Barcode alarm apps compared
Orbit Alarm, Alarmy, AMdroid and BarcodeWake can all make you get out of bed and scan a barcode to stop the alarm. Here’s how they differ, so you can pick the one that suits you, even when that isn’t ours.
Alarmy, AMdroid and BarcodeWake are described from their own Google Play listings (Alarmy, AMdroid, BarcodeWake), and Alarmy’s iPhone version from the App Store, checked on 30 October 2026, plus our own use of Alarmy where a cell says “checked in the app”. Apps change, so check the current listing before you decide. “Not mentioned” means that app’s listing doesn’t say, not that it definitely can’t.
The short version
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Orbit Alarm
If you want scans for tasks through the day, not just the morning alarm: vitamins, brushing your teeth, bin night. Also for chained timers with a scan between steps, a bedtime reminder you scan to switch off, and a sci-fi look.
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Alarmy
If you need it on iPhone as well, or want a photo mission, a sleep tracker or the widest choice of missions.
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AMdroid
If you want alarms that know where you are or skip public holidays, a gentle pre-alarm before the main one, Wi-Fi, NFC or light challenges, or a Wear OS watch app.
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BarcodeWake
If you want no ads at all, or its extras: NFC tags, a walking mission, up to 5 missions in one alarm and a check that you didn’t go back to bed.
Side by side
| Feature | Orbit Alarm | Alarmy | AMdroid | BarcodeWake |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phones | Android | Android and iPhone | Android, with a Wear OS watch companion | Android |
| Scan a barcode or QR code to stop the alarm | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Other wake-up challenges | Maths, shake, tap | Photo, maths, memory, typing, shake, squats | Maths, captcha, Wi-Fi, NFC tag, light | Maths, typing, shake, walking, NFC tag |
| Tasks through the day that need a scan to clear | Yes | Not mentioned | Not mentioned | Not mentioned |
| Timers with a scan between steps | Yes | Not mentioned | Not mentioned | Not mentioned |
| Bedtime reminder | Yes, with an optional barcode lock | Not mentioned | Bedtime notification | Yes |
| Checks you didn’t go back to bed | No | Yes (Wake Up Check) | Yes (post alarm confirmation) | Yes (wake up check) |
| Stops you turning the phone off while it rings | No | Optional | Not mentioned | Optional |
| Emergency way out | Emergency Dismiss tap game, can be removed per alarm | Yes (emergency dismiss, checked in the app) | Not mentioned | 30-second silence, and a PIN-protected dismiss once a day |
| Wind-down and sleep | Stasis Pod: ambient visuals and sounds with a shutdown timer | Sleep sounds and a sleep tracker | Sleep tracking, sleep stats and a gentle pre-alarm | Nap timer |
| Printable codes | Free QR label sheet on this site | Not mentioned | Not mentioned | Printable PDF backup codes |
| Style | Sci-fi theme, 14 original tones | Loud tones and motivational quotes | Material design, gradual wake-up with music and weather | Loud tones, including klaxon and red alert |
| Price | Free with ads. One-time Remove ads purchase (£1.99 in the UK), no subscription | Free with ads and in-app purchases | Free with ads. A Premium Upgrade removes them | Free. No ads and no in-app purchases |
Where Orbit Alarm is different
Most barcode alarm apps stop at the morning. Orbit Alarm uses the same idea for the rest of the day. A barcode task fills the screen and keeps chiming until you scan the code on the thing itself, so “take your vitamins” means walking to the jar. Chained timers can wait for a scan between steps, and the bedtime reminder can need a scan too.
No barcodes to hand? Our free label sheet prints a QR code for each spot in your home.
What Orbit Alarm doesn’t do (yet)
- There’s no iPhone version.
- It doesn’t check you’re still up a few minutes after you dismiss the alarm.
- Each alarm has one challenge, and there’s no photo, typing, walking or NFC challenge.
- It doesn’t track your sleep, and has no watch app.
- It can’t turn alarms off by location or on public holidays.
- It can’t stop you turning the phone off while the alarm rings.
- Alarms and codes stay on your phone, with no backup to move them to a new one.
Frequently asked questions
Is there an alarm app that makes you scan a barcode for chores, not just to wake up?
Yes. Orbit Alarm has tasks that only clear when you scan a code, such as the vitamin jar, the toothpaste or a label on the bin, as well as barcode alarms. Of the apps compared here, it is the only one whose listing describes that.
Which barcode alarm app is free with no ads?
BarcodeWake’s listing says it has no ads, no in-app purchases and no subscription. Orbit Alarm is free with ads, which a one-time purchase removes. AMdroid is free with ads, and a Premium Upgrade removes them. Alarmy is free with ads and in-app purchases.
Is there a barcode alarm app for iPhone?
Of these four, only Alarmy is also on iPhone. Orbit Alarm and BarcodeWake are Android only, and AMdroid’s listing describes Android with a Wear OS watch companion.
Will my printed QR codes work in other apps?
Yes. The codes from our free label sheet are ordinary QR codes, so any alarm app that scans QR codes can use them, not just Orbit Alarm.
Are you connected to Alarmy, AMdroid or BarcodeWake?
No. Selenic Systems makes Orbit Alarm and has no connection with the makers of Alarmy, AMdroid or BarcodeWake. Their names belong to their owners, and we’ve described their apps from their own store listings, plus our own use of Alarmy where marked.