⚡ Get All Content for 20% Off ⚡

This Alarm Clock Charges for Snoozes A new European alarm app wants users to ask themselves: What's more important, time or money?

By Nina Zipkin

entrepreneur daily

Some of us are just naturally morning people -- getting up at the crack of dawn with ease and good cheer. Others aren't so lucky. Hearing the sound of their alarm can bring on a feeling of dread, causing them to hit the snooze button over and over again.

But the team behind a new app called Snopy thinks they have a solution for constantly late-night owls who have trouble getting up at that first reveille: If you want to hit the snooze button, you have to pay up.

Tagged as "the most villainous alarm ever," the app's concept is fairly straightforward. Each user starts with four free snoozes, and if someone needs a little extra help, he can purchase additional ones in prepaid bundles: two for $1, 12 for $5 and 147 for $50. The next update will let users pay $1 per each additional snooze, but only if the phone is enabled with finger-print sensing tech. For now, it is only available for iOS users.

Related: 5 Simple and Effortless Morning Routines You Can Start Tomorrow

Based out of Budapest, Hungary, the project started out as a hobby and was created by CEO Balázs Némethi and app developer Csaba Toth. Nemethi says the idea was first inspired by a cartoon on social image-sharing platform 9GAG, and they pursued it once they realized there was no app that filled this particular need in the market.

"What our app does differently is that it puts the users into a situation where the user [has] to think twice before hitting snooze. The question every morning is, [is] my time in the bed worth this money? And since money and time [are] the two most desired belongings of the 21st century…the answer won't come easily."

Related: 2 Secrets to Having Super-Productive Mornings

The app is two weeks old and already has 1,000 downloads and counting. Being released in the heart of the New Year's resolution season, the Snopy app joins other money-at-stake and incentivized goal-keeping platforms like 21habit, Pact, stickK.

Of course, every year we promise ourselves to do a little better, even if we just start with getting up in the morning. What strategies do you use to hold yourself accountable? Whether it's the buddy system or constant reminders or a favorite app, let us know in the comments.

Related: It Only Takes Five Minutes to Become a Morning Person

Nina Zipkin

Entrepreneur Staff

Staff Writer. Covers leadership, media, technology and culture.

Nina Zipkin is a staff writer at Entrepreneur.com. She frequently covers leadership, media, tech, startups, culture and workplace trends.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Side Hustle

The Remote Side Hustle a 43-Year-Old Musician Works on for 1 Hour a Day Earns Nearly $3,000 a Month: 'All From the Comfort of Home'

Sam Ziegler wanted to supplement his income as a professional drummer — then his tech skills and desire to help people came together.

Business News

Costco CFO Reveals Uncertain Fate of $1.50 Hot Dog and Soda Combo

CFO Richard Galanti reveals that the price will stay the same — but only "for a while."

Business News

The Most Unexpectedly Popular Side Hustle of the Decade Has Low Startup Costs and High Markups

A new report shows that vending machines are a popular investment — and the industry is set to grow up to $3 billion by 2031.

Marketing

Ever Wonder Why Certain Websites Rank Higher Than Yours? This SEO Expert Reveals The Secret to Dominating Search Results

It's often the smart use of SEO, now supercharged with AI, particularly in keyword optimization.

Business News

AI Is Impacting Jobs. Here Are the Gigs Affected the Most, According to an Analysis of 5 Million Upwork Postings

The researcher said in the report that freelance jobs were analyzed first because that market will likely see AI's immediate impact.

Leadership

Former Interrogator Shares 5 Behaviors Liars Exhibit and How to Handle Them

Five deceptive behaviors to look for and how to respond to those behaviors when you encounter them.