App that locks phone until chores are done
SimpleSentinel is the app that locks phone until chores are done: you type the chore on your phone, and your child's iPhone opens again when the chore is checked off, or when you approve it.
Pick what happens if it is not done: the phone stays open, goes into downtime until it is done, or locks fully until it is done. Pick when the lock ends by itself, or make your approval the only key. Phone calls keep working the whole time.
One price, unlimited children and devices. 7-day free trial, billed by Apple.
How the chore lock works, and what still works
✓ Scheduled chores that can lock the phone
Type a chore, pick a child, set when it's due, and decide what happens if it isn't done: their phone stays open, goes into downtime until it is done, or locks fully until it is done. Count it done on their check-off or only on your approval.
✓ Pause their phone with one tap
From your phone, pause a child's device right now: a Downtime pause keeps their usual allowances, a Full pause closes everything. It lands in seconds, even mid-game, and Resume brings it back just as fast.
✓ The clock is locked
A child's phone keeps network time from the moment it's linked, so there's no changing the time to end downtime early or skip a chore. Screen Time has no such lock; SimpleSentinel does, on every child's phone, all the time.
What still works during a lock
Calls to and from you keep working. Apple keeps the Phone app reachable no matter what. Your emergency alarm and a No Ignore message still reach the screen. A pause stays until you lift it, through restarts and through a scheduled downtime window. SimpleSentinel never reads what your child types, watches or browses.
Questions parents ask about this: Is there an app that locks your phone until you complete a task. See also SimpleSentinel reviews.
Pricing
Founding Family (First 1,000 Families)
7-day free trial. Unlimited children and devices.
$9.99/mo
or $99.99/yr
About 28 cents/day for every device & child.
Your price never goes up as long as you stay subscribed.
Regular Price
7-day free trial. Unlimited children and devices.
$16.99/mo
or $149.99/yr
About 41 cents/day for every device & child.
Compare to A locked-down phone @ $1,000/yr per child.
© 2026 Jubilee Industries LLC. SimpleSentinel™ is a trademark of Jubilee Industries LLC. Patent pending.
