In January 2026 a small Chinese app with a blunt name went to the top of the App Store charts in China: “Are You Dead?” It has one button. You press it every day. If you stop pressing it, the app tells someone. Within weeks, dozens of copies appeared worldwide, and people across Europe started searching for “Are You Dead app” and “Demumu”.
This article explains what the app is, why it struck a nerve, what a good daily check-in app needs to do, and which alternatives work well if you live in Europe.
What is the “Are You Dead?” app?
The app was released in May 2025 by a small Chinese studio, Moonscape Technologies, and stayed unnoticed for months. Its Chinese name, Si le ma, is a play on the popular food delivery app E le ma (“Are you hungry?”). In early January 2026 it climbed to number one among paid apps in China, according to reports by NBC News, AppleInsider and Sixth Tone.
The idea is simple:
- You enter an emergency contact.
- You tap a check-in button once a day.
- If you miss two days in a row, the app sends your contact an email.
After criticism of the name, the developers announced an international name, Demumu, and later asked users to suggest a new Chinese name. Reports in January also mentioned a small subscription to cover the cost of messages and servers.
Why so many people downloaded it
The app answered a question many people living alone quietly ask themselves: if something happened to me at home, how long would it take for anyone to notice?
One-person households are growing fast, in China and in Europe. In Germany, about four in ten households are single-person households. Many of these people are young professionals, students or people who moved for work, not only older adults. A fall in the shower, a sudden illness or a seizure can leave someone unable to call for help. A phone in the next room does not help if you cannot reach it.
The dark humour of the name made the app shareable. The real reason it spread is that it solves a real problem with almost no effort.
What a good check-in app needs to do
If you are looking for an app like “Are You Dead?”, these are the points that matter most:
- Alerts that work when your phone does not. The missed check-in should be detected on a server, not only on your phone. Otherwise a flat battery or no signal means no alert, exactly when you need one.
- Channels your contacts actually read. Email alone is easy to miss. WhatsApp, Telegram or a push notification are much more likely to be seen in time.
- More than one contact, with escalation. If the first person does not respond, the next one should be alerted.
- Your own schedule. Two missed days is a long time after a fall. A good app lets you choose your check-in window, for example every morning, or several times a day.
- Useful information for helpers. Your last known location and medical details (medications, allergies, conditions) help whoever comes to check on you.
- Privacy. You are sharing sensitive information. Check where the data is stored and how the app makes money.
Alternatives to “Are You Dead?” in Europe
Since January 2026 many check-in apps have appeared. Most of them copy the single button. Here is what to compare:
| “Are You Dead?” / Demumu | Typical copycat apps | Alma | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily check-in with one tap | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Your own check-in times | Fixed daily | Often fixed | Up to three windows a day |
| Alert after | 2 missed days | Varies | The end of your check-in window |
| Alert channels | Email or SMS | WhatsApp, Telegram, email, in-app | |
| Several contacts with escalation | No | Rarely | Yes |
| Works if your phone is off | Unclear | Often not | Yes, monitoring runs in the cloud |
| Location and medical info for helpers | No | Rarely | Yes, shared only after a missed check-in |
| Servers | China | Varies | Germany, GDPR compliant |
Where Alma fits in
Alma is a daily safety check-in built in Germany for people who live alone and the families who worry about them. You tap once in your check-in window. If you miss it, Alma alerts your emergency contacts one after another via WhatsApp, Telegram, email or in the app, until someone responds. Because the monitoring runs in the cloud, the alert goes out even if your phone is off or out of signal.
Family members can set Alma up remotely for a parent, including the schedule, contacts and text size. Being someone’s emergency contact is always free. The Safety Net plan for your own check-ins starts with a 14-day free trial.
If you want to read more, see our guide to the best automated safety check-in apps or emergency apps compared with a personal alarm.
Frequently asked questions
Is the “Are You Dead?” app available in Europe?
Reports from early 2026 describe the app on the Chinese App Store, with the international name Demumu. Availability in European stores can change, and many apps now use similar names. Check the developer name and the privacy policy before you install one.
Is there a free alternative?
With Alma, being an emergency contact is free forever. For your own check-in schedule there is a 14-day free trial, then a low-cost subscription. Be careful with apps that are free because they show ads or sell data. A safety app holds very personal information.
Does a check-in app replace an emergency call?
No. If someone is in danger, call 112 (or 999 in the UK) first. A check-in app covers a different situation: when you cannot call for help yourself, it makes sure someone finds out.
Does the app detect falls or seizures?
Alma does not detect falls or seizures. It reacts to a missed check-in. That makes it simple and reliable, and it works for any situation that keeps you from your phone.
Living alone and want someone to notice if something happens? Download Alma for iOS or Android, set your check-in time and add an emergency contact. It takes about two minutes.