Frequently Asked Questions

Quick answers about your account, the shop, story packs, gift codes and our newer tools — or Contact Us anytime

Login and Your Account

How do I create an account?: Choose Sign In in the menu bar at the top of any page, then sign up with your email or Google. Confirm your email and you're in. Trouble signing up? Contact Us
I can't sign in — what should I do?: Use the "Forgot password" link on the sign-in page to reset it. If the reset email doesn't arrive, check spam, then Contact Us and we'll help
Can another parent or grandparent join our family?: Yes — invite them from Our Family. They get their own login, their own progress, and share the family's stories. Questions about invites? Contact Us
Where do I see my child's progress?: Sign in and open Our Family. Each reader's finished stories are counted there — tap a total to see exactly which stories are finished, in progress or not started. If progress looks wrong, Contact Us

What can I buy in the shop?: Three things: the 10 Story Bundle at £4.99 (ten story credits), the Unlimited Year at £39.99 (every story, choose-the-path endings and Record Your Voice for a whole year), and themed Story Packs at £2.99 each. See Pricing & Shop for everything on offer. Something not working at checkout? Contact Us
What is Record Your Voice?: Record your own voice once and every story can be read aloud in it at bedtime. It's included with the Unlimited Year — our thank-you for subscribing. It isn't sold separately
How do I pay?: Securely by card at checkout. Your purchase unlocks straight away and appears in your account. If a payment didn't unlock your story, Contact Us and we'll fix it
Can I get a refund?: If something went wrong with a purchase, Contact Us within 14 days and we'll sort it out

What are the story packs?: Printable bedtime packs for different kinds of nights — Brave, Calm, Happy, Sad and Worried — at £2.99 each. Each one is emailed to you straight after checkout, ready to print and read
Is there anything free?: Yes — the Free Story Pack on the home page: bedtime questions, a story planner and a sample story, no card needed
How do I open a pack on my phone?: Open the email we send after checkout and tap the PDF — your phone will save or share it. If nothing happens, try again on a computer, or Contact Us and we'll email it to you
Will there be more packs?: Yes — new printable packs are on the way. Want to hear when they land, or have an idea for one? Contact Us

How do I redeem a gift code?: Visit the Redeem a Gift page, sign in, and type your code. Whatever the code carries — story credits, an Unlimited Year or an hour of unlimited stories — is added to your account straight away
Can I buy a gift for another family?: Yes — gift vouchers for story credits or an Unlimited Year are available on our Gift page. You'll receive a code to pass on, ready to redeem
My gift code says it's already been redeemed: Most gift codes are one-time use — the first person to redeem them claims them. If you think this is a mistake with a code you were given, Contact Us and we'll check

Can I use Once Upon Today outside the UK?: We're UK-only for now. Visitors from outside the UK see a short notice instead of the app, and checkout accepts UK billing only. If you're a member travelling abroad, just sign in as usual — your family's stories stay with you
Why is it UK-only?: We're a small team and we want to get bedtime right for one country first. Join the waitlist on the notice page and we'll email you the moment we open wider

What is the Reflection Journal?: A private space for you, the parent. Each night you can note how bedtime felt, what went well and what helped — and the journal spots patterns, like which weekday tends to be toughest. Your entries are only ever visible to you
What is Send Story?: One button in the library that sends a finished story wherever you are: on your phone it opens the share sheet, and on a computer it emails a link with the signed story PDF and the read-aloud audio
What are the Ready-to-Read Stories?: A small set of calming tales at the top of the library that any family can read right away — no credits spent, nothing added to your collection. Handy for a story tonight when you're short on time
Can I search the whole site without an account?: Yes — Search the Site is open to everyone and finds any page, story pack, gift option or blog post. Inside the app, members also get Search Stories to filter their own library by tag

Still stuck? Contact Us — we reply to every message