ByeBed vs Alarmy: Which is the best mission-based alarm?
Quick answer: Alarmy is the cross-platform veteran: around for more than a decade, available on iOS and Android, with 75M+ users by its own count and a 4.8 ★ rating on the US App Store (Oct 2026). ByeBed is the newer iOS 26 app built on Apple's AlarmKit, with 14 missions, push-ups counted on the device by Apple Vision, and also rated 4.8 ★ on the US App Store (Oct 2026), from far fewer ratings. If you're on iOS 26 and want more mission variety in a focused, ad-free alarm, ByeBed. If you need Android, older iOS versions or the most battle-tested ecosystem, Alarmy. (Written by the ByeBed team; Alarmy details come from its App Store listing, help center and mission guide, checked October 2026.)
Quick verdict
| Criterion | ByeBed | Alarmy |
|---|---|---|
| Mission count | 14 | 9 (per Alarmy's mission guide, May 2026) |
| US App Store rating (Oct 2026) | 4.8 ★ | 4.8 ★ |
| Built on Apple AlarmKit | Yes (requires iOS 26, AlarmKit from day one) | Lock-screen alarm on iOS 26 (v25.45.0+, per Alarmy's help center); also supports iOS 17–25 |
| Camera-counted exercise | Push-ups (Apple Vision body pose, on device) | Squats (camera or motion sensor, per Alarmy) |
| Photo missions | AI check by Google Gemini (36 everyday objects, sky, made bed, grass, pill, your own objects) | Reference-photo match + household item hunt |
| Ads | None | Yes, in the free version |
| Platforms | iPhone & iPad, iOS 26+ only | iOS 17+ & Android |
What Alarmy does well
Alarmy has been around for more than a decade and says it has 75M+ users; its US App Store page shows a 4.8 ★ average from a very large number of ratings (Oct 2026). That maturity shows: the mission catalog is broad, the bug fixes are years deep, and the review volume gives you confidence the app works on a huge variety of devices.
Cross-platform support is the biggest objective advantage. If you switch between iOS and Android, or if you share an alarm system with someone on Android, Alarmy is the obvious pick — ByeBed simply doesn't exist on Android.
Alarmy also bundles sleep tracking, sleep sound libraries, and morning routines into the same app. If you want one app for the entire morning, that's a fair use case.
Where Alarmy is weaker for iOS-only users
The same things that make Alarmy mature also add friction for someone who only cares about iOS and a hard wake-up. The gaps:
- Ads in the free version. The free version shows ads; Premium removes them. ByeBed has no ads.
- Built before AlarmKit. On iOS 26, Alarmy's alarm now appears on the Lock Screen (v25.45.0+, per its help center), but the app predates AlarmKit by years and still supports iOS 17 to 25, where AlarmKit does not exist. ByeBed requires iOS 26 and was built on AlarmKit from day one.
- Fewer missions. Alarmy's own guide lists 9 missions. ByeBed has 14, including push-ups, drawing, a maze and memory games.
- Photo mission needs a reference shot. Alarmy's Photo mission asks you to match the angle of a reference photo set in advance (its household item hunt is the no-setup alternative). ByeBed's photo missions are checked by Google Gemini, with no setup for the random object, sky, made bed and grass missions; they need an internet connection.
- Feature breadth. Sleep tracking, sleep sounds and bedtime reminders make Alarmy a bigger app. Great if you want them; extra screens if you only want a hard wake-up.
Why ByeBed is built differently for heavy iOS sleepers
Heavy sleepers (people who routinely hit snooze 3+ times or sleep through alarms) get three things from ByeBed's design:
- AlarmKit-first design. ByeBed was built around AlarmKit from the start and has no older iOS versions to support. Its alarms ring through silent mode and Focus, like the built-in Clock app.
- The alarm comes back until the mission is done. The AlarmKit alert shows a Stop button, but in ByeBed it opens your mission, and if you don't finish it the alarm rings again, up to 10 times over 15 minutes. There is no snooze button; for genuine false alarms you get 2 skips a month.
- Apple Vision push-up detection. Push-up missions use Apple Vision body pose, all on the device. The app counts real reps from the front camera; no video is uploaded.
The mission engine, compared
Both apps replace snooze with a task. But the tasks work differently.
Cognitive missions
ByeBed Math: typed answer on a numeric keypad, no multiple choice. Difficulty scales from simple addition and subtraction (3 problems) to multiplication tables up to 12×12 (6 problems) on Hard. It takes real focus, not autopilot taps.
Alarmy Math: arithmetic problems with adjustable difficulty, up to a very hard 'Hell' mode. Alarmy also offers memory tiles and typing missions that fill the same niche.
Physical missions
ByeBed Push-ups: 5, 10, or 20 push-ups counted via the front camera using Apple Vision body pose. 100% on-device, no video uploaded. Real rep counting from your body's position.
Alarmy Squat / Shake / Walking: shake your phone a set number of times, walk a set number of steps, or do squats counted by the phone's camera or motion sensor, according to Alarmy's mission guide.
Photo missions
ByeBed Photo: 6 photo missions (a random everyday object, the sky, your made bed, grass, your pill, or one of your own objects), each checked by an AI model (Google Gemini) over the internet. No QR code, no reference photo; the random object, sky, made bed and grass missions need no setup at all. Take a photo that matches the prompt and it passes.
Alarmy Photo: you register a reference photo in advance (your kitchen sink, your bathroom mirror, anywhere away from bed) and match its angle in the morning. Works, but needs planning. Alarmy also offers QR/barcode scanning and a household item hunt, where you photograph a randomly assigned item from a pool you choose.
Frequently asked questions
Is Alarmy better than ByeBed?
Alarmy is better if you need Android or older iOS versions, a huge review base, or sleep tracking and sleep sounds in the same app. ByeBed is better for iOS 26 users who want 14 missions, camera-counted push-ups and no ads.
How many missions does Alarmy have?
Alarmy's own mission guide (May 2026) lists 9: math, memory tiles, typing, shake, squat, walking, photo, QR/barcode and a household item hunt. ByeBed offers 14, including Apple Vision push-ups and six AI-checked photo missions.
Is ByeBed worth switching from Alarmy for?
Switch to ByeBed if you are on iOS 26 and want more missions, camera-counted push-ups and an alarm that comes back, up to 10 times over 15 minutes, until the mission is done. Stay with Alarmy if you need Android or are heavily invested in its ecosystem.
Does Alarmy work without ads on the free tier?
Alarmy's free version shows ads; the Premium subscription removes them. ByeBed has no ads at all, but it is a subscription app (3-day free trial on the annual plan for eligible new subscribers).
Sources
- Apple Developer — AlarmKit Framework Documentation
- Alarmy on the App Store
- Alarmy blog, May 2026. How to Choose the Best Alarmy Mission (9 Missions, Compared)
- Alarmy Help Center, updated October 2026. New on iOS 26: Alarmy alarm now shows on your Lock Screen
- DelightRoom Product Blog. Deep Dive into Alarmy Missions, Part 1 (Math difficulty up to Hell Mode)
- ByeBed on the US App Store. Rating, in-app purchases and App Privacy label (checked October 2026)
Tired of hitting snooze?
ByeBed replaces the snooze button with a mission: math, push-ups, a photo. Stop the alarm without finishing the mission and it comes back, up to 10 times over 15 minutes. Subscription required, with a 3-day free trial on the annual plan for eligible new subscribers.
Download ByeBed on the App Store