Frequently asked questions
Everything you might wonder about LevelUp, from gamification mechanics to pricing, privacy, and what works in which editor. Can't find what you need? Ping me on Discord.
What is LevelUp?
LevelUp is a motivation and progress system for developers who spend hours in VS Code every day. It makes work visible, gives each session a sense of completion, helps structure tasks, and brings playful feedback into an otherwise highly functional coding environment.
How do I install LevelUp?
Install it from the Visual Studio Marketplace or the Open VSX Registry. Both stores carry the same version of the extension.
Does LevelUp work in Cursor, VSCodium, or other forks?
Yes. LevelUp is published on Open VSX, so it works in any editor that supports the Open VSX Registry, including Cursor and VSCodium.
Do I need an account to use LevelUp?
No. Focus Points, Vault, Activity Tracker and Cortex all work offline without an account. A GitHub login is only needed for the Leaderboards, which also require an active LevelUp Cloud plan.
How can I reach you directly or request a feature?
For feature requests and community chat, ping us on Discord or open a GitHub issue. For anything else, email sinan@levelupvscode.com and I reply within 48 hours.
Does LevelUp use AI?
No. LevelUp contains no AI, language model, or chatbot. It is a local gamification and task layer for your editor. It simply works alongside whatever AI coding assistant you already use. For example, Cortex can generate a plain guide file from your tasks so your own assistant knows how to read and update your todos.
What happens if I cancel LevelUp Cloud?
With yearly billing, your cloud features run until the end of the year you paid for. After that, sync and the leaderboards stop and your plan turns into a permanent LevelUp Local licence at no extra cost. You keep every local feature, including future updates. With monthly billing there is no such conversion, so all access ends when the cancellation takes effect.
Does LevelUp Local include future updates?
Yes. LevelUp Local is a one-time payment and covers every future version of the local features. It does not include the cloud features, which need an active LevelUp Cloud plan.
How do I get support for a purchase?
Email sinan@levelupvscode.com and I reply within 48 hours. For invoices and payment details, the Polar customer portal linked on the Contact page lets you help yourself in seconds.
What is the refund policy?
Wherever you are in the world, if anything is wrong with your purchase, email me first and we will sort it out. EU consumers additionally have a statutory 14-day right of withdrawal, and we do not ask you to waive it, so it applies in full even after your license key has been delivered. Full details are on the Withdrawal & Refunds page.
How do I cancel my subscription?
The fastest way is to log in to the Polar customer portal with your checkout email and cancel there in seconds. Alternatively, use the Cancel Contracts here page linked in the footer. Either way, cancellation takes effect at the end of the current billing period. If you cancel the yearly LevelUp Cloud plan, your LevelUp Local licence stays yours permanently.
Does LevelUp send my code anywhere?
No. Your code content never leaves your machine. The exception, of course, is if you contribute to the leaderboards; in that case, LevelUp transfers the metrics required to participate in the leaderboard. However, this is all optional and can be turned off in your profile. It is disabled by default.
What data is synced for Leaderboards?
Only your Focus Point metrics and Active Time for the current daily and weekly periods, alongside your GitHub display name and avatar.
Can I use LevelUp completely offline?
Yes. LevelUp is local by default. You don't need an internet connection for something that doesn't need an internet connection. It's logical, but unfortunately rare these days.
What does the GitHub login store?
It is a standard OAuth flow, so only your public GitHub identity (username, avatar, ID) is linked to your Leaderboard entries. LevelUp never receives your GitHub token or accesses your repositories.