Buzz
Your smartphone's alarm feature isn’t broken. If it gets you out of bed on time, it’s doing its job, and you should appreciate not having to rely on drastic measures to start your day.
If you need more than just your phone’s gentle alarm tone to get up for work, or if you want to add some excitement to your mornings beyond the usual buzzing sound, there are countless alarm apps available on the App Store and Google Play. With so many options, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. To save you time, here are some of our top picks to kickstart your day:
An excellent all-around alarm: Sleep Cycle
Many people often recommend Sleep Cycle (iOS/Android) as a fantastic everyday alarm app. Even The Guardian praised it in their 2012 review:
This alarm clock eliminates the jarring wake-up experience. By leveraging your iPhone’s accelerometer, the app tracks your movements to identify your sleep phase. It gently rouses you during light sleep, ensuring you wake up refreshed and calm. The experience is so soothing, it’s like being awakened by a mermaid brushing your hair or a unicorn gently nudging your feet.
Such glowing reviews are well-deserved. Sleep Cycle operates in two ways: either by using the microphone to listen to your sleep or by placing the phone on your bed to monitor your movements via its accelerometer. Ideally, the app detects your sleep patterns and wakes you during a light sleep phase, avoiding deep or REM sleep. This approach aims to leave you feeling less groggy and more cheerful for the day ahead.
If you don’t agree with Sleep Cycle’s analysis, simply lift your phone to trigger one of two snooze options. While the app’s core features are free, you can unlock additional tools (like snore tracking) by subscribing for $30 annually.
Android users have another excellent option with the popular Sleep as Android app, which provides similar features at a more affordable one-time price of $5.50.
A challenging wake-up app: Alarmy
I’ve mentioned this app previously, but it’s worth revisiting due to its effectiveness in getting you out of bed. Alarmy (iOS/Android) operates on a straightforward concept: since you can’t rely on yourself to get up when the alarm rings, it prevents you from simply hitting snooze. Instead, it requires you to complete a task to stop the alarm.
For an easier option, you can stay in bed and solve a math problem to silence the alarm. If you’re up for a tougher challenge, you can set it to require a photo of a distant spot in your home (like your kitchen) or scan a QR code placed somewhere other than your bed. The alarm won’t stop until you get up and complete the task. The free version includes ads, but you can remove them for just $1.
I Can’t Wake Up is another Mytour favorite available on Android and iOS. I’d also recommend Shake-it Alarm (Android), as there’s nothing quite like yelling at your alarm to turn it off. (Sorry in advance to anyone sharing your space.)
A unique alarm experience: Carrot
If you thought HAL 9000 was bothersome, wait until you try the Carrot alarm clock app (iOS). Priced at $3, it’s a steal for how effectively it gets you out of bed. Simply set an alarm, and Carrot handles the rest, bombarding you with one of 30 songs—ranging from charming to maddening—and a random task to complete before the alarm stops. Plus, you’ll unlock more features the more you successfully wake up. Fun, right?
A travel-friendly alarm clock: WakeMeHere
Don’t assume you’re always sleeping in your own bed. Whether you’re on a long commute, dislike road trips, or resting on a moving vehicle and need to wake up before arriving, the iOS app WakeMeHere has you covered.
The concept is straightforward. Select a location, and the alarm will trigger once your device detects you’ve entered that area. It’s as simple as that.
When choosing your wake-up spot, you can even adjust the radius of the alert zone, allowing for precise timing or ensuring you wake up as you approach a broader area.
For stargazers: Nebula Alarm Clock
This Android alarm app hasn’t seen an update since March of last year, raising concerns that the developer may have moved on. However, as long as it functions, Nebula Alarm Clock remains a delightful app with a unique twist on the “complete a task to wake up” concept.
For those who prefer a calmer start to their day without intense mental challenges or penalties, Nebula offers a softer approach. Before bed, open the app, and a tiny star will grow as you sleep. Upon waking, you collect the star by performing a simple action, like shaking your phone, and add it to your virtual night sky. The more stars you gather, the more constellations you create, gradually beautifying your digital sky. It’s a far more serene experience compared to aggressive alarm apps.
