Captain Alarm vs WakeKey
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Captain Alarm
Wake up with a unique alarm that requires you to scan a real-world object to dismiss. This utility app helps ensure you get out of bed by adding a physical challenge to silencing your alarm.
- Scan object to stop alarm
- Unique wake-up method
- Utility for waking up
- Customizable alarm settings
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Scan an object to turn off your alarm! Terms of Use: https://litappslab.com/terms
WakeKey
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Your alarm can wake you. WakeKey gets you out of bed by turning an everyday barcode into your morning key. Choose a toothpaste tube, coffee bag, shampoo bottle, vitamins, or another item outside your bedroom. When the alarm rings, walk to it and scan. No QR code to print. No puzzle you can finish under the covers. CHOOSE THE RIGHT WAKE PLAN • Get Up — one scan away from bed. Included free. • Stay Up — scan once, then complete a second check after a delay you choose. • Wake Route — move through two or three places in your morning routine. READY BEFORE BED WakeKey prepares backup protection before you go to sleep. Reliability Center shows what is ready: alarm permission, scheduled protection, your WakeKeys, camera access, time settings, and battery guidance. If an item is unavailable or will not scan, Recovery gives you a safe way forward. Emergency Cancel is always available. PRIVATE BY DESIGN No account. No ads. No analytics or tracking. No sleep tracking or microphone recording. Camera frames and raw barcode values are never stored. Matching happens locally on your iPhone using a protected fingerprint. BUILT FOR REAL MORNINGS • Repeating and one-time alarms. • Temporary travel WakeKeys. • Local or fixed time zones. • Private morning history without streaks or shame. Get Up, one active alarm, one active WakeKey with unlimited replacement, backup protection, Reliability Center, Recovery, Emergency Cancel, and recent history are free. WakeKey Pro adds Stay Up, Wake Route, multiple alarms and WakeKeys, Quiet Start, and full history. Choose monthly, annual, or Lifetime access. Eligible users can start with a seven-day trial. IMPORTANT WakeKey cannot ring if your iPhone is powered off or fully discharged. For safety-critical events, use an independent backup. Privacy Policy: https://wakekey.app/privacy Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
Captain Alarm and WakeKey are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters — price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Captain Alarm sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $17.99 per year and WakeKey sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Captain Alarm ships an update every 2 weeks, WakeKey every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Captain Alarm | WakeKey |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (8 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 8 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks — better | Every 3 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 26.2 | 26.1 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 50 MB | 14 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Lit Apps LLC (Mobile) | Gleb Kucherenko |
In-app purchases
Captain Alarm
- Yearly Subscription 50% OFF$17.991 Year
- Monthly Subscription$19.991 Month
- Yearly Subscription$34.991 Year
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- Yearly Subscription3 Days trial$34.991 Year
WakeKey
- WakeKey Pro Monthly$4.991 Month
- WakeKey Pro Annual7 Days trial$29.991 Year
- WakeKey Pro Lifetime$99.99








