Frequently Asked Questions

No. Chekin works on any phone that can send and receive text messages — including basic flip phones. There is nothing to download and no app required for the person being checked on.

No. Your parent receives a text message and replies to it — exactly like any other text. No app, no account, no login. From their side it just feels like a message from someone who cares.

About 5 minutes. You add your parent's phone number, choose the daily send time, add the family members you want notified if a check-in is missed, and you're done. Check-ins start the next morning.

Yes. Every new account gets a 7-day free trial with no credit card required. You only need to add a payment method if you decide to continue after the trial ends.

Yes. The organizer (you) manages the account. Your parent just receives and replies to daily texts. You can set the whole thing up on their behalf — they don't need to do anything except reply to the message each morning.

At the time you choose, Chekin sends a warm daily text to your parent. They reply with a word or two — "Good!", "Here!", anything works. That reply is their check-in for the day. You get a quiet notification, and the family can relax.

Yes. You pick the time during setup and can change it any time. Most families choose a morning time that fits their parent's routine — after coffee, before the day gets going.

Yes. You can select specific days of the week. Some families do daily, others skip weekends if the senior has regular in-person visits. You can update this any time from your account.

You can pause check-ins at any time and resume them when they're back. No texts go out while paused, so no false alerts to family members.

Chekin sends a follow-up reminder before alerting anyone. If there is still no reply after the alert window (3 hours by default), every family member you added gets a text notification so someone can follow up and make sure everything is okay.

Yes. Chekin sends your parent a reminder text before alerting anyone. This reduces false alarms — most missed check-ins are just a case of being busy, not an emergency. The family is only notified if there's still no reply after the reminder window.

Within 3 hours of the scheduled check-in time. Chekin sends a reminder first, waits for a window, then alerts every family member on the care circle by text. You find out while there's still daylight — not at 11pm when the worry finally becomes too loud to ignore.

Basic ($4.99/mo) — Daily check-in texts, up to 2 family members in the care circle. Great for small, close-knit families.

Family ($9.99/mo) — Daily check-ins, up to 10 family members. Ideal for larger families who all want to stay in the loop.

Care ($24.99/mo) — Write your own messages, schedule up to 10 texts per day at custom times. Built for families managing medication reminders, PT check-ins, or any multi-step routine. Up to 10 family members.

The Care plan lets you write your own messages and schedule up to 10 texts per day, each at its own custom time. Morning medication reminder, afternoon PT check-in, evening hello — all in your words, your tone. Your parent receives them as regular texts and replies when they're done. You see every reply. If there's no reply, you get an alert.

Yes. You can pay annually and save the equivalent of about 2 months compared to month-to-month pricing.

Yes. No contracts, no cancellation fees. To cancel, enter your phone number here and we'll text you a link to your account dashboard. Your data is retained for 90 days after cancellation in case you want to come back.

No. The price on the plan is the price you pay. No setup fees, no per-message fees, no hidden charges.

No. Chekin is a daily wellness check-in service, not a medical alert or emergency response service. It helps families notice when something might be wrong so they can follow up — but it is not a substitute for 911 or a medical alert device. Many families use Chekin alongside a medical alert for a more complete safety net.

Missed check-in alerts go to every family member you add to the care circle. Day-to-day replies are visible to the account organizer. We never share your family's messages or data with anyone outside your group.

Yes. All data is encrypted and stored securely. We do not sell or share your personal information with third parties. Phone numbers are only used to send check-in messages and wellness alerts.