Best Chore Apps (2026): 10 Options for Families and Flatmates

Whose turn is it to empty the dishwasher? If that question starts arguments in your house, you're far from alone. A chore app takes the nagging out of housework by putting jobs in a shared list, sending reminders and showing who's done what, so nobody has to keep score in their head.

I've rounded up ten chore apps here, listed in no particular order and set out alphabetically. Some are built for families with young children, some for flatmates and couples, and some are general task apps that handle housework well. Every description comes from the app's own website or app store listing.

Chore apps side by side

In the free plan column, Yes means the app's own site says it's free to use or has a permanent free version. Free versions usually limit features such as the number of schedules or household members, so check before you invite everyone.

Tool	Type	Good for	Free plan
Any.do	To-do and planner app	Personal task lists, reminders and a daily planner	Yes
Cozi	Family organiser	Shared calendar, shopping lists and chore lists	Yes
FamilyWall	Family organisation app	Shared to-dos, schedules and family messaging	Yes
Flatastic	Shared household app	Cleaning rotas for flatmates and shared homes	Yes
Home Routines	iOS housework app	Gentle daily and weekly cleaning routines	Yes
Joon	Kids' routine game	Making chores a game for children aged 6 to 12	Yes
Nipto	Gamified chore app	Points, rotations and friendly household races	Yes
Sweepy	Cleaning tracker app	Seeing how clean each room is at a glance	Yes
Todoist	Task manager	Recurring household tasks in a general to-do app	Yes
Tody	Cleaning schedule app	Cleaning based on need rather than fixed days	Yes

Ten chore apps in alphabetical order

Any.do

Best for: Busy adults who want household jobs in the same planner as their work tasks, with reminders that pop up at the right time.

Cozi

Best for: Families who want chores sitting alongside the shared calendar, shopping list and meal plans everyone already checks.

FamilyWall

Best for: Households who want shared to-do lists plus a private family space for schedules, lists and messages.

Flatastic

Best for: Flatmates and shared houses who want a fair cleaning rota, reminders and a shared shopping list everyone can see.

Home Routines

Best for: iPhone users who like a calm, routine-based approach to housework rather than long lists and points tables.

Joon

Best for: Parents of primary-age children who want chores set as game quests that kids complete to look after a virtual pet.

Nipto

Best for: Families and couples who respond to a bit of competition, with rotating jobs and a weekly race to see who did what.

Sweepy

Best for: Households who want to see which rooms need attention most and share cleaning tasks with a family leaderboard.

Todoist

Best for: Organised people who already live in a to-do app and want recurring jobs like bins and bed changes in there too.

Tody

Best for: People who'd rather clean what needs doing than follow a rigid timetable, with chores assigned and rotated automatically.

Which kind of chore app suits your household

• Family organisers put chores next to the calendar and shopping list. They suit busy parents who want one app for everything.
• Game-style chore apps use points, quests or races to motivate. They suit children and anyone who likes a challenge.
• Cleaning trackers focus on rooms and how overdue each job is. They suit people who want a tidy home without a fixed timetable.
• Shared house apps focus on fairness between adults, with rotas and reminders. They suit flatmates and student houses.
• General task managers suit organised adults who'd rather keep housework in the app they already use. My roundup of alternatives to popular task apps covers more of those.

What to look for in a chore app

• Shared access on every device your household uses, including Android and iPhone.
• Recurring tasks, so weekly and monthly jobs reappear without anyone re-adding them.
• Rotation, so the same person doesn't always get the bathroom.
• Reminders that are helpful rather than relentless.
• A simple way to mark jobs done and see progress, which matters a lot for children.
• Options for younger children who don't have their own phone, such as managed profiles on a parent's device.
• A free version that covers your household size, or a clear upgrade if you need more.

Questions to settle before you set up a chore app

It's tempting to download an app and hope it sorts everything out. In my experience of talking to busy parents and small business owners, the households that stick with a chore app are the ones that agree the basics first. The app won't fix a household that hasn't agreed what fair looks like. Spend ten minutes on these questions first.

• Which jobs need doing daily, weekly and monthly?
• Who can realistically do what, given age, work hours and school?
• Are chores assigned, rotated or picked from a list?
• What counts as done? A quick photo or a parent's approval can stop disputes.
• How will you recognise effort? Praise, screen time or a family treat all work without turning chores into a transaction.
• How often will you review the list together?

Getting children on board with a chore app

1. Start small, with two or three jobs that match their age.
2. Let them choose some of their own tasks so they feel ownership.
3. Use pictures or simple wording for younger children.
4. Celebrate streaks and effort, not just perfect results.
5. Review the list every few weeks and add harder jobs as they grow.

If your children use a tablet or phone for the app, it's worth pairing it with sensible screen settings. My guide to parental control apps explains the options. And when the jobs are done, a round of family board games makes a lovely end to the week.

Chore app mistakes to avoid

• Loading every job on day one. A list of fifty tasks feels impossible and everyone gives up.
• Letting one person become the app manager who nags everyone else.
• Using notifications for everything. People switch them off quickly.
• Forgetting to rotate the unpopular jobs.
• Treating the app as the punishment. Keep the tone light and the praise frequent.

Do you make a chore or household app? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.

Choosing a chore app your whole household will use

Pick an app that works on everyone's phones, matches your household type and keeps the free version simple enough to start today. Agree the jobs together, try it for two weeks, then tweak. The right chore app is the one people open without being asked.

Frequently asked questions

What is a chore app?

It's an app that lists household jobs, assigns them to people, sends reminders and shows what's been done. Many include rotas, points or game elements to keep everyone motivated.

Are chore apps good for kids?

They can be. Game-style apps with simple tasks, pictures and praise work well for children, and some let younger kids use a profile on a parent's device.

Are there free chore apps?

Yes, every app on this list has a free version or is free to use according to its own site, though free versions often limit features or members.

How do flatmates share chores fairly?

Agree the list of jobs together, rotate them weekly and use an app that shows who did what. Visibility tends to settle most disagreements.

How many chores should be on the list?

Start with the jobs that cause the most friction and add others once the habit sticks. A short list everyone follows beats a long one nobody opens.