The whole category converged on the same three ideas — scan a QR code, photograph something, or count your steps. Alarm Shift uses a different one: the radio signal your phone already sees. Here is how that compares, including where we are the wrong choice.
Ratings and install counts read from Google Play on 20 July 2026. Dismissal methods from each vendor's own documentation. Prices shown as Play's in-app range because none of these developers publish a fixed price.
Categories, not a scoreboard. Each column is a different approach to waking up rather than a straight competitor.
| Alarm Shift | Alarmy | Sleep as Android | Alarm Clock Xtreme | Sleep Cycle | Google Clock | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| How you dismiss it | Walk near a device Wi-Fi / Bluetooth signal strength | MissionsMaths, photo match, QR/barcode, steps, squats, typing, shake | ~26 CAPTCHAsIncl. QR code and NFC tag | PuzzlesMaths, password, QR/barcode | Snooze / stopSmart 30-min wake window | Swipe or tapNo puzzles |
| Radio-proximity dismissalWi-Fi RSSI or Bluetooth | Yes | No | NoNFC tag is touch, not proximity | No | No | No |
| Works without buying anything | Yes | Yes | Tag optionalNFC captcha needs a card or tag | Code optionalQR captcha needs a printed code | Yes | Yes |
| Hands-free once you're there | YesPresence is the proof | NoAim a camera or solve something | No | No | No | No |
| Sleep tracking | BasicWake times, time-to-rise | Yes | DeepestSonar, snoring, wearables | Limited | Extensive | No |
| Shares data with third parties | Nothing collected No account, no server | YesPlay Data Safety lists browsing history + device IDs for advertising | See listing | See listing | See listing | See listing |
| Play rating20 Jul 2026 | Not yet launched | Not verifiedSources conflicted | 4.6 ★391K reviews · 10M+ | 4.5 ★1.24M reviews · 50M+ | 4.3 ★217K reviews · 10M+ | 3.8 ★780K reviews · 1B+ |
| Cost | $1.99/mo3-day trial | Free tier + premiumPrice not published | In-app $0.99–$75Lifetime or subscription | Free with adsIn-app $0.99–$29.99 | In-app $0.99–$59.99 | FreeNo in-app purchases |
Several of these get you out of bed. The distinction is what you have to do once you're standing there — and whether the proof needs your hands.
Solve a sum, photograph a registered spot, scan a QR code you printed and stuck to the fridge, tap an NFC card, or hit a step count. It works — but you're doing a chore at 6am, half awake, holding your phone. Miss the shot in bad light and it keeps going. It also means printing, sticking and replacing something.
Walk to the kitchen. That's it. The signal from your router or speaker is the proof — no tapping, typing, aiming a camera or counting steps, and nothing to print or stick anywhere. Put the phone down mid-walk and it still works, because being there is the whole test.
Genuinely — these are cases where another app serves you better.
If sleep stages, snoring analysis and long-term trends are the point, a dedicated sleep tracker does far more than we do. Ours records wake times and how long you took to get up — useful, but not a sleep lab.
Alarm Shift is Android-only right now. iOS is planned, but if you need it this week, pick something else.
Proximity works by putting distance between your bed and the device. If everything is within three metres, a mission alarm will get you upright more reliably.
If you wake up fine on the first ring, your phone's built-in clock is free and does the job. We're for people who snooze through everything.
If walking to the kitchen doesn't get you up, nothing on this page will.
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