# Alarm Clock vs Balm

The clearest difference is rating: Balm at 5.0 against Alarm Clock's 4.1. Balm also leads on monetization model (freemium vs subscription) and iOS requirement (14.0.0 vs 17.0). Alarm Clock's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 16 months) and ratings volume (1.9K vs 2). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Alarm Clock sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days and Balm sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $12.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Balm holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Alarm Clock has 1.9K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Alarm Clock ships an update fortnightly, Balm every 16 months. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Alarm Clock | Balm |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.1 (1.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/alarm-clock-smart-waking-up/id1466313952/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/balm/id1533053640/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.9K** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 53.3% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 16 months |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Freemium** |
| Size | 118 MB | 67 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **14.0.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Blue Bike LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1276495840) | [Patrick Graham](https://appshunter.io/developer/1533053642) |

## What reviewers say

### Alarm Clock

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/alarm-clock-smart-waking-up/id1466313952)

This app offers a robust alarm clock experience with customizable features to ensure you wake up on time. It includes event tracking, personal timers, sleep cycle monitoring, and even a meditation mode to help you wind down. Never miss an important event or oversleep again with this comprehensive tool.

**Highlights:** Customizable alarms with music and vibration, Event countdowns with days, hours, minutes, seconds, Sleep cycle tracking with bedtime and wake time, Daily and weekly sleep statistics, In-app meditation for stress relief, Activity-based alarm dismissal, Notes and reminders for alarms

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| bike | $6.99 | per month |
| Yearly Subscription | $29.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Helps wake up on time
- 🚀 Effective alarm
- 💡 Interesting wake-up challenges
- 🧠 Engages brain in the morning

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Requires subscription for basic features
- 🐛 Alarm issues (doesn't go off, goes off at wrong times)
- 📢 Loud/annoying alarm
- 🤖 Excessive review prompts

**Reported bugs**

- Alarm not working as expected
- Alarm continuing to sound after dismissed
- App crashing or freezing

**Requested features**

- More customization options
- Ability to use own music/sounds as alarm
- Improved stability and reliability
- Less intrusive review prompts


### Balm

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/balm/id1533053640)

This app offers Christian-based guided meditations and bedtime stories to reduce stress and improve sleep. Daily meditations are available in various lengths, covering topics from anxiety to finances. A subscription unlocks extensive content, including longer stories and in-depth programs.

**Highlights:** Guided meditations, Bedtime stories based on the Bible, Daily meditations, Anxiety and stress management topics, Sleep and insomnia support, Addiction recovery and forgiveness content, Premium music and nature sounds

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Balm Monthly Subscription | $12.99 | per month |
| Balm Yearly Subscription | $69.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Alarm Clock free?

Alarm Clock is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Balm free?

Balm is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Alarm Clock or Balm?

Balm is rated higher. Alarm Clock averages 4.1 out of 5 from 1.9K ratings, while Balm averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Alarm Clock or Balm have ads?

Neither Alarm Clock nor Balm shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Alarm Clock or Balm?

Alarm Clock ships an update fortnightly, and Balm every 16 months. Most recently, Alarm Clock was updated on November 6, 2026 and Balm on November 3, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*