Help and answers for PlayBank, the family chore and screen-time app by Qiseda Ltd.
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PlayBank turns screen time into something a child earns and manages. On the parent's device you set up chores and daily time budgets; on the child's device, apps stay locked until the child spends earned time on them.
Two Apple devices, one for the parent and one for the child; an iPhone or iPad works for either. Each device picks its role the first time it opens, and you can change that later behind the parent PIN. On the child's device you'll be asked to allow Screen Time access; PlayBank can't lock or track apps without it.
PlayBank works on top of Apple's Screen Time, so a few things need to be in place first. One parent runs your family's Family Sharing group, which needs that parent's Apple ID, and your children's Apple IDs need to be in that group, set up as children. Your family also needs a Screen Time passcode set. This is how Apple lets PlayBank manage a child's device; without it, PlayBank can't lock or unlock apps.
Per device. In PlayBank you create a profile for each device, and it holds that device's apps, time buckets and daily budget. A child with one device has one profile. A child with two devices, say an iPhone and an iPad, needs two profiles, one per device, because each device counts its own time; time isn't shared between them.
The parent signs in on their device (Sign in with Apple, or a code sent to your email), then generates a pairing code in Settings. Enter that code on the child's device to join it to the family. If a code doesn't work, generate a fresh one.
Yes, up to two parent devices per family. The second parent joins with a pairing code, with no separate sign-in needed.
You add chores. When your child marks one done, you get a notification and either approve it (choosing which bucket the reward goes into) or reject it. Approved minutes land on that bucket as bonus time.
On their device they open a bucket (like Games or Videos) and pick how long: 5, 15, 30, or 60 minutes, or all they have left. That unlocks the bucket's apps and starts the timer.
Most apps, but not web browsers. PlayBank manages apps, not websites, so it can't control Safari (which can't be added to Apple's Always Allowed list) and works unreliably with other browsers, because Apple's own website limits still apply inside them. For websites, use Apple's Screen Time controls; use PlayBank for apps.
The apps lock again automatically. Because PlayBank uses Apple's built-in Screen Time to do the locking, your child sees the standard iOS block screen, and that's expected.
Tapping End stops the session and credits the unused minutes back, so nothing is wasted. A short grace period at the very end isn't charged.
No. Each day starts fresh and the daily budget resets overnight, so time doesn't stockpile. This is deliberate.
If the parent device is an iPhone, unlock with Face ID or Touch ID (on by default), then open Settings and choose Change PIN to set a new one. The PIN is stored only on the device and we never receive it, so it can't be reset remotely. If biometric unlock isn't available, or you're locked out on the child's device, email [email protected] and we'll help you get back in.
If you allow notifications: parents are alerted when a child claims a chore, and when someone opens the setup screen on a child's device. The child's device is notified when you approve or reject a claim.
That's usually one of Apple's own Screen Time limits clashing with PlayBank. Under Settings > Screen Time: if you use Downtime, add PlayBank and the apps you want it to manage to Always Allowed, so they aren't blocked after PlayBank unlocks them; if you use App Limits, remove any limit on the apps you want PlayBank to manage. If you use neither, there's nothing to change here.
On the child's device, check that Screen Time access is still allowed for PlayBank. Without that permission it can't lock apps or measure usage.
PlayBank syncs over the internet. If a device was offline, the change sends once it reconnects; pull down to refresh to sync now.
The parent who set up the family can delete everything from inside the app: open Settings, choose Delete family, type DELETE to confirm, and enter the parent PIN. This removes every profile, chore and bucket from all devices and can't be undone. A second parent sees Leave family instead, which only removes their own device. To review the data we hold, or if you need help, email [email protected]; the privacy policy explains what we collect and why.