HoneytimeThe deal, not the fight. Kids earn screen time by reading.
When their limit runs out, Bea offers a short story and a quick quiz. Pass it, and they get a few more minutes. You set the limits and see what they read.
7 days free · then $49.99/year or $9.99/month · iPhone and iPad
Try it. This is the block screen your kid sees when time's up.
Your honey jar is empty
YouTube is paused. Read a short story with Bea to make 10 min of honey.
Read a storyOtters that hold hands
Sea otters sleep floating on their backs in the ocean. But the water keeps moving! So how do they stay together?
Many sea otters hold paws while they nap. A group of resting otters is called a raft. Some otters also wrap long seaweed called kelp around their bodies. The kelp works like an anchor, so they don't drift away while they dream.
Why do sea otters hold paws while they sleep?
+10 min of honey
YouTube is back for 10 minutes. That's the whole deal.
How kids earn screen time by reading
Honeytime uses Apple's Screen Time controls, so limits hold. What changes is the moment they run out.
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1Set the limit
Pick the apps, the daily limit, and how many extra minutes reading can earn. When time's up, the apps pause.
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2Bea offers a story
When time's up, the block screen offers a short story instead of a flat no. A quick quiz follows.
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3Earn honey
Pass, and they earn minutes of honey, 10 to start, up to a daily cap you set. Nobody has to be the bad guy.
Know what they read, without asking.
- Reports on your own iPhone. Connect with one QR code. Stories, scores and minutes travel through your family's iCloud.
- Notes that matter. When a story is done, when today's limit is reached, and a Sunday summary.
- Widgets. Minutes left, on the home screen and Lock Screen.
- Behind a PIN. Settings and reports on your kid's device stay with you.
5½ hours on screens. 34 minutes reading.
That's a typical day for kids 8 to 12, outside school. Here's what research links to each.
On screens
On reading
of 4,520 US kids aged 8 to 11 kept fun screens to 2 hours a day or less. On average, they scored higher on thinking tests.
Walsh et al., Lancet Child & Adolescent Health, 2018 ↗kids in one study. Those who started reading for fun young did better on thinking, memory and language tests at 9 to 13, with fewer mental-health problems.
Sun et al., Psychological Medicine, 2023 ↗the odds of not getting enough sleep, for kids and teens who use a phone or tablet at bedtime. From 20 studies of 125,198 young people.
Carter et al., JAMA Pediatrics, 2016 ↗Kids who read for pleasure made more progress in vocabulary and maths from 10 to 16. The link was stronger than having a parent with a degree.
Sullivan & Brown, British Educational Research Journal, 2015 ↗US fourth graders read below the basic level in 2024. NAEP, 2024 ↗
Most of these studies show a link, not proof of cause. Each source opens the study.
No sign-up. No ads. No selling data.
It never sees which apps
Apple's Screen Time keeps app use on your kid's device. Honeytime never knows what they opened.
Reports stay in your iCloud
Stories, scores and minutes travel through your family's iCloud. Honeytime has no servers and can't read them.
Nothing to sign up for
No account, no ads. Only anonymous setup analytics, and you can turn them off. Privacy policy
Try it free for a week.
Then $49.99 a year or $9.99 a month.
- Every story, earning and parent reports
- One plan for the family, with Family Sharing
- Cancel anytime in your Apple Account
Prices vary by country.
Questions parents ask
How do kids earn screen time with Honeytime?
You set a daily limit for the apps you choose. When it runs out, those apps pause and Bea offers a short story. Your kid reads it and answers a quick quiz. Pass it, and they get extra minutes, up to a cap you set.
Which apps can it limit?
Any you pick with Apple's Screen Time controls, like YouTube, games, social apps and websites. Apps you don't pick are never limited.
What ages is it for?
Readers around 8 to 12. Stories are written at three reading levels, and each one ends with a short quiz.
Does it need a Child Account?
For real limits, yes: your kid's device should be signed in to a Child Account in your Family Sharing group. Apple asks for your approval once. To try it on your own device first, choose “Just testing on my own iPhone” (or iPad) at the Screen Time step.
How many minutes can they earn?
You choose. Pick 5 to 30 minutes for each story or quiz, and the most they can earn in a day, up to an hour. To start, it's 10 minutes a story and 30 a day. When the jar is full for today, the block screen says so.
Is Honeytime free?
It's free to download, with a 7-day free trial. Then it's $49.99 a year or $9.99 a month, and one plan covers your family with Family Sharing. Prices vary by country.
Is it on Android?
No. Honeytime is for iPhone and iPad with iOS or iPadOS 26.2 or later, because it uses Apple's Screen Time controls to pause apps.
Do I need it on my own phone?
No, but it helps. Install Honeytime on your iPhone and choose “Me, the parent” to see stories, scores and minutes. Reports travel through your family's iCloud.
More answers on the support page.