up
- If your kids never log a chore, no card was going to fix that
- If the habit sticks and they outgrow virtual money, move up then
- The chore habit is the hard part, and it is the cheap part to test
Go deeper
If you have narrowed it down, the head-to-head on EarnIt against Greenlight and BusyKid in detail goes feature by feature. If you are still working out the numbers, how much allowance to pay by age has a calculator. And if you would rather start on paper before paying for anything, free printable chore charts are free to download.
Common questions
What is the best free chore app for kids?
Among the apps here, EarnIt has the most usable free tier: two kids, unlimited chores and savings goals with no card required. OurHome is also free but has not been meaningfully updated since around 2020. Most other free plans in this category are trials rather than permanent free tiers.
Do I need a debit card app for allowance?
Only if your child is old enough to spend independently and you want the money to move for real. For younger kids, a tracker that keeps a running balance while you settle in cash teaches the same lesson at a fraction of the cost and without opening an account.
What is the cheapest kids allowance app?
Of the apps with published pricing, EarnIt at $30 a year is the cheapest paid plan, with BusyKid next at $48 a year. FamZoo can work out cheaper per child for large families because it prices per family rather than per kid.
What age should a child start using a chore app?
Around five or six, once they can recognise their own chores in a list and understand waiting for payday. Under that, a picture chart on the fridge works better than a screen. Joon is the one app here built specifically around younger children.
Are these prices current?
They were verified in June 2026 against vendor pages and app-store listings. Pricing in this category moves often, so treat the figures as a guide and confirm with the vendor before you buy.
Want to try the tracker half for free?
EarnIt covers two kids, unlimited chores and savings goals at no cost, with no debit card, bank account or SSN. If it does not stick, you have lost nothing.
Start Your Free Account →