Comparison

Reality checks vs Lucidly

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Reality checks

This app helps users determine if they are dreaming by prompting them to perform reality checks. Users can set up custom notifications and select the type of reality check they wish to perform to enhance their lucid dreaming practice.

Highlights
  • Set up notifications
  • Choose reality check types
  • Lucid dreaming aid
  • Customizable prompts
Features
Read full description

To make lucid dreams, the mind needs to perform frequent "Reality Checks". A reality check is a method used to determine whether you are in a dream or in real life. This app helps you perform reality checks by allowing you to set up notifications and choose which type of reality check to perform.

About

Lucidly

This app uses AI and your smartwatch to detect REM sleep. It alerts you during this phase, allowing you to attempt lucid dreaming. It supports various induction techniques and offers two modes for sleep entry or REM detection.

Highlights
  • Real-time REM prediction
  • AI-driven sleep stage detection
  • Haptic and audible alerts
  • Two operating modes (Inference & Hypnagogic)
  • Adjustable prediction thresholds and alerts
  • Session analytics and charts
  • Apple HealthKit integration
Features
Read full description

Lucidly collects health readings while you are sleeping via the watch. The readings are evaluated using artificial intelligence to determine when you have entered rapid eye movement (REM) of your sleep cycle. When REM is detected, the watch will alert you by triggering tactile and or audible signals. The user can attempt to recognize the signal in their dreaming state, or wake up and attempt to reenter REM via any lucid dreaming induction method of choice. Lucidly is the first and only application that specifically targets this phase of the sleep cycle using health readings in combination with machine learning and haptic signaling. The application works well and supports WILD, WBTB, DEILD and DILD induction techniques, and is available in two operating modes: Inference (REM detection and alerts), and hypnagogic (periodic haptics for sleep entry). Lucidly integrates with Apple's health kit for functionality. User permission is required to read and write data. REM prediction is performed by neural networks while the application is in session and the user is asleep. Lucidly has an overall accuracy > 80%. REM inference is an approximation and results may vary. Familiarity and some experience with lucid dreaming induction techniques is recommended before subscribing. Lucidly provides the following features: - Real time REM prediction with auto shut-off tactile and audible signaling. - REM stage determined by artificial neural networks (AI). - Greater than 80% model accuracy. - Two operating modes: Inference and hypnagogic. Modes can run in tandem or independently. - Ability to adjust prediction thresholds, haptics, session and alert durations. - Analytics and charts generated for each session with notification timestamps. - Seamlessly integrates and displays Sleep App metrics. - Ability to playback sessions and test different settings against REM detection models. - No registration required to use the application. - No personally identifying information is collected. - Subscriptions are auto-renewable and can be cancelled any time. - All plans include a FREE 7-day trial. =============== IN-APP PURCHASE: Monthly: $5.99 Yearly: $39.99 ($3.33 / mo) - Payment will be charged to iTunes account at confirmation of purchase. - Subscriptions automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period. - Account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period, and identify the cost of the renewal. - Subscriptions may be managed by the user and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user's Account Settings after purchase. =================== BEFORE YOU SUBSCRIBE: Lucidly requires Apple Watch for functionality. This application will not work without a paired Apple Watch and installed companion Lucidly WatchOS application. Familiarity and some experience with lucid dreaming induction techniques is recommended. Read our Privacy Policy at: https://lucidly-public.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/privacy_lucidly.html Read our Terms of Service at: https://lucidly-public.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/terms_lucidly.html

Screenshots

Reality checks3 screens
Lucidly4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Reality checks at 100% against Lucidly's 44%. Reality checks also leads on update cadence (daily vs weekly). Lucidly's advantage is price (Free vs $0.99) and rating (3.2 vs 1.0). On ads, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Lucidly is free to download; Reality checks costs $0.99 up front. Reality checks sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and Lucidly sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Lucidly holds the better App Store score, 3.2 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Lucidly has 19 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 100% of Reality checks's written reviews are positive against 44% of Lucidly's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Reality checks ships an update daily, Lucidly weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Reality checks versus Lucidly: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterReality checksLucidly
Price$0.99Free — better
Rating1.0 (1 ratings)3.2 (19 ratings) — better
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews — better43.8% of reviews
Number of ratings119 — better
Update frequencyDaily — betterWeekly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS14.013.4 — better
Further details — not scored
Size6 MB110 MB
Age rating4+9+
DeveloperGianpiero Spinelli5Path LLC

Customer experience

Reality checks

All ratings1 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Lucidly

All ratings18 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral16.7%
Negative33.3%
Written reviews16 reviews
Positive43.8%
Neutral18.8%
Negative37.5%

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Reality checks

One-time3
  • Support us with a coffee2 variants$0.99
  • Support us with two coffees2 variants$4.99
  • Well, this is a lot of love2 variants$9.99
2 purchases

Lucidly

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Access7 Days trial$5.991 Month
  • Annual Access7 Days trial$39.991 Year

Questions

Is Reality checks free?
Reality checks costs $0.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is Lucidly free?
Lucidly is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Reality checks or Lucidly?
Lucidly is rated higher. Reality checks averages 1.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Lucidly averages 3.2 from 19 ratings.
Do Reality checks or Lucidly have ads?
Neither Reality checks nor Lucidly shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Reality checks or Lucidly?
Reality checks ships an update daily, and Lucidly weekly. Most recently, Reality checks was updated on October 25, 2026 and Lucidly on October 24, 2026.

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