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Earnest for Android phones and tablets

Earnest runs on Android phones and tablets, on Android 8 and newer. There is no iPhone or iPad version yet, so if your child uses an Apple device, Earnest cannot help there today.

We would rather be clear about that up front. On Android, though, the same earn-first loop works the same way whether your kid is on a phone or the family tablet.

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Requires Android 8 or newer. Android phones and tablets only.

How does Earnest work on a tablet?

A tablet is often the device where limits slip, because it feels like a shared toy rather than a personal phone. Earnest gives it structure: each child earns time through quests, and the reward apps stay locked until they do.

Built for the family tablet

The shared tablet is often where screen time piles up. Earnest sits on it as the earn-first home for each child who uses it.

Reward apps stay locked until earned

The games and video apps you mark as rewards open only when there are minutes to spend, on a phone or a tablet alike.

Bedtime windows on tablets too

A tablet that used to sneak into bedtime gets the same automatic lock windows, with an easy override when you need one.

Works offline on the device

Everything runs locally, so a tablet on airplane mode or spotty Wi-Fi still counts time and locks apps as expected.

Why Android first?

Android gives an app the room to act as a launcher and to manage other apps in ways Apple does not allow, which is exactly what an earn-first model needs. That is why Earnest started on Android and is honest that it is Android-only for now. On a normal, non-rooted device, Basic protection works with no setup. If you want to block uninstalls and lock the whole tablet to an allowlist, that is an optional Max protection mode you can choose to enable, and it is never required to use the app.

A child holding an Android tablet with both hands, looking at the screen

Where is Earnest still early?

Earnest is in early access (version 0.1.0). There is no iOS product, so it cannot cover an iPhone or iPad in a mixed-device household. It is also not a web filter or a monitoring tool. It focuses on earning and spending screen time on Android.

Common questions

Which Android versions does Earnest support?

Earnest runs on Android 8 (Oreo) and newer, which is the minimum the app is built against. It targets recent Android releases and has been tested on current devices.

Is there an iPhone or iPad version?

Not yet. Earnest is Android-only and in early access as version 0.1.0. If your child uses an Apple device, Earnest cannot manage it today, and we will not pretend otherwise.

Does Earnest work on a shared family tablet?

Yes. A tablet the whole family uses is a natural fit. Each child has their own profile, quests, and time bank, and you approve everything with one PIN.

Keep exploring

See how blocking and schedules work, and how to set up Android parental controls.

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