Full disclosure: we built SubTasks, which competes directly with Obedience. You should know that going in. We’re going to be honest anyway, because the kink community can smell a hit piece from a mile away, and because Obedience actually does some things well. This isn’t a takedown. It’s an honest look at what the Obedience app does, what it costs, where it falls short, and who it’s actually right for in 2026.
What is the Obedience app?
Obedience is the most popular D/s app in existence. Over a million installs across iOS and Android, a 4.6-star rating on the App Store, and it’s been the default answer when someone asks “is there an app for this?” for years. Those aren’t small things. They got there by being first, being functional, and solving a real problem.
The core premise is simple: the Dom sets up habits and tasks, the sub completes them, points accumulate toward rewards or punishments. There’s real-time sync between partners, push notifications, completion stats, and in-app messaging. For a lot of couples, that’s enough.
What Obedience does well
Setup is genuinely easy. Onboarding is quick, the interface is clean, and the learning curve is low. You can have your dynamic running in the app within 20 minutes of downloading it. That matters, especially for couples new to power exchange who just want a tool that works without a manual.
The recurring habit system is solid. If your dynamic is built around consistent daily behaviors - morning check-ins, affirmations, exercise routines - Obedience handles those reliably. The recurring task loop is stable.
Long-distance works. The real-time sync between partners and push notifications function regardless of distance. A Dom in one city assigns something and a sub across the country gets the notification immediately. That part does what it says.
Community trust is real. A million installs means a lot of people have recommended it to their partners, on FetLife, in Discord servers, in Reddit threads. That social proof compounds. It’s why Obedience is still the first app most people hear about when they enter the D/s space.
Obedience app pricing: what it actually costs for a couple
This is where a lot of people get surprised. The Obedience app has a free tier and a premium tier. The free tier gives you 5 habits. Five. Most dynamics hit that ceiling within the first week.
Premium costs $6.99/month per person. Here’s the part that catches couples off guard: both partners need their own subscription. So the real cost for a couple using Obedience without limits is $13.98/month, $29.98/quarter, or roughly $60/year per person.
| Plan | Per Person | Per Couple |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly | $6.99 | $13.98 |
| 3-Month | $14.99 | $29.98 |
| Yearly | $29.99 | ~$60 |
| Lifetime | Not available | Not available |
For a poly dynamic with one Dom and two subs, that’s three subscriptions. $20.97/month. There’s no lifetime purchase option - you’re on the subscription indefinitely.
The yearly plan says “64% off” on their pricing page. That’s 64% off monthly. The actual cost for a couple is still $60/year, and that’s per person, so $120/year total.
Where the Obedience app falls short
Habits, not tasks. The core unit in Obedience is the habit - a recurring behavior. But D/s dynamics aren’t just about recurring behaviors. They’re about specific tasks: “Write me a reflection on last night.” “Research three restaurants for our date.” “Wear what I pick out today.” These aren’t habits. They’re one-off acts of service, specific to a moment. Obedience can technically support one-time tasks but the whole architecture is built around the recurring model. That shapes everything. For a deeper look at what a real task system looks like, our guide on how to set up a D/s task system covers the difference.
Thin gamification. Points exist. Rewards exist. That’s mostly where it ends. There are no streaks, no achievements, no demerit escalation system, no redemption tasks. The feedback loop that makes an app feel like a game rather than a spreadsheet isn’t fully built out. App Store reviews flag a specific bug here: some users report completing 24 tasks and seeing only 8 points credited. When the reward math doesn’t add up, the whole motivation system breaks down.
Development has slowed. Obedience built a product, got to a million installs, and has been coasting. User reviews from 2024 and 2025 document features requested for years that never shipped. Support response times of 4-6 days for bugs affecting core functionality. Reviews from April 2026 flag surprise charges after cancellation that support couldn’t resolve. An app with this much trust can coast for a while, but the reviews suggest patience is wearing thin.
The per-partner pricing stings. Most couples figure this out after downloading, not before. Hitting the 5-habit wall on day three and then discovering that removing the limit requires both partners to subscribe separately is a jarring experience. The community has noticed - it comes up constantly in app reviews and D/s forums.
SubTasks vs Obedience: feature comparison
We built SubTasks specifically because we found these gaps frustrating. Here’s how the two apps compare directly.
| Feature | SubTasks | Obedience |
|---|---|---|
| Core unit | Tasks (specific, assignable) | Habits (recurring routines) |
| Free tier | Unlimited tasks | 5 habits max |
| Price (couple, monthly) | $9.99 | $13.98 ($6.99 x 2) |
| Price (couple, yearly) | $59.99 | ~$60/person ($120 total) |
| Lifetime option | $149.99 | Not available |
| Streaks | Yes | No |
| Achievements | Yes | No |
| Demerit system | Yes, with escalation | Basic point deductions only |
| Redemption tasks | Yes | No |
| Photo proof | Yes (free) | Premium only |
| In-app chat | Yes (Pro) | Yes |
| Development pace | Weekly updates | Infrequent |
| Field-level encryption | AES-256-GCM | Not disclosed |
| Import from Obedience | 30-second import | N/A |
On pricing: if you have more than one sub, SubTasks Pro covers all of them at one price. Obedience charges per person regardless.
On the free tier: SubTasks is free with no task limits. The features behind the Pro paywall are things like photo proof (free in Obedience? No - premium only), in-app chat, and advanced stats. Core task management, points, rewards, demerits, streaks, and achievements are all free in SubTasks.
Who the Obedience app is right for
If your dynamic is primarily habit-based, the app is stable and functional. Easy setup, reliable recurring tasks, a track record of working for a lot of couples. If you’re just exploring and want to try something before committing to a full gamified system, the free tier gives you a real feel for the concept - just know the 5-habit limit comes fast.
If the pricing works for you and the habit model fits how your dynamic actually runs, Obedience is a reasonable choice. A million people have made it work.
Who SubTasks is right for
If your dynamic involves specific tasks, one-off assignments, creative challenges, and you want the whole experience to feel like a game rather than a habit tracker, SubTasks was built for that. The gamification is the product, not a layer on top of it. Points, streaks, achievements, demerits, redemption quests - the full loop. And it’s free, with no habit caps.
For poly dynamics, the math makes it straightforward: one subscription, all partners.
For couples already on Obedience who are thinking about switching, the import tool at subtasksapp.com/switch pulls your existing setup over in about 30 seconds. Tasks, rewards, punishments - it all comes through.
For a broader look at everything in the space, see our comparison of the best BDSM apps for couples in 2026. And if the deciding factor is cost, our breakdown of free alternatives to the Obedience app covers every realistic option.
The bottom line
Obedience built something real and earned real trust. The million installs aren’t fake. But the per-partner pricing that doubles the cost for couples, the 5-habit wall on the free tier, the gamification that stops short of actually addictive, and the slowing development pace have pushed a lot of users to start looking around.
SubTasks exists because those gaps are worth filling, and because a D/s app built from the ground up around tasks and gamification is a different product than one that started as a habit tracker. Try both and the comparison makes itself.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Obedience app free? Obedience has a free tier limited to 5 habits. Unlimited use requires a $6.99/month subscription per person, so a couple pays $13.98/month to remove the limits for both partners.
How much does the Obedience app cost for a couple? Both partners need their own Premium subscription. That’s $13.98/month, $29.98/quarter, or about $60/year per person ($120/year total for a couple). There’s no lifetime purchase option.
What’s a good free alternative to the Obedience app? SubTasks is free with no task limits and a deeper gamification system - streaks, achievements, demerits, and redemption tasks included. Available on iOS, Android, and web. See our full guide to free Obedience alternatives for all options.
Can I import my Obedience setup into SubTasks? Yes. SubTasks has a built-in Obedience import tool. Export your template from Obedience, paste the link into SubTasks, and your tasks, rewards, and punishments come over in about 30 seconds. Here’s how it works.
Does Obedience have a lifetime subscription? No. Obedience is subscription-only with monthly, 3-month, and yearly plans. SubTasks offers a one-time lifetime Pro option at $149.99.
What’s the difference between Obedience and SubTasks? The core difference is tasks vs habits. Obedience is built around recurring habits. SubTasks is built around specific, assignable tasks - one-off assignments, challenges, and service acts that aren’t meant to repeat. SubTasks also has deeper gamification: streaks, achievements, demerit escalation, and redemption quests. See the full feature comparison above.