Is Brick an alarm clock?

No. Brick is a focus tool — you tap it to block and unblock distracting apps. Flow is the alarm of the two: a dock you get up and scan to stop your morning alarm. They're often confused because both use a tap-an-object mechanic.

Which is better, Brick or Flow?

They do different jobs, so it depends on your problem. Brick for daytime distraction; Flow for getting out of bed. If mornings are the issue and you want the nicer object without subscription questions, dawnr is worth a look — it's the get-up-and-tap alarm with an optional focus lockdown.

Can one device do both?

Closest is dawnr: it's primarily a wake-up alarm, and after you tap it your apps stay locked for 20 more minutes — Brick's idea, applied to the first part of the day. For all-day app blocking, Brick is purpose-built.

Brick vs Flow: app-blocker vs alarm (which do you need?)

Brick vs Flow

They both use a tap-an-object trick, so they get cross-shopped — but they fix different problems. One blocks apps; one wakes you up.

See dawnr — $67

Last updated June 19, 2026

Short answer

Brick and Flow solve different problems. Brick is a tap-to-block focus tool that stops you opening distracting apps. Flow is a get-up-and-tap alarm — a dock out of arm's reach that kills your morning alarm only when you scan it. If your problem is mornings specifically, dawnr is the alarm version with an optional focus lockdown once you're up.

Brick

Brick ($59, one-time, no subscription) is a small tag you tap to block distracting apps and tap again to unblock. It's a focus tool with a loyal following — a 4.9-star app from tens of thousands of ratings — and it's genuinely good at what it does. It is not an alarm.

Flow

Flow (~$49 on sale, optional Flow+) is a magnetic dock you keep out of arm's reach plus a loud app alarm that only stops when you get up and scan the dock. Same forcing-function as dawnr, on iOS and Android, with bundled focus and sleep extras.

Side by side

Brick vs Flow vs dawnr
	Brick	Flow	dawnr
What it's for	Blocking distracting apps	Waking you up	Waking you up (+ optional morning focus)
Is it an alarm?	No	Yes	Yes
Price	$59 one-time	~$49 (sale)	$67 one-time
Subscription	None	Optional Flow+	None on the core alarm
Platforms	iOS + Android	iOS + Android	iPhone first, Android to follow

A third option: dawnr

If you're comparing Brick and Flow, you're really weighing two needs: blocking distractions and waking up. dawnr is the morning answer — a premium get-up-and-tap alarm with no subscription — and after you tap it your apps stay locked for 20 more minutes, so you get the wake-up of Flow and a touch of Brick's discipline in the stretch of the day that decides the rest of it.

The alarm you can't kill.

You can't kill it from bed. No snooze loophole, no reaching for the phone in the dark — you get up, walk over, tap, and you're already standing in your day.

Order dawnr — $67 →See how it works

Free U.S. shipping on 2 or more · 30-night guarantee · no subscription required.

Questions people ask

Is Brick an alarm clock?: No. Brick is a focus tool — you tap it to block and unblock distracting apps. Flow is the alarm of the two: a dock you get up and scan to stop your morning alarm. They're often confused because both use a tap-an-object mechanic.
Which is better, Brick or Flow?: They do different jobs, so it depends on your problem. Brick for daytime distraction; Flow for getting out of bed. If mornings are the issue and you want the nicer object without subscription questions, dawnr is worth a look — it's the get-up-and-tap alarm with an optional focus lockdown.
Can one device do both?: Closest is dawnr: it's primarily a wake-up alarm, and after you tap it your apps stay locked for 20 more minutes — Brick's idea, applied to the first part of the day. For all-day app blocking, Brick is purpose-built.