No. Brick is a focus tool — you tap it to block and unblock distracting apps. It's genuinely well-loved at what it does. dawnr is an alarm that wakes you up and forces you out of bed; the two solve different problems.

Do Brick and dawnr compete?

Not really — many people would use both. Brick handles daytime focus; dawnr handles the morning. dawnr Pro's optional morning lockdown overlaps Brick's idea, but only in that first stretch of the day.

Are they both subscription-free?

Brick is subscription-free with lifetime app access. dawnr's core alarm is also never subscription-gated; dawnr Pro is an optional add-on, free for a month on every device.

dawnr vs Brick: different jobs (focus vs waking up)

dawnr vs Brick

They look similar — tap a small object to control your phone — but they solve different problems. Brick blocks apps. dawnr wakes you up.

Last updated June 19, 2026

Short answer

Brick and dawnr both use a tap-an-object mechanic, but for different jobs. Brick is a focus tool: tap it to block distracting apps, tap again to unblock. dawnr is a wake-up alarm: a loud phone alarm that only stops when you get up and tap it across the room. If your problem is mornings, dawnr is the morning version — and dawnr Pro adds a focus lockdown once you're up.

Brick: Phone app-blocker (a tap-to-block NFC tag) — not an alarm

At a glance

dawnr compared with Brick
	dawnr	Brick
What it's for	Waking up / getting out of bed	Blocking distracting apps (focus)
Is it an alarm?	Yes	No
Price	$89 one-time (founder $49)	$59 one-time
Subscription	None on the core alarm	None
Overlap	dawnr Pro adds a morning focus lockdown	Focus all day

Where Brick is genuinely good

Does its job extremely well — a 4.9-star app from tens of thousands of ratings
Truly subscription-free with lifetime app access, and HSA/FSA eligible
A simple, honest focus tool with a loyal following

Brick is a strong, well-reviewed product in its own lane (focus/app-blocking). We're not competing on the same job — many people would happily use both.

Where dawnr is different

Different problem: Brick blocks apps; dawnr wakes you up and gets you out of bed
If your issue is the morning specifically, dawnr is the morning version — and dawnr Pro adds a focus lockdown once you're up

Pick Brick if…

Your problem is distraction and screen time during the day, you want a simple, well-loved focus tool, and you're not looking for an alarm.

Pick dawnr if…

Your problem is the morning specifically — snoozing, doomscrolling in bed, sleeping through. dawnr wakes you and gets you out of bed, and Pro can lock down distractions once you're up.

Tomorrow morning can start differently.

No snooze loophole. No reaching for the phone in the dark. You get up, cross the room, tap, and you're already standing in your day.

Reserve for $1 →See how it works

$1 locks the founder price of $49 (it's $89 at launch). Charged at launch, July 2026. 30-night money-back guarantee.

Questions people ask

Is Brick an alarm?: No. Brick is a focus tool — you tap it to block and unblock distracting apps. It's genuinely well-loved at what it does. dawnr is an alarm that wakes you up and forces you out of bed; the two solve different problems.
Do Brick and dawnr compete?: Not really — many people would use both. Brick handles daytime focus; dawnr handles the morning. dawnr Pro's optional morning lockdown overlaps Brick's idea, but only in that first stretch of the day.
Are they both subscription-free?: Brick is subscription-free with lifetime app access. dawnr's core alarm is also never subscription-gated; dawnr Pro is an optional add-on, free for a month on every device.