# Nuj Alarm Clock — user reviews > 94 indexed App Store user reviews of Nuj Alarm Clock by Snowble Inc., rated 4.70/5 from 72 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nuj-alarm-clock/id1557053396/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nuj-alarm-clock/id1557053396.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 65 · 4★ 1 · 3★ 0 · 2★ 0 · 1★ 6 ## What do users think of Nuj Alarm Clock? Overall sentiment: positive **Pros** - 💪 Impossible to cheat or bypass the alarm system - 💰 Financial penalty is highly motivating - 🎯 Effectively breaks snooze addiction - 🔒 Cloud-based system prevents workarounds - ⏰ Locks alarm one hour before to prevent tampering - 🔋 Minimal battery drain compared to competitors - ❤️ Penalties donated to charity of choice - 👨‍💼 Exceptional developer support and responsiveness - 📱 Simple, intuitive interface design - 🏃 Physical activity requirements (barcode/steps) aid wakefulness - 🔐 Survives app deletion and phone shutdown - ⭐ Builds lasting morning habits - 🎁 Free tier allows 5 alarms per month - 🌐 Uses native iOS alarms for reliability **Cons** - 💳 $5/month subscription required for full functionality - 💸 Subscription cost not clearly disclosed upfront - 😤 Strict penalty policy with limited refund flexibility - ⚙️ Setup requires additional shortcut configuration - 🚫 Limited charity options available - ⚠️ Occasional app freezing or scanner issues - 📝 Confusing onboarding for new users - 💬 Developer can be dismissive of technical issues - 🎯 Barcode scanning sometimes fails to register **Commonly reported bugs** - Scanner fails to open despite app being active - App freezes during barcode scanning process - Alarm setup is confusing and unintuitive - Shortcut configuration issues on some devices - Deactivation process problematic when deleting app **Most requested features** - Puzzle or math problems to ensure mental alertness - More charity options for penalty donations - Yearly subscription discount pricing - Additional physical activity verification methods - Customizable alarm sounds beyond shortcuts - Batch alarm creation for recurring schedules ## Newest reviews (20 of 94) ### 5/5 — Amazing App *2026-02-04, version 1.0.24* The fear of losing money is what gets me up in the morning. Honestly worth the yearly subscription. There’s a measurable consequence for me sleeping in. I always find loopholes in other apps (most of them u can just uninstall them and shut them up) but Noel, the developer, made it so that I can’t even do that. It works. Plus, he’s super responsive and I’ve talked to him a couple of times when I had unique situations. Couldn’t recommend this app more ### 5/5 — This App Works! *2026-01-19, version 1.0.24* This app has helped me stop snoozing my alarm and get up on time and get to work earlier! I have struggled with this for years and tried various alarm clocks and challenges which worked only for a couple days. Using this app for just two weeks has helped me to form a habit of going to sleep earlier and waking up earlier. I am so thankful to Noel for creating this app. He has been so understanding giving me a freebie penalty for my first time missing the alarm and another time when I forgot to unset the alarm the night before on a day I didn’t need to wake up early. Thank you, Noel! ### 5/5 — Get it!! *2026-01-17, version 1.0.24* I’ve been struggling with waking up for years, I’ve tried literally everything (sunrise clock, alarmy etc) and this is the only thing that really works! I finally have a consistent sleep schedule and I’m so grateful. I’ve only ran into a small issue once where I had to reverse the penalty and he was extremely helpful in resolving it. Highly highly recommend ### 5/5 — Best alarm app out of all of them *2025-11-30, version 1.0.23* Best alarm app I’ve used and the support is flawless. Loads of fail safes to make sure you don’t just turn off the alarm which most apps lack. ### 5/5 — I honestly wish I found this sooner! It’s really good! *2025-11-18, version 1.0.23* I’ve been using this alarm app for a while now, and it’s easily one of the best I’ve tried. I love that the app doesn’t drain my battery at all! I’ve used Alarmy before and it seriously ate through my battery, but this app runs so smooth in the background that I don’t even think about it. My favorite features is the barcode check, I set mine to the barcode on my mouthwash in my bathroom, so I actually have to get out of bed to turn the alarm off. Highly highly recommend! ### 5/5 — Fantastic *2025-11-07, version 1.0.23* Works extremely well with no way to cheat. ### 5/5 — Very good alarm! *2025-10-14, version 1.0.23* Changed my life, especially during my university years when I had trouble getting up at a fixed schedule. Definitely would recommend this app! ### 5/5 — Genuinely the best Alarm Clock app *2025-10-12, version 1.0.23* Okay I’ve tried a ton of these, but they always have a way to break ‘em. Whether that’s deleting the app, just pressing “stop” or snoozing repeatedly, shutting down your phone. They’re all exploitable, ‘cept this one. Because this one is server-side, and your cash is on the line. Hard recommend for those who usually have trouble waking up. ### 5/5 — Excellent App *2025-08-02, version 1.0.22* Been using this app for around six months and and it has provided great motivation for me to get up and out of bed. I usually struggle with turning my alarm off and going back to sleep but now with the financial penalty I get up 99% of the time. ### 5/5 — 100% Game Changer *2025-07-26, version 1.0.22* Man I struggled to be consistent waking up in the morning… until I found this app. Plus, Noel (the founder) added the charity of my choice less than 24 hours after I asked. Great support. Great concept. Great app. All around I’m a fan. Thanks Noel! ### 5/5 — The best option!!! *2025-07-23, version 1.0.22* I’ve been using this app for months now and I’m finally on time for work! I have tried SO MANY other apps and methods of waking up and nothing worked. This one locks so I can’t change my mind in the morning and there is no other way to disable it except the options you choose. I have found it very motivating to be on time so I don’t have to spend $$$! You’re able to adjust the amount and where it is donated (like St. Jude’s). The app fee is very minimal and the penalty amount is fully donated which is great! The creator of the app (Noel) is awesome and super responsive to any questions. Can’t recommend this enough!! Try it! ### 5/5 — Best ever *2025-07-18, version 1.0.22* Just throw the $5 a month or whatever folks… seriously the best money I have EVER spent. Changed my life big time. ### 5/5 — The best alarm clock app I have used! *2025-07-12, version 1.0.22* I’ve used many alarm clock apps throughout my life but none of them worked as amazingly as this app. The financial motivation is an amazing way to help you jump out of bed and even if you miss it, you don’t feel guilty since the money is going to a good cause. Highly recommend this alarm app to everyone! ### 5/5 — Will require your brain… *2025-07-05, version 1.0.22* so you get up right away when the alarm goes off. Every time. Well worth the subscription price. Thank you for developing this unique and outstanding app! ### 5/5 — Really Works *2025-06-22, version 1.0.22* I used the Nuj Alarm Clock to motivate myself to get up and walk around to get the day started. Because of the walking requirement feature, I was truly awake afterwards. It was just the thing I needed to get my sleep schedule on track! Highly recommend checking it out. ### 5/5 — Ingenious and Effective *2025-06-16, version 1.0.19* I’ve always had a hard time maintaining a good habit of waking up early. Despite my best intentions, “morning me” would find excuses. That all changed when I started using Nuj. Even a small penalty amount was a powerful motivator to get me out of bed to scan a bar code I taped behind my toothbrush in the medicine cabinet. I think I only missed my goal three times in six months, and the kicker is being able to support worthy charities on the few occasions when I fell short! For any James Clear fans, Nuj is a perfect example of his adage: “You do not rise to the level of your goals. You call to the level of your systems.” ### 5/5 — Game Changer *2025-03-27, version 1.0.19* This app is exactly what I needed to get up early. I always found other workarounds for apps like this, even uninstalling those apps. That doesn’t work with Nuj, and it keeps me accountable. Would definitely recommend for folks that want to start getting up early or on time! ### 5/5 — Simple but effective *2025-03-26, version 1.0.19* I looked through tons of apps and tried many that ended up glitching (aka not doing their one job of ringing) or had so many features but not ones that actually kept me from cheating. I was notorious for waking up a little before my alarm and turning it off. This locks an hour before so you can’t do that. You do have to pay to set an alarm w/penalty $ every day, but I like that I’m supporting a small app developer and not some sketchy company. Also love the penalties go to charity. You do have to use a shortcut for the alarm sound but for me that’s a plus as it doesn’t glitch and shows the alarm time on my Lock Screen. It walks you through how to set it up. Thanks for the great app! ### 5/5 — You Need to Get This! *2025-03-25, version 1.0.19* By far the best app for waking up on time, every time. Noel (the creator) offers great customer support. This is worth every penny and then some! ### 5/5 — Total game changer *2025-03-21, version 1.0.19* I am not exaggerating when I say that I've always had trouble waking up easily. I've tried everything from loud alarms, solving puzzle alarms, walk a certain amount of steps to shut off alarms, but I always managed to go back to sleep. Nuj is the only thing that has worked for me. It's brilliant. Alarm gets locked at the final hour so you can't cheat the system. I'm forced to get out of bed, go downstairs and scan the product. 9 out of 10 times I just start my day unless I'm exhausted and need to go back to bed. With this app I started waking up at 4:30 am consistently for a whole month and before this I was waking up at 8/8:30 am. That is a huge achievement for someone who loves to sleep in! I'm so grateful for the maker of this app, Noel. He's also incredibly understanding when on a couple of occasions I've missed the alarm he's not only quick to respond but also makes exceptions on cancelling the penalties. Of course, as long as you're reasonable about it. Anyway, this is hands down one of the most helpful app on my phone that's helping me become a morning person. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — The only real feature is paywalled *2025-01-03, version 1.0.19* Pretty braindead option to paywall the entire point of this app. If u want money from this just make a portion of the donation go to you or atleast give the option. Why would i pay a separate subscription to donate? The only reason i liked this app initially was because the money was going to charity, the costs for this app could be offset within the main function and very few would care. Now if ur main concern is making as much as possible then the current system makes more sense. ### 1/5 — Hides a premium plan *2024-06-20, version 1.0.18* What a deception, I used this app for a few weeks in test mode with no payment setup and was about to leave a great review. I liked the simplicity of it and the human approach. And was about to leave a 5 stars review. And then I setup my first real « pay if up don’t wake up alarm » only to see you ALSO have to pay the developer $5 per month. NOWHERE is it written you have to pay a premium plan if you really want to use that feature more than 5 times a month (like, let’s say, everyday!). To the developer, writing this nowhere, it’s both mean and I think it does not comply with Apple Store. So not only you lost a potential customer that would have been ready to pay, but now I’m angry for being fooled. ### 1/5 — Too many difficulties *2023-11-26, version 1.0.16* Setting up alarm clock would not work despite many tries and was extremely confusing. App confused itself and when trying to delete the app it had to “deactivate” alarms but couldn’t even do that. Don’t waste your time ### 2/5 — Disappointed *2024-04-21, version 1.0.17* Been using this app almost daily for just under two months, it’s a really good idea. It helped to increase my morning productivity when needed. Plus if you miss your alarm for whatever reason, the money goes to a good place. However, got left with a sour taste when recently I was awake, standing in my bathroom, ready to scan the barcode I needed to end the alarm, when it wouldn’t open up and the timer expired, charging me $5. I asked support if they could reverse this one. I’ve missed alarms in the past - I’m not trying to get out of giving $5 to charity. I genuinely thought something had bugged out. If they had just said no, then that would have been OK I guess, but the creator of the app emailed me to say that he had checked my account activity and that they had proof the scanner hadn’t been opened and they were therefore not refunding the $5. Guy went off rambling about accountability, also saying I could provide evidence to the contrary if I so welcomed. LMAO - so essentially calling me a liar. IDK if it was the app or my phone itself or my internet connection, but the app froze and I could not open the scanner. I am NOT lying. Safe to say I’ve cancelled my subscription. Pro-tip: don’t call your customers liars. It’s not a good business model. ### 2/5 — Shame *2022-03-25, version 1.0.5* Cannot pick which charity the money should go to, and you have to pay $5/month just to be able to use it. I’d rather just wake up knowing I’m not spending $5 a month for an alarm. ### 3/5 — Overpriced *2024-05-19, version 1.0.17* Subscription models is not longer contentious anymore and that’s fine. But $5 a month? Everything’s increasing in price but this is just an alarm app, albeit a pretty decent one with a few performance issues here and there. Further discounted yearly pricing could sway me back. ### 5/5 — Great tool *2026-08-24, version 1.0.24* This app is extremely useful if you are someone who struggles with oversnoozing alarms. The consequence system is tunable and effective for people with this issue. It requires you to make a commitment to waking up at a certain time the night before by setting the alarm, and feels rewarding when you successfully complete the alarm task. Greatly improved my productivity and mornings. ### 5/5 — Wonderful against procrastination *2026-08-14, version 1.0.24* Only way to get out of bed nowadays, just wished there was a timer option too. ### 5/5 — Truly Life Changing *2026-08-12, version 1.0.24* This app has been a game changer. I’m 34 and in all those years, even as a kindergartener (seriously, there is a VHS of my first day of school, and I was not having it), I hate mornings. It’s like I am a completely different person. It’s like I don’t have control over myself. It’s always been a huge issue in my life, especially as an adult. I would do anything to keep sleeping. I’ve lost jobs over it. No matter how hard I tried I always failed myself. It’s been very disheartening and I’ve been extremely hard on myself for a long time (I know that doesn’t help). These past couple years I’ve been trying all sorts of “unconventional” alarm ideas. Not a single one beat me… I beat them and kept sleeping peacefully. My partner couldn’t even get me up.. like I said, it’s like I’m not me, I would be mean to them. Everything I tried failed. Until one day, I got on Reddit and read anything I could regarding the struggle of getting up in the morning. I saw a Reddit user stating they designed an app that charges you if you don’t get up. I was afraid it was a scam at first, but after further research it seemed legit and I tried it. LIFE CHANGING. I used the free 5 alarms at first to test it out. For the first time in my life, I got up… and I stayed UP! I wasn’t late to work for an entire week. After that week, I subscribed. $5 is a steal for a service like this. - so thank you to whoever made this alarm, it has completely changed me as a person. I truly fear the day it might *disappear* and not be available anymore. I really appreciate this unconventional tool that has saved me in ways no one could ever understand. < 3 ### 5/5 — Game changer *2026-07-25, version 1.0.24* I could talk myself into sleeping in no matter what and this is such a game changer for forcing yourself out of bed. I do two alarms ten minutes apart and I was able to request a charity in the rare case the alarms don’t get me up but they haven’t not been able to not motivate me yet ## Most praised reviews (6 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Amazing app *2026-05-13, version 1.0.24* I have adhd so I struggle to take my medications on time everyday so having to get up and scan a barcode to stop the alarm has been absolutely great for me. All important features are completely free and i found no glitches this far. Great app who you can see isn’t just money grabbing. ### 5/5 — Great for anyone having trouble getting out of bed in the morning! *2026-05-12, version 1.0.24* I love Nuj! Nuj is the only way that I have found to reliably get up in the morning. For years, I wanted to get up early, but when the early morning arrived, I was just too warm and cozy and I would turn off my alarm, regretting it when I got out of bed hours later. Now, with binding penalty alarms stored on the cloud, I either get up or pay up! I love the lock window feature. Late at night, it is so tempting to disable an early upcoming morning alarm. The lock window prevents you from doing that. The only thing that would make the lock window feature better would be for the maximum lock window period to be maybe 48 hours compared to 16 hours. That would really help me stick to early morning alarm schedules. Also, Noel is a really nice, helpful, and responsive Admin. I recently got a flip phone and had trouble using Nuj on it. I sent a message to the support email and Noel responded within 5 minutes. Although I am probably the only Nuj user using my specific flip phone, he made the flip phone support robust within a few weeks. That was very, very generous of him and more than any other app developer in that situation would do! I would highly recommend this app to anyone having trouble getting up early in the morning! ### 5/5 — Only thing that works *2026-04-27, version 1.0.24* I’ve tried so many apps like this and this is the first one I’ve been consistent with for several months. It is also seamless with the clock app which I love. No issues. I do wish there was an option to add a follow up alarm to make sure I’m actually out of bed like 5 minutes after I scan a barcode. ### 5/5 — The only alarm that gets me out of bed *2026-03-11, version 1.0.24* I have tried every hack and app to wake up early, this is the only thing that works - no loopholes or workarounds. The time I’ve gained in my day by actually getting up when my alarm goes off is worth every penny! ### 5/5 — Only App That Actually Works *2026-03-11, version 1.0.24* Tried a lot of things to get out of bed in the morning - keeping the alarm in a separate place, natural light, etc. This is the first thing that has actually worked consistently- super smart ### 5/5 — Game changer *2026-02-12, version 1.0.24* Always struggled with getting up on time if I didn’t have work to get up for or something to get to. Have tried putting my alarm clock across the room and other apps like Alarmy but would always end up back in bed. However, nothing is more motivating than losing actual money. App is a total game changer for my productivity and just general daily life. Shoutout Noel for the idea, thanks man. --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-28.*