Challenge-to-dismiss alarm apps
Mobile alarm clocks that force users to complete a mission like math, steps, exercise, photo or barcode scanning (or use social, voice and gentle wake-up twists) to stop oversleeping, alongside smaller clusters of sleep aids, sleep trackers and screen-break reminders.
Built for: Heavy sleepers and chronic snoozers
Projects since May 04
141
Different builders
135
Last 4 weeks vs 8 before
▲ +32%
AI is the core
2.8%
Projects per week
Mostly mobile app (83%), desktop app (8.5%), browser extension (3.5%) · from r/SideProject, r/IMadeThis, r/ShowYourApp, r/vibecoding
Latest
- Alba Alarm — Creates groups of repeating alarms from a start time, alarm count, and interval, with a random sound option.“I made my own alarm app to wake up in the morning”
- Always On Time — Turns calendar events into full-screen alarms with sound and vibration before they start.“Always On Time - I'm time blind (ADHD) and built a calendar alarm app that changed my life”
- SleepFix — Helps users improve their sleep through an Android app, as described in its Play Store listing.“I used Claude 5.5 Opus to script and design a promo video for my app SleepFix”
- MorningCaster — Plays a call-style wake-up alarm that greets the user by name and then gives a weather briefing and music.“Getting out of bed is enough work. I built a wake-up call that brings your morning briefing to you.”
- Fifi — Wakes the user with an alarm that arrives as an incoming call, where a cat character reads a morning briefing with notes, weather and headlines.“My cat now calls me every morning, so naturally I turned that into an alarm app”
- Mushroom — Reminds computer users to drink water and take breaks during long sitting sessions.“Mushroom for macOS, Windows & iOS”
- Zenith Focus — Plays ambient sounds and runs a focus timer with breathing exercises on iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch.“I wanted to build a sleep sounds app because the existing ones were too expensive. It turned into a focus timer for iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch”
- Have You Rested — Runs break reminders on a Mac and uses the camera to pause the countdown when the user looks back at the screen.“I made a Mac break timer that pauses when you look back at the screen”
- Chairtax — Locks the Mac screen during scheduled breaks until the webcam counts a set number of exercise reps.“I built a Mac app that forces me to stand up”
- Belfry — Plays church-style bell sounds on a schedule for prayer times and themed days and nights.“Belfry: bringing back the bells.”
- Sip Kitty — Shows an animated cat on web pages at chosen intervals to remind the user to drink water.“A cute kitty reminds you to stay hydrated!!”
- NowSleep — Tracks bedtime and wake-up times, locks distracting apps on a schedule, and shows sleep trends over time.“I built an iOS sleep app that helps before bedtime—not just after”
- Sip, Kitty — Shows a cat on web pages at chosen intervals to remind the user to drink water, reacting when hovered over.“I made a Chrome extension where a tiny cat reminds you to drink water”
- Yawn Time — Shows a video of yawning people on the phone screen to try to trigger a contagious yawn and help the user fall asleep.“Sleep App: Yawn Time”
- DeskRhythm — Reminds users when to switch between sitting, standing and moving during the workday.“DeskRhythm is out on iPhone: the latest app from my studio, built with an open-source AI product team”
- Break Reminder — Reminds the user to step away from the screen at set intervals with full-screen breaks and snooze or skip options.“Built a tiny macOS app because I kept forgetting to take breaks”
- SleepTrace — Estimates sleep phases and records night sounds from a phone placed by the bed, then wakes the user in a chosen window during light sleep.“You can score 92 on your sleep app and still feel wrecked. I built a tracker to answer the question the score never does: why.”
- eye-reminder — Shows an on-screen reminder every 20 minutes to look away at something distant, without stealing focus and hiding during fullscreen or screen shares.“I made a Windows app to follow the 20-20-20 rule”
- TiltCue — Flags sustained head tilt on a Mac using compatible headphones and sends gentle reminders.“MacBook + headphones while working = Posture Correction Solution”
- busnap — Alerts the user with vibration and an alarm when they are a set distance from their destination during a commute.“Built an app that wakes you up before you miss your bus/train stop — now live on Play Store”
Most discussed
- WakeUpBroo — Makes an iOS alarm keep ringing until a code from a laptop or PC website is entered to stop it.“I made an alarm app that forces me to use my laptop to turn it off”
- DriveSafe — Detects driver drowsiness from the phone camera on-device and alerts the driver.“I built DriveSafe, an Android app that detects driver drowsiness in real time using on-device computer vision.”
- BukBuk Alarm — Requires users to complete missions like scanning an object, solving math, or scanning a barcode to turn off alarms.“Every morning I scan my toilet to turn off my alarms.”
- Wayk — Requires the user to complete a physical task, such as pushups or photographing the sky, before an alarm can be silenced.“I built an alarm app that makes you complete a mission before it shuts up”
- Sets a bedtime alarm that stays on until the phone is face-down and still, and records a 15-second video excuse when the user wants to stay up.“I built an alarm that goes off at bedtime, and films you if you ignore it”
- Drift — Plays a calm voice reading random unconnected words on a timer to help the listener fall asleep.“I built an app for falling asleep fast that actually helped my wife”
- ScreamDrop — Plays a scream sound when the phone detects it has been dropped.“Made an iOS App named ScreamDrop that makes your phone scream when you drop it. Thoughts?😂”
- How Are You?! — Learns an elderly person's daily routine on their Android phone and notifies family when it detects unusual inactivity.“I give up - and here's what building an app for elderly parents actually taught me”
- Tempus Fugit — Displays a animated pendulum grandfather clock on iPhone with multiple skins, widgets, StandBy support and optional chimes.“My 2-year-old loved an old grandfather clock, so I built one for iPhone.”
- 8BitAlarm — Sounds an alarm that only stops after the user finishes a short retro-style mini-game.“I made an alarm that only turns off only when you beat the game”